FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a trampoline in which a plurality of support rods connecting between the frame and the mat of the trampoline to hold the mat in tension comprise an integral skirt which surrounds and encases at least an upper end length of the support rod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A trampoline is a gymnastic apparatus which in its most basic form generally comprises a rebounding mat fixed to a support frame so that the mat is supported above the ground. A user jumps or otherwise bounces on the rebounding mat for entertainment and exercise.

US patent 6,319,174 discloses a form of soft-edged trampoline in which the mat of the trampoline is supported by a plurality of resiliently flexible rods received in a frame of the trampoline at the lower ends of the rods, the upper end of the rods coupled to the periphery of the bouncing or rebounding mat of the trampoline, this arrangement avoiding the need for a solid frame about the exterior of the bouncing mat, and exposed springs between the frame and periphery of the mat. The rods are angled or spiralled around the frame, extending outwards and upwards from the frame. An example is shown in figure 1. The trampoline has a frame, a rebounding mat, and a safety enclosure, the safety enclosure held in position by a number of enclosure support members or poles. The frame and rebounding mat are mutually adapted so that the flexible rebounding mat is held above the frame and away from the ground in tension and aligned in a substantially horizontal plane above the frame. The enclosure support members or poles support the safety enclosure so that the enclosure surrounds, and extends upwards from, the rebounding mat to form an enclosed jumping area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved or at least an alternative form of trampoline.

In broad terms in a first aspect the invention comprises a trampoline system comprising: a flexible rebounding mat,

a plurality of support rods,

a frame,

the support rods connecting between the frame and the mat to hold the mat in tension, the upper ends of the rods connected to the mat around the periphery of the mat, the lower ends connected to the frame, wherein the upper end of the main support rod is fitted with an edge connector to connect the upper end of the support rod to the edge of the trampoline mat, the edge connector comprising an enlarged end and an integral skirt which surrounds and encases at least an upper end length of the support rod below the enlarged end.

In broad terms in another aspect the invention comprises a support rod for a trampoline system comprising a flexible rebounding mat, a plurality of support rods, a frame, and wherein the support rods connect between the frame and the mat to hold the mat in tension, the upper ends of the rods connected to the mat around the periphery of the mat, the lower ends connected to the frame, in which support rod the upper end of the main support rod is fitted with an edge connector to connect the upper end of the support rod to the edge of the trampoline mat, the edge connector comprising an enlarged end and an integral skirt which surrounds and encases at least an upper end length of the support rod below the enlarged end.

Preferably the integral skirt surrounds and encloses a major part of the length of the support rod.

In one embodiment the integral skirt surrounds and encloses substantially all of the length of the support rod between the enlarged end and the frame.

In one embodiment the integral skirt surrounds and encloses a major part of the length of the support rod between the enlarged upper end and an enlargement or surround towards a lower end of the support rod at or adjacent a connection or entry of the support rod to or into the frame.

Preferably the enlarged upper end of the support rod and the skirt and optionally the enlargement or surround towards a lower end of the support rod and are formed of a plastics material and by injection moulding around and to or onto the support rod or at least an upper end thereof. In one embodiment the rods are aligned in a substantially horizontal plane above the frame and the free length of the rods between the upper ends and the lower ends rods extends or bows outwards from the frame along the entire free length, the rods curving upwards from the frame towards the mat, and the rods aligned to extend outwards substantially perpendicular to the frame,

Preferably the rods are flat when no external force is applied.

Preferably the rods have a square or rectangular cross-section.

Preferably the rods are formed from fibreglass.

In another embodiment the rods are angled or spiralled around the frame, extending outwards and upwards from the frame. An example is shown in figure 1. The trampoline has a frame, a rebounding mat, and the frame and rebounding mat are mutually adapted so that the flexible rebounding mat is held above the frame and away from the ground in tension and aligned in a substantially horizontal plane above the frame. The term "comprising" as used in this specification and indicative independent claims means "consisting at least in part of. When interpreting each statement in this specification and indicative independent claims that includes the term "comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and

"comprises" are to be interpreted in the same manner.

As used herein the term "and/ or" means "and" or "or", or both.

As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/ or singular forms of the noun.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompany drawings by way of example, in which:

Figure 1 shows a first form of trampoline system, the trampoline system having a frame, a jumping mat and an enclosure net held above, and surrounding, the jumping mat to form an enclosed jumping area, the frame and jumping mat connected via a number of fiberglass rods extending upwards from the frame to the edge of the mat.

Figure 2 shows a first preferred form of trampoline, the mat of the trampoline is supported above a frame of the trampoline by a plurality of resiliently flexible rods which extend outwards from the frame to the mat, substantially perpendicular to the frame, the rods curving outwards and upwards from the frame, the upper ends of the rods connected to the periphery of the mat.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a support rod of the invention. Figure 4 is a view from one long side of the support rod of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross-section view along line A-A of Figure 4 of the support rod of Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 shows a section of one side of the trampoline of Figure 2, but show only two support rods, one only pardy installed,

Figure 7 is a cross-section view along line B-B of Figure 6

Figure 8 is a cross-section view line C-C of Figure 6

Figure 9is a perspective view of second embodiment of a support rod of the invention. Figure 10 is a view from one long side of the support rod of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a cross-section view along line C-C of Figure 10 of the support rod of Figures 11 and!2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A trampoline system 1 according to the invention is shown in figure 2. The trampoline system 1 comprises a flexible rebounding mat 2 and a frame 3, the mat 2 and frame 3 held in position and in tension on the frame relative to one another by a plurality of support rods 4. The frame 3 of the embodiment shown is generally rectangular in plan view, but may alternatively be for example, square, oval or circular. The mat 2 has the same shape as the frame 3, but larger, so that when the mat is placed above the frame, each edge of the mat overlaps the frame. The mat is formed from a resiliently flexibly material such as woven polypropylene.

