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US 6,450,891 B1Granted
Slide apparatus
OwnerDavid J. Dubetainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Slide apparatus includes at least one trough and a switchback trough or a switchback connected to the trough. The switchback is oriented and configured for changing the direction of travel or a user or a passenger, such as a user seated in an inner tube, from a first direction into a second direction. Multiple troughs and switchback elements may be provided so as to maximize the length of time during which a user slides, yet without increasing water usage, energy requirements, and space requirements. A switchback element may be configured for reversing the direction of travel of the user from more than 0° to 180° or more. The switchback element may be configured for directing passengers in different directions along different paths, and yet, without a dividing wall therebetween, thanks to the configuration of the switchback elements.
Claims82
A slide apparatus comprising:
- a) a trough having a top and a bottom, the top being elevated above the bottom, in use;
- b) a slide surface provided on said trough;
- c) said slide surface and said trough being configured so that a user slides on the slide surface from the top to the bottom along a substantially predetermined path, in use;
- d) at least one switchback being provided in said slide surface;
- e) said switchback being configured for causing, in use, a user traveling along the slide surface from the top to the bottom to be switched from a first direction of travel along the substantially predetermined path to a second direction of travel along the substantially predetermined path, the second direction of travel differing from the first direction of travel;
- and
- f) said switchback changing the direction of travel of the user by at least about 170 degrees.
4 more elements
A slide apparatus comprising:
- a) a trough having a top and a bottom, the top being elevated above the bottom, in use;
- b) the trough including a first trough element having opposed sidewalls and a second trough element having opposed sidewalls;
- c) a slide surface provided on said trough;
- d) said slide surface being configured so that a user can slide on the slide surface from the top to the bottom;
- e) at least one switchback being provided in said slide surface;
- f) said switchback being configured for causing, in use, a user traveling along the slide surface from the top to the bottom to be switched from a first direction to a second direction of travel, the second direction of travel differing from the first direction of travel;
- g) said switchback including a first slide surface and a second slide surface;
- h) said first slide surface being configured for guiding a user from the first trough element and in the first direction of travel;
- i) said second slide surface being configured for guiding a user in the second direction of travel and into the second trough element;
- j) said first direction of travel differing from said second direction of travel;
- and
- k) said first direction of travel being substantially adjacent to said second direction of travel when viewed from above.
9 more elements
A slide apparatus comprising:
- a) a trough having a top and a bottom, the top being elevated above the bottom, in use;
- b) a slide surface provided on said trough;
- c) said slide surface being configured so that a user can slide on the slide surface from the top to the bottom;
- d) said trough including a first trough element and a second trough element;
- e) at least one switchback being provided in said slide surface, said switchback being disposed between said first trough element and said second trough element;
- f) said switchback being configured for causing, in use, a user traveling along the slide surface from the top to the bottom to be switched from a first direction of travel beginning in the first trough element to a second direction of travel, the second direction of travel differing from the first direction of travel;
- and
- g) said switchback changes the direction of travel of the user by at least about 170 degrees.
5 more elements
A slide apparatus comprising:
- a) a trough having a top and a bottom, the top being elevated above the bottom, in use;
- b) a slide surface provided on said trough;
- c) said slide surface and said trough being configured so that a user slides on the slide surface from the top to the bottom along a substantially predetermined path, in use;
- d) at least one switchback being provided in said slide surface;
- e) said switchback being configured for causing, in use, a user traveling along the slide surface from the top to the bottom to be switched from a first direction of travel along the substantially predetermined path to a second direction of travel along the substantially predetermined path, the second direction of travel differing from the first direction of travel;
- and
- f) said switchback changing the direction of travel of the user by at least about 170 degrees.
4 more elements
A slide apparatus comprising:
- a) a trough having a top and a bottom, the top being elevated above the bottom, in use;
- b) a slide surface provided on said trough;
- c) said slide surface and said trough being configured so that a user slides on the slide surface from the top to the bottom along a substantially predetermined path, in use;
- d) at least one switchback being provided in said slide surface;
- e) said switchback being configured for causing, in use, a user traveling along the slide surface from the top to the bottom to be switched from a first direction of travel along the substantially predetermined path to a second direction of travel along the substantially predetermined path, the second direction of travel differing from the first direction of travel;
- f) said trough including a flume disposed between the top and the bottom;
- and
- g) said flume including a slide surface defining at least a portion of a spiral for causing a user to change direction by at least about 90 degrees as the user passes through the flume, in use.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.