Return channel for a surf pool

Abstract

A surf pool includes a surf basin defining a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, the surf basin defining a substantially concave curvature at the second side, the substantially concave curvature extending towards the first side of the surf basin at a central region of the surf basin between the first end and the second end; and a wave generator disposed at the first side of the surf basin and configured to generate a first set of waves that travels to a distinct first section of the surf basin and a second set of waves that travels to a distinct second section of the surf basin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surf pool, comprising:
 a surf basin defining a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, the surf basin defining a substantially concave curvature at the second side, the substantially concave curvature extending towards the first side of the surf basin at a central region of the surf basin between the first end and the second end; and   a wave generator disposed at the first side of the surf basin and configured to generate a first set of waves that travels to a distinct first section of the surf basin and a second set of waves that travels to a distinct second section of the surf basin.   
     
     
         2 . The surf pool of  claim 1 , further comprising a return channel configured to capture water from the surf basin and to move the captured water towards the first side of the surf basin. 
     
     
         3 . The surf pool of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the return channel defines a peripheral channel portion extending along a periphery of the second side of the surf basin:   the peripheral channel portion defines a first peripheral channel portion and a second peripheral channel portion;   the first peripheral channel portion extends from the first end to the central region; and   the second peripheral channel portion extends from the second end to the central region.   
     
     
         4 . The surf pool of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first peripheral channel portion and the second peripheral channel portion together define a central peripheral portion;   the central peripheral portion defines a substantially concave curvature at the second side;   the substantially concave curvature of the central peripheral portion extends towards the first side of the surf basin at the central region of the surf basin between the first end and the second end.   
     
     
         5 . The surf pool of  claim 4 , wherein the substantially concave curvature of the central peripheral portion of the peripheral channel portion follows the substantially concave curvature at the second side of the surf basin. 
     
     
         6 . The surf pool of  claim 4 , wherein the first peripheral channel portion further defines a substantially convex curvature at the second side between the central region and the first end of the surf basin, and wherein the second peripheral channel portion further defines a substantially convex curvature at the second side between the central region and the second end. 
     
     
         7 . The surf pool of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the return channel further defines a central channel portion protruding into the central region of the surf basin in a direction towards the first side; and   the central channel portion is configured to return the captured water to the central region of the surf basin.   
     
     
         8 . The surf pool of  claim 7 , wherein the central channel portion sections the surf basin into the distinct first section and the distinct second section. 
     
     
         9 . The surf pool of  claim 3 , wherein a depth of the peripheral channel portion of the return channel gradually increases towards a center of the peripheral channel portion to encourage large volumes of the captured water to return more quickly to the surf basin. 
     
     
         10 . The surf pool of  claim 3 , wherein a depth of the peripheral channel portion of the return channel gradually decreases towards a center of the peripheral channel portion to encourage the captured water to move towards opposing ends of the peripheral channel portion. 
     
     
         11 . The surf pool of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the return channel is covered by one or more grating panels, each of the one or more grating panels defining an upward facing surface configured to allow users of the surf pool to walk on the one or more grating panels. 
     
     
         12 . The surf pool of  claim 11 , wherein the upward facing surface of each of the one or more grating panels is substantially flush with and follows an upward slope of a floor of the surf basin. 
     
     
         13 . The surf pool of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of waves travels from the first side of the surf basin to the second side of the surf basin in a direction angled towards the first end, and wherein the second set of waves travels from the first side of the surf basin to the second side of the surf basin in a direction angled towards the second end. 
     
     
         14 . The surf pool of  claim 13 , wherein the surf basin further defines a first substantially convex curvature at the second side between the central region and the first end of the surf basin, and wherein the surf basin further defines a second substantially convex curvature at the second side between the central region and the second end. 
     
     
         15 . The surf pool of  claim 14 , wherein the first substantially convex curvature at least partially defines the first distinct section of the surf basin, and wherein the second substantially convex curvature at least partially defines the second distinct section of the surf basin. 
     
     
         16 . The surf pool of  claim 13 , wherein the wave generator concurrently produces the first set of waves and the second set of waves.