Abstract:
A rider slides down an inlet slide to a low entrance opening of a separate exit slide. The exit slide has an inclined portion along which the rider decelerates from the entrance as he or she moves upward, followed by downward travel along a predetermined path of the separate exit slide from a high elevation, past the entrance, to a low elevation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/334,474, filed on Nov. 16, 2001. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention pertains to amusement slides, particularly water slides.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In known water slides, a user typically coasts along a slippery surface from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, either in a straight line path or a path that includes curves. A water slide may take the form of a flume in which a large volume of water is introduced at the entry for lubricating the surface of the slide and for assisting in moving the user along the flume, and/or one or more sections that are misted with water to maintain the slippery characteristic of the slide surface. Sometimes the user will sit or lie on a mat or ride in a vehicle designed to coast along a predefined route. Water slides typically terminate at an exit pool.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention provides an amusement device in the nature of a slide having a long predetermined path along its length from a high elevation at a first end portion thereof to a lower elevation at a second end portion thereof. The slide has a rider entrance between the first and second end portions and at an elevation below the high elevation. A rider is introduced through the entrance in a direction toward the first end portion such that the rider slides upward toward the first end portion while decelerating, followed by sliding travel of the rider along the predetermined path from the first end portion to the second end portion.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an undulating amusement slide in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a top plan of the slide of FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, somewhat diagrammatic bottom perspective of a portion of the slide of FIG. 1, with parts shown in exploded relationship, and FIG. 4 is a top perspective of such portion with parts assembled;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic, enlarged transverse section taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 2; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 is a top plan of a modified slide in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]    With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an embodiment of a slide  10  in accordance with the present invention includes an entry platform  12  at a high elevation, reachable by several flights of stairs  14 . Platform  10  includes a recessed entry box  16  into which water is continuously pumped. The entry box is configured so that water overflows into a downhill “inlet section” or segment  18  which, for much of its length, can function as a flume. A user may slide in the flume or ride in a buoyant and resilient vehicle, such a donut-shaped, inflated inner tube, or a double “figure 8” tube having two cavities for two riders. Upright sidewalls define the long, narrow path of the inlet segment.  
         [0012]    The upper portion  20  of the inlet segment  18  is curved gradually downward to a more steeply inclined central section  22  for acceleration of the rider or riders. The central section  22  can be substantially linear, leading to the lower portion  24  which is curved oppositely from the upper portion  20  to the bottom end  26 . The bottom end  26  can be approximately horizontal. In the case of an inlet segment  18  having an upper portion  20  formed as a flume and carrying a substantial volume of water introduced at the entry box  16 , roller drains  28  can be provided at approximately the center and toward the of the inlet section  18 . Drains of this type are illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. These views also illustrate the general contour of the narrow inlet segment  18 . The roller drain sections include an essentially flat, horizontal bottom  21  along which the rider&#39;s vehicle coasts, and curved sidewalls  23  for retaining the rider or vehicle in the flume. Rollers  29  extend transversely across the bottom and are spaced apart slightly so that water in the trough will pass between the rollers.  
         [0013]    Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, by the time the rider reaches the bottom  26  of the inlet section  18 , he or she will be traveling at a high rate of speed along the slippery bottom surface of the flume, although by this time the slippery characteristics of the inlet section may be maintained by misting since essentially all or at least most of the water introduced from the entry box will have passed through the roller drains  28 . At this point, i.e., the bottom or outlet  26  of the inlet segment (which also is the rider entrance for the next segment), the rider passes to an upwardly curved section  30  of a separate slide portion or segment  32  which also can be referred to as the “exit slide.” In the illustrated embodiment, the exit slide  32  is substantially wider than the inlet segment  18 , allowing for unpredictable twists and turns of the rider or vehicle after it is propelled out of the inlet segment  18 . The inlet segment  18  preferably enters the exit slide  32  at an angle so that the rider is propelled toward the center of the exit slide.  
         [0014]    Upon entering the exit slide, the rider and vehicle decelerate from a high rate of speed as they transit upward along the upper curved section  30 . Ultimately, the rider will travel back down along the upper curved section, past the bottom  26  of the inlet section  18 . Along the entire exit slide  32 , the slippery characteristics of the slide can be maintained by misting, such as by apparatus of the type shown in FIG. 5. Nozzles  34  can be spaced along the length of the slide, with some nozzles pointed inward and others more outward to lubricate the entire flat bottom surface  35  of the slide. Sidewalls  36  are provided to retain the rider and vehicle in the exit slide.  
         [0015]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, from a location close to the top of the upper curved section  30 , the rider accelerates downward to a generally horizontal bottom section  38 , then up and over a hill section  40  which may be designed to follow an approximate free fall parabolic path or which may result in the rider becoming airborne for a short distance after passing the top  42  of the hill. The rider then coasts along an exit section  46  which is inclined downward at a small acute angle, such as approximately 5 degrees, for maintaining a fast but safe rate of speed or slight deceleration until the rider exits the slide into an exit pool  48 . The exit slide defines a separate, long, predetermined path along its length from the higher elevation toward the top of section  30  to which a rider is propelled, to the lower elevation at the exit end.  
         [0016]    While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the invention has been described with reference to a flume inlet section  18  for introducing the rider into the main slide  32 . This also could be achieved by a misted inlet slide, in which case the drains  28  could be deleted. In another embodiment, the rider could be propelled onto the main slide  32  in a different manner. For example, with reference to FIG. 6, a mechanical acceleration component  50  could be provided to introduce the rider onto the main slide at approximately the same location and speed. The mechanical acceleration apparatus could include one or more conveyors or spring-loaded or elastic-cord members to propel one or more riders onto the main slide  32  for travel upward along the curved section  30 , then downward and over the hill section  40  to an exit section  46 . Similarly, the exit slide could be provided without a hill section  40 , or with more than one hill, and/or with curves.