U.S. patent application number 14/457202 was filed with the patent office on 2016-02-18 for trampoline with elastic net covered by wrapping fabric.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jie Zhou. Invention is credited to Jie Zhou.
Application Number | 20160045775 14/457202 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55301390 |
Filed Date | 2016-02-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160045775 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zhou; Jie |
February 18, 2016 |
TRAMPOLINE WITH ELASTIC NET COVERED BY WRAPPING FABRIC
Abstract
A trampoline includes a jumping fabric having peripheral edges
weaved together with an elastic net surrounding the jumping fabric
wherein the elastic net having outer edges wrapped around and
attached to a supporting bottom frame supported on a plurality of
legs.
Inventors: |
Zhou; Jie; (Zhangjiang City,
CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Zhou; Jie |
Zhangjiang City |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
55301390 |
Appl. No.: |
14/457202 |
Filed: |
August 12, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/27 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0552 20130101;
A63B 2071/0072 20130101; A63B 5/11 20130101; A63B 2208/12 20130101;
A63B 2210/50 20130101; A63B 71/022 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 5/11 20060101
A63B005/11; A63B 21/02 20060101 A63B021/02 |
Claims
1. A trampoline comprising: a jumping fabric having peripheral
edges weaved together with an elastic net surrounding the jumping
fabric wherein the elastic net having outer edges wrapped around
and attached to a supporting bottom frame supported on a plurality
of legs.
2. The trampoline of claim 1 wherein: the elastic net is weaved
with a plurality of elastic strings wherein each of the elastic
strings further comprises a core composed of latex or spandex
wrapped around with an outer synthetic fiber layer.
3. The trampoline of claim 1 wherein: the supporting bottom frame
is configured with two half parts symmetrical to a central
axis.
4. The trampoline of claim 3 wherein: the supporting bottom frame
further includes a foldable link disposed along the central axis to
allow the supporting bottom frame to fold along the central
axis.
5. The trampoline of claim 1 further comprising: an upper
surrounding fence comprises fencing net linking between a plurality
of upper vertical rods each of the rods is connected to the bottom
structure through a linking adaptors.
6. The trampoline of claim 5 wherein: the upper surrounding fence
is configured with two half parts symmetrical to a central
axis.
7. The trampoline of claim 6 wherein: the upper surrounding fence
further includes a foldable link disposed along the central axis to
allow the upper surrounding fence to fold along the central
axis.
8. The trampoline of claim 5 wherein: the upper surrounding fence
further having substantially a same shape and size with the
supporting bottom frame.
9. The trampoline of claim 5 wherein: the fencing net of the upper
surrounding fence is attached the supporting bottom frame through
net strings composed of a synthetic fiber.
10. The trampoline of claim 5 further comprising: top horizontal
rods laterally extends on top between two of the upper vertical
rods and the fencing net of the upper surrounding fence having an
upper part attached to the horizontal rods through elastic net
strings.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] The present invention claims an International Priority of a
co-pending Chinese Application 201310348785.7 filed on Aug. 12,
2013 filed by the inventor of this Patent Application. The
disclosures made in Chinese Application 201310348785.7 are hereby
incorporated by reference in this Application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to exercise and/or
gaming apparatuses. More particularly, this invention relates to a
trampoline comprises elastic net wrapping around a bottom frame
structure and covered with a jumping fabric and further surrounded
with upper fencing net to provide safe and economic exercise
apparatuses.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Even though as a personal exercise apparatus the trampolines
are well known and furthermore, a trampoline is commonly used as an
economical physical fitness device, there are still safety concerns
and liability issues related to the long term use of the
trampolines. A conventional trampoline typically includes a
trampoline frame to support the basic structure for mounting a
jumping bed supported on a plurality of coil springs and a
plurality of upright legs. The legs are adapted to be disposed
uprightly on a ground surface and vertically coupled to the frame
in a spaced relationship to each other. The frame may be flexibly
configured to have different shapes that define a bed mounting
space form mounting the jumping bed. The jumping bed typically
includes a mat member with a peripheral spring attachment portion.
The trampoline further includes a plurality of coupling members
coupled to the coil springs and that are further coupled to a
plurality of frame mounting members such as hooks, ring or eye to
peripherally mount to the inner circumference of the frame. Thus,
the jumping bed is resiliently suspended off the ground and held in
the mounting space by the frame and the springs to allow users to
jump thereon without hitting the ground.
[0006] However, the conventional trampolines as described above
have several disadvantages. First of all, the trampolines are
configured as rigid structures that occupied large space. The rigid
structural configuration increases the costs of storage and
shipment for the manufacturer and sellers of the products. Due to
the large space requirements, the rigid structures that occupy
large space also cause inconvenience for the individual users of
the trampoline. Secondly, the trampolines are configured with coil
springs and then covered with pads to protect persons from direct
contact with the springs, the hooks and the mounting mechanisms.
The pads required for the conventional trampolines cause the
production costs to increase. Additionally, there are safety
problems related to the reliability and stability of the springs.
In addition to the durability of the springs of the trampolines,
there are further issues with the stability and balance between
springs when multiple springs are utilized. Thirdly, the usable
space for jumping of the conventional trampoline is limited to the
central portion of the jumping bed due to the facts that the
peripheral edges of the springs are not usable and that further
limits the usable areas of the conventional trampolines.
[0007] As there are greater demands for exercise apparatuses with
an ever increasing awareness of the benefits of physical fitness,
there is an urgent need to overcome these limitations caused by the
safety, reliability and space occupancy concerns.
