Patent Publication Number: US-10758763-B1

Title: Accessory structure trampoline

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the field of trampolines. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     A wide variety of trampoline accessories have been provided for increased functionality of trampolines. 
     Like trampolines, soccer is also a popular backyard sport. For example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,740B2, Trampoline Accessories by inventor Michael J. Colling, published Jan. 27, 2009, the abstract discloses, “Trampoline accessories are described herein that may be affixed to a trampoline system to facilitate the playing of a game. These trampoline accessories may include a soccer net, a rebounding surface that will bounce a ball back to the thrower, and a catch panel that will gather the ball when the ball is thrown against the panel. These accessories may be added to either the trampoline frame of the trampoline enclosure. Deflective netting may be provided adjacent the accessories to prevent the ball and users from entering the space below the trampoline rebounding mat.” 
     Trampolines can also incorporate basketball. For example, in the United States patent publication number US2006/0058123A1, entitled Basketball Hoop And Backboard For A Trampoline by inventor Mark W. Publicover, published May 16, 2006, the abstract discloses, “A padded basketball hoop is flexibly mounted to a backboard or other rigid vertical surface via an energy or shock absorbing connection device disposed between the backboard and the vertical surface supporting the hoop. The hoop responds to upward and downward vertical displacement by transferring energy to the shock absorbing connector, wherein the absorbing connector then urges said hoop to a substantially horizontal orientation. The hoop is particularly useful connection with play on a trampoline or other instances where players are likely to connect the rim during upward.” Also for example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 9,084,908, entitled Trampoline Basketball Goal also by inventor Samuel Chen, published Jul. 21, 2015, the abstract discloses, “The trampoline basketball goal includes a frame, a bed and springs connecting the bed to the frame. The trampoline enclosure includes enclosure poles holding an enclosure net. The enclosure poles have an upper end and a lower end. The enclosure poles comprise a first enclosure pole, a second enclosure pole, and a third enclosure pole. The first enclosure pole, the second enclosure pole, and the third enclosure pole are placed around a periphery of the trampoline bed. The first trampoline pole is adjacent to the second trampoline pole, and the second trampoline pole is adjacent to the third trampoline pole. A basketball backboard is suspended between the first and third enclosure poles.” 
     Trampolines can also incorporate water spray. For example, in the United States patent publication number US2007/0066447A1, entitled Trampoline Accessory by inventor Chad E. Overholt, published May 27, 2007, the abstract discloses, “A trampoline accessory having a water conduit and water conduit securing means for securing the water conduit to the mat of a trampoline. The water conduit has a water supply inlet and a plurality of water discharging outlets. The water supply inlet is preferably of a first diameter, and the water discharging outlets are preferably of a second diameter, with the first diameter being greater than the second diameter. The water supply inlet preferably includes a diverter, with the diverter creating at least two flow paths. The trampoline securing means may be selected from a group which includes cable ties, cooperative hook and loop straps, grommets, fabric straps, plastic straps, belts, snaps, clasps, and clips. The water conduit itself is preferably fabricated having a hose connector and a hose. As so fabricated, the hose has at least one fitting, with the fitting engaging the hose connector. In the preferred embodiment, the hose has two fittings, with each of the fittings engaging the hose connector. The fitting and the hose connector preferably are formed have cooperating male and female connections.” 
     Trampolines can also incorporate an overhead target such as a piñata. For example, in the United States patent publication number US2017/0340939A1, entitled Suspended Target Trampoline Game by inventor Samuel Chen, published Nov. 30, 2017, the abstract discloses, “A suspended target trampoline game includes a trampoline having a trampoline frame which includes a trampoline leg supporting the trampoline frame, and an enclosure. The enclosure includes an enclosure pole connected to the trampoline frame. The enclosure pole supports an enclosure net. An overhanging pole is connected to the enclosure pole. A line is suspended from the overhanging pole. A target is suspended from the line. A detachable connection can be formed between the target and the line. The detachable connection releasably attaches the target to the line. A slack control mechanism can adjust a height of the target. The target can be a ball.” 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An accessory structure trampoline has a main trampoline with a main trampoline bed, main trampoline springs, and a main trampoline spring cover. The main trampoline includes trampoline legs having a first vertical leg section and a second vertical leg section. An accessory structure is pivotally mounted to the first vertical leg section and the second vertical leg section. The accessory structure folds from a deployed position to a stowed position. The accessory structure can be a small trampoline that is smaller than the main trampoline. The small trampoline folds from a deployed position to a stowed position. The small trampoline has a fold-down handlebar and folding legs, and the fold-down handlebar folds from a deployed position to a stowed position. The accessory structure can also be a hammock swing. The hammock swing folds from a deployed position to a stowed position. 
     The hammock assembly has a hammock beam, wherein hammock beam is hinged to a hammock outside frame at a hammock outside top hinge. The hammock inside frame is hinged at a hammock inside top hinge to a hammock inside frame. The hammock inside frame can be hinged to the first vertical leg section at a first hammock inside frame hinge and to a second vertical leg section at a second hammock inside frame hinge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a trampoline with an accessory structure side trampoline. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of the folding handle and legs of the side trampoline. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of the folded side trampoline in stowed position. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a trampoline with an accessory hammock swing. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a trampoline with a folding accessory hammock swing. 
     
