Abstract:
Disclosed is a wave pool for creating multiple surf-able waves when a wave generating device forces water into a first end of the wave pool. The wave pool includes a first deep area adjacent the end of the wave pool having the wave generating device. It is followed by a first artificial reef that creates a first shallow area that causes a swell created by the wave generating device to become a first surf-able wave. This is followed by a second deep area that causes the first surf-able wave to revert to a swell. A second artificial reef creates a second shallow area causing the swell to become a second surf-able wave. A basin and swash area follows the second artificial reef for dissipating the remaining energy of the second surf-able wave. An optional set of edge shallows can extend substantially the length of the wave pool to create a surf-able curling wave along each side of the wave pool.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/836,182 filed Aug. 08, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Historically, wave pools have been unable to produce waves that were large enough for surfing. However, inventions such as pressurized caissons or the pneumatic wave cannon have greatly increased the size of generated waves. A “wave cannon” is a wave generating device such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,393 to Carnahan et al. In short, the wave cannon transfers energy from the escape of compressed air into a large water filled tube, expelling the water from the tube into a body of water and creating swells or waves. The wave cannon is notable for its ability to transfer a large amount of energy to the body of water.  
         [0003]     As may be expected, wave pools are more difficult to safeguard than swimming pools. Conventional wave pools have typically been sized and configured so that when used for surfing, only a single surfer could safely ride a wave. Some wave pools have the capability to produce waves that break from the right hand side of the wave or the left hand side of the wave. Center breaking waves, which are more complicated and difficult to produce, are sometimes referred to as “point” or “A-Frame” waves. When someone surfs in a conventional wavepool, other surfers must wait in a clear, safe venue until their turn. Then the next surfer may paddle into position in order to surf the next wave. An incoming wave could easily lead to collisions between surfers or between surfers and the sides of the pool. The variety of water currents or undertows could disorient or tire those in the water. Because of the risk of injury, surfers in conventional wave pools have been limited in the number permitted to surf at any one time.  
         [0004]     Wave pool construction and operation can also be costly. Water parks can require a minimum of 10-30 acres, extensive infrastructure, staffing, and considerable energy consumption for the generation of waves. Wave pools that are capable of producing large, surfing waves can be even more expensive. The expense of generating surfing waves may be calculated on a cost per wave basis. Some facilities charge surfers based on their expected revenue per wave.  
         [0005]     What is needed is a wave pool design capable of increasing the number of surfers who may safely ride a generated wave, thereby improving the revenue per wave.  
       SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0006]     In one embodiment there is disclosed is a wave pool for creating multiple surf-able waves when a wave generating device forces water into a first end of the wave pool. The wave pool includes a first deep area adjacent the end of the wave pool having the wave generating device. It is followed by a first artificial reef that creates a first shallow area that causes a swell created by the wave generating device to become a first surf-able wave. This is followed by a second deep area that causes the first surf-able wave to revert to a swell. A second artificial reef creates a second shallow area causing the swell to become a second surf-able wave. A basin and swash area follows the second artificial reef for dissipating the remaining energy of the second surf-able wave.  
         [0007]     Another embodiment discloses a deep center channel that extends the length of the wave pool to the swash area in which no surf-able waves are formed. The deep center channel acts as a buffer zone that separates the first artificial reef from the second artificial reef and the third artificial reef from the fourth artificial reef thereby allowing separate wave segments to be surfed by a plurality of surfers.  
         [0008]     An optional set of edge shallows can extend substantially the length of the wave pool to create a surf-able curling wave along each side of the wave pool. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top view prior art illustration of a typical wave pool.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1B  is a side view prior art illustration of the typical wave pool shown in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top view illustration of one embodiment of a wave pool according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional illustration as viewed at the Z line and along the X line of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top view embodiment of another embodiment of a wave pool according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top view embodiment of still another embodiment of a wave pool according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     As used herein, the term surfing is defined to include bodysurfing, board surfing, sail boarding, and any other recreational activity that requires waves. Thus, the present invention is useful for a variety of surf related activities, and the terms “surf” or “surfer” should be construed as meaning any surf related activity and its participants.  
