Playground stand-up swing apparatus and method

Abstract

A stand-up swing assembly includes a pair of horizontal support bars that are suspended from above by suspension lines. A pair of foot support members are suspended from the support bars so that the foot support members may swing independently from one another. Spacer bars may be positioned above the horizontal support bars to separate the suspension lines for the front support bar from the suspension lines for the rear support bar. The foot support members may take the form of any desired shape, including that of a human foot, a bear paw, or the like, and the suspension lines attached between the foot support members and the horizontal support bars may have elastic properties so that they may stretch and bounce back into a relaxed state.

Claims

1. A stand-up swing assembly comprising: a front horizontal support bar and a rear horizontal support bar, each bar being independently suspended above the ground by at least two upper suspension lines; a pair of foot support members, wherein each foot member is independently suspended below said horizontal support bars by lower suspension lines; wherein a front portion of each foot support member is attached to at least two lower suspension lines that are attached to said front horizontal support, and wherein a rear portion of each foot support member is attached to at least two lower suspension lines that attached to said rear horizontal support bar.

2. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of spacer bars that are attached to said upper suspension lines disposed above said horizontal support bars, wherein each spacer bar is attached to an upper suspension line connected to said front horizontal support bar, and is also attached to an upper suspension line connected to said rear horizontal support bar.

3. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein said foot support members are formed into a shape selected from the group consisting of a human foot, an animal foot, a circle, a square, an oval, or any combination thereof.

4. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower suspension lines running between said foot support members and said horizontal support bars have elastic properties.

5. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 1, further including a frame structure that is used to support said assembly, wherein said upper suspension lines disposed above said horizontal support bars are attached to said frame structure so that said swing assembly is suspended therefrom.

6. A stand-up swing assembly comprising: a horizontal support ring suspended above the ground by at least three upper suspension lines; a spacer ring attached to said upper suspension lines that are used to suspend said horizontal support ring, wherein said spacer ring maintains a constant space or distance between each said upper suspension line; and a pair of foot support members, wherein each foot member is independently suspended below said horizontal support ring by at least three lower suspension lines.

7. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 6, wherein said foot support members are formed into a shape selected from the group consisting of a human foot, an animal foot, a circle, a square, an oval, or any combination thereof.

8. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 6, wherein said lower suspension lines running between said foot support members and said horizontal support ring have elastic properties.

9. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 6, further including a frame structure that is used to support said assembly, wherein said upper suspension lines disposed above said horizontal support ring are attached to said frame structure so that said swing assembly is suspended therefrom.

10. A stand-up swing assembly comprising: a horizontal support member suspended above the ground by at least two upper suspension lines; a spacer member attached to said upper suspension lines that are used to suspend said horizontal support member, wherein said spacer member maintains a constant space or distance between each said upper suspension line; and a pair of foot support members, wherein each foot member is independently suspended below said horizontal support member by lower suspension lines.

11. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 10, wherein said foot support members are formed into a shape selected from the group consisting of a human foot, an animal foot, a circle, a square, an oval, or any combination thereof.

12. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 10, wherein said lower suspension lines running between said foot support members and said horizontal support member have elastic properties.

13. The stand-up swing assembly set forth in claim 10, further including a frame structure that is used to support said assembly, wherein said upper suspension lines disposed above said horizontal support ring are attached to said frame structure so that said swing assembly is suspended therefrom.

14. The stand up swing assembly set forth in claim 10, wherein said foot support members include an upper surface having a recessed portion therein for placement of a user's feet.

15. The stand up swing assembly set forth in claim 10, wherein said upper suspension lines are used to hang said stand up swing assembly from a frame, wherein said upper suspension lines are connected to said frame on a first end and said spacer member on a second end.

16. The stand up swing assembly set forth in claim 15, wherein said upper suspension lines between said spacer member and said frame include elastic properties.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a stand-up swing assembly, including a plurality of suspension lines that are connected to a pair of spacer bars, front and rear horizontal support bars, and a pair of independently suspended foot support members;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of a stand-up swing assembly, including a plurality of suspension lines that are connected to a pair of spacer bars, front and rear horizontal support bars, and a pair of independently suspended foot support members;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of a stand-up swing assembly, including a plurality of suspension lines that are connected to a pair of spacer bars, front and rear horizontal support bars, and a pair of independently suspended foot support members;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of foot support members, and in this embodiment, the foot support members are in the shape of large feet or bigfoot feet, and include a recessed portion on the upper surface thereof for placement of a user's feet; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a stand-up swing assembly, including a plurality of suspension lines that are connected to a spacer ring, a horizontal support ring, and a pair of independently suspended foot support members;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a stand-up swing assembly, including a plurality of suspension lines in the form of springs that are connected to a pair of spacer bars, front and rear horizontal support bars, and a pair of independently suspended foot support members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention, in a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, is a playground stand-up swing assembly 10 having a pair of foot support members 12 that may swing independently of one another. The assembly 10 is suspended above the ground by a series of suspension lines 14, which may be ropes, chains, cables, or the like. The suspension lines 14 are attached to a stable frame, platform, tree, or any suitable structure that is capable of supporting the weight of the swing assembly 10 and a user, so that the assembly 10 is suspended above the ground. At least two suspension lines 14 are used to support and suspend a front horizontal support bar 16, and another pair of suspension lines 14 are similarly attached to a rear horizontal support bar 18. Spacer bars 28 are disposed above the horizontal support bars 16, 18 to maintain a consistent distance between the suspension lines 14, as shown in FIG. 1.

