Floor Pad for Vaulting Exercises

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a floor pad of the type used while performing gymnastic exercises on a large floor area, for example 12 times 12 metres, where the floor pad covers this area.

Description of Prior Art

It is commonly known to use floor pads for vaulting exercises on a large floor area in connection with gymnastic exercises, such a floor pad may e.g. cover an area with a size of 12 x 12 metres or 14 x 14 metres. Such floor pads or mats may be manufactured in various ways, but they are often made of a foam product with resilient properties or alternatively with integrated spring elements in the pad. The purpose of the floor pad or mat is to provide a more comfortable base for gymnastic exercises and the like. However, it is still a requirement that too much power, and thereby energy, is not absorbed in the floor pad.

In order to achieve the desired properties in the prior art products,. they end up with becoming bulky when not in use and also rather heavy to arrange on the floor when they are to be used or to be packed away after use.

It is the object of the invention to indicate a floor pad of the type which is intended for use on a large area, where the hardness is adjustable and adapted to the actual need, and where the floor pad is relatively light and may be stored without requiring much space.

Description of the Invention

As mentioned in the introduction, the invention concerns a floor pad of the type used while performing gymnastic exercises on a large floor area, where the floor pad is made up of at least one air-filled element and preferably of a plurality of air-filled elements, where the air-filled elements are fixed to each other by fixing means, e.g. by overlapping flanges with Velcro bands.

By such a solution is i.a. achieved the advantage that a floor pad may readily and effortlessly be taken apart and emptied of air after use and then folded and placed in boxes or packages. A storage space like the volume of the floor pad itself is thus not required. For example, a traditional floor pad measuring 12 x 12 m and having a thickness of 7.5 cm, takes up at least 10.8 cubic metres if stacked tightly. By a solution according to the invention, such an air-filled floor pad with the same size may be stored in less than 1.5 cubic metres, counting on the thickness of the airless floor pad to be about 1 cm, corresponding to a reduction of about 86%. A further advantage is that the weight of the individual elements is not so great either.

A floor pad according to the invention may advantageously be made up of square sections or of rectangular sections or lengths. These elements are fixed to each other and in assembled state, they constitute one large floor pad. By separation and disassembling, the individual elements may readily be separated and handled individually. The staff may thus handle the elements in a far easier way.

A quite obvious advantage of a floor pad according to the invention is that the floor pad has adjustable hardness, where the hardness is adjusted by regulating the air pressure in the floor pad. The floor pad may thus be adapted to the actual situation in which it is to be used. It is thus possible to adjust the hardness of the floor pad concurrently with various types of gymnastic exercises. •

In one variant of the invention, air is supplied continuously to the floor pad by one or more air blowers, where the power of these is regulated as a function of the desired air pressure, which is monitored and corrected continuously.

In another variant, the floor pad is filled with air and the air pressure is regulated prior to using the floor pad. Alternatively, this variant may also be connected to an air blower or an air compressor so that hardness of the floor pad may be regulated rapidly and easily by changing needs.

Regulation of the hardness of a floor pad according to the invention is effected in the best and easiest way if the floor pad, which consists of a plurality of joined elements

together forming a larger floor pad, is designed so that the individual elements are coupled together with connecting elements so that air may be supplied to the entire floor pad via a single or via a plurality of air supply points. Thus is enabled a rapid and precise regulation of filled air.

A floor pad according to the invention may advantageously be covered by an top mat, e.g. a felt mat, a carpet or a foam mat, during use. Hereby is achieved improved distribution of the load on the floor pad as well as possibility of adapting the nature of the surface to the specific conditions required.

Short' Description of the Drawing

The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, -wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a floor pad with elements in lengths and with felt mats;

FIG. 2 shows a design of a floor pad in cross-section; FIG. 3 shows a floor pad with elements in sections and with felt mats.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In Fig. 1 is seen a floor pad 1 which is composed of nine elongated air-filled lengths 2 with a thickness of 7.5 cm which are secured to each other by not shown overlap with Velcro bands, where eight felt lengths 3 with a thickness of 3.5 cm, also secured to each other, are placed upon the air-filled lengths 2. By the shown design is achieved a floor pad 1 with appropriate hardness and with good distribution of the load on the air- filled elements 2.

In Fig. 2 appears a cross-section/detail of the floor pad 1 shown in Fig. 1. Again, the air-filled elements 2 are seen at the bottom with a top mat 3 provided upon the elements 2. ■

Finally, in Fig. 3 appears a variant of a floor pad 1 wherein the air-filled elements are constituted by rectangular sections 4 which are fixed to each other, and where lengths of top mats 3 are laid upon the former.

Such air-filled floor pads can be produced with various thicknesses, and often thicknesses of 7.5 cm and 15 cm are used, but other thicknesses may of course be produced as well without any problems .