         [0016]     The bottom topography of a body of water is one of the factors in how a wave breaks. Most wave pools include some form of incline and a simulated beach opposite the wave generator. Natural beaches have inclines that range from steep (reflective of waves) to gradual (dissipative of wave energy). Wave pool beach inclines support or foster the creation of surf and then provide a dissipative end or swash zone for the beach. That is, these pools often have a bottom incline that culminates in a gradually inclined beach area. Prior to the swash zone, the incline is typically steeper to support the conversion of swells into the peaked waves of surf. As a swell progresses into increasingly shallow conditions, the swell grows vertically relative to the water level, creating surf. Friction with the bottom slows the deeper portion of the wave until the peaked wave begins to curl. As the wave passes over the continuing incline, eventually the surf curls and breaks, washing up the incline of the beach and dissipating energy.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a top view prior art illustration of a typical wave pool  1  with isobaths denoting depth or elevation from the floor of the pool. A wave generator  5 , which in this example is shown as a cluster of wave cannons, discharges into water course  3  generating swells and waves. Opposite wave generator  5  is a slope at beach area  7  for the final breaking of waves. Typically, an optional apron  200  surrounds wave pool  1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 1B  is a side view prior art illustration of the typical wave pool  1  shown in  FIG. 1A . This view shows water being discharged from wave generator  5  into water course  3 . As the water moves toward the opposite end it encounters the steeper incline  6  causing the swell to crest creating surf as it washes over the shallower less inclined area  7  into a swash zone before finally dissipating completely.  
         [0019]     In the ocean, reef breaking surf is made up of waves that break over a solid base, such as a rock or coral reef. Natural reefs typically lack the terminating incline of a beach, as well as the moveable constituency of sand or pebbles that further dissipates energy. Many natural reefs are steeper than beaches, rapidly creating steep, challenging waves, an effect referred to as “jacking.” Thus, reefs can produce desirable, high energy waves for surfers.  
         [0020]     Artificial reefs for generating waves have been known in the field. One example of an artificial reef is disclosed in Pub. No. US 2003/0077122 to Carnahan, et al. However, artificial reefs have not heretofore been developed that permit the waves to form and break in a manner that permits multiple surfers to safely ride a single wave.  
         [0021]     Embodiments of the present invention describe systems and configurations of artificial reefs that enable multiple surfers to ride multiple wave segments within a wave pool. A plurality of elevations that comprise an artificial reef system can produce a series of surf-able wave segments. Depressed or deeper areas running substantially along or in the direction of the path of the wave are disposed between the elevations, and may be used to bound or separate areas of surfing. The deeper areas permit swells to pass between elevations without producing surf-able waves. Thus, individual surfers may ride wave segments generated by elevated areas while being separated from other wave segments and other surfers.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a top view illustration of one embodiment of a wave pool according to the present invention with isobaths denoting depth or elevation. Wave pool  1  is shown with water course  3  in which waves travel after being generated by wave generator  5 . Opposite wave generator  5  is beach area  7 . Alternatively, wave pool  1  may include a more gradual or dissipative increase in elevation so that the depth becomes increasingly shallow over the run of a wave, depending on the type of wave desired and the energy required.  
         [0023]     The present invention may also be used with one or more wave diversion channels, lazy rivers, or action rivers for redirection of wave energy, as desired. Further, the present invention is also applicable for pools of a wide variety of geometric shapes, so long as the system of artificial reefs is configured in a manner to complement the geometry of water course  3 .  
         [0024]     For the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a system having artificial reefs  61  and  62  are disposed within water course  3 . In this embodiment, artificial reef  61  comprises a peaked inverted V shaped primary shallow, which works in conjunction with deep side channels  41 ,  42  and edge shallows  51 ,  52 . The primary shallow or elevation of artificial reef  61  may take a variety of shapes to produce a desired wave form and is not intended to be limited to just that shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0025]     In order of progression along line X, a burst of water emanating from wave generator  5  encounters first deep area  3 A, artificial reef  61 , second deep area  3 B, artificial reef  62 , basin  3 C, and then beach area  7 . In deep areas, the water is in the form of a swell. In shallow areas, the water becomes a wave and builds to form a surf-able crest or peak while wave energy is expended by movement and friction. In contrast to the path along line X, in the path along line Y less wave energy is expended as the non-surf-able swell moves along deep side channels  42  and  44  until reaching beach area  7 . Of course, such embodiments may include a single artificial reef or more than two artificial reef, as may be desired for the application.  
