Abstract:
A track having a stopping means that can stop a puck member from descending an undesired distance. After stopping of the puck member, the user can relocate the puck member within a channel for continued downward movement within the channel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an apparatus that allows a user to move or be displaced in from one location to another along a track having a channel. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Challenge courses are structures that allow a person or team to challenge themselves by participating in various events such as walking along swinging ropes or planks, at elevated heights. These courses are also used to train military personnel. These courses are also used at recreational parks or other such centers that have go-carts and miniature golf. 
         [0003]    Zip lines are generally ropes or cables that are connected at both ends to fixed members of varying heights. In other words, one end is higher than the other. A participant then, by use of a pulley that rotatably engages with the rope or cable, glides from the higher end to the lower end. 
         [0004]    The present invention is a track that has a channel configured to slow or stop a moveable member as it reaches a certain area of the track. The user then has to move a puck from its current position, so it can then slide with respect to the track, until, if, another stopping means is encountered. This prevents someone from falling downwardly into the person adjacent to them. This also prevents someone from sliding down the track. 
         [0005]    This differs from the prior art in that it there is no way to prevent the puck from sliding down the track from top to bottom uninhibited. 
         [0006]    There exists a need for a means to prevent a puck from sliding uninhibited downwardly in the track. 
         [0007]    There also exists the need to prevent someone to fall into the person adjacent to them. 
         [0008]    Multiple embodiments of the system are disclosed herein. It will be understood that other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings. 
       REFERENCE NUMERALS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           10  challenge course 
           20  element track 
           30  track with stopping means 
           40  stairs 
           50  channel 
           60  stopping means 
           70  first side 
           80  second side 
           90  first side first angle 
           100  second side first angle 
           110  first side second angle 
           120  second side second angle 
           140  second side third angle 
           150  rightwardly angled stopping means 
           160  leftwardly angled stopping means 
           170  puck 
           180  puck member 
           190  user 
           200  harness 
           210  track inside 
           220  interface 
           230  downward direction 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    One aspect of the present invention is a track with stopping means  30 , comprising: the track with stopping means  30  having a first side  70 , and an opposed second side  80  to define a channel  50 ; said first side  70  connected to a first side first angle  90  that extends rightwardly about 24 degrees for about 2.46 inches and connect to a first side second angle  110  that is substantially parallel to said first side  70 ; said second side  80  connected to a second side first angle  100  that extends rightwardly about 12.5 degrees for about 2.3 inches to a second side second angle  120  that is substantially perpendicular to said second side  80 ; said second side second angle  120  extends about ½ inch to a second side third angle  140  that is substantially parallel to said second side; an interface  220  where said second side first angle  100  connects to said second side second angle  120 . 
         [0032]    Another aspect of the present invention is a track with stopping means  30 , comprising: the track with stopping means  30  having a first side  70 , and an opposed second side  80  to define a channel  50 ; said first side  70  connected to a first side first angle  90  that extends leftwardly about 24 degrees for about 2.46 inches and connect to a first side second angle  110  that is substantially parallel to said first side  70 ; said second side  80  connected to a second side first angle  100  that extends leftwardly about 12.5 degrees for about 2.3 inches to a second side second angle  120  that is substantially perpendicular to said second side  80 ; said second side second angle  120  extends about ½ inch to a second side third angle  140  that is substantially parallel to said second side; an interface  220  where said second side first angle  100  connects to said second side second angle  120 . 
         [0033]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention used with a challenge course; 
           [0035]      FIG. 2  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention used above a stairway; 
           [0036]      FIG. 3  is another pictorial view of one embodiment of the present used above a stairway; 
           [0037]      FIG. 4  is a pictorial view of a puck member stopped by the stopping means; 
           [0038]      FIG. 5  is a pictorial view of an embodiment of the channel, stopping means, rightwardly angled stopping means, and leftwardly angled stopping means; 
           [0039]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the line B-B of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the line A-A of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 9  is a pictorial showing two users ascending a stairway using the track with stopping means; 
           [0043]      FIG. 10  is a pictorial showing two users descending a stairway using the track with stopping means; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 11  is a pictorial showing two users ascending a stairway using the track with stopping means. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0045]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0046]    Certain terminology will be used in the following description for  convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the system and designated parts. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives, and similar words. Also, “connected to,” “secured to,” or similar language includes the definitions “indirectly connected to,” “directly connected to,” “indirectly secured to,” and “directly secured to.” 
         [0047]      FIG. 1  illustrates a challenge course  10  that can utilize the present inventions, titled track with stopping means  30 . The track with stopping means  30  may have a differently configured channel  50  than a typical element track  20 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of the track with stopping means  30  secured above a stairway  40 . When above a stairway, if the user  190  falls or slips, then a puck member  180  that may descend until it encounters a stopping means  60 , at which point it would stop, preventing the user from further falling. 