Each the support rod 4 has a lower end 7 which is connected to the frame 3, and an upper end 8 which is connected to the mat 2. Apertures are formed in the frame 3, along the outer side and slighdy towards the upper part of the frame 5, and the lower ends 7 of the support rods 4 insert into these apertures. The sides of the apertures can be reinforced with support inserts or similar if required. In the preferred embodiment the lower ends 7 of the support rods are connected to the frame such that the rods angle outwards, with their longitudinal axes aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame. Each support rod 4 has a free length 9, which is that length of the rod between the upper end 8 (connected to the mat) and the lower end 7 (connected to the frame). The free length 9 bows, bends or extends outwards from the frame 3) along the entirety of the free length to form an outwardly bowed arc. In the preferred form, the rods 4 form a row along each side of the frame 2 and mat 3. The corners of the trampoline do not have support rods associated with them. In the most preferred form, the corners of the rectangular mat 3 are 'cut off diagonally between the end one of each row of support rods, to avoid an unsupported or loose portion of material at the corner.

The support rods 4 are, in the preferred embodiment, formed from fibreglass or a similar material. The support rods 4 may be formed as flat bars - that is, elongate members with a square or more preferably rectangular cross-section, or of any other suitable cross-sectional shape. In the preferred embodiment the support rods are flat or straight when no external force is applied - that is, they are not pre-formed with a curve. The sides of the rods (that is, the narrower ones of the longer faces aligned along or with the longitudinal axis of the rod) are, in the preferred embodiment, fully radiused.

The enlarged upper end 8 of each support rod 4 is formed as an edge connector 114 to connect the upper end 8 to the edge of the mat 2 in co-operation with an edge fitting fitted to the edge of the mat. In the preferred form the mat is fitted with mat edge fittings comprising female connectors which receive the male edge connectors 114. Preferably the female connectors are ganged in single unitary components one connected to each edge of the mat. This is shown in figures 6 to 8. A mat edge fitting or attachment component - attachment component 20c - is shown connected to the edge of the mat 2. Along each mat edge an attachment component 20c is held in position on the underside of the mat edge by a series of webbing straps 25c that are looped over the attachment component 20c and have ends stitched or sewn to the upper and lower surfaces of the mat, the webbing straps aligned substantially perpendicular to the edge of the mat 2 and passing across and over the attachment component 20c.

Figures 7 and 8 show how the rod edge connectors 114 couple to the attachment components 20c. The attachment component 20c has a hollow interior (it may be formed by extrusion for example) and the front of the attachment component 20c comprises as series of spaced outwardly facing openings one indicated in figure 6 at 21c. In assembly of the trampoline, a catch rod 44 is passed in through one of the open ends of the attachment component 20c. The rod 44 is the same length as the attachment component 20c. The catch rod 44 rests at the lower front internal comer of the attachment component 20c; after the lower ends of the support rods 4 have been attached to the frame as outlined above, to connect each support rods 4 to the attachment component 20c, the upper end 8 of the support rod 4 is bent backwards/inwards towards the mat 2 and the connected attachment component 20c. The angled top surface or face of the top of the rod engages and pushes the catch rod 44 upwards within the interior of attachment component 20c until the catch rod 44 passes over the top of the rod end and drops down behind it to the position shown in figure 8, engaging in notch 45.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5 and 9 to 11, in accordance with the invention the enlarged upper ends of the support rods 4 comprising the edge connectors 114 comprise an integral skirt 180 which surrounds and encases at least an upper end length of the support rod below the enlarged end. Preferably the integral skirt surrounds and encloses a major part of the length of the support rod. As shown in the embodiment of figures 3 to 5 the integral skirt 180 may surround and enclose substantially all of the length of the support rod, or as shown in figures 9 to 11 the integral skirt 180 may surround and enclose a major part of the length of the support rod 4, and in particular that length between the top of the rod and the frame of the trampoline when installed. In preferred embodiments an enlargement or surround 181 is also integrally formed with the skirt 180 towards a lower end of the support rod at or adjacent a connection or entry of the support rod to or into the frame (in the assembled trampoline). Preferably the enlarged upper end 114 of the support rod and the skirt 180 and optionally the enlargement or surround 181 towards a lower end of the support rod and are formed of a plastics material and by injection moulding around and to or onto the support rod or at least an upper end thereof.

Figures 3 to 5 and 9 to 11 show a support rod 4 of the trampoline embodiment of in particular figure 2 . Alternatively, in a soft edged trampoline as shown in figure 1 and as described in US patent 6,319,174 referred to previously , and international patent application publication WO03/043704, comprising resilient spring rods angled or spiralled around a lower frame and extending outwards and upwards from the frame to connect to fittings on the underside of the edge of the mat, the rods may also be formed as described above, with a ball end and integral skirt and optionally an enlargement or surround 181 towards their lower ends of the support rod all integrally and of a plastics material by injection moulding around and to or onto the support rods.The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred forms thereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.