Abstract:
The device is a wave generation system for bodies of water such as pools. At the deep end of the pool there is a set of air tight caissons. These caissons have an open bottom and allow the water of the pool to flow within. Pressurized air from a high pressure blower is introduced into these caissons via a duct. The duct, which passes through the caissons, is perforated on its top to allow the pressurized air from the blower to distribute itself evenly over the surface of the water. The air fills the caisson forcing the water out the open bottom of the caisson and into the pool causing the wave. These waves can be used as in a normal wave pool or used to power a river type ride.

Description:
Continuation-in-part (CIP) of prior application No. 60/618,025, filed Oct. 12, 2004. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a pneumatic wave generation for pools and more particularly to pneumatic wave generation systems that generate waves in pools as small as a back yard pool. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Wave generation systems are the featured amusement at many amusement parks and aquatic theme parks throughout the world. In such applications various mechanical and pneumatic devices and apparatus have been utilized to engage and displace water at one end of the pool to create a surface wave pattern. A conventional wave generation system may be housed at a deep end of the pool with multiple caisson chambers. A ventilation system is provided within each caisson above the surface of the water therein. A source of forced air capable of effecting aspiration by applying compressed air to the surface above the water surface in the chamber is applied by conduit system. When the caissons are actuated with pressurized air the water level therein is driven down out of a lower caisson passage way and into the pool thereby creating the intended wave disturbance. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,077 to Raike discloses a wave generation system of the type mentioned above. Another patent to Raike, U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,799 also describes the above type of wave generation system. In these systems, a pneumatic system including a motor driven fan that communicates selectively with duct lines to caissons through a pair of two position air directed valve assemblies. Selective actuation of the two position air directional valve assemblies between the caisson chambers allow the waves to be generated in many alternately wave shapes and patterns augmenting the utility of the installation and its amusement value to users. Waves produced in water theme parks typically operate two to three hundred hours per month. The system put forth in the two patents to Raike is well designed for a large amusement park. 
   However, the objective of this invention is to create a smaller pool size, usually around twenty four feet wide to eighty feet long and having a volume of water around 27,000 gallons for use in the residence, apartment, condominiums complexes and is intended for only occasional use. The 24 feet in width was chosen because that in the minimum width pool to produce a true sinusoidal was of one meter in height. One meter in height wave are ideal for acceptable raft riding and will break into a roller wave and advance to the zero water depth. Eighty feet pool length has been shown to be a good short length and slope to provide and safe and enjoyable board surfing in a shot wave pool. The inventor believes the twenty four feet by eighty feet pool represents the minimum size for a small pool with satisfactory waves with a safe and acceptable bottom slope. To achieve this objective of the pool for residential uses, pneumatic compressor and control power must run on 120 volts ac, the typical house current. 
   Another objective of this system is to create waves of various patterns. This is done in the commercial systems by having two or more caissons that are pressurized alternately. For the smaller pool one can use two caissons which are energized alternately or in a given sequence to produce waves in various patterns. Instead of using a valve, usually positioned above the caisson, to pressurize and depressurize the caisson in the inventor&#39;s system, the high pressure blower has a valve built within the blower assembly, a duct selector that allows for pressurizing and decompressing the duct and therefore the caisson. Supplemental air release is provided on the duct with a valve assembly at the end of the duct. 
   What allows the above objective to be achieved is the duct used to energize the caisson is perforated with openings along the upper half of the duct. In the conventional system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,077 to Raike, above referenced, the large volume of pressurized air necessary to rapidly charge the caisson is injected into the caisson by a nozzle positioned above the water level. The pressurized air, thus, is not evenly distributed over the surface of the water within the caisson and its focused entry into the water tends to cause turbulence as the water level is pressured downward. Undesirable turbulence degrades the quality of the generated wave and represents a system loss of pneumatic efficiency that is likewise undesirable. Thus, the need exists for a wave generator that can equally distribute and disperse pressurized air over the surface of the water within a caisson so as to result in minimal losses from turbulence and maximum pneumatic efficiency. 
   In the inventor&#39;s system, the pressurized air is introduced into the caisson via a duct that is perforated with openings on the top half of the duct. This duct allows air evenly distributed throughout the caisson and eliminates turbulence. By preventing turbulence the pneumatic system becomes more efficient. Due to the increase in efficiency, less air is need to move the same amount of water which allows for reducing the construction height of the caisson above water level thereby reducing the volume of space to be energized with pressurized air. This not only cuts down on the construction cost but also makes the pool much more economic when used. The decrease in the volume of air need because of the increase in pneumatic efficiency makes a small wave pool for residential use possible. The lesser volume of air necessary decrease the blower size and the caisson size thus lowering the cost of installation. This along with the lowering of cost to operate due to the smaller blower make the wave pool economical for a residential operation. 
