AN ASSEMBLY OF A FRAME COMPONENT AND A BUNGEE COMPONENT ADAPTED FOR CONVERTING A TRAMPOLINE INTO A BUNGEE TRAMPOLINE

Abstract

An assembly of a frame component and a bungee component adapted for converting a trampoline into a bungee trampoline. The trampoline includes a sheet of fabric or canvas attached and distended to a frame having a perimeter and at least three legs distributed along the perimeter of the frame, each leg having an elongated straight leg part, the frame component including at least three frame poles and an circumferential upper frame, and each frame pole having an upper pole part with an upper pole end connected to the upper frame and a lower pole part with a lower pole end, the lower pole part of the frame poles is mounted to the elongated straight leg part of the legs by brackets so that the longitudinal axis of each of the frame pole is parallel and not coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding straight leg part.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. An assembly of a frame component and a bungee component adapted to convert a trampoline into a bungee trampoline, wherein the trampoline is of the kind having a sheet of fabric or canvas attached and distended to a trampoline frame having a perimeter and at least three trampoline legs distributed along the perimeter of the trampoline frame, with each trampoline leg having an elongated straight leg part, the frame component comprising at least three frame poles and an circumferential upper frame, and each frame pole having an upper pole part with an upper pole end connected to the circumferential upper frame, and a lower pole part with a lower pole end, and wherein the lower pole part of the frame poles is adapted for mounting the assembly to an elongated straight leg part of the trampoline legs of the trampoline by brackets so that the longitudinal axis of each frame pole is parallel and not coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding straight leg part of the trampoline.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein a first circle taken through the elongate straight leg parts of the trampoline legs connected to the frame poles has a smaller diameter than a second circle taken through the lower parts of the frame poles when said frame poles are mounted to the trampoline.

13. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein each lower pole part extends along the entire length of the straight leg part of the corresponding trampoline legs when said frame poles are mounted to the trampoline.

14. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the brackets are adapted to secure the lower pole part of the frame poles to the straight leg part of the trampoline legs without the need of making holes in the straight leg part of the trampoline legs when said frame poles are mounted to the trampoline.

15. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein one bracket comprises a U-bend tube having opposite bracket legs that delimits a gap for accommodating the parallel straight leg part of the trampoline legs and the lower pole part of the frame poles, the bracket legs of the one bracket having free bracket leg ends for mounting of a clamp component for securing the parallel straight leg part of the trampoline leg and the lower pole part of the frame pole inside the gap when said frame poles are mounted to the trampoline.

16. An assembly of a frame component and a bungee component adapted to convert a trampoline into a bungee trampoline, wherein the trampoline is of the kind having a sheet of fabric or canvas attached and distended to a trampoline frame having a perimeter and at least three trampoline legs distributed along the perimeter of the trampoline frame, with each trampoline leg having an elongated straight leg part, the frame component comprising at least three frame poles and an circumferential upper frame, and each frame pole having an upper pole part with an upper pole end connected to the circumferential upper frame, and a lower pole part with a lower pole end, wherein the circumferential upper frame extends between the upper pole part of each of the frame poles and the corners of said frame are rounded, and wherein the lower pole part of the frame poles is adapted for mounting the assembly to an elongated straight leg part of the trampoline legs of the trampoline by brackets so that the longitudinal axis of each frame pole is parallel and not coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding straight leg part of the trampoline.

17. The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the upper frame comprises a rounded corner element at each corner of said frame and a rod extending between each pair of adjacent corner elements, where each corner element has a rounded horizontal portion connected with the two adjacent rods, a vertical portion connected to the upper end of the frame pole, and a horizontal rail located at the inner side of the rounded portion.

18. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the circumferential upper frame and/or the frame poles is/are assembled of sub-elements.

19. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the frame poles and/or the horizontal parts of the circumferential upper frame are telescopically length-adjustable.

20. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the frame component is not for supporting a safety net.

21. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the assembly further comprises an earth spike for each of the at least three frame poles, where each earth spike is adapted for being driven at least partly into the ground at the intended location of the frame pole and for being fastened to the lower pole part of the frame pole.

22. A method for converting a trampoline into a bungee trampoline using the assembly according to claim 11, which comprises: attaching the upper pole part of the at least three frame poles to the upper frame, and mounting the lower pole part of the at least three frame poles to an elongated straight leg part of the trampoline legs of the trampoline by means of brackets so that the longitudinal axis of each frame pole is parallel and not coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding straight leg part of the trampoline.

23. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises detachably securing the bungee component to the upper frame and/or to the upper pole part of the frame component.

Description

[0059] The frame component is preferably made of metal, such galvanized steel.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the assembly according to the invention with three frame poles, where the trampoline to which the assembly is mounted comprises four trampoline legs and is standing on the ground,

[0061] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but with four frame poles,

[0062] FIG. 3 is a larger scale fractional view of the assembly and trampoline shown in FIG. 2,

[0063] FIG. 4 is an upper perspective view of a part of the assembly shown in FIG. 2,

[0064] FIG. 5 is a larger scale fractional view of a part of FIG. 4,

[0065] FIG. 6, is a perspective view of corner element according to an embodiment of the present invention, where one bracket is shown in its fastened position and another bracket is shown in an exploded view,

[0066] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket and accompanying clamp component of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0067] FIG. 8 illustrates an assembly according to the invention with four frame poles, where the trampoline to which the assembly is mounted is an in-ground trampoline and the assembly comprises earth spikes, and

[0068] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of one of the earth spikes and corresponding frame pole shown in FIG. 8.