[0008] Therefore, for a person of ordinary skill in the art of
making and using the trampolines, there is a need to provide new
and improved configurations and methods for making and using the
trampolines such that the above-mentioned limitations and
difficulties can be resolved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an aspect of present invention to develop new and
improved trampolines in response to the present state of the art,
and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art
that have not yet been fully solved by currently available
trampolines as described above.
[0010] In one embodiment of the invention, a trampoline apparatus
is disclosed. Instead of utilizing springs for supporting the
jumping pad as that disclosed in the conventional trampolines, the
trampolines of this invention securely attach a jumping bed fabric
to an elastic net to provide safety, comfort and fast reaction in
using the trampolines. The trampoline is further provided with
upper fencing net to protect jumpers from falling off from the
trampolines thus greatly increases the usefulness and safety of the
trampolines.
[0011] Reference throughout this specification to features,
characteristic, advantages, or similar language does not imply that
all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the
present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the
invention. Rather, language referring to the features and
advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature,
advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present
invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and
similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not
necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
[0012] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art
will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or
more of the specific features or advantages of a particular
embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages
may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in
all embodiments of the invention.
[0013] These features and advantages of the present invention will
become more fully apparent from the following description and
appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention
as set forth hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily
understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly
described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is
noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The
drawings are mere schematics representations, not intended to
portray specific parameters of the invention. Understanding that
these drawing(s) depict only typical embodiments of the invention
and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting its scope,
the invention will be described and explained with additional
specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying
drawing(s), in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a
trampoline according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the
exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific
language will be used to describe the same, for the purposes of
promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention. It
will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of
the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further
modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any
additional applications of the principles of the invention as
illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the
relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be
considered within the scope of the invention.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1 for a trampoline of this invention. The
trampoline includes a jumping bed 15 composed of a jumping fabric
weaved together with an elastic net 12 for attaching to a
supporting frame wherein the supporting frame includes a bottom
frame structure 2 attached to and supported on legs 3. In an
embodiment, the elastic net 12 are weaved with strings having high
degree of elasticity to provide bouncing and springing
characteristics when a user of the trampoline is jumping on the
jumping bed 15. In an embodiment, the elastic net 12 is formed with
strings weaved together with holes having a trapezoid shape having
an elongated axis oriented along a longer direction of the
trapezoid and an shorter axis aligned with a width direction of the
trapezoid. The elastic net 12 has the advantages of fast reaction
and strong bouncing characteristics. The trapezoid shape of the
elastic net 12 further provide an advantage that a shorter sides of
the trapezoid is configured to dispose on the inner side and the
longer sides are disposed on the outer side of the elastic net. The
useable area of the jumping bed 15 providing jumping exercise space
is enhanced because there are no sharp angles in such
configuration.
[0018] The shapes of the jumping bed 15 may be configured as shape
of a circle, oval, polygon or square. The bottom frame structure 2
comprises two symmetrical parts and these two parts are linked
together by a linking mechanism that may be folded such that the
trampoline can be collapsed and folded to occupy a smaller space
for storage and shipment. As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom frame
structure 2 are supported on six legs 3 and linked together with
six linking rods 14 connected through six four-way adapters 11. On
two opposite sides of two symmetrical linking rods are also two
foldable linking mechanisms 10 to fold the bottom frame 2 into a
folded piece such that the trampoline only occupies only half of
the space.
[0019] In order to increase the safety, as the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1, the trampoline further includes an upper surrounding fence
1 with fencing net 5 linking between six of the upper vertical rods
4. Each of these upper vertical rods 4 is connected to the bottom
structure 2 through the four-way linking adaptors 11 and linking to
top horizontal rods 7 laterally extends on top between two of the
upper vertical rods 4.
[0020] The top surrounding fence 1 is configured to have
substantially the same shape and size as the bottom frame structure
2 and further includes the same linking foldable mechanisms 8, same
or similar to the foldable linking mechanisms 10 to symmetrically
fold the upper surrounding fence 2 in order to reduce the necessary
space for storing or shipping the trampolines.
[0021] The upper horizontal linking rods 7 are linked together with
six three-way linking adapter 6. The elastic net is securely
attached to the bottom frame 2 through the synthetic fiber belts 13
wrapping around the linking rods 14. The fencing net 3 is attached
to the top horizontal linking rods 7 through elastic fixing belts 9
and is further sewn together with the elastic net 12 on the bottom
to provide further protection and safety for the users of the
trampoline. The top surrounding fence thus prevent a user to fall
out of the trampoline and would be most suitable for use by small
children not yet aware of their own safety when jumping on the
jumping bed.
[0022] By replacing the conventional springs with the elastic net
12, the extra layer of pad can be eliminated thus achieving cost
savings. Furthermore, comparing to the conventional trampolines
made with springs, the elastic net 12 of this invention achieves
better safety by removing the concerns that the feet of the jumper
may fall into the spaces between the springs and the toes of
smaller feet may even be trapped between the wires of the springs
thus causing greater harms and injuries. The shape of a hexagonal
upper fence of this invention provide improved space arrangements
and further provide better protection and safety for the jumping
exercisers on the trampoline because less likelihood of falling and
colliding with the structural rods or frames. Further advantages
are achieved by making the trampolines foldable thus saving the
cost of providing spaces for storing and shipping the products made
with the configuration disclosed in this invention.
[0023] Thus, while the present invention has been fully described
above with particularity and detail in connection with what is
presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment
of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in
the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to,
variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of
operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the
principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the
claims. Further, it is contemplated that an embodiment may be
limited to consist of, or to consist essentially of, one or more of
the functions, features, structures, and/or methods described
herein.
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