   One of the major problems in adapting the existing wave generators like the one in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,077 to Raike to a smaller scale is that the housings in which the caissons are deployed are relatively large and raise above the pools deck at the deep end. As a result, steps must be incorporated into the pool deck in order to allow for the users to transverse the perimeter of the pool. The size of the caisson housing in a conventional wave generator is a function of the relatively large air displacement requirements by the state of the art due to the turbulence caused by the injection of air and bends in the ducts. Since the cycle time of charging each caisson with pressurized air and discharging the generated wave from one caisson and exhausting the caisson is significantly short on the order of 2 seconds or less, a relatively large and excessive volume of pressurized air must be quickly injected into the caisson in order to correspondingly effectively quick movement of the water level downward. This also makes the air compressor much larger and uneconomical to purchase or use for a small installation. It is thus the objective of the invention to reduce the amount of air required to charge a caisson in a wave generating system. Such a reduction in volume of air would reduce the size of the caisson air chamber allowing for reduction of the vertical height and the lowering of the cost to build said pools. Additionally the reduction of the volume of air required to charge the wave generation caisson would enhance the system efficiently and allow the use of a smaller energy efficient fan system. In the conventional wave generation system, the large volume of pressurized air necessary to rapidly charge the caisson is injected into the caisson by a nozzle positioned above the water level causing turbulence as explained above. This turbulence lessens the efficiency of the system and necessitates a large volume of air to produce the wave. Thus, an objective of the system is to produce a wave generator that can equally distribute and dispense pressurized air over the surface of the water within the caisson so that the resulting minimal loss from turbulence and maximum pneumatic efficiency. Further, in order to supply the excessive quantity of pressurized air into the caisson, current system employs a high capacity fan system which distributes the air to the caisson by an extensive system of large conduits or ducts. Such fans are expensive and noisy in operation and have high power utilization rates resulting in undesirable increase in the cost of operating the wave generation system. Thus, the objective of the invention is to create a wave generator that produces a quieter, low powered fan unit that efficiently distributes pressurized air into the caisson through an efficient, bend free conduit system. The feature that allows this to be done is a duct system used to energize the caisson is perforated with openings along the upper half of the duct. The duct allows air to evenly distribute throughout the caisson and eliminates turbulence and maximizes efficiency. This permits less air to be needed and allows for reduced construction height of the caisson above the water level thereby reducing the volume and space to be energized with air pressure. This lesser air pressure, of course, means that a smaller far more efficient fan unit can be used. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is a wave generation system for bodies of water such as pools. At the deep end of the pool there is a set of air tight caissons. These caissons have an open bottom and allow the water of the pool to flow within. Pressurized air from a high pressure blower is introduced into these caissons via a duct. The duct, which passes through the caissons, is perforated on its top to allow the pressurized air from the blower to distribute itself evenly over the surface of the water. The air fills the caisson forcing the water out the open bottom of the caisson and into the pool causing the wave. These waves can be used as in a normal wave pool or used to power waves in a river type ride. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a wave pool with the invention installed. 
       FIG. 2  is a cutaway side view of the wave pool of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the blower and the blower valve and a portion of the first caisson. 
       FIG. 3A  is a side view of the blower valve. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of a portion of the duct. 
       FIG. 5  is a cutaway view of the duct along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the pressure relief valve. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of another embodiment of a wave pool with a river around the pool. 
       FIG. 7A  is a cutaway side view of the wave pool of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 7B  is a cutaway view of the wave pool of  FIG. 7  along line  7 B- 7 B of  FIG. 7A . 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of another embodiment of a wave pool with a longer fan shaped river around the pool. 
       FIG. 9  shows the blower and caisson area of another embodiment of the wave pool and a pattern of wave that can be created by this configuration of ducts and blowers. 
       FIG. 10  shows the same configuration of blowers, ducts and caissons as  FIG. 9  and a different pattern of wave from  FIG. 9  that can be created by this configuration of ducts and blowers. 
       FIG. 11  shows a top view of a circular wave pool. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show the present invention, a pneumatic wave generator for a small installation.  FIG. 1  shows a pool and the wave generation system comprising of a hydraulic system and pneumatic system. The pool  12  includes a deep portion  14  having substantially a square configuration and shallow portion  16  longitudinally opposite the deep portion  14 . The pool  12  includes a bottom  18  with the greatest depth at the deep portion  14  and a shallow portion  16  that slopes upward to a zero depth. 
