Water Ride with Sliding and Floating Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water rides lack the thrill and variety provided by water slides, as 'river' style rides with concrete or stone channels do not offer the same level of excitement and often require substantial elevation changes for transitions between sections.
Innovation Solution
A water ride design incorporating a flume with alternating sliding and floating sections, where riders or vehicles slide and float respectively, utilizing flow-altering elements to create diverse ride paths and experiences, with fluid connections between sections allowing for continuous paths without significant elevation changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional river style rides use concrete or stone channels, then the structure is simple and durable, but the thrill and variety of the ride experience is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The flume is divided into multiple distinct sections including sliding sections with lubricated surfaces, floating sections with flow-altering elements, and transition sections. Each section provides a different ride experience, allowing the ride to offer variety and adaptability without requiring a completely complex overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the flume are given different local qualities - some sections have smooth lubricated surfaces for sliding, others have flow-altering elements for floating, and transition sections connect them. This allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If water slides use substantial elevation changes for transitions, then the thrill is increased, but the requirement for elevation changes limits ride configuration flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The transition sections are designed to connect sliding and floating sections at substantially the same elevation, eliminating the need for substantial elevation changes. This allows flexible ride configurations while maintaining thrill through the alternating sliding and floating experiences rather than relying solely on elevation drops.
3Adaptability or versatility
If alternating sliding and floating sections are integrated, then the thrill and variety are enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding and floating sections are merged into a single continuous flume structure with fluid connections between them. This integration allows riders to experience both sliding and floating in sequence without exiting the vehicle, enhancing ride variety while avoiding the complexity of separate ride systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Transition sections act as intermediaries between sliding and floating sections, facilitating smooth connections between the different ride modes. These transition sections manage the fluid dynamics and vehicle transitions, reducing the overall system complexity by providing dedicated transition zones rather than requiring complex integration throughout the entire flume.
4Adaptability or versatility
If flow-altering elements are added to create diverse ride paths, then the ride variety is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Flow-altering elements are incorporated as part of the modular floating section design, allowing them to be attached to standardized flume sections rather than requiring custom manufacturing for each element. This segmentation enables easier manufacturing and assembly while still providing diverse ride paths through the different configurations of flow-altering elements.
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
Enhances the thrill and variety of water ride experiences by integrating sliding and floating sections with flow-altering elements, enabling complex ride configurations and transitions without the need for substantial elevation changes, thus creating a more dynamic and engaging ride complex.
Implementation Method 1
a floating section wherein the riders or ride vehicles float in the flume
Implementation Method 2
portions of the water slide may be lubricated with a volume of water
Data Source
AI summary
A water ride is disclosed. The water ride has a flume adapted to have riders or ride vehicles travel from an initial location at a first elevation to a terminal location at a second elevation lower than the first elevation. The flume includes at least one sliding section wherein the riders or ride vehicles slide on a sliding surface of the flume and at least one floating section wherein the riders or ride vehicles float in the flume. The floating section is fluidly connected to the first sliding section and includes a plurality of flow-altering elements attached to and protruding from the flume.