[0069] FIG. 1 shows an assembly (1) of a frame component (2) and a bungee component (3) that have been used to convert a trampoline (4) into a bungee trampoline. The trampoline (4) has a trampoline frame (5) from which a bouncing fabric (6) is attached using springs. The springs are covered by a protective cover (7) and thus not shown.

[0070] The trampoline (4) has four U-shaped trampoline legs (8) distributed along its perimeter (9), where only three of the legs are visible in FIG. 1. The trampoline is standing on the ground (10), which is shown as a lawn, but could just as well be a hard surface such as e.g. asphalt. Each leg (8) has two elongated straight leg parts (11) extending downwards from the perimeter (9) of the trampoline frame (5) to the ground (10), and a lower leg part (12) extending between the two straight leg parts (11) and resting on the ground (10).

[0071] The frame component (2) shown in FIG. 1 has three frame poles (13), where each frame pole (13) has an upper pole part (14) with an upper pole end (15), to which the circumferential upper frame (16) is attached.

[0072] Each frame pole (13) has a lower pole part (17), which is attached to respective trampoline legs (8), where each lower pole part (17) is mounted to an elongated straight leg part (11) by means of two brackets (18), where the brackets (18) are located at opposite ends of the elongated straight leg part (11) to provide a strong and firm connection between the frame component (2) and the trampoline (4).

[0073] Each frame pole (13) shown in FIG. 1, and also each frame pole (13) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, is assembled of four of sub-elements, as the upper pole part (14) comprises three sub-elements (14a, 14b, 14c) and the lower pole part (17) is a single sub-element. The frame poles of the present invention is not limited to being assembled of four sub-elements, as each frame pole in other embodiments could have a different number of sub-elements than four, or could be a single element.

[0074] Each frame pole (13) and the matching elongated straight leg part (11) of one of the trampoline legs (8) are connected so that the longitudinal axis (19) through the frame pole (13) and the longitudinal axis (20) through the straight leg part (11) of the leg (8) are parallel but not coaxial. The lower pole part (17) of each frame pole (13) extends along the entire length of the straight leg part (11) of the trampoline leg (8).

[0075] The circumferential upper frame (16) shown in FIG. 1 consists of three rounded corner elements (21) and three rods (22) extending between the corner elements.

[0076] Each corner element (21) consists of a rounded horizontal portion (23), a vertical portion (24) and a horizontal rail (25). The rounded horizontal portion (23) is connected with the two adjacent rods (22). The vertical portion (24) is connected to the upper pole part (14) of the frame pole (13). The horizontal rail (25) is located at inner side of the rounded portion (23).

[0077] The bungee component (3) consists a bungee harness (26), a winch (27), two bungee ropes (28), and four winch pulleys (29), where the two bungee ropes (28) extend between the bungee harness (26) and the winch (27) by means of the four winch pulleys (29). The winch pulleys (29) are attached to the horizontal rails (25) of the corner elements (21). Each bungee rope (28) consists of an elastic part (30) connected to a substantially non-elastic part (31) at a connection point (32), where the elastic part (30) extends from the bungee harness (26) to the connection point (32), and the substantially non-elastic part (31) extends from the connection point (32) up to the circumferential upper frame (16) and down to the winch (27).

[0078] The assembly (1) shown in FIG. 2 is very similar to the assembly (1) shown in FIG. 1, and the trampoline (4) shown in FIG. 2 is the same as the trampoline (4) shown in FIG. 1.

[0079] The difference between the frame component (2) shown in FIG. 1 and the frame component (2) shown in FIG. 2 is that the one shown in FIG. 1 has a triangular shape with three frame poles (13), three corner elements (21), and three rods (22) extending between the corner elements (21), whereas the one shown in FIG. 2 has a rectangular shape with four frame poles (13), four corner elements (21), and four rods (22) extending between the corner elements (21).

[0080] There is also a small difference between the corner elements (21, 21) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as will be described in connection with FIGS. 5-7.

[0081] The configuration of the bungee components (3; 3) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are also different, as there is a winch pulley (29) at all three corner elements (21) in FIG. 1, whereas there is only a winch pulley (29) at three out of the four corner elements (21) in FIG. 2.

[0082] The configuration of the bungee component (3) shown in FIG. 1 is a preferred configuration for assemblies according to the present invention with a triangular upper frame. The configuration of the bungee component (3) shown in FIG. 2 is a preferred configuration for assemblies according to the present invention with a rectangular upper frame.

[0083] FIG. 3 shows a larger scale view of the connection between the lower pole part (17) and the elongated straight leg part (11), where it is easier to see how the lower pole part (17) is positioned next to the straight leg part (11), and how they are connected to each other by means of the brackets (18).