   In the preferred embodiment the pool would in its minimum size be twenty four feet by eighty feet. The twenty four feet wide is the minimum width for a wave pool to create a true sinusoidal wave of one meter in height. The one meter high wave are the size ideal for raft riding and will break into a roller wave and advance to zero depth. The eighty feet length is the minimum length for the slop of the bottom of the pool to allow the wave to go to zero depth that allows board surfing safely. 
     FIG. 1  shows the caissons  20 . This  FIG. 1  shows five caissons  20 , which is the number ideal for a small installation, however, this number can vary from installation to installation.  FIG. 2 , a cutaway view of the pool  12  shows that the caissons  20  are basically cubical in structure. The caissons  20  extend above the water level of the pool  12  and extend down to the bottom  18  of the pool with the front wall  22  having a submerged passageway  24  near the bottom  18  the pool  12 . The water from the pool  12  can flow through this submerged passageway  24  partially filling the caisson  20 . 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  also shows ducts  26  and  28  running through the caissons  20  above the water line. These carry air from the high pressure blower  30  into the caisson  20 . The high pressure air forced into the caisson  20  forces the water in the caisson  20  downward and causes it to pass out through the submerged passageway  24 . This water that passes through the submerged passageway  24  forms the wave upon the pool  12 . At the ends of the ducts  26  and  28  is a pressure release valve  32 . This pressure release valve  32  is shown in  FIG. 6 . This pressure release valve  32  exhausts air from the caisson  20 . When the pressure release valve  32  is opened, air from the caisson  20  flows into the ducts  26  and  28  again and is exhausted by the pressure valve  32 . 
   Some of the air is also exhausted through the blower valve  34  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3A . Blower valve  34  connects the high pressure blower  30  alternately to the ducts  26  and  28  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3A .  FIG. 3  is a side view that shows the blower valve  34  hooking the high pressure blower to the ducts  26  and  28 .  FIG. 3A  is a top view of blower valve  34 . In  FIG. 3A  blower valve&#39;s inlet  36  is attached to the high pressure blower  30 . Blower valve&#39;s outlet  38  shifts between attaching to duct  26  and duct  28 . In  FIG. 3A  the blower valve&#39;s outlet  38  is attached to duct  26  and duct  28  is open. 
   When duct  28  is opened it means that air will be exhausted from the caissons  20  which duct  28  services. When the blower&#39;s valve&#39;s outlet  38  is attached to duct  26  it means that air is being forced into the caissons  20  which duct  26  services. The blower valve  34  moves between the two ducts  26  and  28  very rapidly. The timing is generally one to one and one-half seconds for the air to be injected into the caissons  20  and then one to one and one-half seconds to allow the air to exit. This leaves very little time to fill the large caissons  20  with air and push the water into the wave form. Therefore, the high speed blower  30  must be able to produce large volumes of high pressure air. As I pointed out above, inventor&#39;s new system with perforated straight ducts  28  and  26 , increases the efficiency of the pneumatic system by approximately 25 percent. This means the size of the caissons  20  can be cut down by at least 25 percent and it also means that the high pressure blower  30  has to move 25 percent less air. Thus, a smaller size high pressure blower  30  can be used which will reduce the cost of the installation and operation. Also, the caissons  20  themselves can be reduced in size also reducing a manufacturing cost. In the traditional wave generating system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,077 the air is allowed to escape through the same opening in which the air is injected. In applicant&#39;s system, the air in the caissons  20  escapes through the openings  40  in the perforated ducts  26  and  28 . The numerous openings  40  in the perforated ducks  26  and  28  create a much larger open area than the opening through which the air is injected and exhausted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,077. Thus, the air will more easily escape in this new system. This is further enhanced by the inventor, not only allowing the air to escape at the blower valve, but also placing on the duct  26  and  28  a pressure release valve  32  witch each cycle is opened to allow the air to escape. This better system of exhausting the air causes the pneumatic system to be much more efficient. The added efficiency, of course, lowers the size of the high pressure blower  30  necessary and also requires the high pressure blower  30  to use less effort and thus last longer. It also allows for the caissons  20  to be reduced in size, thus cutting down on the manufacturing cost and the higher efficiency means that there will be less power needed to produce the wave and thus the operating expenses would be less. 
