US20110209280A1

US20110209280A1 - Orientation of Wave Generating Devices for Generating Plunging Breakers in a Pool

Info

Publication number: US20110209280A1
Application number: US13/107,945
Authority: US
Inventors: Justin Enjo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-03-05
Filing date: 2011-05-15
Publication date: 2011-09-01

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for improving the creation of plunging and peeling waves in a pool or body of water. The improvement is accomplished by orientating one or more wave making devices at an acute angle to one another and then placing these angled wave making devices adjacent to an array of wave making devices. The angled wave making devices are arranged and orientated such that when they generate a wave, the generated wave converges with the waves generated from the array of wave making devices. This convergence of waves constitutes a wave-wave interaction. This wave-wave interaction replicates the physical process of wave focusing and favors the creation of a plunging and peeling wave.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to artificial waves created in a pool with specific plunging and peeling characteristics for recreational and scientific purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Pools and bodies of water designed specifically for creating waves that plunge and peel for purposes of surfing and scientific research exist in a variety of forms. The majority of these wave pools have a specific pool wall shape and a specific floor design that favors the transformation from the generated wave to the desired wave that breaks in the plunging and peeling mode. The wave pool embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,877 represents the most commonly occurring variation of such wave pools, in terms of commercialized versions, found commonly at water attraction parks. In order to achieve the desired plunging and peeling wave, similar versions of this wave pool have been proposed that incorporate a number of improvements such as converging side walls or adjustable floor shapes as embodied by U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,738 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,197, respectively.
In these pools waves are typically generated from wave making devices on one side of the pool and allowed to propagate across the pool. To generate the initial wave, each of these wave pools mentioned above utilizes any of a variety of wave making devices and methods. Examples of some of the different wave making devices are found as prior art in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,629,877; 4,558,474; 4,692,949; 4,999,860; 6,336,771; and the commercially popular pneumatic wave generator embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,799. Many of these wave making devices are situated on one side of a wave pool and generate waves that propagate across the pool ultimately relying on the shape of the wave pool walls, floor, or both to transform the generated wave into the desired form.
Other variations of wave pools that aim to improve the generation of waves, the transformation of the waves, or both have been proposed in prior art. For example, the prior art embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 7,815,396 utilizes a reflecting wall in order to enhance the transformation of water waves into the desired plunging and peeling form. Circular or ‘ring shaped’ pools as embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,651 have been proposed to recreate the refracting or ‘bending’ nature of breaking waves, resulting in the desired wave form as well. Plunging and peeling waves have also been achieved by placing a moving wave making device in a body of water as embodied by U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,670. Regardless of specific type of wave making device or wave transformation method, all of these aforementioned prior embodiments share the common final goal of creating plunging and peeling waves in a pool
In the present inventor's experience, creating the desired plunging and peeling waves in a commercially viable wave pool has posed some major engineering challenges in the past. The objective of creating such a wave pool has been restricted by two major factors; generating an initial wave of adequate height and maximizing wave transformation from generation to plunging and peeling in the smallest footprint as possible.
The first challenge of generating an initial wave of desired height requires a relatively large input of mechanical energy. The target wave height of roughly two meters is desirable to cater to recreational surfing but has been economically difficult to achieve mostly due to the energy requirements for such device to create the desired wave. A number of devices do exist for this purpose; however in many instances these devices have proved too expensive to operate effectively and efficiently.
The second challenge has been transforming the initial generated wave into the desired plunging and peeling mode in the smallest footprint as possible. By minimizing the space required for transformation, a wave pool may be maximized for the utilization of plunging and peeling, or in the case of recreational purposes, surfing. However, from a physical standpoint, wave transformation must follow the laws of nature; therefore the appropriate propagation distance for adequate shoaling and refraction to occur is restricted to the physical dimensions required by the initially generated wave to transform accordingly, such as wave height, period, and wave length.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention utilizes constructive interference as a method for rapidly transforming an initially generated wave into the desired plunging and peeling wave form. By orientating wave making devices to generate waves that constructively interfere with one another the present invention significantly increases the wave height of the initially generated wave and quickly creates a wave form that is favorable for a faster transformation into the peeling and plunging mode. The present invention therefore provides an apparatus and method for improving the creation of plunging and peeling waves in a body of water or in a pool such as those in the aforementioned prior arts.
Constructive interference between two or more waves for the purposes of creating a plunging and peeling wave in a pool or body of water is accomplished by placing two or more wave making devices adjacent to one another and orientated at an acute angle to one another. This adjacent arrangement and angled orientation allows for the generated waves to converge with one another shortly after being generated. The result is a convergence of the two original waves. When constructive interference occurs, the convergence may significantly drive the water surface upwards. This rapid increase in wave height over an appropriate water depth then favors the formation of a plunging wave. Because the increase in wave height is localized, breaking is generally initiated in one region along the wave resulting in peeling.
The constructive interference of two or more wave forms in this regard is commonly referred to as wave-wave interaction in the coastal engineering industry. Wave-wave interactions may result in a super-elevated water surface that translates into an increased wave height. Wave-wave interactions have also been shown to be non-linear in nature wherein the resultant increase in wave height at the point of wave convergence is exponential. In terms of energy requirements to create plunging and peeling waves, this principle of constructively interfering two or more waves together in a pool directly translates into energy savings when trying to achieve larger wave heights with existing or commercially available wave making devices.
Wave-wave interactions also favor the formation of peeling waves. Generally, wave pools use a series of wave making devices typically arranged in a linear array to generate a wide wave that occupies the entire width of the pool. All of these wave making devices working in concert with one another generate the total wave form that would be utilized for recreational wave riding such as surfing. Creating a wave-wave interaction at one end of the array of generated waves favors plunging to initiate at this end. This localized initiation of plunging then favors peeling to occur sequentially along the waves generated by the other wave making devices.
Wave-wave interactions favor the creation of plunging and peeling waves through a wave transformation process known as wave focusing. A brief explanation of the water wave physics associated with wave focusing is given to better elucidate the physics behind the principles employed by the present invention.
With regards to the transformation of water waves into plunging and peeling waves in a general sense, a wave must be generated and then allowed to propagate over a specific topography, or floor shape, that favors specific shoaling and refraction to occur. Waves that shoal and refract within specific ranges may result in plunging and peeling waves. For plunging, or crest overturning, to occur, the wave must shoal over a specific floor slope, generally in the range of ⅕ to 1/30. For refraction, or a variation in propagation speeds along a wave crest, to occur, the sloped floor must be orientated obliquely to the incoming wave crest, generally in the range of 30° to 70° to achieve the desired peeling effect. Peeling, or the sequential plunging of a wave crest in this case, results from a precise balance between shoaling and refraction.
Wave focusing occurs when portions of a wave crest refract and converge onto one another. Wave focusing is generally caused by favorable topographies and is considered the optimum wave transformation principle for creating plunging and peeling waves. At the focal point of wave focusing, fluid flow is greatly increased into a localized area. The resulting free surface is then projected upward and outward resulting in a plunging breaker. The localized breaking along the wave crest also initiates peeling and causes the wave to plunge sequentially along the remaining portions of the wave crest.
Wave-wave interactions are utilized by the present invention to create a water based wave focusing effect rather than relying solely on the topography of the pool floor. The present invention in its preferred embodiment is designed to improve the formation of plunging and peeling waves in a body of water by incorporating wave making devices that create wave-wave interactions leading to wave focusing effects. In this regard, the present invention may also be utilized to improve the capability of creating plunging and peeling waves in bodies of water such as the wave pools in the aforementioned prior arts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wave pool showing the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sketch depicting the physical process of wave shoaling.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sketch depicting the physical process of wave refraction over straight and parallel depth contours.

