Patent Application
20110086717
1. Field
The present invention relates generally to children's playsets often incorporated into playground equipment. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention concern a playset with a slide and an adjustable-height slide base.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Conventional children's playsets encompass a variety of components that children use for playing and often include a swing set, slide, sandbox, see-saw, merry-go-round, monkey bars, a playhouse, or a combination of such components. Some prior art playground set designs have a modular construction that allows the purchaser to select a group of components for the set depending on cost, space, and other considerations. Prior art playground sets normally require at least some assembly after purchase, including those designed for home use.
Prior art playground equipment suffers from various undesirable limitations. For instance, conventional equipment typically requires a playground site that is flat and level. Where prior art equipment, such as a swing set or slide, is installed on sloping or undulating terrain, the equipment may not be stable and may be prone to undue tipping or rocking movement. Furthermore, prior art playground sets require an undesirable amount of time to assemble the set and often require extensive use of tools to erect and level the set.
There is accordingly a need in the art for playground equipment that can be adapted to undulating terrain and is configured to be stably erected on an undulating site with little or no site preparation work. Moreover, there is a need for playground equipment that can be erected involving minimal time for assembly and leveling of the equipment.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a slide assembly with an adjustable height slide base that does not suffer from the problems and limitations of the prior art playground equipment set forth above.
A first aspect of the present invention concerns a slide assembly operable to be erected on a site. The slide assembly broadly includes a slide and an adjustable-height slide base. The slide includes a slide section and presents upper and lower ends associated with slide ingress and egress. The adjustable-height slide base supports the slide section and includes an intermediate adapter and a lower standoff stacked in series with the slide section. The slide section presents a lower adapter-mating surface. The adapter presents upper and lower adapter ends, with the upper adapter end being removably mated with the lower adapter-mating surface to be interengaged and generally extend along a common adapter axis. The standoff presents opposite upper and lower standoff ends, with the lower adapter end and the upper standoff end being removably attached relative to one another. The standoff includes a lowermost site-engaging surface that presents a normal site-engaging axis generally normal thereto, with the site-engaging axis being angularly offset from the adapter axis.
A second aspect of the present invention concerns a playset operable to be erected on an uneven site having vertically offset ground areas. The playset broadly includes a climbing frame, a slide, and an adjustable height slide base. The climbing frame is configured to be positioned on a first ground area. The slide includes a lower slide section and presents upper and lower ends associated with slide ingress and egress. The upper slide end is attached to the frame to position the slide in a sloped operational orientation. The lower slide section presents a generally downward facing adapter-mating surface. The adapter-mating surface is positioned at a vertical location when the slide is in the operational orientation. The adjustable height slide base is configured to support the lower slide section on a second ground area that is lower than the first ground area. The slide base includes an intermediate adapter and a plurality of lower standoffs. The adapter engages the adapter-mating surface. At least one of the standoffs is stacked below the adapter to support the adapter on the second ground area, with the number of standoffs stacked below the adapter being determined by the space defined between the second ground area and the adapter-mating surface when the slide is in the operational orientation.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the preferred embodiment.
Turning initially to
The illustrated tower 22 is a conventional structure that provides upper and lower play areas and is operable to support an upper end of the slide 24. The tower 22 broadly includes a tower base 28 and an elevated enclosure 30. The tower base 28 includes a plurality of side boards 32 that are fastened together to present sides of a box structure (e.g., for use as a sandbox) and outrigger boards 34 that project outwardly from opposite sides of the box structure. The enclosure 30 includes upright elongated stanchions 36 that present upper and lower stanchion ends, with the lower stanchion ends being attached to respective corners of the box structure. The enclosure 30 further includes a deck 38, sides 40, and a roof 42 that interconnect the stanchions 36. One of the sides 40 includes a slide support plate 44 that receives the upper end of the slide, as will be discussed. In the usual manner, the tower 22 also includes a ladder (not shown) that extends from the ground G to the deck 38. The tower 22 further includes gusset beams 46 that extend from a location adjacent an outermost end of respective boards 34 to corresponding stanchions 36. The gusset beams 46 serve to restrict the enclosure 30 from tilting relative to the tower base 28 and thereby stabilize the enclosure 30.
