Hydraulic and earth engineering – Fluid control – treatment – or containment – Wave generation or enhancement
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-21
2004-04-27
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Fluid control, treatment, or containment
Wave generation or enhancement
C004S491000, C472S128000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06726403
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wave forming devices, apparatus and methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of wave forming devices and methods have been developed that simulate some forms of ocean waves. Only one of these devices and associated methods that are presently available produce a breaking as opposed to a rolling ocean wave. The device is produced under the trademark FLOWRIDER. Breaking ocean waves are waves which build in amplitude until the crest of the wave moves in the direction of motion of the wave at a greater speed than that with which the body of the wave is moving to result in the crest of the wave collapsing forwardly in front of the body of the wave. The crest of some breaking ocean waves meets the water in front of the body of the wave without affecting the stability of the wave, to result in a wave commonly referred to by surfers as a “pipeline”.
Surfers, body boarders and body surfers typically like to surf on the face of a breaking ocean wave, which is typically a concave surface. In surfing on the face of a breaking ocean wave, surfers, body boarders, and body surfers initially move in a downward direction while the wave is moving forwardly and can either be carried along by the wave in such a position or perform manoeuvres on the wave by moving relative to the wave. For example, they can move (a) longitudinally along the wave, (b) upwardly, up the face of the wave, (c) downwardly, down the face of the wave, or (d) any combination of movements (a)-(c). The FLOWRIDER includes a curved surface which corresponds to the face of a breaking ocean wave. The radius of curvature of the curved surface progressively varies along the length of the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER. Water is pumped from a lower region of the curved surface, upwardly along the curved surface, so that the pumped water follows the curvature of the curved surface and, in regions along the length of the FLOWRIDER the water is directed back to the lower region to produce a flow pathway which simulates a “pipeline”.
A surfer typically surfs the FLOWRIDER by entering the simulated wave at a lower region of the wave. The upwardly directed water carries the surfer to an upper region of a curved surface. A surfer can then maneuver their board and/or themselves to surf their way along the length of the FLOWRIDER.
However, because the FLOWRIDER relies solely on water being forced upwardly up the curved surface to simulate a breaking ocean wave the FLOWRIDER does not accurately simulate a breaking ocean wave. This is because the water is forced upwardly up the curved surface at a much greater flowrate than water which flows upwardly up the face of a breaking ocean wave as a result of the “suck” of a breaking ocean wave. When a surfer surfs a breaking ocean wave, the surfer's board bites into the face of the wave and hence displaces water from the wave. The “suck” of a breaking ocean wave which produces movement of water up the face of the wave causes the water which is displaced by the surf board to curl over the edge of the board which is biting into the wave. The water which curls over the edge of the surf board provides a downward force to the board to hold the board into the wave. The flowrate at which water is required to be pumped up the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER results in the water travelling at such a speed that it does not provide any downward force to the board and hence does not hold a surf board into the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER. A vacuum is therefore applied to the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER to help prevent a surfers board from skipping out of the wave. While the vacuum addresses the problem of a board skipping out of the wave it introduces two additional problems. Firefly, surfers cannot perform maneuvers on the FLOWRIDER as they can when surfing a breaking ocean wave. If a surfer leaves the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER to perform a maneuver they are drawn into the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER by the vacuum which prevents them from completing their maneuver as they would if performing the maneuver on a breaking ocean wave. Secondly, the vacuum can result in a surfer being injured when attempting a maneuver because they are drawn either back into the curved surface or over an upper region of the curved surface and onto either the ground which surrounds the FLOWRIDER or part of the structure which supports the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER.
It is therefore desirable to provide a device and/or apparatus and/or method which more closely simulates an ocean wave, thereby enabling surfers, body boarders and body surfers to surf, body board or body surf without having access to ocean waves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wave simulating device comprising a surface which substantially conforms to the shape that a face of a predetermined natural ocean wave has at a predetermined instant, and fluid projecting means for projecting fluid from a position which either lies in the plane of the surface or beneath said plane, wherein the fluid projecting means is arranged to project fluid out of the surface to enable a person to surf over the surface.
Said person may surf either with a planar object including a body board, surf board or the like or without the planar object in which case the person body surfs over the surface.
The fluid may be completely or predominantly liquid.
The fluid projecting means may comprise a plurality of nozzles which are adapted to project fluid out of the surface.
The projection capability of the nozzles may vary from one that is capable of producing a very narrow projection to one that produces a very broad or diffuse projection.
The location and spacing of the nozzles may be varied to produce different surfing conditions.
The wave forming device may include projection control means for controlling the projection of fluid from the fluid projecting means.
The projection control means may be arranged to control characteristics of the projected fluid including any one or more of the following characteristics:
(a) pressure of the fluid which is projected out of the surface;
(b) diffuseness of the fluid which-is projected out of the surface.
The fluid may include a substance such as a surfactant which is adapted to increase forces of attraction between the fluid and the surface.
The fluid may comprise a liquid/air mixture which is adapted to form a liquid/air cushion over the surface.
The projection control means may include detecting means for detecting location of the object or person on the surface to enable fluid to be projected out of a nozzle during the instant that a person or object passes over the nozzle.
Fluid may be projected out of the nozzle by opening said nozzle for a predetermined period of time.
The detecting means may comprise a sensor which is adapted to recognize an activating signal and subsequently activate the projection of fluid from a nozzle.
The activating signal may include movement of a person.
The activating signal may include a planar object including a body board, surf board or the like.
The activating signal may include activating means for emission of an activating signal, the activating means being arranged for attachment to a person, or object including a body board, surf board or the like.
The planar object may include activating means for emission of an activating signal.
The activating signal may include a material or coating which is attached to a bottom side of a planar object, to the skin of a person, or outside surface of a wetsuit worn by a person.
The sensor may include a proximity switch.
The proximity switch may include any one or more of the following proximity switches:
(a) ultra sonnic;
(b) Infra red;
(c) Metal detector including ferrous or nonferrous metal detector;
(d) Photo-electric.
The nozzles may be arranged to project fluid out of the surface at an angle which is not transverse with the surface nor substantially parallel with the surface.
The fluid projecting means may be arranged to incre
Collard & Roe P.C.
Mayo Tara L.
Pezzuto Robert E.
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