The present invention relates to obstacle courses that people can traverse and otherwise enjoy.
Obstacle courses have evolved over the years. Early obstacle courses included tires that participants had to step into, walls and ropes to climb. Early obstacle courses were located outside. In recent years, obstacle courses can be found inside.
Many of the obstacles are suspended above the floor and span a space. An example of an obstacle includes monkey bars. Other obstacles include swings that the user must step onto and off of to traverse from swing to swing, inclined surfaces to climb, and zip lines. A user traverses the space and the obstacle. If the user loses grip or balance, the user may fall off the obstacle. Users are typically not wearing a safety harness. As a result, a falling user lands in the area below the obstacle.
Various surfaces have been provided underneath obstacles to cushion the fall of a user. A falling user may land on hands, feet, or other body parts, necessitating a soft surface. Examples of such surfaces include pea gravel, pools of water, foam cushions, blocks or pieces of foam and ball pits. Ball pits are pits with a large number of plastic hollow balls. The balls bear on a floor surface such as concrete.
It is desired to improve cushioned landing areas and in particular a ball pit landing area.
An obstacle course, comprises, an elevated obstacle and a cushioned landing area located beneath the obstacle. The cushioned landing area has a mass a balls. The balls are at least translucent so as to transmit light. Lighting is located in the cushioned landing area and adjacent to the mass of balls so as to illuminate the mass of balls.
In accordance with one aspect, the mass of balls is located between the lighting and the obstacle.
In accordance with another aspect, the lighting cannot be seen directly from the obstacle.
In accordance with another aspect, the cushioned landing area further comprises a ball pit enclosure. The ball pit enclosure comprises sides that form a containment space. The mass of balls is located inside the containment space. The lighting is located inside the containment space.
In accordance with another aspect, the lighting is located on at least one of the sides of the ball pit enclosure.
In accordance with another aspect, the lighting is located on a bottom of the ball pit enclosure.
In accordance with another aspect, a foam layer is between the mass of balls and a floor.
In accordance with another aspect, the lighting is first lighting. The obstacle course further comprises second lighting located above the obstacle.
The obstacle course has one or more obstacles that traverse spaces or spans of distance. At least, one of the obstacles is provided with a cushioned landing area that is both comfortable to land on and aesthetically pleasing. The landing area is covered with a ball pit. A user landing on the landing area lands in relative comfort on the balls. The balls are transparent or translucent. Lighting is provided so as to illuminate the balls, and the landing area, thus adding to the visual aesthetics of the obstacle. This lighting is in addition to any ambient lighting over the obstacle course. In addition, a cushioning layer is provided beneath the balls to further soften landings, and in particular landings where an arm or a leg penetrates into the balls.
The obstacle course has plural obstacle units. Each obstacle unit includes an obstacle and supporting structure for the obstacle. In addition, each obstacle unit typically includes something to allow for a user to fall safely off of the obstacle. For example, a landing area is located below the obstacle and allows a user to fall from the obstacle and land safely and without injury. As another example, some obstacles may provide harnesses that a user wears when traversing the obstacle. If the user falls, the harness suspends the user above the floor, preventing injury.
Each obstacle unit, also has locations where a user can enter the obstacle unit and leave the obstacle unit. Typically, the course is set up so that a user traverses one obstacle and when leaving that obstacle is positioned so as to traverse the next obstacle. The obstacles are typically arranged so that a user traverses the obstacles in a predetermined sequence. An obstacle unit ma share supporting structure and a landing area with adjacent obstacle units.
The obstacle course can be indoors or outside. If indoors, the course is located on an underlying floor structure, such as concrete. If outdoors, the course is located on ground. Ambient lighting is provided, which lighting is above the landing area and above the obstacle course. If indoors, the ambient lighting is typically located along the ceiling. If outdoors, the ambient lighting is typically daylight, supplemented with pole mounted lighting for night operations.
The obstacle course can be on a single level or on plural levels. If on a single level, each unit is located adjacent to the ground. If on plural levels, some units are adjacent to the ground while other units are elevated above the ground. Some of the elevated units may provide a landing area and thus provide a supporting floor structure. The supporting floor structure is elevated above the ground.
For the discussion herein, the term “floor” will be used to describe the floor, ground or other underlying (elevated or not) structure. In the description, like reference numbers show like components among the figures.
The obstacle 15 is elevated above the floor 19 (see also
The supporting structure includes vertical posts 21 and overhead beams 23 supported by the posts. In
An example of an obstacle 15 includes a rope or cable ladder oriented horizontally (shown, in
Another example of an obstacle includes a zip line having a line spanning the unit, with a trolley thereon. The user grasps the trolley and rides across the unit. The zip line may be a cable or pipe. The zip line may be sloped downwardly so the user can utilize gravity. Alternatively, the zip line may be horizontal, wherein the user must swing the user's body to develop the momentum needed to move along the zip line.
Another example of an obstacle includes one or more narrow beams oriented horizontally. The user must maintain balance while stepping on the top surface of the beam. The beam can be fixed or the beam can pivot about a point along its length so that the ends move up and down. With the pivoting beam, the beam end is down when the use steps on that end, with the far end raised to an up position. The pivot point for the beam can be located in the landing area 17.
