Wave generator with wave damping

Abstract

A wave-generating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a wave pool with a bottom, wherein the bottom is upwardly-inclined along a length of the wave pool and defines a deep edge and a beach edge. A wave generator is placed adjacent to the deep edge. An open wave-damping trough is placed adjacent to the beach edge and adapted to retain water. The apparatus is constructed such that when the wave generator is not actuated, the pool retains water defining a static water level and a portion of the beach edge is above the static water level. When the wave generator is actuated, it creates a wave that propagates across the wave pool from the deep edge to the beach edge, and the wave energy is dampened when the wave encounters the water retained in the trough.

1 . A wave-generating apparatus, comprising:
 a wave pool with a bottom, wherein the bottom is upwardly inclined along a length of the wave pool and defines a deep edge and a beach edge;   a shore adjacent to the beach edge;   a wave generator adjacent to the deep edge, wherein when the wave generator is not actuated, the pool retains water defining a static water level and a portion of the shore is above the static water level;   an open wave-damping trough adjacent to the shore and adapted to retain water;   wherein the wave generator and the bottom are constructed to create a rideable wave in the wave pool that breaks;   wherein when the wave generator is actuated it creates a rideable wave that propagates across the wave pool from the deep edge to the beach edge and breaks forming whitewater before reaching the trough, and wherein the wave energy is dampened when the whitewater encounters the water retained in the trough; and   wherein the wave pool comprises a shore terminal edge abutting the beach edge and the wave energy is dampened by greater than 50% when the wave has reached the shore terminal edge.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom comprises two portions, the first portion having a first angle in inclination relative to horizontal and the second portion having a second angle relative to horizontal, wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion is closer to the wave generator than the second portion. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wave generator is comprised of a plurality of wave generators. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the beach edge is semi-circular. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wave has a peak height as measured from the static water level and the trough has a width parallel to the direction of the wave propagation, and the width is greater than twice the peak height. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wave has a peak height as measured from the static water level and the trough has a width parallel to the direction of the wave propagation, and the width is greater than four times the peak height. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wave-damping trough and the pool bottom are separated by a mound, the mound having a maximum height point and a plane parallel to horizontal and intersecting the maximum height point, wherein the trough has a trough bottom and trough width defined where the trough bottom intersects the plane;   wherein the shore has an upwardly-inclined shore bottom and a shore width defined on one edge where the shore bottom intersects the plane and on an opposite edge where the shore bottom is substantially horizontal; and   wherein the shore width is at least 50% larger than the trough width.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wave-damping trough and the pool bottom are separated by a mound, the mound having a maximum height point and a plane parallel to horizontal and intersecting the maximum height point, wherein the trough has a trough bottom and trough width defined where the trough bottom intersects the plane;   wherein the shore has an upwardly-inclined shore bottom and a shore width defined on one edge where the shore bottom intersects the plane and on an opposite edge where the shore bottom is substantially horizontal; and   wherein the shore width is at least twice the trough width.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the trough further comprises a pump that creates a current in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the wave propagation. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wave trough and the pool bottom are separated by a mound and the height of the mound is controlled by a mound elevator. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the trough comprises a sand filter and pump, wherein when the mound elevator is actuated it lowers the mound below the static water level, allowing the pump to pull water from the wave pool into the trough and through the sand filter. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the mound elevator is selected from a group consisting of: a ram, a piston, a cam or a bladder. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the trough comprises a sand filter and pump. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the trough is sized so as to substantially restrict a backwash of water from re-entering the wave pool.