Abstract:
A trampoline includes a trampoline frame and trampoline bed. The trampoline frame is connected to springs and the springs in turn support the trampoline bed. A trampoline enclosure has enclosure poles. An inflatable ring is formed around the trampoline frame. Inflatable posts are attached to the enclosure poles. The trampoline enclosure has enclosure poles that enclose at least a portion of the inflatable ring. The inflatable ring is anchored by an anchor, and the anchor is formed as a fluid chamber configured to retain fluid. The anchor is configured to rest on a ground surface. The anchor can connect to a distal side or a bottom surface of the inflatable ring. The inflatable ring can be formed as a trampoline pad that is configured to cover the springs. Entrance panel is configured for releasable sealing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the field of trampolines. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     A wide variety of different trampolines have trampoline pads for covering springs and frames. Trampoline pads have a variety of different configurations. The springs should be covered so that they are not in contact with a user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A trampoline comprises a trampoline frame and trampoline bed. The trampoline frame is connected to springs and the springs in turn support the trampoline bed. A trampoline enclosure has enclosure poles. An inflatable ring is formed around the trampoline frame. Inflatable posts are attached to the enclosure poles. The trampoline enclosure has enclosure poles that enclose at least a portion of the inflatable ring. The inflatable ring is anchored by an anchor, and the anchor is formed as a fluid chamber configured to retain fluid. The anchor is configured to rest on a ground surface. The anchor can connect to a distal side or a bottom surface of the inflatable ring. The inflatable ring can be formed as a trampoline pad that is configured to cover the springs. 
     An enclosure netting is attached to and installed between enclosure poles. The enclosure netting installed between the enclosure poles form panels. Enclosure poles have a top end connecting to a top ring. The top ring defines a top opening. An entrance panel is defined on a portion of enclosure netting, and the entrance panel is configured for releasable sealing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view diagram of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross section diagram of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view diagram of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section diagram of the present invention in retrofit configuration. 
     
    
    
     The following callout list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.
       21  Trampoline Frame     22  Trampoline Leg     23  Trampoline Leg Footing     24  Trampoline Bed     31  Anchor     32  Inflatable Ring     33  Inflatable Pad     34  Top Surface Of Inflatable Ring     35  Inflatable Post     36  Inflatable Post Surface     37  Indentation     38  Lower Extension     39  Outside Extension     41  Enclosure Pole     42  Top Ring     43  Enclosure Net Top Opening     44  Entrance Panel Door     45  Enclosure Net     46  Enclosure Pole Connector     51  Air Hose     52  Air Pump     53  Plug     61  Upper Inflatable Connector     62  Lower Inflatable Connector     87  Spring Cover     88  Spring   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A trampoline typically includes a trampoline frame  21  and a trampoline leg  22 . The trampoline frame  21  also has sections that are connected together at sockets. The trampoline leg  22  can be connected into a socket so that it is rigidly connected to the trampoline frame  21 . The trampoline frame and trampoline leg can be made of tubular metal members that are bent to proper configuration. The trampoline leg  22  may further include a trampoline leg footing  23  formed as a horizontal member that is connected to vertical members of the trampoline leg  22 . The trampoline can be made to allow hand assembly without use of tools. Alternatively, a set screw can be used for having set screw connections of the tubular metal members. The set screw provides more durable connection, however it suffers from being more difficult to disassemble and takedown quickly in case of sudden wind gusts. 
     A trampoline typically has springs that connect between the trampoline bed  24  and the trampoline frame  21 . The springs can be helical springs, torsion springs or flexible rod members. The helical springs can be doubled up so that a pair of helical portions is connected to a single connection hook on each side of the helical spring. The helical spring can also be doubled up with a larger diameter coil passing around a smaller diameter coil within the larger diameter coil. The springs can also be flexible rod members formed as fiberglass or steel rods that are initially straight, but bend when biased. The springs can also be torsion springs that have hook ends expanding and contracting a coil spring instead of pulling on the coil as in the case of a helical spring. 
     The trampoline pad  33  is inflatable and overlies a portion of the trampoline frame. The trampoline pad may have a dampening portion such as a foam padding portion in addition to the inflatable portion. The foam padding portion can be a top or bottom layer of the trampoline pad  33 . The trampoline pad  33  can be connected to an inflatable ring  32  that allows for inflation of the trampoline pad and inflatable ring  32  together. The inflatable ring  32  passes around the periphery of the trampoline frame  21 . Also, the trampoline pad  33  passes around the periphery of the trampoline frame  21 . 
     The inflatable ring  32  is anchored by an anchor  31 . The anchor  31  is preferably a fluid chamber adapted to be capable of receiving air, water or sand. For example, a port  63  can be formed on an outside surface of the anchor  31 . The port  63  can be covered by a lid that has a threaded closure to provide an opening and closing of the port  63  for filling up and emptying the anchors  31 . The anchor  31  is attached to a side or bottom side of the inflatable ring  32 . The anchor  31  can be integrally formed with the inflatable ring  34  such as by folding a long strip of waterproof plastic into a torus shape for stitching to the external surface of the inflatable ring. If stitching is used to connect to the anchor  31  to the inflatable ring  32 , waterproof sealing tape is preferred for retaining fluid within the anchor  31 . The anchor can also be strapped and hung over along an outside external surface of the inflatable ring  32 . 
