Patent Publication Number: US-7909738-B2

Title: Trampoline swing

Description:
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Childhood is a precious time in every person&#39;s life. For some children, lazy summer afternoons playing in the backyard persist as a fond memories for a lifetime. Central to many backyard play scenes is the backyard swing set which to some is as nostalgic as summertime lemonade and running barefoot in the grass. Over the decades, many inventors have tried to improve the backyard swing set. 
     The backyard swing set is typically a frame structure supporting swing. The frame structure is typically steel tubing welded or bolted together to provide a stable swing. Typically, chains are hung from the frame structure that attach to seats. Although the backyard swing set has been classically entertaining for decades, it could be improved as many inventors have proven. 
     The backyard swing set has been improved upon for decades. Some earlier improvements would include U.S. Pat. No. 1,687,408 to W. O. T. Watkins for improving swing safety with a limiting bar. U.S. Pat. No. 1,340,904 to P. S. Medart provides for a swing safety grip with tubing and tube caps over the chain. The backyard swing set has also been improved to have swinging and gliding such as that shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,307,141 to E. W. Ladd. Also, methods of swinging have been patented, such as swinging side to side as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,227 to Steven Olson. Purely structural inventions have also been patented such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,503 to Wormser providing an extruded high-strength crossbar. In any case, most of the different swing improvement patents have not had much commercial success, and centuries old designs still prevail in the marketplace. Recently, it has been fashionable to have swing frames made of wood for example. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a frame supporting a swing assembly and a trampoline assembly proximately attached thereto. Optionally, a slide assembly can be added. The trampoline assembly is connected to the swing assembly. The trampoline has a trampoline bed stretched over a trampoline frame via springs. The trampoline pad fits over the trampoline frame and bed. 
     The trampoline bed assembly includes a retaining mesh like screen that is preferably slightly elastic to retain users on the trampoline bed. Above the retaining mesh screen is a banner that can display a glossy logo or theme. The trampoline bed has a trampoline pad around the trampoline frame. One end of the trampoline frame is connected to the swing assembly and the other end of the trampoline frame is connected to a plurality of upright handles. The upright handle or handle uprights are rigid, preferably made of hollow steel tubing and come together at a handle apex. A portion of the upright handles or handle apex receives a handle padding. The handle padding is formed as a foam cushion sliding over the hollow steel tubing. 
     The connection between the trampoline frame and the swing assembly is via a socket connector. The socket connector has a collar portion attaching to base footing and a trampoline connection portion connected to the trampoline frame. The trampoline assembly preferably includes trampoline leg supports hidden behind trampoline legs skirts. The trampoline legs skirts extend from an upper end starting at the trampoline pad, and may reach to the ground. 
     Regarding the swing assembly, a variety of swing connectors are connected to the top bar. The top bar has apex connector bolts that attach to main body leg supports. The main body leg supports further have at least one stabilizing crossbar. Swing handles hanging from the swing connectors support swing seats for user. In addition to traditional swings, a double swing having the form of a double swing seat can also be installed to connect to the top bar. Typically, two or three swing elements are suspended from the top bar. The main body leg supports join at an apex and are secured with apex connector bolts. The main body leg supports are typically made of metal tubing and also have support padding in the form of a foam sleeve for cushion. 
     Furthermore, a slide assembly having a slide contour with raised edges, preferably thermoplastic formed or injected molded as a piece of plastic is attached to an end of the swing assembly. It is an object of the invention to provide a trampoline and swing combination play set that is more fun to play with. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The following call out list of elements may assist the reader in referencing elements.