FIG. 4 is a sketch depicting a plunging and peeling wave.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic sketch depicting the physical process of wave focusing over focusing depth contours.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic sketch depicting the physical process of wave shoaling with added effects of wave focusing.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic sketch depicting wave-wave interaction over straight and parallel depth contours.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention in a wave pool with staggered wave making devices.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention in a wave pool with converging side walls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention in its preferred embodiment provides an apparatus and method for improving the creation of plunging and peeling waves from initial waves that are artificially generated in a pool or body of water. The application of the present invention is applicable to any and all bodies of water that have the intention of creating plunging and peeling waves wherein the waves are initially generated from a wave making device or an array of wave making devices.
The apparatus and method of the present invention is also independent of the specific mechanical means of generating waves. It should be understood that the present invention may be applied to any body of water that has the functional means of generating waves, regardless of the type of wave making device. The method and apparatus embodied by the present invention is characteristic of the orientation and arrangement of wave making devices and is ubiquitous to the actual mechanical means of the wave making devices. Therefore in preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein, no reference is made to the specific type of wave making device. It should further be understood that any type of wave making device maybe accommodated by the present invention in a variety of alternative embodiments.
Now turning to the drawings and referring to FIG. 1, a wave pool 100 is shown consisting of a sloped floor having straight and parallel depth contours 101, 102, and 103 aligned parallel to a linear array of wave making devices 130 to 170. Each of these wave making devices 130 to 170 generates an artificial wave 131 to 171 that propagates sequentially over the depth contours 101, 102, and 103, and ultimately dissipating on the shore 104.
In FIG. 1 the method of the present invention is embodied by first placing an angled wave making device 120 adjacent to the wave making device 130 located at the terminal end of the linear array of wave making devices 130 to 170. The angled wave making device 120 is orientated at an acute angle 122 to the wave making device 130. The method is further embodied by placing a second angled wave making device 110 adjacent to the first angled wave making device 120 and orientating the second angled wave making device 110 at an acute angle 112 to the first wave making device 120.
The improvement to the creation of plunging and peeling waves in the wave pool 100 of FIG. 1 is realized by the present invention immediately after the wave making devices 110 to 170 generate waves. The wave 121 generated at wave making device 120 propagates a path and converges with wave 131, generated from wave maker 130. The waves 121 and 131 converge to form a wave-wave interaction in the region 180. The convergence of waves 121 and 131 in the region 180 creates a wave focusing effect that drives the water surface upward and increases the wave height in region 180 to the point of plunging. The onset of plunging at region 180 causes waves to plunge sequentially as wave making devices 140 to 170 generate waves 141 to 171, respectively.
To further enhance the wave focusing effect at region 180 a second angled wave making device 110 is placed adjacent to and is orientated at an acute angle 112 to wave making device 120. The wave 111 generated from wave making device 110 converges with waves 121 and 131 in region 180. The convergence of waves 111, 121, and 131 in the region 180 further enhances the wave focusing effect occurring in the region 180.
The wave focusing induced by wave-wave interaction in region 180 is a physical transformation process of water waves frequently observed in nature. FIGS. 2 to 7 describe these physical processes that lead to wave focusing. FIGS. 2 to 7 are also provided as aids to describe how the present invention embodies an apparatus and method for inducing wave-wave interaction that leads to wave focusing that ultimately results in the creation of plunging and peeling waves. This notion of wave-wave interaction induced wave focusing, as embodied by the present invention, can be made apparent to those trained in the art by the following description of the physical processes involved and presented in FIGS. 2 to 7.
Taking a section view in FIG. 1 along 2-2 and referring to FIG. 2, the floor of an arbitrary wave pool 200 is shown to have a sloped floor with depth contours 201, 202, and 203. Waves propagate from left to right ultimately breaking on the shore 204.
