Playground equipment

Abstract

Playground equipment may include a support structure. The support structure may include a platform and one or more supports sized and configured to support the platform at height above a support surface. The supports may include one or more generally vertical supports and/or one or more generally angled supports. A swing may be connected to the support structure. The swing may include a seat and one or more tethers. The tethers may be attached to spaced apart portions of the seat and/or to spaced apart portions of the support structure. The tethers may be sized and configured to retain the seat in a generally fixed orientation during use of the swing. The tethers may be sized and configured to help retain at least a substantial portion of the seat disposed underneath the platform during use of the swing.

1 . Playground equipment comprising: 
 a support structure comprising: 
 a platform; and  
 at least one support sized and configured to support the platform at a height above a support surface; and  
   a swing comprising: 
 a seat; and  
 a plurality of tethers attached to the seat and the support structure, the plurality of tethers being sized and configured to retain the seat in a generally fixed orientation relative to the support surface, the plurality of tethers comprising: 
 a first tether attached to a first portion of the support structure and a first portion of the seat;  
 a second tether attached to a second portion of the support structure and a second portion of the seat; and  
 a third tether attached to a third portion of the support structure and a third portion of the seat, the first, second and third portions of the support structure being spaced apart from each other, the first, second and third portions of the seat being spaced apart from each other.  
 
   
   
   
       2 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first tether comprises a first chain including a first end connected to the first portion of the support structure and a second end connected to the first portion of the seat; 
 wherein the second tether comprises a second chain including a first end connected to the second portion of the support structure and a second end connected to the second portion of the seat; and    wherein the third tether comprises a third chain including a first end connected to the third portion of the support structure and a second end connected to the third portion of the seat.    
   
   
       3 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the support structure comprises a first portion of the platform; wherein the second portion of the support structure comprises a second portion of the platform; and wherein the third portion of the support structure comprises a third portion of the platform, the first, second and third portions of the platform being spaced apart from each other.  
   
   
       4 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the support structure are spaced apart at least about six inches from each other.  
   
   
       5 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the support structure are spaced apart at least about twelve inches from each other.  
   
   
       6 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the support structure are spaced apart at least about eighteen inches from each other.  
   
   
       7 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the support structure are spaced apart at least about twenty four inches from each other.  
   
   
       8 . The playground equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the support structure are arranged in a generally regular triangle arrangement.  
   
   
       9 . Playground equipment comprising: 
 a support structure comprising: 
 a platform; and  
 at least one support sized and configured to support the platform at a height above a support surface; and  
   a swing comprising: 
 a seat; and  
 a plurality of tethers sized and configured to retain at least a substantial portion of the seat disposed underneath the platform during use of the swing, the plurality of tethers comprising: 
 a first tether attached to a first portion of the platform and a first portion of the seat;  
 a second tether attached to a second portion of the platform and a second portion of the seat; and  
 a third tether attached to a third portion of the platform and a third portion of the seat, the first, second and third portions of the platform being spaced apart from each other, the first, second and third portions of the seat being spaced apart from each other.  
 
   
   
   
       10 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the platform are spaced apart at least about six inches from each other.  
   
   
       11 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the platform are spaced apart at least about twelve inches from each other.  
   
   
       12 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the platform are spaced apart at least about eighteen inches from each other.  
   
   
       13 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the platform are spaced apart at least about twenty four inches from each other.  
   
   
       14 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the platform are arranged in a generally regular triangle arrangement.  
   
   
       15 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the seat includes at least three elongated portions extending from a generally central portion of the seat.  
   
   
       16 . The playground equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one support comprises a pair of generally vertical supports and a pair of generally angled supports, the generally angled supports forming a generally upside down V-shaped configuration.  
   
   
       17 . The playground equipment as in  claim 16 , wherein the generally upside down V-shaped configuration forms part of a swing set.  
   
   
       18 . Playground equipment comprising: 
 a support structure comprising:    a platform; and    a plurality of supports sized and configured to support the platform at a height above a support surface, the plurality of supports comprising: 
 a pair of generally vertical supports; and  
 a pair of generally angled supports, the generally angled supports forming a generally upside down V-shaped configuration, the generally upside down V-shaped configuration forming part of a swing set.  
   
   
   
       19 . The playground equipment as in  claim 16 , wherein the generally angled supports are at least about fifteen degrees offset from the generally vertical supports.  
   
   
       20 . The playground equipment as in  claim 16 , wherein the generally angled supports are at least about twenty degrees offset from the generally vertical supports.  
   
   
       21 . The playground equipment as in  claim 16 , wherein the generally angled supports are at least about thirty degrees offset from the generally vertical supports.