         [0026]     Edge shallows  51  and  52  create a curling wave on the sides of water course  3 . This wave may run for the full length of pool  1  until reaching beach area  7  or, as shown in this example, optional deep areas  3 B 1  and  3 B 2  may create an interruption where the wave reverts to a swell. The unimpeded swell in deep side channels  41 - 44  proceeds in advance of the waves created by edge shallows  51  and  52 .  
         [0027]     The embodiment of  FIG. 2  may be used with up to eight surfers, depending on the size of wave pool  1  and the desired configuration. For purposes of illustration, a surfer may be located at each of starting spots A through H. Surfers located at spots A, B, C, and D are preferably surfers of greater skill or ability because the wave will be at a high level of energy when it strikes the shallow area of artificial reef  61 . Preferably, artificial reef  61  will be configured for jacking a swell quickly into the form of a surf-able wave. When the wave passes artificial reef  61 , the wave will then encounter deep area  3 B, and will return to the form of a swell. Preferably, artificial reef  61  and deep area  3 B are long enough such that surfers located at sports A, B, C, and D will slow after having ridden their first wave. After the swell passes through deep area  3 B it encounters artificial reef  62 . Surfers located at spots E, F, G, and H may then ride the wave.  
         [0028]     Note that edge shallows  51  and  52  may include breaks at deep area  3 B, which are denoted by  3 B 1  and  3 B 2 . Alternatively, edge shallows  51  and  52  may continue for the length of the pool, such that surfers located at spots A and D might continue surfing the whole length of wave pool  1 . As noted above, the swell in deep side channels  41 - 44  will precede the wave created by edge shallows  51  and  52 . Thus, surfers beginning at spots A or D riding a wave in the traditional backhand approach (i.e., back to the wave) would have their surfboards pointed inwardly, towards the deep side channels.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is an un-scaled cross-sectional illustration as viewed at line Z and along line X of  FIG. 2 . The displayed depths are merely illustrative of one possible profile, and are shown as an example embodiment of how elevated areas might relate to deep areas. Artificial reef  61  is formed in an inverted V peaked shape so as to create an A-frame wave capable of separately sustaining surfers on either side of the artificial reef  61 . As water approaches in the form of a swell it rides up and somewhat outward over the artificial reef  61  into a shallower area where it becomes a surf-able wave. The deep side areas  41  and  42  prevent the wave from forming along the sides. However, edge shallows  51  and  52  receive swells and convert them into curling waves that can be surfed as well.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a top view embodiment of another embodiment of a wave pool according to the present invention. In order of progression along line X, a generated wave encounters first deep area  3 A as described above, then artificial reef  65 B, second deep area  3 B, artificial reef  66 B, basin  3 C, and then beach area  7 . Artificial reef  65 B is separated from artificial reef  65 A by deep channel  71 . Similarly, artificial reef  66 B is separated from artificial reef  66 A by deep channel  72 . In deep areas, the wave is in the form of a swell; in shallow areas, the wave builds to form a surf-able peak. Thus, surfers located at spots B and C would be separated by a non-surf-able swell, as opposed to separation by the peak of an A-frame wave as described above. Lines Y 1 , Y 2 , and Y 3  identify paths along deeper channels in which less wave energy is expended as non-surf-able swells move along water course  3 . Edge shallows  51  and  52  are unbroken over water course  3 , so that this embodiment would support six surfers, as shown by spots A-F.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a top view embodiment of still another embodiment of a wave pool according to the present invention in which artificial reefs  65 A,  65 B,  66 A, and  66 B are configured in peaked fashion to form multiple A-frame waves. As with the embodiment in  FIG. 4 , deep channels  71  and  72  separate the artificial reefs  65 A from  65 B and  66 A from  66 B respectively. This embodiment combines elements of  FIGS. 2 and 4  to provide a wave pool that is capable of handling twelve surfers, as shown by starting spots A-L. The description of how the waves are created is similar to that already described above.  
         [0032]     The underlying principle(s) of the embodiments of the present invention may be scaled to facilities of a variety of sizes and configurations. The above embodiments should be considered to be exemplary embodiments, and are in no way limiting of the present invention. Thus, while the description above refers to particular embodiments, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.