As wave 210 propagates into shallower water beginning at depth contour 201 its energy transport velocity decreases due to frictional effects with the pool floor 200. Transport velocity further reduces as the wave continues to propagate over gradually decreasing water depth. According to establish wave theory energy flux must be conserved, resulting in an increase of wave height at wave 220 at the shallower depth contour 202. This physical process is known as shoaling. Wave 220 continues to shoal as it enters shallower water at depth contour 203 where the wave height continues to build until breaking occurs. Wave 230 is showing to be breaking in the spilling mode at depth contour 203. The broken wave then dissipates shore 204.
Referring to FIG. 3, the floor of an arbitrary wave pool 300 is shown to have a floor with straight and parallel depth contours 301, 302, and 303. Waves 310, 320, and 330 approach the shore 304 from an angle 305 and shoal over these depth contours 301, 302, and 303 before breaking and ultimately dissipating on the shore 304. FIG. 3 represents the case of waves refracting over straight and parallel depths contours.
Water waves rarely approach a shoreline normally. They usually propagate towards land from some acute angle 305 and align themselves normal to the shore through the process of refraction, as demonstrated in FIG. 3. For example, wave 310 is shown approaching the shore 304 from an arbitrary acute angle 305. Wave 310 shoals while it approaches the shore 304 and a portion of this wave 311 will be in shallower water than a portion of the wave 312 in deeper water. The portion of the wave 311 is therefore moving slower than the portion of the wave 312, represented by the relative magnitude of the vectors at 311 and 312 respectively. As wave 310 shoals the wave height at 311 is also greater than the wave height at 312, represented by the relative magnitude of the circles at 311 and 312 respectively. Furthermore, as portions 311 and 312 of the wave 310 shoal the direction of propagation tends more toward normal alignment with the depth contours 301, 302, and 303, as shown by the relative directions of the vectors at 311 and 312.
Referring to wave 310 in FIG. 3, as the portion of the wave 312 propagates faster than the portion of the wave 311; the wave 310 has the apparent effect of “bending” or slightly rotating clockwise towards the shore 304. This apparent “bending” or rotation of the wave crest is a physical process known as refraction. The process of refraction is demonstrated again from wave 310 to wave 320. By tracking the portion 311 on wave 310 to portion 321 on wave 320 it is observed that as the speed of propagation slows down, the local wave height increases, and the direction of propagation is refracted more towards normal alignment with the shore 304. Refraction along waves 310, 320, and 330 may be observed by tracking the portion 311 to 321 to 331 and by tracking the portion 312 to 322 to 332. Portion 331 shows that refraction eventually aligns wave 330 parallel to the depth contour 303 and the shore 304.
Shoaling as demonstrated in FIG. 2 is observed in FIG. 3 by taking a section view in FIG. 3 along line 2-2 and referring to FIG. 2. Depth contours 301, 302, and 303 in FIG. 3 correspond to depth contours 201, 202, and 203 in FIG. 2. At some depth shown as depth contour 303 in FIG. 3, wave height has increased to the point where wave breaking is initiated.
Referring again to FIG. 3, as portions 331 and 332 of wave 330 shoal over this breaking depth contour 303 at different times, these portions break sequentially. In this example, portion 331 along wave 330 will break before portion 332. This sequential breaking of the wave along a depth contour is known as peeling.
Taking a section along line 4-4 in FIG. 3 and referring to FIG. 4, a wave pool 400 is shown containing water body 401. The wave 402 in FIG. 4 is representative of wave 330 in FIG. 3 where the wave has shoaled and refracted to the point of wave breaking. The wave 402 is propagating from right to left along the vector 403. The portion 410 of the wave 402 is shown to begin breaking while the portion 420 has already broken and has begun to overturn. The portion 430 of wave 402 has overturned to the point where the wave crest has penetrated the water surface 401.
Wave breaking with crest overturning as demonstrated in FIG. 4 is known as plunging. Plunging creates a hollow section on the face of the wave 402 represented by the region 450. In surfing parlance this hollow region 450 is commonly referred to as the “tube” or “barrel” of the wave. Riding in the “tube” of a plunging wave is generally regarded as the pinnacle experience of recreational surfing.
As portions 410, 420, and 430 of wave 402 sequentially plunge, the hollow region 450 has the effect of propagating along the wave with a speed equivalent to the sequential overturning along the wave crest, represented by the vector 460. This sequential breaking of the wave crest is known as peeling. The sequential peeling of wave 402 along portions 410, 420, and 430 acts to propagate this region 450 along vector 460. The vector 460 also represents the path that a surfer would travel while riding in the tube. It is this unique combination of plunging and peeling that allows for a surfer to ride along the wave in the tube. Nearly all wave pools designed for surfing therefore have the common goal of recreating plunging and peeling waves for the purpose of “tube riding”.