       10  Trampoline Assembly     20  Swing Assembly     29  Swing Connector     40  Stabilizing Crossbar     50  Slide Assembly     58  Swing Handles     59  Double Swing     88  Swing Seat     111  Apex     112  Apex Connector Bolt     113  Top Bar     119  Retaining Mesh     120  Handle Padding     122  Handle Upright     123  Handle Apex     125  Trampoline Pad     130  Main Body Leg Support     131  Support Padding     132  Base Footing     133  Trampoline Leg Skirt     135  Trampoline Leg Support     136  Strap Tie Connector     138  Horizontally Oriented Trampoline Frame     144  Top Banner     147  Slide Contour     155  Socket Connector     188  Trampoline Bed   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The invention comprises a frame supporting a swing assembly  20  and a trampoline assembly  10  proximately connected thereto. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the trampoline assembly  10  is attached to the right side of the swing assembly. The trampoline assembly  10  can also be attached to the left side. Optionally, a slide assembly  50  can be secured to the swing assembly  20  on the opposite side of the trampoline assembly  10 . The trampoline assembly  10  is preferably connected to the swing assembly at a lower portion of the swing assembly  20 . On the other hand, the slide assembly  50  is preferably attached to the midpoint height portion of the swing assembly  20 . 
     Regarding the swing assembly  20 , a variety of swing connectors  29  are connected to the top bar  113 . The top bar is preferably made of metal tubing and welded to have a total of four sockets, each receiving a main body leg support  130 . Each of the four main body leg supports slide into connection with the top bar. The top bar forms an apex  111  at each side. Each apex on each side of the top bar receives a pair of main body leg supports  130 . Main body leg supports  130  are also preferably metal tubes. The upper end of each main body leg support  130  mates with the socket of the apex. For securing the connection, apex connector bolts  112  should pass through the diameter of the main body leg support  130 . The main body leg supports may be coated with a finish such as ultraviolet resistant nontoxic paint, powder coating, or the like for environmental wear resistance. Each main body leg support padding  131  further protects the main body leg supports  130  from environmental wear. The main body leg support padding  131  is also formed as a sleeve having a padding thickness, and wrapping around a main body leg support. The padding thickness is preferably about 1-3 cm. The main body leg support padding  131  may extend higher to cover the apex connector bolts  112  as shown on the right side of  FIG. 1 , or the main body leg support padding may end before the height of the apex connector bolts  112 , leaving the apex connector bolts  112  exposed. 
     The main body leg supports further have at least one stabilizing crossbar  40 . The crossbar  40  is also preferably a metal tube and connects between main body leg supports  130 . The crossbar  40  is preferably placed on the side opposite the trampoline assembly  10 . Therefore, the crossbar  40  may be similar in structure to the main body leg supports  130  that join at an apex  111  and are secured with apex connector bolts  112 . The crossbar  40  is preferably of a smaller diameter than the main body leg supports  130 . The main body leg supports  130  may also be of the same diameter and gage as the top bar  113 . Also the main body leg supports  130  have support padding in the form of a foam sleeve for cushion. 
     The top bar  113  can be made as a metal tube, or steel extrusion such as that described in Wormser, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The preferred method is to have a steel tube that has a peak in the middle, so that the peak rises above the a pair of apexes as shown in  FIG. 1 . The peak preferably defines a slight angular bend. The top bar  113  has a number of swing connectors  29  drawn as protruding flanges connected to nut and bolts in  FIG. 1 . The flanges receive bolts for securing swing handles  58  to the top bar  113 . Swing handles  58  are shown as rigid links having a bolted connection at the top and bottom. The swing handles  58  can also be made of semi rigid material such as a chain encapsulated within a plastic tube as described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,340,904 to P.S. Medart the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other semi rigid materials may include polyethylene, flexible metal, or any other commonly known link system. The material of the swing handles  58  could also be natural fiber rope, or chain in addition to the solid link shown in the drawing. 
     The swing seats  88  hanging from the swing handles  58 . The swing seats  88  are preferably made of molded plastic. A double swing  59  can also be installed to connect to the top bar  113 . The double swing  59  has a pair of opposing swing seats and a pair of opposing foot rests. The double swing  59  seats a pair of users. 
     The trampoline assembly  10  includes a screen  119  which is formed as a retaining mesh like divider that is preferably slightly elastic to retain users on the trampoline bed  118 . The screen  119  could be made of the same material that the trampoline bed is made of, namely trampoline bed material. The screen is preferably see through. The screen can be multiple layer or single layer. The screen  119  is located on the trampoline connection end so that it wraps around and between the main body leg supports. The screen can be wrapped around one side or both sides of the main body leg support. If the screen is wrapped around both sides of the main body leg support, the diameter of the main body leg support forms a screen gap between the different layers of screen. 
