Patent Application
20080268970
Embodiments of the present invention are related to an assembly (e.g., a toy) which provides a mat and a bumper assembly. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an assembly and method for water sliding wherein a person slides along the surface of the mat until coming in contact with a bumper assembly.
There are a number of water-slides available for children's recreational purposes, such as “Slip N Slide” water slides, etc. However, none combine the features a slick, aqueous-laden surface mat which enables a person to slide smoothly along the surface of the mat, and a water-containing bumper assembly coupled to the mat to stop the person from sliding.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for water sliding on a recreational toy. A person slides on a water-supporting mat until the person contacts a transparent bumper assembly which stops the person from sliding further on the mat.
Embodiments of the present invention also provide a recreational toy comprising a mat for water sliding. A transparent bumper assembly is coupled to the mat and contains a liquid having at least one object submerged therein.
Embodiments of the present invention further provide a toy assembly comprising a mat; and a collapsed transparent bumper assembly coupled to the mat and having at least one object within.
These provisions, together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the following description proceeds, are attained by the methods and assemblies of the present invention.
In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.
Referring in detail now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the invention are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in
The mat 10 and the assembly 12 may be manufactured from any suitable material. Preferably, the mat 10 and the assembly 12 are made from plastic (e.g., vinyl or the like). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly 12 is manufactured from a transparent plastic to enable a person to see inside the assembly 12, comparable to an aquarium where people view fish swimming.
The bumper assembly 12 is coupled by any suitable means to the mat 10 at location 24. The bumper assembly 12 may possess any suitable structure, preferably a generally U-shaped structure with respect to a top plan view, as illustrated in
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the objects 40 represent marine or sea animals (e.g., fish, sea horses, crabs, etc.) 41 to simulate swimming when suspended within water 13 contained in the bumper assembly 12. When the bumper assembly 12 is in a collapsed position (i.e., assembly 12 contains no water 13) as best illustrated in
As previously indicated and in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bumper assembly 12 has a generally U-shaped structure with respect to a top plan view, as illustrated in
Practice of various embodiments of the present invention provides a water-inflatable bumper assembly 12 which forms a barrier to stop a person from sliding along a water-coated mat 10. The bumper assembly 12 comprises a plurality of suspended marine animals 41 which simulates marine life swimming in an aquarium. In operation of various embodiments of the invention a pool 15 of water contiguous to, and/or between the arms 60 and 62 of the bumper assembly 12, accumulates. When a person slides into the pool 15, water 13 typically splashes and slightly retards the speed that a person is sliding along the mat 10 and towards the bumper assembly 12. The arcuate tapering arms 60 and 62 respectively at arcuate shaped distal ends 70 and 66 of the bumper assembly 12 facilities the sliding of a person between the arms 60 and 62 as opposed to sliding off the water-coated mat 10 or hitting the ends of the arms 60 and 62 due to the transverse breadth of same from the longitudinally edges.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all its embodiments. Therefore, the respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Additionally, any arrows in the drawings/figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, an and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Therefore, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to the particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the embodiments of the invention will be employed without the corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.
