Abstract:
Tether guards are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a tether guard includes a plate configured to contact a surface. The plate has a hole extending therethrough, wherein the hole is adapted to receive a securing mechanism that secures a tether to the surface. The tether guard also includes a cover that is attachable to the plate, the cover has an opening wherein the tether is passable through the opening.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 61/540,959 for GUARD FOR SURFACE MOUNTED TETHER DEVICE, filed on Sep. 29, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed therein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many structures and other devices are retained in place by the use of tethers. The tethers are commonly attached to a surface, such as a floor. An eye bolt or other securing mechanism is used to connect the tether floor, wherein the securing mechanism typically extends from the surface. The securing mechanism can be dangerous by causing people to trip over the securing mechanism. The problem is exasperated when the structure is used by kids, so there a lot of kids in the proximity of the securing mechanism. In the case of inflatable bounce-type devices, the kids may be running and not paying attention to the securing mechanism. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a front, elevation view of an embodiment of a tether guard. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the tether guard of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the plate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the tether guard of  FIG. 4  used in conjunction with an inflatable. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    Devices are disclosed herein that reduce the possibility that a person trips over a securing mechanism attached to a surface, such as a floor. Securing mechanisms are typically secured to a floor or other surface and are used to secure items to the floor or surface. The securing mechanisms usually extend from the surface. A tether may be connected to the securing mechanism, which in turn is typically connected to the item being secured to the surface. In many embodiments, the structure is a play area, such as an inflatable structure or bounce-type inflatable devices for kids. Because kids are in the vicinity of the structures, there is a probability that they can trip over the securing mechanism. Tether guards are disclosed herein that reduce the likelihood of tripping on the securing mechanisms while not interfering with the tether. 
         [0008]    A front, elevation view of an embodiment of a tether guard  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The embodiment of  FIG. 1  shows the tether guard  100  mounted to a surface  102 .  FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the tether guard  100  of  FIG. 1 , but not mounted to a surface. The surface  102  may be a floor or ground. The item described above is attached to the surface  102  as described in greater detail below. 
         [0009]    The tether guard  100  is described as being in two pieces, a plate  104  and a cover  106 . A top plan view of the plate  104  is shown in  FIG. 3 . The plate  104  may be made of a substantially rigid material, such as metal or hard plastic. The plate  104  has a first hole  110  through which a securing mechanism  114 ,  FIG. 1 , passes. In some embodiments, the hole  110  is surrounded by a rigid component (not shown), such as a washer or spacer that prevents the securing mechanism  114  from contacting the remaining portion of the plate  104 . As described in greater detail below, the plate  104  is located between the securing mechanism  114  and the surface  102  and may come under a large compressive force when the plate  104  is secured to the surface  102 . The rigid component serves to prevent the plate  104  from cracking or otherwise breaking when under the force. 
         [0010]    The plate  104  may also have a plurality of second holes  116  that serve to attach the cover  106  to the plate  104 . The cover  106  may have a plurality of bosses on the interior that extend toward the location of the second holes  116 . Screws or other fasteners pass through the second holes  116  and into the bosses. Accordingly, the screws secure the cover  106  to the plate  104 . 
         [0011]    The cover  106  is depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as being semispherical or dome-shaped. The dome shape is larger than the securing mechanism  114  and improves the ability for the tether guard  100  to be seen and avoided. In addition, the shape of the cover  106  lessens the likelihood that a person will trip on the securing mechanism  114 . More specifically, if the person contacts the cover  106 , he will be less likely to trip than if he were to contact the securing mechanism  114  directly. It is noted that the cover  106  may have many other shapes. For example, the cover  106  may be ornamental. Examples of ornamental covers  114  include the shapes of insects, such as ladybugs that are dome-shaped. In other embodiments, the cover  106  is in the shape of an animal, such as a turtle or a rabbit. As stated above, the cover  106  is fastened to the plate  104 , so different covers  106  may be attached to the same type of plate  104 . 