The wave 402 in FIG. 4 is considered a “left-hander” in the industry and surfing parlance. This left hand orientation is relative to the observer looking in the direction of wave propagation. The direction of wave propagation is represented by the vector 403. All embodiments of the present invention herein disclosed are presented as left hand orientated waves. It should be understood that the present invention in its preferred embodiment is intended to include all variations and alternatives of the present invention to include right hand orientated waves or “right-handers” as well.
Along the world's coastlines, straight and parallel depth contours, as demonstrated in FIG. 3, are rarely encountered. Moreover, waves ideal for surfing tend to occur at relatively uncommon geographic locales where specific depth contours favor the transformation of incoming waves into the desired plunging and peeling mode, shown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, of the desirable locations for surfing waves, the areas with the best plunging and peeling waves tend to have depth contours that cause wave focusing to occur. Wave focusing is described as the convergence of portions of the same wave into itself by the process of refraction, leading to a localized increase in wave height that favors the onset of plunging and peeling.
Referring to FIG. 5, the floor of an arbitrary wave pool 500 is shown to have floor topography with wave focusing depth contours 501, 502, and 503. Waves 510, 520, and 530 propagate over these depths contours 501, 502, and 503 ultimately breaking before dissipating on the shore 504. FIG. 5 represents the case of normally incident waves approaching wave focusing depth contours.
Waves 510, 520, and 530 are shown approaching the shore 504 normally in FIG. 5 in order to demonstrate wave focusing without any additional effects of refraction as demonstrated in FIG. 3. Referring again to FIG. 5, as wave 520 encounters the wave focusing depth contour 501 the portions of the wave 521 and 522 have begun to shoal and refract. These portions 521 and 522 of wave 520 are moving slower and have a larger wave height than the respective portions 511 and 512 on wave 510.
The portions 512 and 522 on wave 520 are no longer traveling normal to shore 504 but have been refracted by the shallower depth contours 501 and 502. Refraction has also caused the portions 521 and 522 on wave 520 to begin converging towards one another. This convergence results in a localized increase in wave height to occur at portion 523 on wave 520. This convergence of a wave on itself due to refraction is known as wave focusing. When an increase in wave height due to wave focusing is coupled with a wave height increase due to shoaling, the resultant wave height increase may be substantial. The size of the circle on portion 523 of wave 520 indicates a higher wave height than compared to portions 521 and 522.
As wave 530 continues to propagate into shallower water, it further shoals and refracts along depth contour 503, causing more focusing of wave 530. At portion 533 of wave 530 plunging is initiated. This localized plunging due to wave focusing effects, favors peeling and the resultant wave 530 takes on a form similar to the plunging and peeling wave presented in FIG. 4. Taking a section along line 4-4 in FIG. 5 and referring to FIG. 4, it is demonstrated that straight and parallel incident waves that propagate over wave focusing depth contours may result in the desired plunging and peeling mode.
Taking a section along line 6-6 in FIG. 5 and referring to FIG. 6, the floor of an arbitrary wave pool 600 is shown to have a sloped floor with depth contours 601, 602, and 603. Waves propagate from left to right ultimately breaking on an energy dissipating shore 604.
As wave 610 propagates into shallower water beginning at 601 its wave height increases due to shoaling and wave focusing. Shoaling has been demonstrated in FIG. 2. Wave focusing has been demonstrated in FIG. 5. Waves 610, 620, and 630 of FIG. 6 correspond to waves 210, 220, and 230 of FIG. 2. With the additional effects of wave focusing as demonstrated in FIG. 5, the wave height increase is more substantial in the case of wave focusing of FIG. 6 than compared to the case of shoaling of FIG. 2. Wave focusing commonly results in a localized increase in wave height that causes plunging and peeling to occur.
To review, in FIG. 3 obliquely incident waves propagate over straight and parallel depth contours resulting in plunging and peeling. In FIG. 5, straight and parallel incident waves propagate over wave focusing depth contours resulting in plunging and peeling. It should be understood that under both circumstances of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 the same results of plunging and peeling may be achieved. The present invention, in its preferred embodiment, provides a method and apparatus by which the wave focusing of FIG. 5 may be achieved over the straight and parallel depth contours of FIG. 3 in a wave pool or other body of water by arranging and orientating wave making devices in the manner disclosed herein.
