Abstract:
Amusement slides having moving sections are disclosed. In one embodiment, an amusement slide includes a first section, a second section, and at least one actuator for moving the first section from a first state to a second state. The first section has a rider passageway therein, and the second section has a rider passageway therein. The second section passageway is in communication with the first section passageway such that a rider may pass from one of the passageways to the other of the passageways. A first slide path is defined while the first section is at the first state, and a second slide path is defined while the first section is at the second state. The second slide path is different from the first slide path.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/412,879, filed Nov. 12, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to leisure and amusement slides, and particularly to water slides. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Water slides in general are fabricated from rigid material configured into twists and turns to provide variety and entertainment for the user. A rider travels down the slide on a body of water and, because of the rigidity of the slide, travels in a predetermined slide track which is repeated on subsequent uses. 
         [0004]    Water slides can be classified as either a body ride where the rider travels on or in a body of water, or a tube ride where the rider travels in a craft or inner tube which itself travels on or in a body of water. In both cases, the water provides lubrication and a sliding enhancement medium. In some cases, water may be replaced by polishing the sliding surface of the slide so as to make a slippery surface on which to slide. Other sliding aids may also be used. Examples include a waxed bag, mat, or special suit. 
         [0005]    Known slides have distinct disadvantages. They are rigid over their entire length and therefore, once constructed, cannot be varied or changed as to slope, height, bumps, curves, or other features. The slide path is the same in each use; ultimately, users may lose interest in such static, unchanging rides. Thus, slides are frequently updated or replaced in order to provide variety and maintain user interest. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present inventions relate to sections of an amusement slide which are designed to move in different ways. Some of the embodiments described below provide a potentially different slide track with each use. The rider will also be subject to the sensation of movement within the ride itself, which has little or no precedent in the prior art. 
         [0007]    Since it is possible to use the start and finish of existing rides while incorporating movable sections disclosed herein, old slides may be retrofitted with new moving sections; of course, completely new installations may also be made using moving slide sections. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, an amusement slide includes a first stationary section having a rider passageway therein and a movable section having a rider passageway therein. The movable section passageway is in communication with the first section passageway such that a rider may pass from one of the passageways to the other of the passageways. A first slide path passes through the passageways. At least one actuator is configured to move the movable section. A processor in data communication with the at least one actuator is included for causing the movable section to move from a first state to a second state. Movement of the movable section from the first state to the second state alters the first slide path to a second slide path passing through the passageways. The second slide path is different from the first slide path. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, an amusement slide includes a first section, a second section, and at least one actuator for moving the first section from a first state to a second state. The first section has a rider passageway therein, and the second section has a rider passageway therein. The second section passageway is in communication with the first section passageway such that a rider may pass from one of the passageways to the other of the passageways. A first slide path is defined while the first section is at the first state, and a second slide path is defined while the first section is at the second state. The second slide path is different from the first slide path. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1   a  shows a plan view of part of a slide having a rotating section according to one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1   b  shows a cross sectional view taken from  FIG. 1   a  along line A-A. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1   c  shows a diagram of a processor in data communication with the actuator of  FIG. 1   a.    
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of part of a slide having a rotating section according to another embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a plan view of part of a slide having rotating sections according to yet another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  show a rotating section  6  installed as part of a tubular slide having an upstream section  4  and a downstream section  5 . The rotating section  6  rotates about axis B-B and includes an interior rider passageway that is aligned with and smoothly transitions to an interior rider passageway  4   a  ( FIG. 1   b ) of the upstream section  4  and to an interior rider passageway of the downstream section  5 . Alignment and transition of the interior rider passageways may be desired to minimize (at least to an acceptable extent) discomfort and opportunity for bodily injury when a rider passes between the interior rider passageways as discussed further below. In some embodiments, alignment and transition may be such that the rider experiences no noticeable affects from moving between the sections  4 ,  5 ,  6 . 
         [0016]    Collars  1   a ,  1   b  may maintain the alignment between the rotating section  6  and the upstream and downstream sections  4 ,  5 , and the collars  1   a ,  1   b  may include bearings that interact with one or more of the sections  4 ,  5 ,  6 . In some embodiments, gearing, pistons (or “rams”), and/or other actuators may be formed with one or both of the collars  1   a ,  1   b , such that force is operatively imparted on one or both ends  6   a ,  6   b  of the rotating section  6 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   a , movement of the rotating section  6  may be caused by a suitable powered mechanism  3  providing necessary drive energy to slide bearings in the collar  1   b . However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous actuating devices may be used to rotate the rotating section  6  whether at one or both ends  6   a ,  6   b , or at a central area of the rotating section  6 . 
         [0017]    If the sections  4 ,  5 ,  6  are coupled together in a generally watertight manner, water may be introduced into the upstream section  4  and flow through the interior rider passageways of the sections  4 ,  5 ,  6 . In other embodiments, water may be introduced into each of the sections  4 ,  5 ,  6  and may cycle out of the slide without proceeding from one section to the next. And in still other embodiments, the rotating section  6  may be used with dry slides that do not utilize water or other lubricants. 