[0084] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the circumferential upper frame (16) and the bungee component (3) of the embodiment in FIG. 2, but seen from above so that its shape and functions, as well as the configuration of the bungee component (3), are clearly seen. For illustrative purposes, the uppermost sub-element (14c) of the frame poles (13) are also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0085] Each corner element (21; 21) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a rounded horizontal portion (23; 23), a vertical portion (24; 24) and a horizontal rail (25; 25). The rounded horizontal portion (23; 23) is connected to the two adjacent rods (22). The vertical portion (24; 24) is connected to the uppermost sub-element (14c) of the frame pole (13). The horizontal rail (25; 25) is located at inner side of the rounded portion (23; 23).

[0086] The difference between the corner elements (21, 21) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is that the angle between the free ends (40, 41) of the rounded horizontal portion (23) of the embodiment of FIG. 2 is 90 due to the rectangular shape of the circumferential upper frame (16), whereas the corresponding angle of the corner elements (21) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is 60 due to the triangular shape of the circumferential upper frame (16). For other embodiment of the assembly of the present invention, where the number of frame poles are higher than four, the circumferential upper frame will have a polygonal shape and the angle between the free ends of the corner elements of such embodiments depends on the shape of the circumferential upper frame.

[0087] The size of the angle between the free ends (40, 41) of the corner elements (21; 21) also effect the length of the horizontal rail (25; 25), but otherwise the corner elements (21; 21) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are the same.

[0088] The rods (22) extending between the corner elements (21; 21) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are telescopic rods (22), which has the advantage that the size and dimensions of the circumferential upper frame (16; 16) can be easily be changed without the need for rods with different lengths.

[0089] Each telescopic rod (22) consists basically of two hollow tubes with different radii, where the tube with the smaller radius is partly inserted into the other tube in a slidingly manner, and when the desired length of the rod (22) is obtained, the two tubes are fastened together by means of a number of fastening holes (38) in said two tubes and corresponding fastening screws (39).

[0090] FIG. 6 shows the corner element (21) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, where each corner element (21) is provided with two fastening holes (42) at both free ends (40, 41). For each corner element (21) the diameter of the free ends (40, 41) is different and adapted so that the tube with the smaller diameter is able to slide into the free end (40) with the larger diameter, and the tube with the higher diameter is able to slide over the free end (41) with the smaller diameter, where after the rods (22) are fastened to the corner element (21) by means of fastening holes (42) in the corner element (21), matching fastening holes (38) at each end of the rod (22), and corresponding fastening screws (43). The fastening screws (43) for fastening the corner elements (21) and the rods (22) are best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0091] The corner element (21) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the same as the corner element (21) shown in FIG. 6 except that the angle between the free ends of the rounded horizontal portion (23) is 60.

[0092] FIG. 7 shows that the bracket (18) has a U-bend tube (33) with two opposite bracket legs (34) that delimits a gap (35) for accommodating the parallel straight leg part (11) of the trampoline leg (8) and the lower pole part (17) of the frame pole (13), where the bracket legs (34) have free bracket leg ends (36) for mounting of a clamp component (37) for securing the parallel straight leg part (11) to the lower pole part (17) inside the gap. The bracket (18) and accompanying clamp bracket (37) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is the same as the bracket (18) and clamp component (37) of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0093] FIG. 8 shows an in-ground trampoline (4) that has been converted into an in-ground bungee trampoline by means of the same assembly (1) as the one shown in FIG. 2. The only difference between the bungee trampolines shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 is the way that the frame poles are connected to the trampoline legs, the location of the winch and the additional earth spikes (44).

[0094] The four short trampoline legs (8) of the in-ground trampoline shown in FIG. 8 are straight rods extending into the ground (10), and the lower part (17) of each frame pole (13) is mounted to a trampoline leg (8) by means of an earth spike (44) and a single bracket (18). Each earth spike (44) that has been driven into the ground (10) just below the intended location of the frame pole (13). As seen in FIG. 9, each earth spike (44) comprises a lower tapered part (45) for facilitating the inserting into the ground (10), and an upper tube-shaped part (46) with a diameter adapted so that the lower pole part (17) can slide into the tube-shaped part (46). Each earth spike (44) is fastened to the corresponding frame pole (13) by means of fastening holes (47) in the upper tube-shaped part (46), matching fastening holes (49) in the lower end of the lower pole part (17), and corresponding fastening screws (48). The lower tapered part (45) and the upper tube-shaped part (46) can be made as two metal units that subsequently are welded together. The earth spike (44) could also be made as a single unit of e.g. metal or some other appropriate material.

[0095] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, each earth spike (44) is mounted to the matching trampoline leg (8) by means of a bracket (18), where the trampoline leg (8) and the upper tube-shaped part (46) are accommodated inside the gap (35) of the bracket (18).

[0096] It is thus not only the connection between the lower pole parts (17) and the trampoline legs (8) that provides the assembly (1) with sufficient strength and stability to be used as a bungee trampoline, but also the use of the earth spikes (44).