     Above the retaining mesh screen is a banner  144  that can display a glossy logo or theme. The retaining mesh screen or screen  119  can be thermally laminated to the banner  144  by placing the mesh screen, or screen  119  for short against the banner  144  and applying heat so that the banner and screen attached to each other. The screen  119  is wrapped around the left front and left rear main body leg support after the support padding  131  is attached to the left front and left rear main body leg support. The screen has a bottom edge of approximately the height of the trampoline bed, extending upward to an upward edge which is beyond the height of a user jumping on the trampoline. The springs are preferably sized and proportioned for child users. 
     The trampoline bed  188  also has a trampoline pad  125  around the horizontally oriented trampoline frame  138 . The trampoline pad  125  is preferably made of plastic foam and can be made in sections suitable for cushioning falling users and for supporting users stepping on the pad. The trampoline pad covers springs on the trampoline. A trampoline pad  125  fits over the gap between the trampoline frame  138  and the trampoline bed  180 . This gap is caused by a spring area disposed between the trampoline frame and trampoline bed. The trampoline pad  125  extends around the periphery of the trampoline bed. The trampoline pad has a plastic foam core with an exterior cover. 
     One end of the trampoline frame  138  is connected to the swing assembly and the other end of the trampoline frame is connected to a plurality of upright handles. The end of the trampoline frame  138  connected to the swing assembly is the inside end and the end of the trampoline frame facing away from the swing assembly  20  is the outside end. 
     The upright handle  122  also called handle uprights are rigid, preferably made of hollow steel tubing and come together at a handle apex  123 . The handle apex preferably forms a horizontal straight section between a pair of opposing upright sections. A portion of the upright handles  122  or handle apex  123  receives a handle padding  120 . The handle padding  120  is formed as a foam cushion sliding over the hollow steel tubing of the handle apex  123 . The upright handle  122  terminates at a bottom end trampoline leg support  135 . The upright handle preferably has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the top bar  113 . 
     The connection between the trampoline frame and the swing assembly can be accomplished by a wide number of hardware connection means. In any case, there is a trampoline to swing connection member. One method of connecting the trampoline frame to the swing assembly is via a socket connector  155  attached on the trampoline connection end of the swing assembly  20 . The socket connector  155  is a connecting member that has a collar portion attaching to the base footing  132  and a trampoline connection portion connected to the trampoline frame. The collar portion is preferably made of metal and has a tightening means such as a set screw, or collar tightening bolt. Alternatively, the main body leg support  130  may have a protrusion or other increase in the diameter so that the collar portion rests upon the main body leg support. The collar portion is preferably a diecast piece. A pair of collar portions support a pair of corners of the horizontally oriented trampoline frame  138 . An opposing pair of trampoline leg supports  135  support the opposing pair of corners. The preferred method of construction is to have bolted connections for most major members. 
     Another way of connecting the trampoline frame to the swing assembly is to have a direct welded in connection. Additionally, the trampoline frame may be bolted to the swing assembly. A number of hardware components are commercially available for connecting frames of different elements. 
     The trampoline assembly  10  preferably includes trampoline leg supports  135  hidden behind trampoline legs skirts. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the trampoline legs skirts are formed as triangular fabric sheets disposed on each outer corner of the trampoline assembly  10 . The trampoline leg skirts extend from an upper end starting at the trampoline pad, and may reach to the ground. 
     Additional details regarding the device are made according to the prior art. For example, obvious modifications and additions such as adding endcaps or footings to the trampoline leg supports  135  would be known by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Although the trampoline taught is a rectangular and square trampoline, a similar trampoline could be attached that is circular. 
     Finally, a slide assembly  50  having a slide contour  147  with raised edges, preferably thermoplastic formed or injected molded as a piece of plastic is attached to an end of the swing assembly  20  opposite the trampoline assembly  10 . The slide assembly  50  is preferably bolted to the swing assembly  20 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the bolt shown as a dot on the connector  155  can also provide support by itself, or support along with connector  155 . 
     Therefore, while the presently preferred form of the system has been shown and described, and several modifications thereof discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.