Ships – Floating platform
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-30
2001-05-01
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Ships
Floating platform
C441S129000, C472S116000, C472S128000, C482S027000, C482S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223673
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a floatable recreational park.
Floatation devices such as inner tubes and rafts have been used for years on lakes and rivers to enhance the enjoyment thereof. More recently, trampolines capable of floating on a body of water have been added to the world of outdoor water activities. These floatable trampolines are constructed such that a user can jump from the mat, i.e., jumping surface, of the trampoline and land on the mat, the inner tube, or in the body of water.
SUMMARY
In one aspect, the invention features a floatable park that includes a trampoline and a first inflatable object attached to the trampoline, where the first inflatable object is constructed to support a human being thereon, and the park is floatable on water.
In one embodiment, the park further includes a strap extending from the first inflatable object to the trampoline. In another embodiment, the strap extends in a loop around the trampoline. In other embodiments, the park further includes a buckle secured to one end of the strap. In some embodiments, the park further includes a plurality of rings secured to the first inflatable object, and a plurality of straps, wherein individual straps pass through individual rings and are secured to the trampoline. The rings can define a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangle, square, triangle, D, and circle.
In another embodiment, the first object further includes a first component attached to the first object, where the first component is capable of attaching the first object to the trampoline. The first component can be selected from the group consisting of a male component and a female component. In one embodiment, the park further includes a strap having a first end and a second end, and a second component secured to the first end of the strap and being capable of connecting with the first component.
In other embodiments, the first inflatable object further includes an anchor secured to the first inflatable object. The first inflatable object can also include an anchoring ring attached to the water-contacting surface of the first inflatable object. In another embodiment, the first inflatable object further includes an anchor and a line extending from the anchoring ring to the anchor.
In some embodiments, the first inflatable object is cylindrical in shape. In other embodiments the first inflatable object is pillow shaped. In one embodiment, the first inflatable object includes a plurality of chambers.
In another embodiment, the park further includes an apron attached to the inflatable object. The apron can extend from the first inflatable object to the trampoline. In one embodiment, the park further includes a line passing through holes in the apron to the trampoline so as to attach the apron to the trampoline.
In yet another embodiment, the first inflatable object is a slide. The slide can include a first floatable member, a second floatable member adjacent the first floatable member, and a sheet extending across the first floatable member and the second floatable member. In one embodiment, the first floatable member is inflatable. In another embodiment, the first floatable member is a cylinder.
In one embodiment, the first floatable member includes a first longitudinal extent and a second longitudinal extent extending at an angle to the first longitudinal extent, and the second floatable member includes a first longitudinal extent and a second longitudinal extent extending at an angle to the first longitudinal extent. In other embodiments, the slide further includes a plurality of straps attached to the sheet. In one embodiment, the slide further includes a ring attached to one of the first floatable member or the second floatable member, and a strap extending through the ring to secure the slide to the trampoline. The slide can also include an anchoring ring attached to a water-contacting surface of the slide.
In some embodiments, the park further includes a ladder attached to the trampoline, the ladder having a curved portion and a substantially linear portion. In other embodiments, the park further includes a second inflatable object secured to the trampoline, the second inflatable object being constructed to support a human being positioned thereon. The second inflatable object can be in the shape of a cylinder. In preferred embodiments, the shape of the second inflatable object is different from the shape of the first inflatable object.
In one embodiment, the trampoline includes a continuous tube defining an aperture, an annular frame coextensive with the aperture, and a mat attached to the frame and extending across the aperture. In some embodiments, the park further includes a strap extending from the first inflatable object and around the tube. In other embodiments, the strap extends from the first inflatable object and to the frame. In still other embodiments, the park further includes a first strap extending from the first inflatable object and around the tube, and a second strap extending from the first object and around the frame. In another embodiment, the park further includes an apron extending from the first inflatable object to the trampoline. The park can also include a line passing through holes in the apron and around the frame. In one embodiment, the continuous tube includes a plurality of chambers.
In another aspect, the invention features a slide that includes a first floatable member, a second floatable member adjacent the first inflatable member, and a sheet extending across the first floatable member and the second floatable member. In one embodiment, the first floatable member includes a cylinder. In another embodiment, the first floatable member includes an inflatable tube. The first floatable member can include a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion extending at an angle to the first cylindrical portion. In some embodiments, the slide further includes a strap extending from a first edge of the sheet to a second edge of the sheet.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of using a floatable park as described above where the method includes placing the floatable park on a body of water. In one embodiment, the method further includes contacting a surface of the park with a human being.
The floatable recreational park floats on a body of water and provides a user with a variety of entertainment options. The trampoline provides a central, stable structure to which the inflatable objects can be secured. The user can travel from the trampoline to the inflated floatable objects that are attached to the trampoline. The user can attempt to climb the park from any one of the attached floatable objects. In addition, a user can jump from the jumping surface of the trampoline and land on the various inflated objects. The greater the variety of inflated objects attached to the trampoline, the greater the variety of entertainment.
A giant pillow, a cylindrical tube, and a slide are three examples of the various inflatable, floatable objects that can be included in the park. A first user, positioned at the end of the giant pillow that is farthest from the trampoline, can be ejected off of the pillow by a second person landing on the end of the pillow that is closest to the trampoline. Users can also slide from the slide directly into the water. The additional inflated floatable objects also create additional space for more users to simultaneously enjoy the park.
Other features and embodiments are described in the preferred embodiments and in the claims. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 30344 (1980-07-01), McNeil
patent: 2324970 (1943-07-01), Woolley
patent: 2508915 (1950-05-01), Hardie
patent: 2855134 (1958-10-01), Arnold
patent: 3767192 (1973-10-01), Eriksson
patent: 4018321 (1977-04-01), Fisher
patent: 4332049 (1982-06-01), Fisher
patent: 4576375 (1986-03-01), Roberts
patent: 5297978 (1994-03-01), Ramsey
patent: 5301630 (1994-04-01), Genovese
patent: 5385518 (1995-01-01
Brewer Charles P.
Carlson Jeffrey J.
Golden Patrick S.
Johnsen Kirk M.
King Wendell L.
Basinger Sherman
Johnson, P.A. Allison
Rave Sports Inc.
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