Turning to
The slide sections 48,52 are preferably conventional and each present proximal and distal attachment ends that permit connection of the sections 48,52 in an end-to-end fashion with fasteners (not shown) to form the illustrated helical slide shape. However, it is also within the scope of the present invention where the slide 24 presents an alternative shape, e.g., a straight slide that does not twist about an upright axis. Furthermore, the plurality of slide sections 52 could alternatively be formed of a single integrally-formed slide with the desired slide shape. The slide inlet section 48 presents an upper slide ingress end 54 of the slide 24 and the slide exit section 50 presents a lower slide egress end 56 of the slide 24. The sections 48,52 cooperatively present a concave slide surface 58 and opposite slide edges 60 that extend distally along a curvilinear path between the ingress end 54 and the egress end 56. The illustrated slide sections 48,52 present an open top, but one or more of the slide sections 48,52 could include a canopy that covers the path along the corresponding slide section 48,52.
The slide exit section 50 includes upper and lower walls 62,64 that extend laterally between distally tapering scalloped edges 66, with the upper wall 62 presenting a concave slide exit surface 68 extending between proximal and distal ends of the slide exit section 60. The lower wall 64 presents a convex surface 70 and flanges 72 positioned adjacent the proximal end of the slide exit section 60. The lower wall 64 also preferably presents a generally trapezoidal socket 74 spaced between the proximal and distal ends of the slide exit section 60 and defined by a convex adapter surface 76 and shoulders 78 that surround the surface 76. The shoulders 78 extend from the adapter surface 76 to the convex surface 70. The socket 74 presents a socket width that tapers slightly from an aft end of the socket 74 to a fore end of the socket 74. As will be discussed, the socket 74 is configured to receive a complementally shaped male projection of the slide base 26. However, it is also within the scope of the present invention where the slide exit section 50 presents a male projection that is received by a complemental socket of the slide base 26.
The lower wall 64 also preferably includes a pair of attachment tabs 80 that are positioned along opposite sides of the socket 74 and depend below the convex surface 70. The tabs 80 each present a substantially semi-circular margin and are configured to be received in a complementally shaped pocket of the slide base 26, as will be discussed. The tabs 80 also present a through hole 81 that extends laterally through the tab 80 and is configured to receive a fastener for attachment of the slide exit section 50 to the slide base 26. For some aspects of the present invention, the slide exit section 60 could include an alternative number of attachment tabs 80 or be devoid of attachment tabs 80 without departing from the scope of the present invention. For instance, as opposed to the illustrated embodiment, the lower wall 64 could be devoid of tabs and the slide base 26 could include tabs that are received by the lower wall 64. Although the slide exit section 50 is configured for attachment to the slide base 26, certain principles of the present invention are equally applicable where another section of the slide 24 is configured to be attached and thereby supported by slide base 26.