(9) Foot support members 12 are suspended from the front and rear horizontal support bars 16, 18 so that the foot support members 12 may swing independently from one another. In a preferred embodiment, each foot support member 12 is suspended by four suspension lines 14, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein two suspension lines 14 are attached to the front of the foot support member 12, and two suspension lines 14 are attached to the rear of the foot support member 12. The front suspension lines 14 for each foot support 12 are attached at an upper end to the front horizontal support bar 16, and the rear suspension lines 14 are attached to the rear horizontal support bar 18. In some embodiments, the foot support members 12 may be formed into the shape of bear paws, Bigfoot, duck feet or any other desired shape or configuration. Optionally, each foot support member 12 may have a sunken or recessed area 20 in a central portion of the top surface thereof, providing a lip 22 or ridge that helps a child or user maintain his or her feet in proper position thereon for proper balance and safe operation.

(10) Additionally, in one embodiment, the suspension lines 14 that run between the horizontal support bars 16, 18 and the foot support members 12 may have elastic properties, such as elastic material or springs, so that they stretch when force (or weight) is applied, and return to the condensed, relaxed state when no pressure is applied, similarly to bungee cords. In this way, the user may swing and bounce while holding onto the front horizontal support bar 16. Further, the suspension lines above the spacer bars may also be formed from an elastic material, or may take the form of springs, as shown in FIG. 6, so that the entire stand-up swing assembly may bounce while a child or person is playing or swinging thereon. It should be understood that any of the suspension lines disclosed herein may be in the form of springs, or may have elastic properties, as desired.

(11) Preferably, the front horizontal support bar 16 is positioned at a distance above the foot support members 12 so that they are at or near chest height for a child. This arrangement allows for a child to easily and comfortably grasp the front support bar 16 with both hands while swinging. The rear horizontal support bar 18, in a preferred embodiment, is positioned slightly lower than the front horizontal support bar 16, as shown in FIGS. 1-3.

(12) In another embodiment, a horizontal support ring 24 may be used in place of the front and rear horizontal support bars 16, 18, as shown in FIG. 5. The support ring 24 operates similarly to the above-referenced horizontal support bars 16, 18, wherein suspension lines 14 run from the frame or platform above the assembly 10 down to the support ring 24, and additional suspension lines 14 run downwardly from the support ring 24 to the foot support members 12. It should be understood that other shapes may be used instead of a support ring 24 or bars 16, 18 for hand support and foot member 12 suspension, including a square, oval or rectangular shaped support member.

(13) Generically, the support ring, support square, support bars, and any other mechanism that is used to suspend the foot support members therefrom may be referred to herein as a horizontal support member.

(14) Similarly, a spacer ring 26 may be used in place of the spacer bars 28 to maintain proper spacing between the upper suspension lines 14 above the support ring 26 or the horizontal support bars 16, 18, as shown in FIG. 5. Similarly, the spacer ring 26 could instead take the form of any desired shape, including the shape of a square, rectangle, or any desired shape. The term spacer member may be used herein as a generic phrase to refer to a spacer of any shape that is used to maintain proper spacing between suspension lines 14.

(15) In use, a child or user places his or her right foot on one of the foot support members 12, and places his or her left foot on the other foot support member 12. The user grasps the front horizontal support member 16 with both hands and swings in the traditional manner. Because the foot support members 12 are each separately suspended from the support bars 16, 18 or ring 24, one foot support member 12 may move forward while the other moves in a backward direction in a simulated walking motion, for instance, or the user may simply keep his or her feet side-by-side, or move one foot at a time, as desired.

(16) The swing assembly 10 may be suspended from any suitable structure, such as a frame structure having A-frame supports on either side and a cross-bar or beam extending therebetween that is used for attachment to the upper suspension lines for suspending the swing assembly. It should be understood that many types of swing structures are known in the art, and are described in the references incorporated herein, and any such suitable frame or structure may be used to suspend the previously-described stand-up swing assembly embodiments.

(17) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.