AU2013257536A1

AU2013257536A1 - Improved trampoline cover

Info

Publication number: AU2013257536A1
Application number: AU2013257536A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Joe ANDON
Original assignee: Vuly Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Vuly Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-19
Filing date: 2013-11-19
Publication date: 2014-06-05
Also published as: AU2013257536A2; AU2013101810A4

Abstract

An improved trampoline cover including: a flexible sheet supported by a frame structure to provide a trampoline cover wall; one or more window openings in the wall; a window 5 covering of flexible sheeting attached to the cover wall alongside an upper edge of at least one of the one or more window openings, the or each window covering being retractable to said upper edge and extendible to substantially cover the window opening; a cord attached to one or more connection 0 points along or near to each side edge of the window covering, said cord being secured to the wall; said cord passing through one or more apertures penetrating the wall to such that a portion of the cord passes into the cover structure for operation of the window cover by threading said cord through 5 said one or more apertures; and locking means connected to said cord for locking to selected position along said cord whereby said window covering may be locked into a desired position by abutment of said locking means against the or one of the apertures at said selected position along said cord. 16 typ 10 -15 typ Fig. 1 ,-15 typ 11 Fig. Fig. 1

Description

1 IMPROVED TRAMPOLINE COVER This invention relates to an improved trampoline cover. The invention has particular application to an improved cover 5 for trampolines similar to that described in our Australian provisional patent application No. 2012901065, but the invention may have application generally to trampoline covers which are supported by tent-like poles to provide a free standing structure. 0 Trampolines having a safety net surrounding the trampoline mat are preferred for safety reasons over trampolines without a safety net, and have been made available in the form of a trampoline mat resiliently supported by a surrounding frame and a plurality of poles extending upward 5 from the surrounding frame to which a safety net is fastened, tied or otherwise attached. Trampolines are normally left outdoors, so covers have sometimes been provided. The cover may also have textile walls with windows to provide protection from the weather, the windows providing ventilation, a view, 0 access or any combination of same. However, such structures, particularly those associated with trampolines, may require the window to be covered and in such circumstances, it is advantageous to operate a window covering from a selected side of the structure, being the inside or the outside of the 25 structure. The present invention is aimed at providing an improved trampoline cover which enables operation of a window covering from inside the trampoline cover. With the foregoing in view, the invention resides broadly 30 in an improved trampoline cover including: a flexible sheet supported by a frame structure to provide a trampoline cover wall; 2 one or more window openings in the wall; a window covering of flexible sheeting attached to the cover wall alongside an upper edge of at least one of the one or more window openings, the or each window covering being 5 retractable to said upper edge and extendible to substantially cover the window opening; a cord attached to one or more connection points along or near to each side edge of the window covering, said cord being secured to the wall; 0 said cord passing through one or more apertures penetrating the wall such that a portion of the cord passes into the cover structure for operation of the window cover by threading said cord through said one or more apertures; and locking means connected to said cord for locking to 5 selected position along said cord whereby said window covering may be locked into a desired position by abutment of said locking means against the or one of the apertures at said selected position along said cord. Preferably, the cord is secured at or near the lower edge 0 of the wall and passes through a lower penetration to the inside of the structure and then through an upper penetration above the lower penetration to the outside of the structure to the one or more connection points along the side edge of the window cover. In such form, the locking means is engaged with 25 the portion of the cord between the end at which it is secured to the wall and the lower penetration such that pulling on the cord from the outside raises the window cover to an open attitude, whereupon it may be locked in such open attitude by locking the locking means along the cord abutting the lower 30 penetration on the outside of the wall.

3 In order that the invention may be more readily understood and performed, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a pictorial view of the front of an improved 5 trampoline cover according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of the rear of the improved trampoline cover of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed diagrammatic, partly cut away view of part of the improved trampoline cover of Figs. 1 and 2. 0 The trampoline cover 10 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 includes a wall 11 of flexible textile material and includes a plurality of window openings, two of which are illustrated typically at 15 and having a window covering shown typically at 16 fixed along the upper edge - that is the window 5 coverings are fixed along their respective upper edges to the upper edge of the window openings. As illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, a cord 17 is secured to the wall near its lower edge at 18 and passes to the outside of the structure to provide a lower external portion 0 19. The cord passes through a locking device 20, then passes through a lower penetration 21 to the inside of the wall to provide an internal portion 22, passing upwardly to and through an upper penetration 23 to the outside of the wall. From the upper penetration, the cord passes down the outside 25 of the wall as an upper external portion 24. The upper external portion is attached at several intermediate attachment points 25 to the side edge of the window covering and terminates at a terminal attachment 26. Of course, at least two such cords are provided to that the window covering 30 may be lifted by each edge, longer window coverings having an intermediate cord.

4 The window covering is lifted by pulling on the lower external portion and securing in place with the locking device abutting the lower penetration. Conversely, the window covering is closed by releasing the locking device and 5 allowing the lower external portion to shorten, the cord running, that is, moving, through the lower and upper penetrations, the weight of the window covering, weighted if necessary, providing the lowering force. The window covering may be lowered by pulling down on its lower edge, or on the 0 terminal attachment points of the cord to the window covering. The foregoing description has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention and many modifications and variations which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and 5 scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An improved trampoline cover including: a flexible sheet supported by a frame structure to provide a trampoline cover wall; 5 one or more window openings in the wall; a window covering of flexible sheeting attached to the cover wall alongside an upper edge of at least one of the one or more window openings, the or each window covering being retractable to said upper edge and extendible to substantially 0 cover the window opening; a cord attached to one or more connection points along or near to each side edge of the window covering, said cord being secured to the wall; said cord passing through one or more apertures 5 penetrating the wall to such that a portion of the cord passes into the cover structure for operation of the window cover by threading said cord through said one or more apertures; and locking means connected to said cord for locking to selected position along said cord whereby said window covering _0 may be locked into a desired position by abutment of said locking means against the or one of the apertures at said selected position along said cord.

2. The improved trampoline cover according to Claim 1, wherein the cord is secured at or near the lower edge of the 25 wall and passes through a lower penetration to the inside of the structure and then through an upper penetration above the lower penetration to the outside of the structure to the one or more connection points along the side edge of the window cover. 30

3. The improved trampoline cover according to Claim 2, wherein the locking means is engaged with the portion of the 6 cord between the end at which it is secured to the wall and the lower penetration such that pulling on the cord from the outside raises the window cover to an open attitude, whereupon it may be locked in such open attitude by locking the locking 5 means along the cord abutting the lower penetration on the outside of the wall.