         [0012]    The embodiment of the cover  106  in  FIG. 1  has a perimeter  130  proximate the plate  104 . The perimeter  130  is substantially the same as the perimeter of the plate  104 . When the cover  106  has a more ornamental shape, the perimeter  130  may be larger or smaller than the perimeter of the plate. For example, if the cover  106  is in the shape of a ladybug, the perimeter  130  may include features that make it larger than the perimeter of the plate  104 . 
         [0013]    The cover  106  has an opening  132  that enables access to the securing mechanism  114  and enables the above described tether to pass from the securing mechanism  114  to another location. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the opening  132  is bounded by a connecting portion  134  proximate the first perimeter  130  that provides structural integrity for the cover  106 . In some embodiments, the opening  132  extends to the first perimeter  130  so as to break the first perimeter  130 . The edges of the opening  132  may be curved toward the interior of the dome  130  in order to prevent a person from getting caught on the edges of the opening  132 . 
         [0014]    The interior of the dome  104  also has a plurality of bosses  138  that align with the second holes  116  in the plate  104 . The bosses  138  have holes to receive screws that pass through the second holes  116 . The screws in conjunction with the bosses  138  serve to secure the cover  106  to the plate  104 . It is noted that other mechanisms may be used to attach the cover  106  to the plate  104  and in some embodiments, the plate  104  and cover  106  are a single component. 
         [0015]    Having described the components of the tether guard, its operation will now be described. 
         [0016]    Additional reference is made to  FIG. 4 , which is a side view of the tether guard  100  used to secure an inflatable device to the surface  102  by way of a tether  162 . The inflatable  160  may be an inflatable device that kids bounce on. The surface  102  has a hole or other mechanism that receives the securing mechanism  114 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the securing mechanism  114  is an eye bolt that screws into the surface  102 . Accordingly, the surface  102  has a threaded hole that receives the eye bolt. A nut  140  is threaded onto the securing mechanism far enough so as not to interfere with the securing mechanism being threaded into the hole in the surface  102 . The tether guard  100  is placed over the threaded hole so that the hole  110  in the plate  104  is located over the threaded hole in the surface  102 . The securing mechanism  114  is then placed through the hole  110  and screwed into the threaded hole in the surface  102 . The securing mechanism  114  is placed in the hole far enough and tight enough to secure the tether  162 . 
         [0017]    At this point, the securing mechanism  114  is threaded into the surface  102  and extends through the plate  104 . The tether guard  100  is rotated so that the opening  130  faces the direction in which the tether  162  extends. The nut  140  is then rotated so that it contacts the plate  104 . The nut  140  serves to secure the plate  104  and, thus, the tether guard  100  to the surface  102 . In many embodiments, the nut  140  is not required. In some embodiments, the securing mechanism  114  may have a washer or other retaining device located thereon that contacts the plate  104  when the securing mechanism  114  is secured to the surface  102 . The washer distributes the force exerted by the nut  140  so as not to break the plate  104 . It is noted that access to the securing mechanism  114  and the nut  140  is obtained via the opening  130 . 
         [0018]    The tether  162  is attached to the securing mechanism  114 . Thus, the inflatable  160  is secured to the surface  102  by way of the securing mechanism  114  and the tether  162 . The tether cover  100  is positioned above the securing mechanism  114 , which prevents people from tripping over the securing mechanism  114 . 
         [0019]    Having described some embodiments of the tether guard  100  and its use, other embodiments will now be described. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the hole  110  in the plate  104  is a slot extending to the exterior of the tether guard  100 . This configuration may be used in situations where the securing mechanism  114  is not readily removable from the surface  102 . The slot enables the tether guard to be slid onto the securing mechanism  114  and secured thereto. 
         [0021]    Additional holes (not shown) may be placed through the plate  104 . Screws or other securing devices may be placed through the holes and into the surface to provide additional attachments to the surface  102 . Such embodiments may be used when the cover  106  is large or oblong or where the tether guard  100  is subjected to forces that may exceed the strength of the securing mechanism  114 . 
         [0022]    While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.