     The inflatable ring  32  has a top side that is a top surface of the inflatable ring  34 . The top surface of the inflatable ring  34  provides a margin area for users to stand while a jumper is jumping on the trampoline. The top surface of the inflatable ring  34  can be treated with an antibacterial coating and anti-slip coating for user comfort. The margin area should be sized so that an adult can stand on the margin area and supervise a child jumping on the trampoline bed  24  area. The inflatable ring  32  can be said to have an inflatable pad  33  extension that overlies and covers the frame  21  and springs. The springs are mounted on the periphery of the frame facing inward toward the trampoline bed so as to pull the trampoline bed taught and provide a bounding surface. 
     The trampoline also has a trampoline enclosure that is attached to the trampoline frame. The trampoline enclosure is attached to the trampoline leg  22  and can be attached to the trampoline leg footing  23 . The trampoline enclosure includes a plurality of enclosure poles  41  such as eight enclosure poles oriented around an external periphery of the inflatable ring  32 . The eight enclosure poles have an arc shaped profile that initially bend outward at a lower attachment and then bend back inward at an upper attachment. The lower attachment is preferably attached to a trampoline leg  22  and the upper attachment is preferably attached to a top ring  42 . The lower attachment can be at a metal socket that is welded to the trampoline leg  22 . The metal socket can be recessed inside and outside surface of the trampoline leg  22  so that it does not poke out and stab through product packaging during shipping. Alternatively, the metal socket can be mounted on an external surface of the trampoline leg  22  to provide more apparent and easier handling for a user. 
     If all of the enclosure poles  41  are attached to the top ring  42 , the enclosure poles are bent in a bow or arc shaped to provide resilient structure. The top ring  42  can be made of a fiberglass or stainless steel metal ring. The top ring  42  can have a connector that connects a pair of top ring members. The pair of top ring members can be formed as sectional straight sticks of fiberglass that are bent into a ring to form the top ring  42  when the sectional straight sticks of fiberglass are connected together to form a full ring. The top ring is preferably approximately at least 6 feet above the trampoline bed  24 . The diameter of the enclosure net opening  43  can be sized to be approximately equivalent to the diameter of the top ring. 
     Users enter the trampoline at an entrance panel door  44  there is formed in a panel of the enclosure net  45 . The enclosure net  45  is connected to the enclosure poles  41  at connectors  46 . The connectors can be a strap or sleeve type connection. The stability of the inflatable ring is also improved at an upper inflatable connection  61  formed between the indentation  37  and the trampoline frame  21 . The inflatable ring is also preferably connected at a lower inflatable connection  62  between the trampoline leg  22  and the lower extension  38  of the inflatable ring. The outside extension of the inflatable ring pushes against the enclosure poles  41  at an outside extension  39  of the inflatable ring  32 . The outside extension  39  extends around the periphery of the inflatable ring for catching wayward users. 
     The inflatable post  35  is attached to the inflatable ring  32  in open fluid communication so that pump air pressure can be transmitted through the hollow portion of the inflatable ring  32  and into the hollow portion of the inflatable post  35 . The inflatable post  35  may have a tapered profile with a large diameter base that tapers to a slender tip. The inflatable post  35  can be filled with confetti or streamers that provide a visual effect. The inflatable post  35  has an external inflatable post surface  36  that repels users from hitting the enclosure pole  41 . The external inflatable post surface  36  is preferably not grippy, but is preferably smooth to avoid head or appendage entrapment. The inflatable post can be modularly removable from the enclosure pole  41 , such as by removable straps, or by a zipper connection to an attachment sleeve. The inflatable post is preferably always connected to the inflatable ring. A baffle with a sheet and small openings can be placed between the inflatable post and the inflatable ring. The inflatable post can be made transparent when confetti or streamers are enclosed within the inflatable post. The upper tip of the inflatable post may have an air exit to provide an upward airflow of the air from the inflatable ring to the upper tip of the inflatable post. An upward airflow can provide motion to fillers located within the inflatable post. The fillers can include confetti, streamers or hollow multicolored plastic balls. 
     The inflatable ring  32  is inflated by an air pump  52  that blows air from outside the inflatable ring  32  through an air hose  51  that is connected to an inflatable ring inflation opening  54 . The air pump  52  formed as an air blower can be powered by household electric current from a plug  53  of the air pump  52 . The air blower is preferably left in continuous operation as long as users are jumping on the trampoline. Users may or may not jump on the inflatable ring  32  itself. The trampoline pad portion that covers the frame and springs may have a different contrasting color from the remainder of the inflatable ring  32 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the design sizing of the inflatable ring  32  is such that it has a large surface area of the top surface of inflatable ring  34  in comparison to the surface of the trampoline bed  24 . The outside extension  39  portion of the inflatable ring  32  can be decreased so that the surface area of the surface of the inflatable ring  34  is less than the surface area of the trampoline bed. In a retrofit configuration as seen in  FIG. 4 , the inflatable pad  33  and inflatable ring  32  remain present with the outside extension  39  and, lower extension  38  so that the trampoline pad fits on a standard trampoline having a standard trampoline enclosure, however, the inflatable post  35  is moved inward to remain attached to the enclosure pole  41 . 
     Optionally, the inflatable post  35  can be made with a hollow conduit so that the inflatable post  35  forms a sleeve that insulates the entire lower periphery of the enclosure pole  41 . Alternatively, the inflatable post can be secured to the enclosure pole  41  by straps. A spring cover  87  can be placed over the springs  88 . The anchor  31  can be on the underside or outside corner of the inflatable ring  32 .