Trampolines

Abstract

A trampoline including: a frame adapted to rest on the ground or be mounted on a plurality of spaced apart legs; a plurality of spaced apart biasing means operatively connected to said frame against undesired relative movement therebetween and extending upwards therefrom; a plurality of spaced apart upper connecting members connected to said biasing means and depending therefrom; a jumping mat operatively connected about its perimeter to said upper connecting members at or towards their lower ends; and a plurality of lower connecting members operatively connected to said frame below said mat at or towards one end and to said mat at or adjacent its perimeter at the other end.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A trampoline including:
 a frame adapted to rest on the ground or be mounted on a plurality of spaced apart legs;   a plurality of spaced apart biasing means operatively connected to said frame against undesired relative movement therebetween and extending upwards therefrom;   a plurality of spaced apart upper connecting members connected to said biasing means and depending therefrom;   a jumping mat operatively connected about its perimeter to said upper connecting members at or towards their lower ends; and   a plurality of lower connecting members operatively connected to said frame below said mat at or towards one end and to said mat at or adjacent its perimeter at the other end.   
     
     
         4 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein said biasing means include flexible and resilient elongate members which extend upwards from said frame and are adapted to bend elastically along a longitudinal bending axis. 
     
     
         5 . A trampoline according to  claim 4 , wherein said elongate members are long poles. 
     
     
         6 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of each of said poles is constructed of a flexible and resilient material. 
     
     
         7 . A trampoline according to  claim 7  wherein said flexible and resilient material is fibreglass, kevlar, carbon fibre or a mixture including at least one of those materials. 
     
     
         8 . A trampoline according to  claim 4 , wherein said poles extend upwards from a part of the frame below said mat. 
     
     
         9 . A trampoline according to  claim 5 , wherein said frame includes a plurality of spaced apart posts and said poles are connected to said posts at their lower ends. 
     
     
         10 . A trampoline according to  claim 9 , wherein said posts extend above said mat and said poles extend upwards from said posts. 
     
     
         11 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein said biasing means include leaf springs. 
     
     
         12 . A trampoline according to  claim 11 , wherein the spring constant of said leaf springs varies over their length. 
     
     
         13 . A trampoline according to  claim 12 , wherein said leaf springs include layers of leaves over at least a portion of their length. 
     
     
         14 . A trampoline according to  claim 11 , wherein said frame includes a plurality of spaced apart posts or poles which extend above said mat and said leaf springs are connected to said posts at or near their upper ends for movement relative thereto. 
     
     
         15 . A trampoline according to  claim 14 , wherein said leaf springs extend generally upwards from said posts and curve inwards when the upper and lower connecting members are fitted. 
     
     
         16 . A trampoline according to  claim 15 , wherein said leaf springs are substantially straight until tension is applied by the upper and lower connecting members and the tension causes the leaf springs to curve inwards and downwards towards the mat. 
     
     
         17 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein said lower connecting members are connected at their upper ends to the upper connecting members by a hook or loop or similar fastening means and to the mat via the same hook, loop or fastening means. 
     
     
         18 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said upper connecting members include at least one line member constructed of a non-stretch material such as stainless steel. 
     
     
         19 . A trampoline according to  claim 18 , wherein each line member is enshrouded by a protective material and/or a cushioning material. 
     
     
         20 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein two upper connecting members depend from each of said biasing means. 
     
     
         21 . A trampoline according to  claim 20 , wherein said two upper connecting members are constituted by a single line member with two runs depending from said biasing means which diverge downwards and connect to the edge of the mat at spaced apart positions. 
     
     
         22 . A trampoline according to  claim 21 , wherein one of said spaced apart positions is a predetermined distance in a horizontal clockwise direction from said biasing means and the other is spaced from said one position by twice said predetermined distance in an anti-clockwise direction. 
     
     
         23 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein each of said lower connecting members include at least one line member. 
     
     
         24 . A trampoline according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one line member is a wire or cable constructed of a non-stretch material such as stainless steel. 
     
     
         25 . A trampoline according to  claim 24 , including one lower connecting member for each upper connecting member. 
     
     
         26 . A trampoline according to  claim 25 , wherein the upper and lower connecting members connect to the mat at substantially the same point. 
     
     
         27 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , including a safety net attached to the mat at or adjacent its periphery and extending upwards towards said biasing means. 
     
     
         28 . A trampoline according to  claim 27 , wherein said safety net connects to said biasing means at or near their upper ends. 
     
     
         29 . A trampoline according to  claim 27 , wherein said safety net connects to said upper connecting members towards their upper ends. 
     
     
         30 . A trampoline according to  claim 29 , wherein the upper end of said safety net is connected to a stabilising ring which in turn is flexibly and resiliently connected to said biasing means and/or said the upper connecting members. 
     
     
         31 . A trampoline according to  claim 30 , wherein said upper connecting members extend from said biasing means to said mat on the outside of the safety net. 
     
     
         32 . A trampoline according to  claim 31 , wherein said upper connecting members pass through loops or sleeves provided on the outside of the net to hold the net in place. 
     
     
         33 . A trampoline according to  claim 3 , wherein said frame includes two vertically spaced apart horizontal tubular frame members extending around the mat with spaced apart hollow posts connected thereto with the upper one of said horizontal tubular frame members being substantially within the ring of posts and engaging each post and the lower one of said tubular frame members being substantially without the ring of posts and engaging each post. 
     
     
         34 . A trampoline according to  claim 33 , wherein said biasing means are long flexible and resilient poles and wherein the lower end portions of the poles are slidably mounted in the hollows of the posts. 
     
     
         35 . A trampoline according to  claim 34 , wherein said posts lean outwards away from said mat. 
     
     
         36 - 43 . (canceled)