Projectile launcher

Abstract

A projectile launcher for launching a projectile is provided. The projectile launcher is arranged to be connected to a trampoline having a frame and a jumping mat, the jumping mat connected to the frame by resilient members, the projectile launcher including a propulsion element adapted to provide a motive force to propel a projectile and an energy extraction element arranged to be connected to a trampoline and to extract energy from the action of a user bouncing on the trampoline to provide power to the propulsion element.

1 . A projectile launcher for launching a projectile, the projectile launcher arranged to be connected to a trampoline having a frame and a jumping mat, the jumping mat connected to the frame by resilient members, the projectile launcher including a propulsion element adapted to provide a motive force to propel a projectile and an energy extraction element arranged to be connected to a trampoline and to extract energy from the action of a user bouncing on the trampoline to provide power to the propulsion element. 
     
     
         2 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the energy extraction element is adapted to be connected to the jumping mat or to one or more of the resilient members. 
     
     
         3 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the energy extraction element includes a cable, arranged to be connected at a first end to the trampoline, and connected at a second end to a ratchet mechanism, the cable arranged to be drawn by the trampoline as a user jumps on the trampoline to actuate the ratchet mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the energy extraction element includes at least one lever element to alter the ratio between the movement of the jumping mat as the user bounces on the trampoline and the movement of the ratchet mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 3 , in which the propulsion element includes a spring for providing the motive force and the ratchet mechanism is used to withdraw the spring. 
     
     
         6 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the energy extraction element comprises a pump and the propulsion element includes a pressure reservoir, wherein the pump is arranged to be actuated by the reciprocating motion of the jumping apparatus as a user jumps, and the pressure reservoir is arranged to be charged with pressure by the pump. 
     
     
         7 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the projectile launcher is arranged to launch a projectile with each bounce of the user on the jumping apparatus 
     
     
         8 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the propulsion element includes a trigger mechanism adapted to release the energy stored in the propulsion element when a predetermined force or pressure is reached or after a predetermined time interval or after a predetermined amount of movement of the energy extraction element, or after a predetermined number of bounces on the trampoline. 
     
     
         9 . A projectile launcher according to  claim 1 , in which the projectile launcher is arranged to launch a projectile comprising one of a ball, a rocket, a bubble, or a jet of fluid. 
     
     
         10 . A trampoline in combination with a projectile launcher for launching a projectile, the projectile launcher including a propulsion element adapted to provide a motive force to propel a projectile and an energy extraction element connected to the trampoline and adapted to extract energy from the action of a user bouncing on the trampoline to provide power to the propulsion element. 
     
     
         11 . A combination according to  claim 10 , in which the projectile launcher includes a hopper for guiding projectiles into the projectile launcher for propulsion by the propulsion element and wherein the hopper may be adapted to store more than one projectile and feed the projectiles into the projectile launcher one at a time. 
     
     
         12 . A combination according to  claim 10 , in which the trampoline is at least partially surrounded by a screen assembly that at least partially encloses a region above the jumping mat and the hopper is accessible to receive projectiles through a projectile return aperture in the screen assembly. 
     
     
         13 . A combination according to  claim 12 , in which the projectile return aperture is located beneath the projectile launcher and a projectile lifting mechanism is connected between the projectile return aperture and the hopper, the projectile lifting mechanism arranged to lift the projectile to the hopper and optionally
 the projectile lifting mechanism is powered by the energy extraction element or a second energy extraction element.   
     
     
         14 . A combination according to  claim 10 , in which the projectile launcher comprises an aiming mechanism so that the user can direct the projectiles to a particular location. 
     
     
         15 . A kit of parts comprising a trampoline and a projectile launcher as defined in  claim 1 .