Another example of an obstacle includes several swings arranged in a row. Each swing has a seat suspended by ropes. The user steps on the nearest swing and then the next swing and so on.
Another example of an obstacle includes a path of stepping areas elevated above the floor. The stepping areas can be flat or nonflat and are spaced apart from one another. The user steps on each stepping area. The stepping areas are typically small in area to require the user to maintain balance. The stepping areas can be mounted to the floor or to a beam suspended by the lateral beams. The stepping areas can be fixed in place or movable.
The landing area 17 is located below the obstacle 15 and above the floor 19. The landing area includes, a ball pit. The ball pit has end wails 31 and side walls 33 to form a pit or containment space. The end and side walls 31, 33 may be under the lateral beams 25. The walls 31, 33 can be made of foam covered with a material such as vinyl. Such walls are self-standing. The bottom edges of the walls can be coupled to a bottom layer, which anchors the bottom edges.
Balls 35 are located inside the walls 31, 33 or pit area. The balls from a mass that covers the entire landing area. The mass of balls extends between and contacts the end walls 31 and the side walls 33. The mass of balls 35 extends to a depth so that balls are stacked on top of other balls. For example, the balls can be stacked to a depth of 1-4 feet. (The figures show only a few balls for illustrative purposes.)
The balls 35 are hollow spheres with walls typically made of plastic. Plastic typically does not break under normal use. The balls are several inches in diameter, ranging for example from 2 inches to 5 inches. The balls are typically of a uniform diameter; however the balls can be of different diameters.
The walls of the balls 35 are at least translucent so as to pass light therethrough. The use of the term “at least translucent” means either translucent or transparent and light is allowed to pass though. An opaque wall blocks the passage of light therethrough and is therefore not translucent (and certainly not transparent). In the preferred embodiment, the balls are transparent. The balls need not be perfect spheres, but can exhibit some misshaping. In addition, the walls making up the balls may contain imperfections (for example air bubbles, occlusions, etc.) in the transparency or translucency. The interiors of the balls are empty, being filled with air.
The balls can be made in several ways. One way is injection molding of two spherical halves. The halves are removed from the molds and then assembled into a ball. The halves are then coupled together, such as by heat welding. Another way is to rotationally mold the balls.
In the prior art, balls in ball pits are made of opaque plastic, not transparent or translucent plastic. In the prior art, aesthetic appearance is achieved by having the balls be brightly colored. The balls in the prior art ball pits are illuminated by lighting above the ball pit, such as by ceiling lights. Such ceiling lights are common in indoor buildings housing obstacle courses.
A layer of foam 37 or some other cushioning material is provided underneath the balls. The foam is above the floor 19 and forms the bottom of the ball pit. The bottom balls contact the foam. A user may fall from the obstacle and land in the landing area, pushing an arm or leg through the bails toward the floor. The foam forms a barrier so the user does not directly contact the floor, and further softens the landing. The foam can he uncovered, where the bottom balls contact the foam directly. Alternatively, the foam can be covered with a material such as vinyl.
The ball pit is provided with lighting 41, or light sources, underneath the mass of bails 35. The lighting illuminates the balls. In one embodiment, the lighting 41 includes LED strips (see
The strips 41 can be located in recesses formed in the top of the foam layer 37 (see
Other types of lighting can be provided. For example, the lighting can include individual lights spaced apart from one another. Lighting can also be provided on the side and end walls, as shown in
The mass of balls 35 cover or obscure the lighting 41 from direct view of the users. Thus, the mass of balls overlay the lighting.
When the lighting 41 is illuminated, the balls 35 illuminate. Even though the balls obscure the lighting from direct view, the balls act as lenses (see
A user attempts to cross the obstacle 15. The user starts at one end of the unit, steps onto a ladder rung and attempts to walk across on the rungs. The user can grasp the ropes 31 for assistance. As the user approaches and negotiates the obstacle, the user sees the illuminated balls in the ball pit below. The aesthetic effect is unique as prior art landing areas lack such lighting.
If the user falls into the landing area, the user displaces some of the balls. The balls move in response to the impact and cushion the fall. This displacement is enhanced visually by the illuminated balls. The illuminated balls are easily seen even with ambient overhead lighting. Such ambient overhead lighting typically is ceiling lights located above the obstacle unit. The space around the obstacle unit need not be darkened for the illumination in the balls to be seen.
The spacing of the light strips can vary. Preferably, the light strips are spaced sufficiently close to avoid dark, or poorly illuminated areas of balls in the ball pit.
Thus, the lights can be located in various ways in the ball pit. The lights can be located on the bottom 37, on the walls 31, 33, or a combination of on the bottom and the walls. Lights located on the bottom can be located on top of the foam or in the foam.
The lights 41A are located around the periphery of the ball pit, with lights on the side walls 33 and the end walls 31. The lights 41A are located so as to be underneath the balls.
The lighting can be white light or have one or more colors. The walls of the balls can be clear so that the balls appear as white (if white lighting is used). Alternatively, the walls of the balls can have color tints, so that the balls appear colored (for example, blue). The lights can change colors.
Although the lighting has been described as being used in conjunction with a foam layer, the lighting can be used without foam. The bottom of the ball pit would be the floor 19 or some other material.
The foregoing disclosure and showings made in the drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62576351 | Oct 2017 | US |