# US 10,500,508 B2 · Water ride > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,508 B2 - Document ID: US10500508B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/318,202 - Filed: 2015-03-03 - Published: 2017-04-20 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-13 - Assignees: ProSlide Technology Inc. - Applicants: Proslide Technology Inc. - Inventors: Richard D. Hunter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500508B2 ## CPC - A63G 21/18: Water-chutes - A63G 21/10: with spiral tracks - A63G 21/14: with driven slideways - A63G 31/007: {involving water} - A63G: MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT ## Abstract A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, and a water slide comprising said slide feature are provided. The slide feature has an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle, an outrun permitting egress, and a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun. The sliding surface may comprise a surface substantially in the shape of a sector of a closed curve and/or may be substantially planar. The slide feature may also include an outer lip and provide that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the out run in an arcuate path at least partially bounded by the outer lip. The sliding surface may be oriented so an elevation of the rider or ride vehicle increases then decreases along the arcuate path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, the slide feature comprising: an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle at a first elevation, an outrun permitting egress of the rider or ride vehicle at a second elevation, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation, a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun, wherein the sliding surface comprises a two-dimensional, planar surface portion substantially in the geometric shape of a sector of a closed curve, wherein the slide feature provides that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the outrun in an arcuate path, wherein the sliding surface is oriented at a pitch angle around a pitch axis, the pitch angle being measured relative to a horizontal plane, wherein the sliding surface is oriented at a roll angle around a roll axis, the roll angle being measured relative to the horizontal plane, wherein the pitch axis and the roll axis are mutually perpendicular, and wherein at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle is nonzero. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface is substantially planar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the pitch angle and the roll angle are selected so that an elevation of the rider or ride vehicle increases along a first portion of the arcuate path and decreases along a second portion of the arcuate path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The slide feature of claim 3, wherein each of the pitch angle and the roll angle is less than 45°. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The slide feature of claim 3, wherein at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle is 11.25°. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The slide feature of claim 3, wherein each of the pitch angle and the roll angle are between 15° and 18°. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The slide feature of claim 3, wherein the roll angle is 11.25° and the pitch angle is 22.5°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the slide feature is between 15 feet to 25 feet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a radius of the sliding surface is continuously reduced from the inrun to the outrun. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The slide feature of claim 9, wherein the radius of the sliding surface at the outrun is 75% of the radius of the sliding surface at the inrun. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a radius of the sliding surface is constant from the inrun to the outrun. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface is uncovered. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, further comprising a cover over the sliding surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The slide feature of claim 13, wherein the cover has at least one of a hemispherical or domed shape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the slide feature is adapted to carry a ride vehicle and the ride vehicle comprises a raft for seating one human or a raft for seating two humans in an inline configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a shape of the inrun and a shape of the outrun each are adapted to interface with water slide chutes having a circular or semi-circular cross-section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface comprises a flexible material with a textured surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the outer lip has a substantially flat cross-section perpendicular to the sliding surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the outer lip has a curved cross-section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The slide feature of claim 19, wherein an edge of the sliding surface is curved to provide a smooth transition to the outer lip. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein an edge of the sliding surface is angled to meet the outer lip. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The slide feature of claim 21, wherein the edge of the sliding surface is angled at an angle between 10° and 45° relative to a central part of the sliding surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A water slide comprising a slide feature according to claim 1. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The water slide of claim 23, further comprising: a support structure supporting the slide feature, wherein the support structure is configured to dynamically impart movement to the slide feature. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the slide feature further comprises an outer lip extending from the inrun to the outrun and wherein the arcuate path is at least partially bounded by the outer lip. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The slide feature of claim 25, an edge of the sliding surface is curved to provide a smooth transition to the outer lip. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the rider or ride vehicle has a continuously decreasing elevation while sliding from the inrun to the outrun. ### Claim 28 A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, the slide feature comprising: an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle at a first elevation, an outrun permitting egress of the rider or ride vehicle at a second elevation, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation, a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun, wherein the sliding surface is a substantially two-dimensional, planar surface, wherein the slide feature provides that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the outrun in an arcuate path, wherein the sliding surface is oriented so that an elevation of the rider or ride vehicle increases along a first portion of the arcuate path and decreases along a second portion of the arcuate path, wherein the sliding surface is oriented at a pitch angle around a pitch axis, the pitch angle being measured relative to a horizontal plane, wherein the sliding surface is oriented at a roll angle around a roll axis, the roll angle being measured relative to the horizontal plane, wherein the pitch axis and the roll axis are mutually perpendicular, and wherein at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle is nonzero. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The slide feature of claim 28, wherein: both the pitch angle and the roll angle are nonzero. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) A water slide comprising a slide feature according to claim 28. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The slide feature of claim 28, wherein the slide feature further comprises an outer lip extending from the inrun to the outrun and wherein the arcuate path is at least partially bounded by the outer lip. ### Claim 32 A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, the slide feature comprising: an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle at a first elevation, an outrun permitting egress of the rider or ride vehicle at a second elevation, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation, a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun, wherein the sliding surface comprises a two-dimensional, planar surface portion that is substantially circular or substantially elliptical, wherein the slide feature provides that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the outrun in an arcuate path, wherein the sliding surface is oriented at a pitch angle around a pitch axis, the pitch angle being measured relative to a horizontal plane, wherein the sliding surface is oriented at a roll angle around a roll axis, the roll angle being measured relative to the horizontal plane, wherein the pitch axis and the roll axis are mutually perpendicular, and wherein at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle is nonzero. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The slide feature of claim 32, wherein the slide feature further comprises an outer lip extending from the inrun to the outrun and wherein the arcuate path is at least partially bounded by the outer lip. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The slide feature of claim 32, wherein the rider or ride vehicle has a continuously decreasing elevation while sliding from the inrun to the outrun.