The slide exit section 50 is attached to the distal-most intermediate slide section 52 by positioning the proximal end of the slide exit section 50 along the distal end of the distal-most slide section 52. Furthermore, the flanges 72 are positioned in abutting relationship with flanges 82 of the distal-most intermediate slide section 52, and the flanges 72,82 are secured to one another by threaded fasteners 84 that extend through abutted flanges 72,82 (see
Turning to
The standoffs 88 each preferably comprise a blow-molded, synthetic resin construction (e.g., polyethylene). For some aspects of the present invention, the standoffs 88 could be molded or formed by another process. The standoffs 88 include upper and lower walls 92,94 and an endless flange 96. In addition, the standoffs 88 include upper fore, aft, and side shoulders 98,100,102 that extend from the upper wall 92 to the flange 96 (see
The flange 96, shoulders 98,100,102, and upper wall 92 cooperatively present an upper male standoff end 114. The flange shoulders 104,106,108, and lower wall 94 cooperatively present a lower female standoff end 116 with a centrally located socket that is surrounded by the flange 96. The standoff ends 114,116 present corresponding upper and lower standoff axes SA1,SA2. The upper standoff axis SA1 is substantially normal to corresponding upwardly facing surfaces of the upper wall 92 and the flange 96. The lower standoff axis SA2 is substantially normal to corresponding downwardly facing surfaces of the lower wall 94 and flange 96. Preferably, the standoff axes SA1,SA2 are parallel to each other, but the standoffs 88 could also be configured to present an oblique angle therebetween. Thus, the standoff ends 114,116 are preferably configured so that the standoff 88 uniformly increases the height of the adapter 86, as will be discussed further. In addition, the standoffs 88 each preferably present a stacking height H with a dimension that ranges between about one tenth ( 1/10) of the width W and the full width W (see
The standoffs 88 are preferably substantially identical in shape. In this manner, the standoffs 88 can be used interchangeably and can also be stacked on top of each other to support the adapter 86 while providing additional space between the adapter 86 and the ground G (see
Turning to
The adapter 86 preferably comprises a unitary, blow-molded, synthetic resin construction. But for some aspects of the present invention, the adapter 86 could be molded or formed by another process. The adapter 86 includes upper and lower walls 118,120 that taper toward each other, as will be discussed further. The adapter 86 also includes an endless flange 122 and a sidewall 124 that interconnects the flange 122 and the upper wall 118 (see
Turning to
The sidewall 124 and flange 122 are configured so that the walls 118,120 taper toward each other in a forward direction from an aft margin 150 of the adapter 86 to a fore margin 152 of the adapter 86 (see
Turning to
Turning to
While the adapter 86 preferably comprises a unitary construction, it is also consistent with the principles of the present invention where the adapter includes multiple components that are attached to present adapter ends 132,140 and thereby present the angle θ. Moreover, the adapter 86 could also include adjustable components that permit the angle θ to be adjusted within a range of available angles.
The adapter 86 is positioned below the exit section 50 by inserting the upper male adapter end 140 into the socket 74, with the fore margin 152 being positioned adjacent the fore end of the exit section 50 and the aft margin 150 being positioned adjacent the aft end of the exit section 50. The male adapter end 140 is inserted into the socket 74 until the curved face 162 of upper wall 118 engages the convex adapter surface 76 presented by lower wall 64 (see
As the adapter 86 engages the exit section 50, the tabs 80 are received in corresponding pockets 148 and are secured to the adapter 86 by inserting fasteners 170 through holes 171 in the tabs 80 and into the offset portion 142 of the sidewalls 124 (see
The adapter 86 preferably presents a maximum width and maximum length that are substantially identical to width W and length L of the standoffs 88 to provide a broad footprint that promotes stability and restricts lateral and fore-and-aft tilting of the slide 24 relative to ground G (see
The adapter 86 is secured to one of the standoffs 88 by inserting the male standoff end 114 into the female adapter end 132. The male standoff end 114 is inserted until an outwardly facing surface of the upper wall 92 of the standoff 88 engages the lower wall 120 of the adapter 86. Furthermore, shoulders 126,128,130 of the adapter 86 engage corresponding shoulders 98,100,102 of the standoff 88. Yet further, an upwardly facing surface of the flange 96 of the standoff 88 engages the flange 122 of the adapter 86. The adapter 86 is also preferably positioned so that the opening presented by the tube portion 168 is substantially aligned with the central opening 112 of the standoff 88. It is also consistent with the principles of the present invention where the lower end of adapter 86 includes a male end (as opposed to the female adapter end 132) and the standoff 88 presents an upper female end (as opposed to the male standoff end 114) that removably receives the male end of the adapter 86. Furthermore, the adapter 86 and standoffs 88 could include other features to provide removable interengagement therebetween.