    
    
     The following call out list of elements can be useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.
       20  Main Trampoline     21  First Bed     22  First Spring Cover     23  Leg     24  Enclosure Pole Cover     25  Enclosure Pole     26  Enclosure Upper Connector     27  Enclosure Line     28  Enclosure Net     29  Springs     30  Auxiliary Trampoline     31  Second Bed     32  Second Spring Cover     41  First Vertical Leg Section     42  Second Vertical Leg Section     43  Footing Section     44  Right Pivot Joint     45  Left Pivot Joint     50  Handle     51  First Handle Joint     52  Second Handle Joint     53  Handle Cover     54  Folding Leg     55  Folding Leg Joint     60  Hammock Assembly     61  Hammock Outside Top Hinge     62  Hammock Inside Top Hinge     63  Hammock Outside Frame Footing     64  Hammock Outside Frame     65  Hammock Seat     66  Hammock Inside Frame     67  First Hammock Inside Frame Hinge     68  Second Hammock Inside Frame Hinge     69  Hammock Beam   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , a main trampoline  20  has one or more accessory structures. A first bed  21  of the main trampoline  20  can be for a larger trampoline such as a 14 foot diameter trampoline. The first bed  21  is suspended by springs  29  and the springs  29  are covered by a first spring cover  22 . The springs are extended across the first trampoline frame and the trampoline frame is supported by legs  23 . 
     Enclosure poles  25  extends upwardly from the trampoline frame and are connected to the legs  23 . The tops ends of the trampoline poles have trampoline pole upper connectors  26  that connect to an enclosure line  27 . The enclosure line  27  supports the enclosure net  28  and the enclosure net is draped from the enclosure line  27 . The trampoline enclosure poles  25  preferably have enclosure pole covers  24 . The enclosure upper connector  26  can be formed as a ball. 
     A small child that wishes to play on a trampoline can use the second bed  31  which also has a second spring cover  32 . The second bed  31  is formed at a lower elevation than the elevation of the first bed  21 . The second bed  31  is mounted on a frame that is connected to a trampoline joint right pivot joint  44  and a left pivot joint  45  to allow pivoting of the second bed  31  from a deployed position to a stowed position. 
     A handle  50  of the auxiliary trampoline  30  accessory structure can pivot from a deployed position to a stowed position. The handle  50  is mounted to a first handle joint  51  and a second handle joint  52  of the accessory structure frame. A handle cover  53  is preferably included as a grip for user stability during jumping on the accessory structure. A folding leg  54  of the accessory structure can fold from a deployed position to a stowed position at a folding leg joint  55 . Preferably, the folding leg joint  55  is a hinge that hinges the folding leg  54  to the accessory structure frame. 
     Some legs of the trampoline can extend outwardly away from the trampoline bed, but some legs can extend inwardly underneath the trampoline frame. For example, outwardly extending legs  33  can be alternated with inwardly extending legs  34 . The accessory can be mounted on an inwardly extending leg  34  such as seen in  FIG. 1  or the accessory can be mounted on an outwardly extending leg as seen in  FIG. 4 . The trampoline legs can be inwardly extending, outwardly extending or straight, however it is preferred that the trampoline legs are outwardly extending. 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the trampoline leg  23  has a first vertical leg section  41  and a second vertical leg section  42  that are connected together at a footing section  43 . The first vertical leg section  41  supports a right pivot joint  44  and the second vertical leg section  42  supports the left pivot joint  45 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 3 , the accessory structure trampoline can be stowed in a folded position. As seen in  FIG. 4 , the accessory structure can be formed as a hammock swing with a round pouch like hammock that has a frame connected to the first vertical leg section  41  and the second vertical leg section  42 . Similar to the small trampoline accessory structure, the hammock swing accessory structure can also fold. 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the accessory structure can be made foldable, such as with jointed or telescopic members. A pair of accessory structures can be implemented with a small trampoline on a left side connected to the large main trampoline and a hammock swing on a right side. Also as seen in  FIG. 5 , the hammock assembly  60  can also fold up. The first vertical leg section  41  is jointed to the first hammock inside frame hinge  67 , and the second hammock inside frame hinge  68  is mounted to the second vertical leg section  42 . The footing section  43  connects the first vertical leg section  41  to the second vertical leg section  42 . The hammock assembly  60  has a hammock beam  69  from which the hammock seat  65  is suspended. The hammock beam  69  has a hammock outside top hinge  61  and a hammock inside top hinge  62 . The hammock beam  69  is thus hinged to the hammock inside frame  66  via the first hammock inside frame hinge  67  and the second hammock inside frame hinge  68 . The hammock outside frame  64  is hinged to the hammock beam  69  at a hammock outside top hinge  61  so that they fold from a perpendicular to a more parallel configuration. The hammock outside frame  64  has a hammock outside frame footing  63 . The hammock beam  69  can be made in a double tube configuration either side by side or vertically stacked to allow a four bar mechanism option.