         [0018]    As the rotating section  6 , the collars  1   a ,  1   b , the sections  4 ,  5 , and/or other elements may be undesirably stressed (especially while the rotating section  6  rotates), it may be desirable to include a weighted unit (or “counter balance”)  2 . The counter balance  2  may have various aesthetic configurations, and may be intended (if employed) to reduce undesirable stresses acting on the overall system.  FIG. 1   a  shows the counter balance  2  configured very similar to the rotating section  6 , and the counter balance  2  may or may not have an interior rider passageway similar to the interior passageway of the rotating section  6 . If the counter balance  2  does include an interior rider passageway, diverters may be used to direct riders into the counter balance  2  or the rotating section  6 . 
         [0019]    In use, at least one rider enters the slide at the upstream section  4  (i.e., in the interior rider passageway  4   a ) or even further upstream than the section  4 . The rider may enter the slide with or without a carrying vehicle; or in other words, the rider may enter feet-first, head-first, on a raft, et cetera. After travelling through a traditional (i.e., non-rotating) upstream portion, the rider passes from the interior rider passageway  4   a  of the upstream section  4  and into the interior rider passageway of the rotating section  6 . 
         [0020]    The rotating section  6  may be caused to rotate (clockwise and/or counterclockwise) in various manners. For example, a processor  110  ( FIG. 1   c ) may activate the actuator  3 , and exemplary rotation of the movable slide section  6  is shown by arrows C in  FIG. 1   b . The rotating section  6  may be continuously, intermittently (either at times such that the rotating sections  6  rotates while used by a rider, or at times such that the rotating section  6  rotates while no riders are present), or randomly rotated (e.g., by the processor  110  activating the actuator  3 ), or may for example be rotated to correspond to the rider entering or approaching the rotating section  6  (e.g., by using a predetermined time interval from when the rider entered the slide, by employing sensors to detect the rider&#39;s location, et cetera). Further, the rotating section  6  may be rotated at different (or even varying) speeds. In some embodiments, the rider may select the direction and/or speed of rotation (e.g., before entering the slide). The processor  110  may include hardware and/or software for controlling actuators as described. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments may omit the processor  110  and use operators (e.g., employees) to manually activate the actuators, for example. 
         [0021]    Gravity may bias the rider toward the lowermost point of the interior rider passageway of the rotating section  6 , regardless of the position of the rotating section  6 . Accordingly, the rider may remain generally in whatever part of the interior rider passageway of the rotating section  6  is lowest when he encounters it—regardless of the position of the rotating section  6  (e.g., below axis B-B, above axis B-B, et cetera). As such, the rider may sometimes travel in the interior rider passageway adjacent side  6   c  of the rotating section  6 , and may at other times travel in the interior rider passageway adjacent side  6   d  of the rotating section  6 . Due to the curved configuration of the interior rider passageway and the rotation of the rotating section  6 , the rider may encounter a different slide path inside the rotating section  6  each time the slide is used. From the rotating section  6 , the rider proceeds to the interior rider passageway of the downstream section  5 . 
         [0022]    The rotating section  6  may be constructed from any suitable material, such as GRP or any other appropriate materials now known or later developed. In addition, the rotating section  6  may be incorporated into various existing (or later developed) slides, with the unique features of each combining to provide different overall experiences. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/080,452 (published as US 2011/0183768), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses a “bowl” type slide having two tubular entrances  205 ,  207  and two tubular exits  514 ,  514 ′. The rotating section  6  may be incorporated, for example, into one or both tubular entrances  205 ,  207  and/or one or both tubular exits  514 ,  514 ′. It should also be appreciated that a slide (or even a portion of a slide) may include multiple rotating sections  6  that a rider will encounter. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a rotating section  7  according to another embodiment which may be used in conjunction with, or instead of, the rotating section  6 . The rotating section  7  may be curved (as shown, for example) or may extend generally straight, and is hinged (at axis  9 ) to rotate. In some embodiments, the axis  9  may extend generally horizontally. The rotating section  7  may include a supporting frame (or “spine”)  8  made of steel or other suitable material or combination of materials, and ram(s)  12 , gearing, and/or other actuators may cause the frame  8  to rotate about the axis  9 . It may be desirable for the axis  9  to be at (or closely adjacent) a proximal end  7   a  of the rotating section  7 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, if a ram  12  is used, the ram  12  may be powered by various existing or later-developed devices, such as hydraulic devices, pneumatic devices, electric motors, balancing devices that use fluid or solid weights, et cetera. 
