Patent Publication Number: US-2007101488-A1

Title: Ballast for an inflatable water slide

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Inflatable water slides have been used for many years to allow a person to slide into a pool of water, such as a swimming pool. However, conventional inflatable water slides often tend to move during use, perhaps due to a gust of wind or a push by a person. As a result, the inflatable water slide may not always be safely positioned relative to the edge of the swimming pool. Some inflatable water slides include one or more external compartments filled with water and located at the rearward end of the inflatable water slide. However, such an arrangement may not adequately and completely prevent undesirable movement of the slide.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      One object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable water slide for use with a swimming pool wherein the slide will not readily move or be moved when in use.  
      The present invention comprises an inflatable water slide for use with a swimming pool. In one embodiment, the inflatable water slide comprises an inflatable main body having a slide portion and a ballast extending downward from the inflatable body at or near the lower front end portion of the slide portion. In use, the main body of the inflatable water slide is placed adjacent to the swimming pool with the lower front end portion of the slide portion at the edge of the pool so that the ballast hangs over and abuts the edge of the swimming pool. The ballast thereby serves to minimize and resist movement of the inflatable body during use.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      The following description of the invention will make reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an inflatable water slide in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the inflatable water slide shown in place at the edge of a swimming pool;  
       FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the inflatable water slide;  
       FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the inflatable water slide; and  
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the ballast. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention is an inflatable water slide  10  for use adjacent a swimming pool  12 . The swimming pool  12  generally comprises a substantially horizontal deck surface  14  having an edge portion  16  and a body of water  18 . In one embodiment, the water slide  10  comprises an inflatable main body  20  having a bottom surface  22  and a downwardly extending slide portion  24  with a front end portion  26 . The water slide  10  further comprises a ballast  28  extending downward from bottom surface  22  at a position substantially adjacent the front end portion  26 . In operation, the water slide  10  is positioned such that the ballast  28  abuts the edge portion  16  of the pool  12 , with the ballast  28  hanging over the edge portion  16  of the pool  12  just below the level of the deck surface  14 . In swimming pools that include a substantially horizontal gutter around the edge of the pool just below the level of the pool deck, the ballast  28  may rest on the gutter. In any case, the ballast  28  serves to minimize and resist movement of the main body  20  along the deck surface  14  during use of the slide  10 . The inflatable main body  20  may be inflated by one or more valves (not shown) in a conventional fashion. Main body  20  may be made from a variety of strong and durable materials such as heavy gauge vinyl.  
      The inflatable water slide  10  may further comprise an inflatable extension  30  engaged with and extending outward from the front end portion  26  of the main body  20 , and may rest or float on the surface of the water  18 . The extension  30  may be inflated by a valve (not shown) in a conventional fashion. The inflatable extension  30  may be attached to the main body  20  by conventional means such as welding. The extension  30  may be made from a variety of materials such as vinyl.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , the ballast  28  may comprise an enclosure  32  containing a weighted material  34  such as water, sand, or other suitable material. In the embodiment shown, the weighted material  34  may be removably from the enclosure  32 . The enclosure  32  comprises an opening  36  (with a plug not shown) to allow the weighted material  34  to be added or removed from the enclosure  32  via opening  36 . The ballast  28  may extend substantially from a first side portion  38  of the inflatable body  20  to a second side portion  40  of the inflatable main body  20  and is preferably substantially perpendicular relative to the sliding surface of the slide portion  24 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the enclosure  32  may comprise top and bottom wall portions  42  and  44 , first and second side wall portions  46  and  48 , and first and second end wall portions  50  and  52 . The first side wall portion  46  is substantially parallel to the second sidewall portion  48 . In use, the main body  20  is positioned with substantially the entire length of the sidewall portion  48  of the ballast  28  abutting the edge portion  16  of the swimming pool  12 . Positioning the ballast  28  against the edge portion  16  minimizes the chances of movement or slippage of the inflatable main body  20  during use. The enclosure  32  of the ballast  28  may be fabricated in a conventional fashion and may be made from a variety of materials such as vinyl. The ballast  28  may be welded to the bottom surface  22  of the main body  20  in conventional fashion.  
      The water slide  10  may further comprise inflatable side rails  55  and  56  connected to the upper portion of the main body  20 . The side rails  55  and  56  may be made from a variety of materials such as vinyl and attacked to the main body  20  by conventional means such as welding or sewing. The inflatable side rails  55  and  56  may be inflated by valves (not shown) in conventional fashion.  
      The water slide  10  may further comprise a plurality of spray nozzles  54  disposed upon one or both of the inflatable side rails  55  and  56  of the main body  20  in fluid communication with a connector  58  disposed on the inflatable side rail  56 . The connector  58  is adapted to engage with a garden hose to provide a flow of water to the nozzles  54  and a spray of water onto the slide portion  24  of the inflatable main body  20 . One or more flexible tubes (not shown) provide fluid communication between the connector  58  and the spray nozzles  54 .  
      The water slide  10  may further comprise one or more handles  62  attached to the inflatable rails  55  and  56 . The handles  62  may be made from a variety of materials such as plastic, and may be attached to the inflatable side rails  55  and  56  by conventional means such as welding.  
      The water slide  10  may further comprise one or more water chambers (not shown) within the main body  20  which may be filled with water via a plug valve  60  ( FIG. 3 ) in a conventional fashion. The water chamber (not shown) serves to weigh down the water slide to minimize movement.  
      The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and/or scope of the specification and appended claims.