Trampoline with adjustable spring tension

Abstract

Springs or other elastic connectors used to support a bed within the frame of a trampoline or the like are attached using methods that permit the adjustment and / or a systematic variation of the tension (or the travel distance required to reach limit of elasticity) between adjacent (or sets of adjacent) springs. These spring attachment methods adjust the energy absorption capacity of the tramnpoline bed, as well as increase the time it takes a given trampoline to absorb a given amount of energy, increasing the shock absorption time and thereby reducing the likelihood of an injury.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims priority to the U.S. provisional application for a “Trampoline with adjustable spring tension” filed on Nov. 19, 2004, having serial number 60 / 629,652, which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to improvements in trampoline, and in particular, the present invention concerns jumping surfaces used with trampolines to protect trampoline users from injury, and to provide new uses for trampolines. [0003] In the past, trampolines have been used for a variety of athletic and recreational purposes. However, thousands of injuries have resulted when persons jumping on a trampoline have landed on the rebounding surface while in an awkward or incorrect body position. These “on-bed” injuries, according to some medical studies, represent the majority of trapoline-related emergency room visits. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that in...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, thousands of injuries have resulted when persons jumping on a trampoline have landed on the rebounding surface while in an awkward or incorrect body position.

However, these devices do not directly address injuries that result when users impact the rebounding surface incorrectly or while in an awkward position.

However, such harnesses are designed for safely teaching users advanced acrobatics on high-performance competition trampolines by trained professionals, making them largely inappropriate for low-performance backyard trampolines that are used almost entirely for basic jumping activities and not for advanced acrobatics.

Nevertheless, injuries suffered during an impact with the rebounding surface are still occurring in large numbers on backyard trampoline beds even though these beds are designed to be less responsive and to have less initial surface tension than gymnastic grade, competition trampoline beds.

For instance, many on-bed backyard trampoline injuries occur when multiple jumpers are using the trampoline at the same time as reported in the NEISS data compiled by the CPSC.

Unfortunately, these unstructured trampoline activities generate numerous on-bed injuries when jumpers land on the rebounding surface in an awkward body position or when a jumper lands on a trampoline bed that has been preloaded with the energy from other jumper impacts.

The fixed tension is not suitable for all users as they very in body weight, age and strength.

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