Corrugated trampoline frame tube

Abstract

A trampoline has a trampoline bed, a set of trampoline springs, and a trampoline frame retaining the trampoline bed. The trampoline frame has a horizontal tube frame. The horizontal tube frame is made in sections. A corrugated upper surface is formed on the horizontal tube frame including an inside tube connected to an outside tube. An inside tube has an inside tube wave top and an outside view has an outside tube wave top. Preferably, the horizontal tube frame further includes a corrugated lower surface formed on the inside tube and on outside tube so that the inside tube has an inside tube wave bottom and the outside tube has an outside tube wave bottom.

Claims

1. A trampoline comprising: a trampoline frame; a set of trampoline springs mounted to the trampoline frame; a trampoline bed held in tension by the trampoline springs, wherein the set of trampoline springs retain the trampoline bed, wherein the trampoline frame has a horizontal tube frame as a portion of the trampoline frame, wherein the horizontal tube frame is made in sections including at least a first section and a second section; and a corrugated upper surface formed on the horizontal tube frame first and second sections including an inside tube portion of the first section and an outside tube portion of the second section wherein the first and second sections are configured to be connected together, wherein the inside tube has the inside tube wave top and wherein the outside tube has an outside tube wave top that nest together to form corrugated interfaces, the corrugated interfaces configured to act as springs against each other to form a tighter engagement between the first and second sections.

2. The trampoline of claim 1, wherein the inside tube wave top has an inside tube first top corner, and an inside tube second top corner.

3. The trampoline of claim 2, wherein the outside tube has an outside tube first top corner and an outside tube second top corner.

4. The trampoline of claim 3, wherein the inside tube first top corner engages to the outside tube first top corner; and wherein the inside tube second top corner engages to the outside tube second top corner.

5. The trampoline of claim 4, further including a first inside tube crease that engages to a first outside tube crease; and further including a second inside tube crease that engages to a second outside tube crease.

6. The trampoline of claim 4, wherein the inside tube wave top is aligned with the outside tube wave top and the outside tube wave top is aligned with a lower ridge that extends downwardly from a lower surface of the outside tube, wherein the lower ridge is formed opposite the outside tube wave top.

7. The trampoline of claim 4, further including a weighted base that is configured to be filled by a liquid, wherein the weighted base is attached to the horizontal tube frame.

8. The trampoline of claim 1, wherein the horizontal tube frame further includes a corrugated lower surface formed on the inside tube and on the outside tube, wherein the inside tube has an inside tube wave bottom and wherein the outside tube has an outside tube wave bottom.

9. The trampoline of claim 8, wherein the inside tube wave top has an inside tube first top corner, and an inside tube second top corner.

10. The trampoline of claim 9, wherein the outside tube has an outside tube first top corner and an outside tube second top corner.

11. The trampoline of claim 10, wherein the inside tube first top corner engages to the outside tube first top corner; and wherein the inside tube second top corner engages to the outside tube second top corner.

12. The trampoline of claim 10, further including a first inside tube crease that engages to a first outside tube crease; and further including a second inside tube crease that engages to a second outside tube crease.

13. The trampoline of claim 10, wherein the inside tube wave top is aligned with the outside tube wave top and the outside tube wave top is aligned with a lower ridge that extends downwardly from a lower surface of the outside tube, wherein the lower ridge is formed opposite the outside tube wave top.

14. The trampoline of claim 10, further including a weighted base that is configured to be filled by a liquid, wherein the weighted base is attached to the horizontal tube frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-section of the horizontal tube frame 30 of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a second cross-section of the horizontal tube frame 30 of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the horizontal tube frame 30.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the trampoline.

(5) FIG. 5 is a second perspective view of the trampoline.

(6) FIG. 6 is a diagram of the horizontal frame tube sections in the process of being assembled.

(7) FIG. 7 is a diagram of the horizontal frame tube sections after being assembled.

(8) The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings. 10 Trampoline Bed 11 Wind Flow 20 Trampoline Spring 22 Inside Tube 23 Inside Tube First Top Corner 24 Inside Tube Wave Top 25 Inside Tube Second Top Corner 26 Inside Tube Sidewall 27 Inside Tube First Bottom Corner 28 Inside Tube Wave Bottom 29 Inside Tube Second Bottom Corner 30 Horizontal Tube Frame 32 Outside Tube 33 Outside Tube First Top Corner 34 Outside Tube Wave Top 35 Outside Tube Second Top Corner 36 Outside Tube Sidewall 37 Outside Tube First Bottom Corner 38 Outside Tube Wave Bottom 39 Outside Tube Second Bottom Corner 40 Base 41 Inside Tube Downwardly Extending Ridge 42 First Inside Tube Crease 43 Second Inside Tube Crease 51 Outside Tube Downwardly Extending Ridge 52 First Outside Tube Crease 53 Second Outside Tube Crease 54 Socket End Of Outside Tube 55 Insertion End Of Inside Tube

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(9) Generally, a trampoline has a trampoline bed 10 suspended on springs 20 mounted to a horizontal tube frame 30. Optionally a base 40 can have a skirt that pushes wind 11 over the top of the trampoline bed 10. The horizontal tube frame 30 can be made in sections that connect together where sections have differing diameter and size to provide a telescopic connection. For example the horizontal tube frame 30 can have a first tube connected to a second tube in a telescopic horizontal configuration. The first tube can be an inside tube 22 and the second tube can be an outside tube 32.

