Patent Application
20060160664
Trampolines are popular recreational devices used by adults and children alike. Trampolines can be generally divided into water trampolines and dry land trampolines. Water trampolines have a floatable frame that swimmers may climb aboard and enjoy a trampoline experience on the water. Dry land trampolines are more common and often have a stand for elevating a jumping surface off of the ground.
Trampolines generally have a rigid mounting frame and a jumping surface attached with many springs or made of a flexible material. The mounting frame may be any rigid design, with steel tubing being a popular design choice. In the case of a water trampoline, a rigid frame, inflatable frame, or combination type frame may be supported by an inflatable or otherwise buoyant support. In the case of a dry land trampoline, the mounting frame may have a stand that supports the frame above the ground.
A spraying system for a trampoline or other playground devices has an actuator and a sprayer. The actuator may consist of a mechanical pump, a pneumatic or hydraulic valve, an electrical switch or any combination of the above and may be mounted in a trampoline to be operated by the jumping action of a trampoline user. With each bounce on the trampoline, the actuator may be activated to spray water on one or more of the trampoline users. In some embodiments, the actuator may be mounted in place of one or more of the springs of the trampoline, while in other embodiments, the actuator may be mounted such that it is compressed between the jumping surface and a supporting surface, including the surface of the water in the case of a water trampoline.
In the drawings,
Specific embodiments of the subject matter are used to illustrate specific inventive aspects. The embodiments are by way of example only, and are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. The appended claims are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.
Throughout this specification, like reference numbers signify the same elements throughout the description of the figures.
When elements are referred to as being “connected” or “coupled,” the elements can be directly connected or coupled together or one or more intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when elements are referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled,” there are no intervening elements present.
Throughout this specification, the term “comprising” shall be synonymous with “including,” “containing,” or “characterized by,” is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising” is a term of art which means that the named elements are essential, but other elements may be added and still form a construct within the scope of the statement. “Comprising” leaves open for the inclusion of unspecified ingredients even in major amounts.
The embodiment 100 may be a conventional land-based trampoline or a water trampoline. In either type of trampoline, one or more actuators 110 may be used to activate the water spraying system when a user bounces on the trampoline. With each jump, the user may cause the actuator to expand and retract, which may be used to spray water over the area of the trampoline at the user. In some embodiments, the actuator 110 may mount in the same manner and essentially replace one or more of the springs 108 in the trampoline.
The outer frame 104 may generally be a rigid frame of aluminum, steel, or other rigid material and may be mounted on a stanchion or other elevated frame for land-based use. A water trampoline may be mounted on an inflatable tube. The outer frame 104 and jump area 106 may be any shape, with rectangular and round shapes the most common.
The jump area 106 may generally be any type of woven mat or flexible material. A typical jump area 106 is generally quite strong and stiff in the flatwise direction such that the springs 108 absorb much of the deflection while a user bounces. Some material used for the jump area 106 may be woven such that water easily passes through the jump area 106. In other embodiments, a portion 120 at the center of the jump area 106 may be woven in an open manner specifically to enable water to drain. The water drain 120 may be a separate piece of woven fabric that is sewn into the fabric of the jump area, or may be an area where the weaving is altered to enable water to pass. In other embodiments, the jump area 106 may be stretchable in the flatwise direction and may be useful in embodiments that have no springs.
The actuators 110 may be any type of mechanism to control the flow of water, air, or combination of water and air towards a spray nozzle. In some embodiments, the actuators 110 may be pumps that draw water from a water source and spray water onto the trampoline users while they jump. When a user jumps close to one of the actuators, the actuator may have a greater deflection and thus spray more water at a higher pressure than when a user jumps farther away from the actuator. Thus, a user may control the amount of water sprayed by controlling how hard and where the user jumps. In some embodiments, the actuator 110 may have a spray nozzle located on or near the actuator itself. In other embodiments, a distribution system may locate a nozzle at a different location around the trampoline. In such an embodiment, the users may learn that a certain actuator may spray water at a specific location on the trampoline and may try to cause the actuator to spray another user at that location. In some embodiments, a nozzle may be pointed at spectators or passers-by.
The actuator 110 may be any type of device capable of controlling water flow. In some embodiments, the actuator 110 may be a valve that opens and closes a supply of pressurized water or an electrical switch that activates a solenoid valve or a water pump. Such an embodiment may use a garden hose or other water supply. In other embodiments, an electrical switch may be activated to open and close a remote solenoid valve, for example. In some embodiments, a valve or switch may have proportional output such that more or less water is dispensed based on how much deflection or movement is sensed by the actuator 110.
The actuator 110 may be adapted to control water flow for various playground devices in addition to a trampoline. For example, a swing, merry-go-round, rope ladder, see-saws, rope bridges, climbing nets, monkey bars, or any other type of playground equipment with moving or rotating motion and where user dependent variable pressure or tension is applied to a component of the playground device may be adapted to spray water on a user. Any action such as running, jumping, bouncing, climbing, or swinging may be adapted to cause an actuator 110 to activate the water spraying mechanism.
Some embodiments may comprise a replacement system for existing trampolines or playground device. Such an embodiment may have an actuator that mounts to the trampoline or other playground device using the same mounting system as a spring of a trampoline or being affixed appropriately to a moving part of a playground device. During installation on an existing trampoline, the installer may remove a spring and replace the spring with an actuator 110.
In some embodiments, the actuator may fill a bucket or other reservoir of water. When the bucket becomes full, the bucket may tip over and empty onto the playing surface. Many other embodiments may use different water delivery systems, including water delivery systems that spray water in random patterns.
