System and method for rider propulsion
AssigneeGarrett T. Johnson
InventorGarrett Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rider propulsion system for use with a water ride having a plurality of waterjets is disclosed. The system includes a dewatering tank configured to hold a volume of water used to support operation of the water ride, a compressed air system configured to supply pressurized air to the dewatering tank so as to pressurize the water, and at least one release valve configured to selectively release water from the dewatering tank in a controlled manner and provide it to the plurality of waterjets.
Claims13
A rider propulsion system for use with a water ride having a plurality of waterjets oriented so as to impart momentum in a desired direction to a rider of the water ride, the rider propulsion system comprising:
- a dewatering tank sized to hold a desired volume of water used to support operation of the water ride;
- a compressed air system configured to supply pressurized air to the dewatering tank so as to pressurize the desired volume of water;
- at least one control valve configured to selectively release pressurized water from said dewatering tank in a controlled manner and provide it to at least one of said plurality of waterjets;
- a computerized control system configured to control both the compressed air system's delivery of pressurized air to the dewatering tank and operation of the at least one control valve;
- and
- wherein said rider propulsion system comprises at least one ride sensor configured to be disposed on the water ride so as to detect the presence of the rider, the computerized control system being configured to control the operation of the at least one control valve based at least in part on information supplied by the at least one ride sensor.
A water ride system comprising:
- a water ride comprising a conduit and a plurality of water nozzles configured to direct water so as to impart momentum to a rider along a desired direction within the conduit;
- a dewatering tank sized to hold a desired volume of water used to support operation of the water ride;
- a water resupply system configured to resupply the dewatering tank, the water resupply system comprising a water source and a make up valve, wherein the make up valve is configured to selectively release water from the water source and provide it to the dewatering tank;
- a compressed air system configured to supply pressurized air to the dewatering tank so as to pressurize the desired volume of water, wherein the compressed air system comprises an air compressor and an air supply valve configured to selectively provide pressurized air from the air compressor to the dewatering tank;
- at least one control valve configured to selectively release pressurized water from the dewatering tank in a controlled manner and provide it to at least one of said plurality of water nozzles
- a vent valve that can be opened to vent said pressurized air from the dewatering tank,
- a computerized control system configured to control operation of said at least one control valve, said make up valve, said vent valve, and said air supply valve;
- and
- wherein said water ride comprises at least one ride sensor configured to detect the presence of the rider, the computerized control system being configured to control the operation of the at least one control valve based at least in part on information supplied by the at least one ride sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.