Playground equipment

Abstract

Playground equipment may include a variety of different types of components. For example, the playground equipment may include a main structure and one or more components, such as a swing set, a climbing wall, a slide, monkey bars, picnic table, sandbox, a ladder and/or the like. The various components and structures of the playground equipment may be connected in a variety of suitable configurations and arrangements. Advantageously, if the playground equipment includes a climbing wall, the climbing wall may include one or more panels that are adjustably connected and constructed from blow-molded plastic. Additionally, if the playground equipment includes a picnic table, the picnic table top may have a surface that includes one or more generally planar portions and one or more generally offset portions. The offset portions may be sized and configured to be traced, for example, onto a sheet of paper to create a pleasing design.

1 . Playground equipment comprising: 
 a main structure comprising: 
 a platform;  
 at least one support sized and configured to support the platform at a height above a support surface; and  
 a first barrier connected to the platform and including a removable portion that is sized and configured to be removed to provide a first access portion;  
   a first piece of playground equipment; and    a second piece of playground equipment, the first piece of playground equipment and the second piece of playground equipment being interchangeably connected to the main structure.    
   
   
       2 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , further comprising a second barrier connected to the platform and including a removable portion that is sized and configured to be removed to provide a second access portion, the first piece of playground equipment and the second piece of playground equipment being sized and configured to be interchangeably connected to the main structure proximate the first access portion and the second access portion.  
   
   
       3 . The playground equipment as in  claim 2 , further comprising a second removable pot-ion of the first barrier that is sized and configured to be removed to provide a third access portion, the first piece of playground equipment and the second piece of playground equipment being sized and configured to be interchangeably connected to the main structure proximate the third access portion.  
   
   
       4 . The playground equipment as in  claim 2 , further comprising a second removable portion of the second barrier that is sized and configured to be removed to provide a fourth access portion, the first piece of playground equipment and the second piece of playground equipment being sized and configured to be interchangeably connected to the main structure proximate the fourth access portion.  
   
   
       5 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first barrier further includes a second removable portion that is sized and configured to be removed to provide a second access portion, the first piece of playground equipment and the second piece of playground equipment being sized and configured to be interchangeably connected to the main structure proximate the second access portion.  
   
   
       6 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first piece of playground equipment comprises a slide and the second piece of playground equipment comprises a ladder.  
   
   
       7 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first piece of playground equipment comprises a ladder and the second piece of playground equipment comprises a climbing wall.  
   
   
       8 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first piece of playground equipment comprises a climbing wall and the second piece of playground equipment comprises a slide.  
   
   
       9 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first piece of playground equipment comprises a climbing wall, the climbing wall being sized and configured to be connected to the main structure in a plurality of relative positions.  
   
   
       10 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first piece of playground equipment comprises a climbing wall, the climbing wall comprising: 
 a first panel constructed from blow-molded plastic, the first panel including: 
 a front surface;  
 a rear surface;  
 a hollow interior portion that is integrally formed during the blow-molding process; and  
 a grip this is integrally formed during the blow-molding process; and  
   a second panel constructed from blow-molded plastic, the second panel including: 
 a front surface;  
 a rear surface;  
 a hollow interior portion that is integrally formed during the blow-molding process; and  
 a grip that is integrally formed during a blow-molding process.  
   
   
   
       11 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , further comprising a table, the table comprising: 
 a table top constructed from blow-molded plastic, the table top including: 
 an upper surface;  
 a lower surface;  
 a hollow interior portion that is integrally formed during the blow-molding process;  
 one or more generally planar portions integrally formed in the table top during the blow-molding process; and  
 one or more offset portions integrally formed in the table top during the blow-molding process, the offset portions being sized and configured to create a design that can be traced; and  
   a support structure connected to the table top, the support structure being sized and configured to support the table top above a support surface.    
   
   
       12 . A climbing wall that is sized and configured to be used in connection with playground equipment, the climbing wall comprising: 
 a first panel constructed from blow-molded plastic, the first panel comprising: 
 a front surface;  
 a rear surface;  
 a hollow interior portion that is integrally formed during the blow-molding process; and  
 a grip that is integrally formed during a blow-molding process; and  
   a second panel that is sized and configured to be connected to the first panel, the second panel constructed from blow-molded plastic, the second panel comprising:    a front surface;    a rear surface;    a hollow interior portion that is integrally formed during the blow-molding process; and    a grip that is integrally formed during a blow-molding process.    
   
   
       13 . The climbing wall as in  claim 12 , wherein the first panel has a length, a width and an elongated outer edge; 
 wherein the second panel has a length, a width and an elongated outer edge; and    wherein the first panel is connected to the second panel so that at least a substantial portion of the elongated outer edge of the first panel is proximate the elongated outer edge of the second panel.    
   
   
       14 . The climbing wall as in  claim 12 , wherein the first panel has a generally curved shape; and wherein the second panel has a generally curved shape.  
   
   
       15 . The climbing wall as in  claim 12 , wherein the climbing wall is connected to playground equipment.  
   
   
       16 . A method of transferring a design from playground equipment to a sheet of paper, the method comprising: 
 placing the sheet of paper upon an upper surface of a blow-molded plastic structure, the blow-molded plastic structure including a hollow interior portion integrally formed during the blow-molding process, the upper surface of the blow-molded plastic structure including at least one generally planar portion and at least one offset portion including a shape, the at least one generally planar portion and the at least one offset portion being integrally formed in the blow-molded structure during a blow-molding process; and    shading at least a portion of the paper with an instrument to transfer at least a portion of the shape onto the paper.    
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one offset portion includes multiple offset portions arranged into a pattern.  
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one offset portion has a height that is at least 2 millimeters.  
   
   
       19 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein the blow-molded plastic structure comprises a table top.  
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one offset portion includes one or more letters, numbers, symbols, objects or shapes.