   The shape of the ducts  26  and  28  is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The ducts  26  and  28  are basically long, round pipes that run through the caissons  20  above the water level.  FIGS. 4 and 5  show that these pipes have openings  40  in the top to allow the air to escape into the caissons  20  when the high pressure blower  30  is pumping air into the duct  26  and  28  and when the high pressure blower  30  ceases to pump air into the duct  26  and  28  and the blower valve  34  opens and the pressure release valve  32  opens, and air from the caissons  20  then rushes through these openings  40  and out the pressure release valve  32  and the blower valve  34 . The openings  40  in the ducts  26  and  28  are placed at the top of the ducts  26  and  28  so that the air, when pumped through the duct  26  and  28 , and escapes out these openings  40 , will make contact with the ceiling of the caisson  20  and spread down thus causing the air to spread out over the full surface of the water within the caisson  20 . This improves the pneumatic efficiency and allows for less air to be used. The openings  40  can actually be placed anywhere on the ducts  26  and  28 , however, as I pointed out above, although it would work and create the waves it is less efficient than placing the openings  40  on the top of the duct  26  and  28 . 
     FIG. 6  shows the pressure release valve  32 . Each duct  26  and  28  as shown in  FIG. 1  has a pressure release valve  32 . The pressure release valve  32 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , is cylindrical and contains a butterfly valve flap  42 . When air is being injected into the ducts  26  and  28  by the high pressure blower  30 , the butterfly flap  42  is closed not allowing the air to escape out the pressure release valve  32 . When the high pressure blower  30  ceases to inject air into the duct  26  and  28 , the butterfly valve flap  42  opens and allows the air to escape out the pressure release valve  32 . As I stated above, the pressure release valve  32  and the blower valve  34  opens the duct  26  or  28  at the same time to allow the air to escape out. Unlike the previous state of the art, the ducts  26  and  28  have both ends of it that can open to allow the air to escape whereas the previous art had only one opening to allow the air to escape. This double opening allows the system to be more pneumatically efficient. The pressure relief valve  32  and the blower valve are all controlled by an electronic control system. This system can be hooked up to the pressure relief valves  32  and the blower valves  34  by wires of by radio waves. 
     FIG. 3  shows the high pressure blower  30 . In the preferred embodiment the high pressure blower  30  is placed at the side of the pool, below the water line such that it exhausts into the ducts  26  and  28  just above the water line. By placing the high pressure blower  30  in this configuration, the deck area  44  at the deep portion  14  of the pool  12  does not raise significantly above the water level. This configuration has been sought by the industry. In the prior art the housing in which the caissons are deployed are relatively large and raise above the deck at the deep end the pool an undesirable height. As a result, steps must be incorporated into the pool deck in order to allow the user to transverse the perimeter of the pool. In addition, the high housing of the caissons at the deep end of the pool may interfere with the placement of the competitive starting box in the pool, and thereby defeat or inhibit the capacity of the pool to serve as a venue for competitive swimming meets. Finally, high caisson housing is esthetically displeasing. Wave generators providing essential functional utility, yet having a lower vertical height compatible with providing a uniform deck area surrounding the pool is accordingly desired by the industry. 
   The high pressure blower  30  can be run by an electrical motor or an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine can be run from natural gas, propane or gasoline. 
   The wave generator for this system has been basically designed for a small system. 
     FIG. 7  shows a pool  50  for a commercial establishment that has ten caissons  52 . The caissons  52  also in this pool  50  are driven just like the previous pool  12  from a high pressure blower  30  at the side that distributes the air in two ducts  54  and  56 , one of which has openings in each caisson  52 . The blower valve  34  and high pressure blower  30  are similar to the five caisson pool  12  except the ten caissons  52  are for a larger establishment.  FIG. 7  is also unique because it not only shows a wave pool  50  but also a river  58  that flows around the pool  50 , with a deck  60  in the middle of the pool  50  that allows individuals to either enter the river  58  or the wave pool  50 .  FIG. 7   a  is a cut-away view of  FIG. 7  showing the water line.  FIG. 7   b  shows the water line for the wave pool  50  and the river  58 . The wave pool  50  is similar to the wave pool  12  cross section shown in  FIG. 2  and it stops at the deck area  60  at zero depth. However, further out past the deck area  60  another area of water for the river  58  is created. Thus and individual cannot only ride the waves but also ride through the river  58  in his tube or raft.  FIG. 7  cut along line  7   b - b  or  FIG. 7   a  shows a cut-away view of the system showing that the river runs  58  on both sides of the wave pool  50 .  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  shows the bottom construction of this pool. 