The adapter 86 and standoff 88 are secured by fore and aft pairs of fasteners 170 that extend upwardly through the lower wall 94 adjacent the corresponding lower fore and aft shoulders 104,106, through an upper wall of the flange 96 of the standoff 88, and through a lower wall of the flange 122 of the adapter 86 (see
Turning again to
The flange surface 172 provides stable frictional engagement with the ground G. The construction of the lower part of the flange 96 and the open socket 174 also permits the standoff 88 to be sunk into the ground G in a sunken configuration (not shown) while maintaining stable and secure engagement between the standoff 88 and the ground G. More particularly, the shoulders 104,106,108 and the outwardly facing surface of the lower wall 94 can also engage the ground G as the standoff 88 is sunk into the ground G. Thus, where the standoff 88 is at least partly sunken into ground G, the lower surfaces of the female standoff end 116 provide further interengagement between the standoff 88 and ground G.
Turning to
The female adapter end 132 presents a shape that is substantially identical to the female standoff ends 116 of standoffs 88. Thus, the male and female standoff ends 114,116 of each standoff 88 are preferably substantially identically shaped compared to the ends 114,116 of the other standoff 88, each of the illustrated standoffs 88 are preferably operable to be attached directly to the adapter 86 or beneath the other standoff 88 (i.e., the standoffs 88 can be interchangeably positioned beneath the adapter 86). For some aspects of the present invention, the standoffs 88 could be stackable beneath the adapter 86 but not interchangeably positionable.
With the standoffs 88 interengaged with each other, the lower standoff axis SA2 of the upper standoff 88 and the upper standoff axis SA1 of the lower standoff 88 are preferably aligned so that the standoffs 88 cooperatively present a common standoff connection axis parallel to axes SA1,SA2, with the standoffs 88 configured to move into and out of interengagement along the standoff connection axis. However, the principles of the present invention are applicable where the standoffs 88 present ends that are constructed for shifting into and out of engagement along a different axis. For instance, the standoffs 88 could have ends with a laterally extending tongue-and-groove construction that permits the standoffs 88 to be shiftable into and out of engagement along an axis transverse to the axes SA1,SA2.
While the illustrated slide base 26 includes a pair of standoffs 88 that are selectively attached to the slide 24, it is also within the ambit of the present invention where the slide base 26 includes more than two standoffs 88 that can be stacked on top of each other to customize the height of the slide base 26 depending on site conditions. It has been determined that the illustrated configuration of slide base 26 permits the playset 20 to be quickly and stably erected without extensive site preparation, such as excavation work to level the ground, providing a layer of aggregate, or providing a concrete slab.
In operation, the playset 20 is erected on a site by assembling the tower 22 above the ground G. The slide 24 is also assembled and the upper end 54 of slide 24 is attached to and supported by the tower 22. The lower end 56 of the slide 24 is supported by inserting the slide base 26 between the lower end 56 and the ground G. In particular, the adapter 86 is inserted into the socket 74 presented by the exit section 50, with the tabs 80 inserted into corresponding pockets 148 of the adapter 86. The adapter 86 is fastened into engagement with the exit section 50 by fasteners 170. The slide installer can then measure the space between the ground G and the lowermost surface 86 of the adapter 86, and based on the height of each standoff 88, select the number of standoffs 88 to be installed beneath the adapter 86. If one standoff 88 is sufficient to space the adapter 86 above the ground G and support the slide 24, the standoff 88 is inserted into the female adapter end 132 and secured to the adapter 86 with fasteners 170. Where standoffs 88 present different heights H, the slide installer could select one of the standoffs 88 with the height dimension that most closely corresponds to the measured spacing between the adapter 86 above the ground G. If both standoffs 88 are required to space the adapter 86 above the ground G and support the slide 24, the standoffs 88 can be fastened to each other with fasteners 170 in the stacked configuration and the upper one of the standoffs 88 can be attached to the adapter 86. The slide installer can also selectively insert standoffs 88 beneath the adapter 86 without measuring the space between the ground G and adapter 86 until the slide 24 is suitably supported and then fasten the desired number of standoffs 88 to the adapter 86.
The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
