Assembly and method for generating waves within a body of water

Abstract

A wave generation assembly includes a drive system and a wave generator. The wave generator is coupled to the drive system. The wave generator includes a generator head and a chamber. The generator head is movably positioned within the chamber by the drive system between a first position and a second position. The chamber is positioned below the water surface. The chamber includes a first end positioned near the water surface, and an opposed second end that is below the water surface. When in the first position, the generator head is positioned near the second end of the chamber, and when in the second position, the generator head is positioned near the first end of the chamber. Movement of the generator head from the first position to the second position drives water out of the first end of the chamber to generate the wave along the water surface of the body of water.

1 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . A wave generation assembly for generating a wave along a water surface of a body of water, the wave generation assembly comprising:
 a drive system; and   a wave generator that is coupled to the drive system, the wave generator including a generator head and a chamber, the generator head being movably positioned within the chamber by the drive system between a first position and a second position, the chamber being positioned below the water surface, the chamber including a first end that is positioned near the water surface and an opposed second end that is below the water surface;   wherein in the first position the generator head is positioned near the second end of the chamber, and in the second position the generator head is positioned near the first end of the chamber, and movement of the generator head from the first position to the second position drives water out of the first end of the chamber to generate the wave along the water surface of the body of water.   
     
     
         68 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  wherein the drive system is directly coupled to the wave generator. 
     
     
         69 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  wherein the drive system is indirectly coupled to the wave generator. 
     
     
         70 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 69  further comprising a pivot arm that is supported by a pivot support at a pivot point, the pivot arm including a first end and an opposed second end, the drive system being coupled to the first end of the pivot arm and the wave generator being coupled to the second end of the pivot arm; wherein the drive system moves the first end of the pivot arm in a first direction so that the second end of the pivot arm and the generator head move in a second direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction to move the generator head from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         71 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  wherein the wave has an arc-shaped wavefront as the wave propagates outwardly away from the wave generator. 
     
     
         72 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  wherein the body of water includes one or more sections that extend away from the wave generator, and wherein the wave generator is configured to generate a wave along the water surface of the body of water that propagates radially away from the wave generator in each of the one or more sections. 
     
     
         73 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  wherein the wave generator is positively buoyant. 
     
     
         74 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  further comprising a plurality of movable barriers that are selectively positioned to substantially encircle the wave generator, the plurality of movable barriers being movable relative to the wave generator to regulate the wave energy generated by the wave generator. 
     
     
         75 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  further comprising a control system including a processor, the control system being configured to control the drive system to move the generator head between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         76 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 67  wherein the wave generator is configured to generate a plurality of waves along the water surface of the body of water that propagate radially away from the wave generator in multiple directions. 
     
     
         77 . A method for generating waves that utilizes the wave generation assembly of  claim 67 . 
     
     
         78 . A wave generation assembly for generating a wave along a water surface of a body of water, the wave generation assembly comprising:
 a wave generator including a generator head and a chamber, the generator head being movably positioned within the chamber between a first position and a second position to generate the wave along the water surface of the body of water;   a drive system that is coupled to the wave generator, the drive system moving the generator head between the first position and the second position; and   a pivot arm that is supported by a pivot support at a pivot point, the pivot arm having a first end and an opposed second end, the drive system being coupled to the first end of the pivot arm and the generator head being coupled to the second end of the pivot arm;   wherein the drive system moves the first end of the pivot arm in a first direction so that the second end of the pivot arm and the generator head move in a second direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction to move the generator head from the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         79 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 78  wherein the drive system moves the first end of the pivot arm in the second direction so that the second end of the pivot arm and the generator head move in the first direction to move the generator head from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         80 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 78  wherein the wave generator is positively buoyant. 
     
     
         81 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 78  further comprising a control system including a processor, the control system being configured to control the drive system to move the wave generator between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         82 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 78  wherein the wave has an arc-shaped wavefront as the wave propagates outwardly away from the wave generator. 
     
     
         83 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 78  wherein the body of water includes one or more sections that extend away from the wave generator, and wherein the wave generator is configured to generate a wave along the water surface of the body of water that propagates radially away from the wave generator in each of the one or more sections. 
     
     
         84 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 78  further comprising a plurality of movable barriers that are selectively positioned to substantially encircle the wave generator, the plurality of movable barriers being movable relative to the wave generator to regulate the wave energy generated by the wave generator. 
     
     
         85 . A method for generating waves that utilizes the wave generation assembly of  claim 78 . 
     
     
         86 . A wave generation assembly for generating a wave along a water surface of a body of water, the wave generation assembly comprising:
 a wave generator, a portion of the wave generator moving between a first position and a second position to generate the wave along the water surface of the body of water;   a drive system that is coupled to the wave generator, the drive system moving the portion of the wave generator between the first position and the second position; and   a plurality of movable barriers that are selectively positioned to substantially encircle the wave generator, the plurality of movable barriers being movable relative to the wave generator to regulate the wave energy generated by the wave generator.   
     
     
         87 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 86  wherein the wave generator includes a generator head and a chamber, the generator head being movably positioned within the chamber by the drive system between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         88 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 86  wherein the wave generator is positively buoyant. 
     
     
         89 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 86  further comprising a control system including a processor, the control system being configured to control the drive system to move the portion of the wave generator between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         90 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 86  wherein the wave has an arc-shaped wavefront as the wave propagates outwardly away from the wave generator. 
     
     
         91 . The wave generation assembly of  claim 86  wherein the body of water includes one or more sections that extend away from the wave generator, and wherein the wave generator is configured to generate a wave along the water surface of the body of water that propagates radially away from the wave generator in each of the one or more sections. 
     
     
         92 . A method for generating waves that utilizes the wave generation assembly of  claim 86 .