     FIG. 8  shows another configuration for a wave pool  62 . This configuration has a much more extensive deck  64  and a much larger river  66 . That too is operated with ten caissons  52  and the duct  54  and  56  similar to the wave pool  12  and  50  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 . However, in this one the wave pool  62  and the river  66  are outstretched in a fan shape. The deck  64  area is greatly enhanced so that individuals will have a longer ride on the river  66 . The wave pool  62  area fans out just as in  FIG. 1 . 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  show another configuration for ducts  162 ,  164 ,  166 , and  168  and the caissons  78 . In this system a high pressure blower  30  could be placed at each end of the wave pool  68  and the set of caissons  78 . The high pressure blower  30  still pressurizes two ducts  162  and  164  or  166  and  168  that run across all ten of the caissons  78 . The ducts  162 ,  164 ,  166 , and  168  have the perforated tops in every fourth caisson  78  rather than in every other caisson  20  and  52  as in the previous configurations. The another high pressure blower  80  also has two ducts  74  and  76  out of it and it too has the perforations on the duct in every fourth caisson  78 . Thus, there are four ducts  162 ,  164 ,  166 , and  168  to every caisson  78 ; however, only one of those ducts  162 ,  164 ,  166 , or  168  is perforated in each caisson. 
   Configuring the caissons  78  in this way, one can produce several different wave patterns. Two of these wave patterns are shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . In  FIG. 9  when the first high pressure blower fills ducts  162  and the second high pressure blower fills duct  166  at the same time and ducts  164  of first high pressure blower and duct  168  of second high pressure blower are exhausted at the same time, one begins to produce the wave patterns  100  of  FIG. 9 . Then duct  164  of first high pressure blower is pressurized while duct  162  is exhausted and duct  168  of second high pressure blower is pressurized while duct  166  is exhausted further creating the wave pattern  100  of  FIG. 9 . 
     FIG. 10  is created by pressurizing duct  162  of high pressure blower  160  and duct  168  of high pressure blower  170  while exhausting duct  164  of high pressure blower  160  and duct  166  of high pressure blower  170 . Then duct  164  of high pressure blower  160  is pressurized and duct  166  of high pressure blower  170  is pressurized while duct  162  of high pressure blower  160  and duct  168  of high pressure blower  170  exhausted. This will create the wave pattern  102  of  FIG. 10 . 
     FIG. 11  shows you that a circular wave pool  90  can also be built. In this configuration there are 12 caissons  92 . However, one could use less or more caissons. Each of the caissons  92  contains at least one duct  94  that is perforated. The caisson  92  construction and the way in which the waves are created are exactly the same in this configuration as in the previous configurations. The air from the high pressure blower  98  is forced into the ducts  94  and it escapes into the caisson  92  out of the perforations in the top of the ducts  94 . This distributes the air over the water evenly and thus creates high pneumatic efficiency. The air, of course, presses the water downward and the water escapes through the submerged passageway not shown in the example creating the wave. In the configuration shown in  FIG. 11  the wave generation system has a horizontal high pressure blower  98  with three outlets  103 . Those three outlets  103  deliver air by a non-perforated duct to the blower valve  104 . The blower valve  104  is like the previous embodiment in that it is designed to alternately pressurize two ducts  94 . The two ducts  94  extend from the high pressure blower  98  in opposite directions in the circular configuration. Each duct  94  runs through three caissons  92  chambers and has perforations in the first and third caissons  92  for which it runs through. Using this configuration there is one perforated duct  94  in each caisson  92 . There are many different configurations that could be used in this system. The high pressure blower  98  could have only one outlet to a blower valve as in the previous example that alternately pressurizes two different ducts. These ducts would extend fully around the circular configuration with alternate caissons having perforation. In this configuration there still would be one perforated duct per caisson. The configuration could also have more than three different fan exhausts with ducts running to the caissons. The basic design consideration is that there would be at least one perforated duct in each caisson so that the waves can be produced. In the configuration of  FIG. 11  the pressure relief valves  110  are placed in the walls of the caisson in some of the caissons  92 . These pressure relief valves  110  work the same as in the previously embodiments. When the blower valve  104  shuts off the flow of air to the caissons the pressure relief valve  110  opens and exhausts the air from the caisson  98 . In the caisson that are adjacent to the blower valve  104  there are no pressure relief valves  110 . When the blower valve  104  moves from one duct  94  to the other duct  94  it opens up the first duct  94  so that the air can pass back through the perforation and escape out the blower valve  104 . As in the previous embodiment the blower valve  104  and the pressure relief valve  110  are hooked to an electronic control system that control there actions. 
   Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appending claims.