Wave generating apparatus and method

Abstract

A wave forming apparatus has a channel for containing a flow of water with an inlet end connected to a water supply, a floor, and spaced side walls, a first bed form or weir at the inlet end of the channel, and a second bed form in the channel downstream of the first bed form. Also disclosed is a wave forming apparatus has a channel for containing a flow of water, the channel having an inlet end connected to a water supply for supplying a flowing stream of water, a floor, and spaced side walls, and at least one oblique foil member adjustably mounted in the floor of the channel. The foils, weirs or bed form, form a standing wave.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wave forming apparatus for producing a rideable barreling wave, comprising:
 a wave forming channel which contains a flow of water, the channel comprising:
 a floor, side walls, an inlet end and an exit end; and 
 a wave guide comprising;
 a pivot or hinge connected to the floor; 
 a surface having a leading edge connected to the pivot or hinge and an edge opposite to the leading edge and the opposite edge is not connected to the channel floor, the surface forming a pitch angle with the channel floor; and 
 an actuator connected to the surface adapted to adjust the pitch angle; 
 
   a pump adapted to pump water into the inlet end of the channel, over the leading edge and over the wave guide, wherein the pump, during operation, is adapted to produce a water level in the channel sufficient to enable the formation of the rideable barreling wave;   wherein the opposite edge rotates about the pivot by the pitch angel adjustment;   a passageway connected to the pump with an opening downstream of the wave guide, the passageway constructed to deliver water through the opening in a direction that is not parallel to the flow of water in the channel, said delivery assisting in the formation of the rideable barreling wave.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further adapted to change the characteristics of the wave when the pitch angle is changed. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is generally flat to slightly convex. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the floor defines an opening, and the wave guide is disposed at least partially within that opening, and a portion of the actuator is beneath the floor. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the pitch angle is zero when the surface is generally flush with the floor. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pitch angle is between 0 and 90 degrees. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an inclined ramp connected to the floor proximate the inlet end, the inclined ramp having an elevated portion that is higher than the floor, the elevated portion connected with the pump, the inclined ramp adapted to discharge the water into the channel. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a conduit connected to the pump and connected to the exit end, and   wherein the channel comprises an overflow at the exit end adapted to allow water to flow from the channel into the conduit, the position of the overflow regulating the water level in the channel.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is oriented in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the channel floor. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wave guide comprises a plurality of wave guides. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a plurality of pumps. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a structure at the exit end, the structure adapted to cause the water to back up into the channel, enhancing the formation of the rideable barreling wave. 
     
     
       13. A wave forming apparatus for producing a rideable barreling wave, comprising:
 a wave forming channel which contains a flow of water, the chnnel comprising:
 a floor, side walls, an inlet end and an exit end; and 
 a wave guide comprising; 
 a pivot or hinge connected to the floor; 
 a surface having a leading edge connected to the pivot or hinge, the surface forming a pitch angle with the channel floor; and 
 an actuator connected to the surface adapted to adjust the pitch angle; 
   a pump adapted to pump water into the inlet end of the channel, over the leading edge, and over the wave guide, wherein the pump, during operation, is adapted to produce a water level in the channel sufficient to enable the formation of the rideable barreling wave;   a passageway adapted to return water from the exit end to the pump; wherein a portion of the actuator is disposed of in the passageway; and   a secondary passageway connected to the pump with an opening downstream of the wave guide, the secondary passageway constructed to deliver water through the opening in a direction that is not parallel to the flow of water in the channel, said delivery assisting in the formation of the rideable barreling wave.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the passageway comprises a passageway floor and the actuator is fixed to the passageway floor. 
     
     
       15. A wave forming apparatus for producing a wave, comprising:
 a wave forming channel which contains a flow of water, the channel comprising:
 a floor, side walls, an inlet end and an exit end; and 
 a wave guide comprising; 
 a pivot or hinge connected to the floor; 
 a surface having a leading edge connected to the pivot or hinge, the surface forming a pitch angle with the channel floor; and 
 an actuator connected to the surface adapted to adjust the pitch angle; 
   a pump adapted to pump water into the inlet end of the channel and over the wave guide, wherein the pump, during operation, is adapted to produce a water level in the channel sufficient to enable the formation of the rideable wave;   a passageway adapted to return water from the exit end to the pump; wherein a portion of the actuator is disposed of in the passageway; and   wherein the passageway comprises a passageway floor and the actuator is fixed to the passageway floor.   
     
     
       16. An artificial surfing facility for producing a standing wave comprising:
 a return channel;   a wave pool, an inclined ramp, a lower end of which discharges into the wave pool;   a flow section connected at an outlet end thereof to an upper end of the ramp;   at least one pump connected to an inlet end of the flow section by means of which water is conveyed from the return channel to the flow section;   at least one adjustable guide device in the wave pool at a distance downstream from the lower end of the ramp;   an overflow via which water is able to flow back from the wave pool into the return channel;   wherein the wave pool is positioned higher than the return channel;   wherein the at least one pump unit, during operation, being adapted to produce a liquid level in the wave pool sufficient to produce a defined resistance to water flowing down the ramp which will enable formation of the standing wave at the at least one adjustable guide device by a change of the flow velocity of the water.    
     
     
       17. The surfing facility of claim 16, wherein the flow section has side walls which are positioned to produce a narrowing of the flow width of the water in a direction to the lower end of the ramp.  
     
     
       18. The surfing facility of claim 16, wherein the at least one guide device comprises a plurality of adjacent guide devices extending widthwise of the wave pool.  
     
     
       19. The surfing facility of claim 16, wherein the guide devices are guide profiles which have a front edge which is directed opposite a direction of water flow and which are supported to pivot around a pivot bearing located at a downstream end of the profiles.  
     
     
       20. The surfing facility of claim 19, wherein an adjusting mechanism is provided for pivoting the profiles around the pivot bearing so as to adjust an angle of incidence of the profiles relative to the water flow.  
     
     
       21. The surfing facility of claim 19, wherein the profiles are supported in a manner enabling free floating of the front edge thereof at least in a predefined pivoting region.  
     
     
       22. The surfing facility of claim 18, wherein the guide profiles are located at different positions relative to each other in a lengthwise direction of the wave pool.  
     
     
       23. The surfing facility of claim 16, wherein the overflow is located in the rear wall of the wave pool.  
     
     
       24. The surfing facility of claim 16, wherein the adjustable guide device comprising:
 a pivot or hinge connected to a floor of the wave pool;   a surface having a leading edge connected to the pivot or hinge and an edge opposite to the leading edge and the opposite edge is not connected to the wave pool floor, the surface forming a pitch angle with the wave pool floor; and   an actuator connected to the surface adapted to adjust the pitch angle.    
     
     
       25. The surfing facility of claim 16, wherein the wave pool is positioned above the return channel.  
     
     
       26. An artificial surfing facility for producing a standing wave comprising:
 a return channel;   a wave pool, an inclined ramp, a lower end of which discharges into the wave pool;   a flow section connected at an outlet end thereof to an upper end of the ramp;   at least one pump connected to an inlet end of the flow section by means of which water is conveyed from the return channel to the flow section;   at least one adjustable guide device in the wave pool at a distance downstream from the lower end of the ramp; an overflow via which water is able to flow back from the wave pool into the return channel;   wherein the at least one pump unit, during operation, being adapted to produce a liquid level in the wave pool sufficient to produce a defined resistance to water flowing down the ramp which will enable formation of the standing wave at the at least one adjustable guide device by a change of the flow velocity of the water.