(10) The present invention is a horizontal section of a trampoline frame that has a wavy top design and can also have a wavy bottom. The wavy top and wavy bottom can provide a corrugated resistance to bending in the vertical direction. The corrugated top surface and alternatively the corrugated bottom surface provides bending resistance to increase the stiffness of the trampoline frame. At the same time, the connection is tighter due to the non round profile of the corrugated surfaces. The corrugated interfaces act as springs against each other to form a tighter engagement between frame sections.

(11) The inside tube 22 preferably engages the outside tube 32 at a first and second top corner. The inside tube 22 has an inside tube first top corner 23 that engages an outside tube first top corner 33. Similarly, the inside tube 22 has an inside tube second top corner 25 that engages the outside tube second top corner.

(12) The inside tube wave top 24 is below the outside tube wave top 34, but the inside tube wave top 24 does not engage the outside tube wave top 34. Preferably, a gap can be formed between the inside tube wave top 24 and the outside tube wave top 34, even though the two members are in a nested configuration. The inside tube wave top 24 is located between the inside tube first top corner 23 and the inside tube second top corner 25. Similarly, the outside tube wave top 34 is located between the outside tube first top corner 33 and the outside tube second top corner 35.

(13) Optionally, the bottom surface of the horizontal tube frame 30 is also corrugated. The inside tube first bottom corner 27 can engage the outside tube first bottom corner 37. The inside tube second bottom corner 29 can engage the outside tube second bottom corner 39. The inside tube wave bottom 28 is formed between the inside tube first bottom corner 29 and the inside tube second bottom corner 39. Preferably, the inside tube wave bottom 28 does not abut or engage the outside tube wave bottom 38.

(14) As an alternative to the bottom surface corrugation of the horizontal frame tube 30, the bottom surface can have a downwardly extending ridge where an inside tube downwardly extending ridge 41 engages an outside tube downwardly extending ridge 51. Additionally, the inside tube crease 42 can engage with the outside tube crease 52 to resist rotational motion between the inside tube and the outside tube. The outside tube downwardly extending ridge 51 can have an angled profile for receiving an angled profile of the inside tube downwardly extending ridge 41. An inside angle of the outside tube downwardly extending ridge 51 receives the outside angle of the inside tube downwardly extending ridge 41. The downwardly extending ridge has a pair of faces, namely a right face and a left face that can be at right angles to each other, for example.

(15) Analogously, the second outside tube crease 53 can engage to a second inside tube crease 43. The second outside tube crease 53 and the second inside tube crease 43 are preferably formed on an inside radius of the horizontal frame sections. Each horizontal frame section is preferably approximately 1-2 m long and having connecting ends so that each horizontal transaction can connect to the other.

(16) A base 40 of the trampoline apparatus can be a fluid water filled weighted chamber like a weighted anchor. A trampoline anchor is connected to a trampoline frame. A trampoline bed is attached to the trampoline frame. Trampoline springs connect the trampoline frame to the trampoline bed. A fluid chamber is connected to the trampoline frame. A fluid chamber valve allows inflation with a fluid such as water or sand. The fluid chamber valve provides a fluid chamber filling port for receiving a fluid within the fluid chamber.

(17) Optionally, the trampoline anchor may also have an outside skirt attached to the fluid chamber, so that the fluid chamber is configured as a toroid. In a toroidal configuration, the fluid chamber may also be connected to toroidial enclosure skirt, namely an enclosure skirt weighted down by a toroidial fluid chamber that forms a windscreen for blocking air that would otherwise travel under the trampoline to create lift and drag forces. The toroidial enclosure skirt forms an outside skirt that connects between the fluid chamber and the trampoline frame at a fluid chamber skirt connection. The fluid chamber can be formed as both a toroid and as round pods with the round pods supporting the toroid. For example, the fluid chamber toroid could be made of multiple generally elongated pods.

(18) The fluid chamber pods are preferably attached to legs of the trampoline and strapped to the horizontal frame member of the trampoline frame. Additionally, a ground penetrating anchor can have a loop head on a shaft. The loop head can connect to a fluid chamber pod strap. Preferably, the ground penetrating anchor is over 3 feet long in total length. As seen in FIG. 5, the fluid chamber pod strap 88 allows the fluid chamber to hang from the outside tube 32.

(19) When the weighted base 40 is added to the trampoline frame, the increased rigidity of the horizontal frame tube 30 improves the stability of the trampoline frame. Since ground is not always perfectly level, the horizontal frame tube will be subjected to biasing force from the weighted base 40. The biasing force is loaded to the horizontal frame tube 30. Accordingly, the corrugated wave surface of the inside tube and the outside tube bend toward each other and provide a locking frictional contact for stabilizing the frame connection between the outside tube 32 and the inside tube 22. The weighted base 40 is formed as a giant water bladder that is connected to the horizontal frame tube sections such as by straps.

(20) As can be seen from the structure of the trampoline frame, the weight of the weighted base 40 pushes down and biases the horizontal frame tube 30. The horizontal frame tube 30 is constructed by linking various sections together. Sections have sockets that receive insertion ends. Each section is made of a tube section that has a socket end and insertion end at opposite ends. The socket end is formed as the outside tube 32, and the inside tube 22 has a smaller diameter than the outside tube 32 to insert into the outside tube 32. The inside tube inserts into the outside tube with hand force, but when loaded with weight, binds to the outside tube so that the tubes do not detach from each other. The wave top corrugations are metal and have a small amount of flexibility to allow the insertion end of the inside tube to bind to the socket end of the outside tube.