On the extension chamber side, water may flow through the inlet 214, across a check valve 216 and into the extension chamber 218. When the mounting points 210 and 212 are extended, the contents of the extension chamber 218 are expelled across the check valve 220 and out from the outlet 222.
Similarly on the compression chamber side, water may be drawn into the inlet 224, across the check valve 226, and into the compression chamber 228 when the mounting points 210 and 212 are extended. When the mounting points 210 and 212 are compressed, water is expelled from the compression chamber 228, across the check valve 230, and out through the outlet 232.
In some embodiments, one or both of the extension chamber 218 and/or the compression chamber 228 may be used for pumping.
The pump 202 may contain a spring 208 for returning the pump 202 to a compressed state. Such a pump may provide some or all of the spring forces of a pump that is used in place of an existing spring on a trampoline. In such cases, the pump may cause little, if any degradation in the jumping performance of the trampoline. In other embodiments, the spring 208 may be omitted from the pump or even placed within the compression chamber 228.
The mounting points 210 and 212 may be any type of mechanical engagement between the pump 202 and an appropriate mounting mechanism. In some embodiments, one or more of the mounting points 210 and 212 may be threaded engagements, hooks, loops, or other connection mechanism.
The pump 202 may be manufactured from any appropriate material, and may include metallic or plastic components as required. In some designs, the various check valves 216, 220, 226, and 230 may be molded or otherwise manufactured into the pump design. The particular design of the pump 202 may be any configuration capable of mechanically pumping water when the pump is either extended or compressed. In some cases, the mechanical pumping action may occur on both extension and compression motions.
In some embodiments, a spring may be mounted between the upper member 306 and the lower member 308. Weights 324 may be used in some embodiments for stability and performance.
The embodiment 300 illustrates one design of a user activated pump that is mounted between the jumping surface 304 and water 305 in a water trampoline. A similar embodiment may be constructed for a land based trampoline wherein the lower member 308 may be mounted on a solid surface. The upper member 306 of the pump 302 may be attached to the jumping surface 304 or may be biased against the jumping surface 304. When a user jumps in the vicinity of the pump 302, the upper member 306 is compressed against the lower member 308 to cause air and water to be pumped out of the nozzle 322.
Alternative embodiments may include using a piston pump in place of an air-driven venturi pump, or an embodiment that comprises an air pump that provides a jet of air when compressed. The embodiment 300 may use both air and water to provide a misting spray rather than a stream of water. In some cases, a variety of actuators may be attached to a trampoline, with some being capable of spraying a mist of water and air, some providing a stream of water, and others providing an air jet.
The embodiment 400 is an example of a single piece compression pump that may be mounted underneath the jumping surface 404 on a water trampoline. When the piston bottom 406 is rapidly forced into the water 412, a jet of water may shoot through the outlet tube 408. The stronger and more abrupt the user jumps near the pump 402, the stronger the resulting jet of water.
The pump 402 may be mechanically attached to the jumping surface by any mechanism. For example, the pump 402 may be fastened onto the jumping surface 404. In some embodiments, the pump 402 may be permanently attached to the jumping surface 404 while in other embodiments, the pump 402 may be removably attached. In still other embodiments, the pump 402 may not be rigidly attached beneath the jumping surface 404 and may only be held in place by friction. Some embodiments may include weights 414 or buoyancy devices as required to provide more or less pressure against the underside of the jumping surface 404 as required.
The embodiment 500 illustrates how several user activated water sprayer actuators may be mounted underneath the jumping surface of a water trampoline. Similar embodiments may also be made for land-based trampolines. One or more of the sprayers 510 may be mounted in several different locations underneath the jumping surface 506.
Each sprayer 510 may be identical to the other sprayers or may be different. In some embodiments, a sprayer 510 may produce a water stream, an air stream, a combination of water and air, or any other variant. Different sprayers may be placed at different locations around the trampoline 502 for different effects.
The sprayers 510 may be any type of device mounted under the jumping surface that controls an air or water flow. For example, embodiments 300 and 400 may be used depending on the particular application, or any other pump, valve, or switch may be similarly mounted.
In some embodiments, the sprayers 510 may have nozzles mounted in the center of the sprayers, while in other embodiments, the pumps may be connected to a distribution network that may have nozzles located at various locations around the trampoline 502. For example, a pump may have a tube with a nozzle located on the edge of the jumping surface 506 or the spring mounting area 508. Each sprayer 510 may have similarly located nozzles.
The embodiment 600 illustrates another compression pump design whereby the user motion of jumping on the trampoline jump surface 604 may mechanically pump water, air, or another fluid. The embodiment 600 uses a compression zone 614 between the jumping surface 604 and the inflatable tube 602 to accomplish the pumping action.
In some embodiments, the pump 601 may be molded into or otherwise incorporated into the design of the inflatable tube 602. Many such pumps may be incorporated into the inflatable tube 602 at intervals around the perimeter of the water trampoline.
The jumping surface mounting point 608 may attach to a set of springs and a rigid frame or may attach directly to the inflatable tube 602. When a set of springs are used, the jumping surface 604 may be a relatively stiff material in the flatwise direction. When the jumping surface 604 is attached directly to the inflatable tube 602 or other inflatable framework, the jumping surface 604 may be constructed from a material that is stretchable in the flatwise direction.
In some embodiments, the pump 601 may be replaced by a compression actuator such as a compression switch or a compression valve.
The foregoing description of the subject matter has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the underlying principles and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/593,435 entitled “User-Activated Water Sprinkler System for Trampolines and Playground Equipment” by Marcel Lavabre filed Jan. 13, 2005, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all it discloses and teaches.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60593435 | Jan 2005 | US |