Consider now wave pool construction. In the present inventor's experience, it is desirable to place wave making devices along a linear array preferably on one side of a pool for a variety of pragmatic economic and mechanical reasons. Under the same economic and mechanical pretexts, it is also desirable to construct a wave pool with a floor comprised of straight and parallel depth contours. To with, in the past the majority of commercial wave pools have been constructed with both straight and parallel depth contours and a linear array of wave making devices. Discernibly, these wave pools are unable to create waves that are suitable for surfing whether for recreational or scientific purposes.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus by which wave focusing over straight and parallel depth contours may be achieved by utilizing wave-wave interactions. These wave-wave interactions may be created by arranging and orientating wave making devices in a manner that the waves generated from these wave making devices converge with one another. The method embodied by the present invention may be considered when designing an original wave pool or body of water with the intention of creating plunging and peeling waves. Notwithstanding, the method and apparatus embodied by the present invention may be applied to an existing wave pool or body of water by means of a retrofit, for example, in order to improve that wave pool or body of water's ability to create plunging and peeling waves.
Referring to FIG. 7, the floor of a wave pool 700 is shown to have a floor with straight and parallel depth contours 701, 702, and 703. Waves 710 and 720 propagate over these depths contours 701, 702, and 703 ultimately breaking before dissipating on the shore 704. FIG. 7 represents the case of obliquely incident waves from different origins converging and causing a wave-wave interaction that results in wave focusing over straight and parallel depth contours.
FIG. 7 demonstrates that wave focusing may be produced over straight and parallel depth contours by waves from different origins converging with one another. Waves 710 and 720 are shown to be propagating towards the shore 704 at acute angles 705. Wave 710 shoals and refracts as it propagates towards the shore 704, as demonstrated by portions 711 and 712. For visualization purposes, the apparent “bending” of wave 710 due to refraction would give wave 710 the appearance of counter-clockwise rotation. Wave 720 also shoals and refracts as it propagates towards the shore 704, as demonstrated by portions 721 and 722. For visualization purposes, the apparent “bending” of wave 720 due to refraction would give wave 720 the appearance of clockwise rotation.
As both waves 710 and 720 propagate towards the shore 704, they converge at region 730, constituting a wave-wave interaction. The region 730 experiences a height increase due to the effects of shoaling demonstrated in FIG. 2 and due to the effects of wave focusing demonstrated in FIG. 5. Taking a section view along line 6-6 in FIG. 7 and referring to FIG. 6 reveals that plunging will take place due to this added height increase from the combine effects of shoaling and wave focusing.
The wave focusing effects in FIG. 7 are attributed to the convergence of waves 710 and 720. The floor 704 has straight and parallel depth contours that are not capable of creating wave focusing, however wave focusing effects are present due to the wave-wave interaction. Taking a section view along line 4-4 in FIG. 7 and referring to FIG. 4, reveals that wave focusing due to wave-wave interaction over straight and parallel depth contours may result in plunging and peeling.
Wave-wave interactions, resulting in wave focusing, are witnessed in nature. Some examples are on the open sea during storm events when waves originate from many directions. Wave-wave interactions also occur near coastal structures and rocky coastlines where reflected waves from the structure or coast may interact with other incoming waves. A wave pool or body of water may utilize wave-wave interactions to create wave focusing by arranging and orientating one or more wave making devices so that the generated waves converge with one another, as demonstrated in FIG. 7.
Considering wave pool construction again, conventional wave pools that create waves for recreational bathers have been unsuccessful at creating commercially viable plunging and peeling waves for surfing. Such a pool or body of water requires an adequate distance of propagation to allow generated waves to transform into plunging and peeling waves as demonstrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6. The distance needed to propagate and transform waves translates into a larger facility footprint. Paradoxically, to be commercially viable such a facility needs to be smaller, energy efficient, and be able to transform waves as quickly as possible in the smallest footprint as possible. This is especially apparent when designing and planning a wave pool or body of water for surfing in an urban area where available land is either scarce or expensive. These commercial and economic challenges may be overcome, in part, by utilizing the apparatus and method embodied by the present invention to quickly transform generated waves into the desired plunging and peeling mode through the formation of wave-wave interactions.