         [0024]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the rotating section  7  is located at the beginning of the slide and feeds into non-rotating section  10 . In this embodiment, a rider  11  may enter the slide at the section  10 . Instead of initially travelling toward the end of the slide (i.e., in leftward direction E), the rider  11  may instead be launched in the opposite direction (i.e., in rightward direction F), such that the rider  11  travels down the rotating section  7  (at position  7 ′). As the rider  11  reaches a distal end  7   b  of the rotating section  7 , or at some other determined time, the ram  12  (or other actuator) may cause the rotating section  7  to pivot upwardly (to position  7 ″) such that the rider  11  is higher than the section  10 . Curve in the rotating section  7  and/or the rotation of the rotating section  7  may cause the rider to stop moving away from the section  10 , and gravity may cause the rider  11  to slide back down the rotating section  7  and to pass into the non-rotating section  10 . 
         [0025]    By incorporating the rotating section  7  at the beginning of the slide, riders may be allowed to choose whether to use the rotating section  7  or to proceed directly to the non-rotating section  10 . For riders utilizing the rotating section  7 , the amount of time on the slide may be increased without increasing the height of the entry stairway or the starting platform of the slide, and without extending the length from the starting platform to the end of the slide. Moreover, by using the rotating section  7 , a rider&#39;s momentum may be increased. 
         [0026]    In other embodiments that incorporate the rotating section  7  at the beginning of a slide, riders may enter the rotating section  7  at the distal end  7   b  while the rotating section  7  is at the lowered position  7 ′. This may be advantageous in that the height of the entry stairway and the starting platform may be lower than it would otherwise be. And, in some embodiments, it may be possible for the distal end  7   b  to reach all the way down to a ground level such that an entry stairway is not required. 
         [0027]    Particularly in such embodiments, it may sometimes be necessary to use a series of rotating sections  7  to enable riders to reach certain heights without the length of each section  7  being undesirably long. Such a configuration may resemble the configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , but the actuators would be operated to move the rider in directions opposite those shown in  FIG. 3 . In other words, the rider  13  in  FIG. 3  could enter at distal end  20   b  of rotating section  20 , and ram  21  could be used to move the rotating section  20  from lowered position  20 ″ to above raised position  20 ′, causing the rider  13  to travel to proximal end  20   a  of rotating section  20  and onto distal end  17   b  of rotating portion  17 . Ram  19  could then be used to move the rotating section  17  from lowered position  17 ″ to above raised position  17 ′, causing the rider  13  to travel to proximal end  17   a  of rotating section  17  and onto distal end  13   b  of rotating portion  13 . This pattern could be repeated until the rider is sufficiently high and introduced into a non-rotating section (e.g., section  10  in  FIG. 2 ), or the rider could descend on the same sections as described below regarding  FIG. 3 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  shows additional rotating sections  15 ,  17 ,  20  according to another embodiment which may be used in conjunction with, or instead of, the rotating section  6  and/or the rotating section  7 . The rotating sections  15 ,  17 ,  20  may each be substantially similar to the rotating section  7 , and may differ primarily in their location along the overall slide. 
         [0029]    The rotating sections  15 ,  17 ,  20  are arranged such that a rider progresses from one of the sections to another following vertical and/or horizontal movement of each of the sections  15 ,  17 ,  20 . If a section  15 ,  17 ,  20  moves both vertically and horizontally, attachment between the frame of the section and a respective actuator (e.g., ram  16 ,  19 ,  21 ) may for example include a ball and socket joint, and an additional element (e.g., another actuator) may cause the angle (i.e., orientation) of the actuators to adjust. Control of the actuators may be mechanical, manual, or computer controlled, and may be linked to other parts of the ride for safety and/or operational reasons. 
         [0030]    In use, the rider  13  may launch from start area  14  at the top of an access tower and travel along the movable section  15 . As the rider  13  progresses down the section  15 , the ram  16  moves the section  15  to engage with the next movable section  17  or an intermediary section. The rider  13  then progresses down the section  17 , while the section  15  may return to a beginning orientation for the next rider. As the rider  13  progresses down the section  17 , the ram  19  moves the section  17  to engage with the next movable section  20  or an intermediary section. The rider  13  then progresses down the section  20 , while the section  17  may return to a beginning orientation for the next rider. As the rider  13  progresses down the section  20 , the ram  21  moves the section  20  to offload the rider  13  (e.g., in a splash pool). This sequence may of course be abbreviated or extended by using fewer or additional moving sections. The speed and/or amount of rotation caused by the actuators may be generally unchanging, or may vary to alter riders&#39; experiences. 
         [0031]    If water is used with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the water may be provided at the start area  14 , may be introduced (e.g., by spray nozzles) at strategic locations along the sections  15 ,  17 ,  20 , and/or may be introduced at other desired locations. 
         [0032]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the hinge and actuator positions may be varied to provide a “see saw” motion and allow different slide configurations. For example, the hinge and actuator can be placed in such a way as to allow the rotating section to pivot about a central point so that the rider could be launched from a start point into the rotating sections, and the section could then rotate to direct the rider to a different slide. 
         [0033]    Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.