Variable topography climbing wall

Abstract

An adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly includes a plurality of climbing panels that are movable relative to one another. Each panel includes a surface element and frame elements positioned on the rear face of the surface element along the side edges of the panel. Each frame element is adjustably connected with a frame element of an adjacent panel such that the adjacent panels can be moved through a plurality of joint positions by one or more actuators. The adjustably-connected frame elements may be (i) pivotable relative to one another, such that an angle between the adjacent panels may be varied and (ii) slidable relative to one another, such that a distance between the adjacent panels can be varied. Regardless of the joint position, the front faces of the surface elements may together define a substantially continuous climbing surface.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly comprising:
 a plurality of panels, each of the plurality of panels comprising
 a surface element having a front face and a rear face, and 
 one or more frame elements, each frame element being affixed to a rear of the surface element and extending along an edge of the panel; 
   wherein the front faces of the surface elements together provide a climbing surface;   wherein each of the frame elements is adjustably connected with a frame element of an adjacent panel, such that the adjacent panels can be moved through a plurality of joint positions; and   a plurality of actuators, each actuator being operably connected with the adjustably-connected frame elements of adjacent panels and configured to move the frame elements about the adjustable connection until the adjacent panels reach a desired joint position.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each frame element is adjustably connected with a frame element of an adjacent panel at each of a first end of the frame element and a second end of the frame element, such that a position of the panel relative to the adjacent panel at a first end of the joint may differ from a position of the panel relative to the adjacent panel at a second end of the joint. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a first one of the plurality of actuators is operably connected to a first end of the frame element and a second one of the plurality of actuators is operably connected to a second end of the frame element, such that the joint position at the first end of the joint and the joint position at the second end of the joint may be independently selected. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustably-connected frame elements are (i) pivotable relative to one another, such that an angle between the adjacent panels may be varied and (ii) slidable relative to one another, such that a distance between the adjacent panels can be varied. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall of  claim 4 , wherein the frame element of a first panel is adjustably connected with the frame element of a second panel by at least two adjustable connectors. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall of  claim 5 , wherein a first adjustable connector is positioned at a first end of the frame elements of the first and second panels and a second adjustable connector is positioned at a second end of the frame elements of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall of  claim 6 , wherein a first one of the plurality of actuators is operably connected to the first end of the frame elements of the first and second panels and a second one of the plurality of actuators is operably connected to the second end of the frame elements of the first and second panels, such that the distance between the adjacent panels at the second end may be controlled to be greater or less than the distance between the adjacent panels at the first end. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall of  claim 4 , wherein the adjacent panels may be brought to (i) an angle of about 180 degrees; (ii) one or more angles less than 180 degrees; and (iii) one or more angles greater than 180 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall of  claim 4 , wherein the distance between the adjacent panels may be varied by at least two inches. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent panels are separated by a gap, a width of which varies within a permissible range, and further comprising one or more barrier elements, each barrier element being configured to span the gap between adjacent panels at all widths within the permissible range. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the barrier element is made of an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         12 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the barrier element has a slidable connection with at least one of the adjacent panels. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the panels is polygonal. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the panels is triangular. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 13 , in which at least one of the plurality of actuators is operably connected to a corner of each panel. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of actuators is operably connected to the frame elements of at least four different panels. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the surface elements is configured to receive one or more climbing grips. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of actuators is a linear actuator. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of actuators is operable to produce a climbing surface having a desired topography. 
     
     
         20 . The adjustable-topography climbing wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the climbing surface is substantially continuous regardless of the topography.