         [0049]      FIG. 3  illustrates a one embodiment of track with stopping means  30  and a stopping means  60 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the stopping means  60 . The puck  170  may be movably disposed within the track with stopping means  30 . In one embodiment the puck  170  may have a puck member  180  descending therefrom, downwardly to be connected, directly, or indirectly to a harness worn by the user  190 . In  FIG. 4 , the puck member  180  is stopped by the stopping means  60 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a track with stopping means  30 . Three stopping means  60  are shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross section of  FIG. 5 . The puck  170  may be movably displaced in the track with stopping means  30  upwardly from the channel  50 . A puck member  180  may extend downwardly through the channel  50  to a harness  200  that may be connected to a user  190 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 7  illustrates the stopping means  60 . The stopping means  60  may be integral with a standard channel having a first side  70  and a second side  80 . The first side  70  may extend to a first side first angle  90  about 24 degrees to the right at a distance of about 2.46 inches. The first side first angle  90  may then extend to a first side second angle  110  that is substantially parallel to the first side  70 . 
         [0054]    The second side  80  may extend to a second side first angle  100  about 12.5 degrees to the right at a distance of about 2.3 inches. The second side first angle  100  may extend toward the first side first angle  90  to a second side second angle  120  that is substantially perpendicular to the second side  80  for a distance of about ½ of an inch. The junction of the second side first angle  100  with the second side second angle  120  may have a radius of about ⅛ of an inch. 
         [0055]    The second side second angle  120  may extend to a second side third angle  140  that may be substantially parallel to the second side  80 . 
         [0056]    Generally, there the space between the second side  80  and the first side  70  defines the channel  50 , and the width of the channel may be about ¾ of an inch. 
         [0057]    The present invention  30  may have a stopping means  60  disposed about 2 feet away from an adjacent stopping means  60 . The stopping means  60  may be configured as a mirror image of any adjacent stopping means  60 . 
         [0058]    For example, the stopping means  60  adjacent to the above described stopping means  60  may have a first side  70  and a second side  80 . The first side  70  may extend to a first side first angle  90  about 24 degrees to the left at a distance of about 2.46 inches. The first side first angle  90  may then extend to a first side second angle  110  that is substantially parallel to the first side  70 . 
         [0059]    The second side  80  may extend to a second side first angle  100  about 12.5 degrees to the left at a distance of about 2.3 inches. The second side first angle  100  may extend inwardly to a second side second angle  120  that is substantially perpendicular to the second side  80  for a distance of about ½ of an inch. The junction of the second side first angle  100  with the second side second angle  120  may have a radius of about ⅛ of an inch. 
         [0060]    The second side second angle  120  may extend to a second side third angle  140  that may be substantially parallel to the second side  80 . 
         [0061]    The adjacent or downstream stopping means  60  may be arranged in alternating mirror image fashion, but do not have to be. 
         [0062]    If a user  190  starts to fall or if the puck member  180  is displaced in the downward direction  230 , then the user puck  170  may slide down the track inside  210  until the puck member  180  contacts the second side second angle  120 , which stops the puck member  180 . The user  190  may then move the puck member  180  off of the second side second angle  120  or away from the second side first angle  100  to allow the puck member  180  to move between the first side  70  and the second side  80 , or move within the channel  50 . 
         [0063]    If a user  190  and puck member  180  is moving in the direction opposite of the downward direction  230  then the puck member  180  would contact the first side first angle  90  and continue to move within the channel  50  without stopping because the puck member  180  would not contact the second side second angle  120 , which causes to stop the puck member  180 . 
         [0064]    In one embodiment, the puck member  180  may have a diameter of about 0.575 inches. In another embodiment the puck member  180  may have a diameter of about 0.580 inches. 
         [0065]      FIG. 8  illustrates a sectional view of the track with stopping means  30 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 9  illustrates an example of two users  190  walking upwardly on a staircase or stairs  40 , if the second user falls, the stopping means  60  will prevent him from descending all the way down to the bottom of the stairs  40 . 
         [0067]      FIG. 10  illustrates an example of two users  190  descending a stairway  40  with one user  190  falling, as the stopping means  60  prevents them from sliding down to the bottom of the stairs  40 . If the user would slide to the bottom of the stairs  40 , the user  190  may have reached a speed that would result in a greater force to stop the user  190 , and thus greater force for the user  190  to endure. 
         [0068]      FIG. 11  illustrates two users  190  ascending stairs  40 , with the first user  190  falling, and not falling into the lower user  190  because the stopping means  60  stops the puck member  180  at the junction or interface between the first side first angle  110  and the second side second angle  120 . 
         [0069]    The track with stopping means  30  may be connected to a challenge course or an element track  20 , so the puck  170  may move from the track with stopping means  30  to a challenge course track, or an element track  20 , or a zip line. 
         [0070]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.