The present invention, in its preferred embodiment, provides a method for generating wave focusing effects from wave-wave interactions as demonstrated by the convergence of wave 710 and 720 in FIG. 7. Referring now to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown to contain wave making devices 110 and 120 that create a wave-wave interaction at region 180. Taking a section along line 6-6 in FIG. 1 and referring to FIG. 7, it is demonstrated that creating a wave-wave interaction over straight and parallel depth contours is directly applicable to a wave pool that contains an array of wave making devices.
It is understood that various alternative embodiments of the present invention are possible and examples of such embodiments are disclosed herein without limiting the application of the present invention. It will become apparent to one trained in the art after reading these descriptions that the present invention by be implemented in a variety of alternative embodiments not limited to the examples disclosed.
Referring now to FIG. 8 the present invention is embodied as being applied in a wave pool 800 that contains a staggered array of wave making devices 830 to 870. Wave pool 800 is shown to have depth contours 801, 802, and 803 orientated an acute angle 805 to the staggered array of wave making devices 830 to 870. These wave making devices 830 to 870 generate waves 831 to 871, respectively that propagate towards the shore 804.
The present invention is embodied by placing an angled wave making device 820 adjacent to the staggered wave making device 830 in the staggered array of wave making devices 830 to 870. The angled wave making device 820 is orientated at an acute angle 822 to the wave making device 830. The present invention is further embodied by placing a second angled wave making device 810 adjacent to the first angled wave making device 820. The second angled wave making device is orientated at an acute angle 812 to the first angled wave making device 820.
These two angled wave making devices 810 and 820 generate waves 811 and 821 respectively that propagate and converge with one another and wave 831 at region 880. This convergence of waves 811, 821, and 831 constitutes a wave-wave interaction that can result in wave focusing as demonstrated in FIG. 7. The wave focusing at region 880 may be manipulated and tuned by altering any of the parameters that govern the generation of the waves such as the wave height of the initially generated waves 811, 821, and 831, the water depth of the wave pool 800 or by altering the measure of the acute angles 812 and 822. Adjusting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the wave focusing by altering any of these parameters allows for the wave focusing at region 880 created by wave generators 810, 820, and 830 to result in the desired plunging and peeling wave in pool 800.
Referring now to FIG. 9 the present invention is embodied as being applied in a wave pool 900 that contains a linear array of wave making devices 930 to 970. Wave pool 900 is shown to have depth contours 901, 902, and 903 orientated an acute angle 905 to the linear array of wave making devices 930 to 970. Wave pool 900 is also shown to have converging side walls 906 that converge at an angle 907 inwards towards the shore 904. The wave making devices 930 to 970 generate waves 931 to 971, respectively that propagate towards the shore 904.
The present invention is embodied by placing an angled wave making device 920 adjacent to the wave making device 930 in the linear array of wave making devices 930 to 970. The angled wave making device 920 is orientated at an acute angle 922 to the wave making device 930. The present invention is further embodied by placing a second angled wave making device 910 adjacent to the first angled wave making device 920. The second angled wave making device is orientated parallel to the first angled wave making device 920.
These two angled wave making devices 910 and 920 generate waves 911 and 921 respectively that propagate and converge with wave 931 at region 980. This convergence of wave 911 and wave 921 with wave 931 constitutes a wave-wave interaction that may result in wave focusing as demonstrated in FIG. 7. The wave focusing at region 980 can be manipulated and tuned by altering any of the parameters that govern the generation of the waves such as the wave height of the initially generated waves 911, 921, and 931, the water depth of the wave pool 900 or by altering the measure of the acute angles 912 and 922. Adjusting the spatial and temporal characteristics of the wave focusing by altering any of these parameters allows for the wave focusing at region 980 created by wave generators 910, 920, and 930 to result in the desired plunging and peeling wave in pool 900.
Considering the acute angle 922 in FIG. 9 as well as the acute angles 821 and 822 in FIG. 8 and the acute angles 112 and 122 in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is intended to vary these angles in a variety of combinations depending on the application of the wave pool. For example, a wave pool for beginners may desire a smaller degree of wave focusing therefore requiring smaller acute angles. In contrast to this, a wave pool for professional surfing competition may desire the wave focusing to be more dramatic resulting in an increase of the acute angles 921 and 922.

