Rotating Indoor Ski Cylinder With Refrigerated Ice Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial snow sports environments, both indoor and outdoor, fail to provide an exciting and physically demanding experience for advanced skiers and snowboarders, as they are either weather-dependent or suited primarily for beginners and family groups.
Innovation Solution
A large, hollow cylindrical housing with an internal skiable surface coated with artificially created ice crystals or tiles, which rotates to allow traversal by skiers or snowboarders, utilizing a network of heat conductive tubes and a refrigerant system to maintain a frozen surface, and a water spray mechanism to deposit and maintain the ice layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If artificial snowmaking facilities are used at resorts, then skiing experience is provided, but the facilities are weather-dependent and cannot be provided in skilled and demanding areas
Solution Approach 1:
The housing rotates about its axis to create a dynamic skiing environment where the skiable surface moves relative to the participant. This rotation allows the apparatus to function independently of external weather conditions while providing varied skiing experiences suitable for different skill levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces natural weather-dependent snowmaking with a controlled refrigerant system using heat conductive tubes. This mechanical substitution creates reliable artificial snow conditions regardless of atmospheric conditions, eliminating the weather dependency of traditional resort facilities.
2Ease of operation
If indoor slope facilities are provided, then accessibility is improved, but the facilities are suited primarily for beginners and family groups rather than advanced skiers
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating housing creates dynamic variations in the skiable surface, including rising and falling parts that provide different challenges. Advanced skiers can tackle the rising parts while beginners use the falling parts, making the facility adaptable to all skill levels while remaining accessible in urban locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The skiable surface has different local characteristics - rising parts for advanced skiers and falling parts for beginners. This local quality variation within a single facility allows it to serve multiple skill levels simultaneously, addressing the limitation of traditional indoor slopes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a revolving housing with artificial snow surface is created, then an exciting skiing experience is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The snowmaking system is segmented into heat conductive tubes arranged in a network within the housing. This segmentation allows for modular construction and maintenance while achieving the complex function of creating and maintaining an artificial snow surface on a rotating structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it contains the refrigerant system, provides the skiable surface, and rotates to create the thrilling skiing experience. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems and components, thereby managing complexity while achieving versatile performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus provides a dynamic and thrilling skiing or snowboarding experience by creating a revolving, artificially snow-covered surface that can be traversed at varying speeds, catering to enthusiasts seeking excitement and physical challenge, while being adaptable for different skill levels and environments.
Implementation Method 1
a manifold arrangement for delivering a refrigerant to said tubes at a temperature sufficient to freeze water that contacts the tubes
Implementation Method 2
means to spray water into the interior of the hollow housing... means to deposit a layer of ice crystals
Implementation Method 3
a surface that, as the housing is rotated, is relatively traversable downwardly on skis or a snowboard
Data Source
AI summary
A snow sports apparatus (10) including: a hollow housing (12) having an internal generally cylindrical surface (12) and supported, with its axis having a major horizontal component, for rotation about said axis; and means (60) to provide on said internal generally cylindrical surface (30), a surface that, as the housing (12) is rotated, is relatively traversable downwardly on skis or a snowboard on the initial rising part (115) of the surface's travel.