Abstract:
An apparatus includes a trampoline frame. The apparatus further includes a trampoline mat attached to the trampoline frame and a trampoline net attached to the trampoline mat. The trampoline net is in position to catch a jumper that falls through the trampoline mat in the event of failure of the trampoline mat.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/706,871, entitled “Trampoline Net,” filed on Sep. 28, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Trampolines are a popular recreational device. New industry standards seek to increase trampoline safety. It is a challenge to meet the new industry standards in a maintainable product. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a round trampoline. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a rectangular trampoline. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a trampoline court. 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a trampoline with a net. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a trampoline court in which at least some of the trampoline mats have their own nets. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of the attachment of the trampoline net to the trampoline mat. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment in which the trampoline net is coupled to the frame using buttonholes. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment in which the trampoline net is coupled to the springs. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment in which the trampoline net is solid and is not a mesh. 
         FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate the operation of the trampoline net. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A circular trampoline  100 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 , includes a frame  102  and a mat  104 . Springs  106  couple the mat  104  to the frame  102 . A frame pad  108  is positioned over the springs  106  to protect a user whose jumps cause him or her to land on the outer portions of the mat  104 . 
     A rectangular trampoline  200 , illustrated in  FIG. 2 , includes a frame  202  and a mat  204 . Springs  206  couple the mat  204  to the frame  202 . A frame pad  208  is positioned over the springs  206 . 
     A trampoline court  300 , illustrated in  FIG. 3 , includes a frame or frames  302  that support a plurality of mats  304 A-I. Springs (not shown) couple the mats  304 A-I to the frame  302  in a similar manner to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . One or more frame pads  306  surrounding each of the mats  304 A-I are positioned over the springs to protect users. A trampoline court  300 , such as that shown in  FIG. 3 , allows a plurality of users to jump on trampolines simultaneously. In one embodiment, a net  308  extends under all of the mats  304 A-I. The net  308  acts as a safety measure required by industry standards to catch any jumpers that break through a mat  304 A-I and keep them from hitting the floor below the trampoline court  300 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a net  402  is suspended below the mat  204 . Note that while  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a square trampoline, such as that shown in  FIG. 2 , the same arrangement would work for a round trampoline  100 , such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , or in a trampoline court  300  as shown in  FIG. 3 . In a round trampoline  100 , the net  402  would be suspended below the mat  104 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 6  (which shows trampoline court  300  with the mats  304 A-I cut away), each mat  304 A-I is undergirded by its own net  602 A-I. Providing each mat  304 A-I with its own net  602 A-I improves the maintainability of a trampoline court  300  over the approach shown in  FIG. 3  in which the single net  308  extends under all of the trampolines in the trampoline court  300 . If a mat  304 E fails, it will be easier to access and replace the failed mat in the arrangement shown in  FIG. 6  than in the arrangement shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 7 , D-rings  702  (only one is labeled) are attached to the springs  206 . In one embodiment, straps  704  (only one is labeled) are attached to the D-rings. In one embodiment, the straps  704  are made of a high-strength fabric, such as nylon. In one embodiment, the straps are wrapped around a straight portion of the D-ring to form two wings of material  706  and  708  (only one set is labeled). In one embodiment, the two wings of material  706  and  708  are secured together, for example by sewing them together, just outside the D-ring  702  so that a pocket is formed around the D-ring  702 . 
     In one embodiment, the two wings of material are placed against an under side of the mat  204  (the under side is the opposite of the side of mat  104  shown in  FIG. 1 , mat  204  shown in  FIG. 2 , and mats  304 A-I in  FIG. 3 ). In one embodiment, the net  402  is placed over the wings of material  706  and  708 . In one embodiment, an optional strip of backing material  710  is placed over the wings of material  706  and  708  and the net. In one embodiment, the strip of backing material  710  is sewed to the mat  204 . In one embodiment, sewing the strip of backing material  710  to the mat  204  also secures the wings of material  706  and  708  and the edge of the net  402  to the underside of the mat  204 . In one embodiment, the strip of backing material  710 , the wings of material  706  and  708 , and the edge of the net  402  are sewed to the mat as shown in  FIG. 7  along the entire edge of the mat. In one embodiment, the sewing is done with zigzagged stitches. In one embodiment, the sewing is done with six zigzagged stitches. In one embodiment, the result is the net  402  is stretched below the mat  204  in such a way that if the mat  204  tears or otherwise breaks, the net  402  will catch a jumping person that falls through the mat  204 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 8 , the strip of backing material  710  and the wings of material  706  and  708  are attached to the mat  204  as described above. In one embodiment, the net  402  is attached to the springs using a buttonhole technique. In one embodiment, a strip of backing material  802  is attached to the edge of the net  402 . Buttonholes  804  are cut in the strip of backing material  802  at intervals that correspond to the spacing between the springs  206 . Reinforcing material  806  is added around the buttonholes to prevent the strip of backing material  802  from tearing when placed under load of a jumper on the trampoline. 
     In one embodiment, the trampoline is assembled by placing the buttonholes  804  over the D-rings  702  before attaching the D-rings to the springs  206 . The result is that the net  402  is attached to the springs  206  and therefore to the frame  202  in the same way the mat  204  is attached. 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 9 , the net has its own set of D-rings  902  separate from the D-rings  702 . The D-rings  902  are used to attach the net to the springs  206 . The D-rings  902  are attached to the net  402  in the same way that the D-rings  702  are attached to the mat as described above with respect to  FIG. 7 . 
     In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 10 , the net  402  is solid like the mat  204 . That is, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , the net  402  is not a mesh as shown in the net  402  in  FIGS. 7-9 . 
       FIG. 11  shows a jumper  1100  in a position  1102 A elevated above the trampoline  200 . When the jumper falls to position  1102 B, the mat  204  deflects downward and stretches the springs  206 . The recoil of the springs  206  causes the mat to deflect upward and propel the jumper back toward position  1102 A. 
       FIG. 12  shows the jumper  1100  descending from position  1102 A and breaking through the mat  204 . Rather than falling through to the floor  1204 , however, the net  402  catches the jumper  1100  at position  1202 A, perhaps preventing the jumper  1100  from injuring herself. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. For example, while the description is of circular and rectangular trampolines, the invention can be used with trampolines of any shape, including square, octagonal, polygonal, oval, or any other geometric shape. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.