Claims

1. An apparatus for improving the creation of plunging and peeling waves comprising:

a body of water;

at least one wave making device positioned in the body of water; and at least one angled wave making device placed adjacent to the at least one wave making device;

wherein said at least one angled wave making device is orientated such that waves generated from said at least one angled wave making device converge with the waves generated from the at least one wave making device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of said wave making devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of said angled wave making devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of said wave making devices and a plurality of said angled wave making devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said plurality of wave making devices is arranged linearly.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said plurality of wave making devices is arranged linearly.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said plurality of wave making devices is arranged in a staggered manner.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said plurality of wave making devices is arranged in a staggered manner.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an acute angle is formed between said at least one wave making device and said at least one angled wave making device.

10. A method for improving the creation plunging and peeling waves in a body of water comprising the steps of:

providing at least one wave making device in the body of water;

and providing at least one angled wave making device in the body of water;

positioning said at least one angled wave making device at an angle to said at least one wave making device;

and creating plunging and peeling waves from the convergence of waves generated by said at least one wave making device and said at least one angled wave making device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of providing at least one wave making device comprises providing a plurality of said wave making devices and arranging said plurality of wave making devices linearly.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said of step of providing at least one wave making device comprises providing a plurality of said wave making devices and arranging said plurality of wave making devices in a staggered manner.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of providing at least one angled wave making device comprises providing a plurality of said angled wave making devices.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the angle is an acute angle.