AU2021206803A1

AU2021206803A1 - Trampoline equipment and methods

Info

Publication number: AU2021206803A1
Application number: AU2021206803A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hon Tong Chu; Azam Adil Khan; Ian Frederick Young
Original assignee: ACTION SPORTS EQUIPMENT Pty Ltd
Current assignee: ACTION SPORTS EQUIPMENT Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2014-05-26
Filing date: 2021-07-19
Publication date: 2021-08-12
Also published as: AU2015202862A1

Abstract

Methods and systems of arresting displacement of trampoline padding utilising a jumping mat having attachment formations that have corresponding spring attachment formations on the support frame and enclosure net that permit the padding, net and jumping mat to be attached together.

Description

Trampoline equipment and methods Field of the invention The present invention relates to trampoline equipment and more

particularly to improvements relating to trampoline safety

equipment and methods associated directly thereto.

Background to the invention Trampolines are well known in the industry.

Trampolines can have a rigid supporting frame located some

distance above the underlying ground. The supporting frame is

attached to an inner jumping mat by means of a multitude of

helical spring couplings that each attach on one side of the

spring coupling to the frame and the other end of the spring

coupling to an attachment located on the jumping mat. The

spring couplings are assembled under tension and permit a user

to bounce up and down on the jumping mat, whereby the spring

couplings absorb much of the jumping energy and then release

this as a rebound through the jumping mat.

Trampolines have been implicated in a number of moderate to

serious injuries, particularly in children. A common type of

injury relates to where a user has landed outside of the mat

surface. The user can end up landing: on the hard ground, on

the frame and/or among the helical spring couplings.

In the case of landing on the frame or among the helical

springs, padding has been introduced on top of the spring

couplings and supporting frame. This does function to reduce

the possibility of injury but sometimes this malfunctions.

Enclosures have also been fitted to trampolines. If these are

configured with netting, the netting in some cases is attached as close as possible to the periphery of the mat surface.

Doing so largely prevents inadvertent access to the ground, supporting frame and the spring couplings. Use of such

enclosures also results in a reduction in injuries.

Australian Patent application no. 2010246564 and certified

Australian Innovation Patent No. 2012100239 both describe a

system whereby the base of the enclosure net has slots formed

in it and attachments on the jumping mat (triangular loops)

are passed through the slots before attachment of the spring

couplings. Use of this system aims to lock the base of the

enclosure net in place at the periphery of the enclosure net.

In practice, this system has proved difficult to install as

this involves moving the enclosure net into position,

threading the triangular loop through the appropriate hole and

then attaching and tensioning the spring coupling to the

appropriate slot in the supporting frame. This can be

particularly difficult in windy environments with the wind

causing movement of the net and applying a force to pull the

triangular loop free from the slot before the spring

attachment can be properly fitted. Also, the enclosure

netting, if not already set, can easily be misaligned with the

wrong spring coupling, leading to having to start over, or

worse where the problem is not corrected and the enclosure is

placed under undue tension in one place and not enough tension

elsewhere due to the misalignment.

A form of padding injury is where the padding has shifted in

use and exposed the underlying spring couplings or supporting

frame and the user has landed on the exposed spring couplings

or supporting frame.

In some cases the shifting of the padding has been caused by

incorrect assembly. Many trampolines are assembled by end- users and the pads end up being incorrectly assembled over the spring couplings due to fiddly fixing systems that can be easily incorrectly installed.

Many trampolines are now provided with both padding and an

enclosure net with the net attached near its bottom proximal

the jumping mat periphery. This has introduced its own

problems in that the net has to be sufficiently taught to

prevent the user inadvertent access to the areas outside the

jumping mat periphery. If the net is made sufficiently taught,

however, this tension can act to displace the padding to

expose the underlying spring couplings.

Australian Patent application no. 2010246564 attempts to

alleviate this issue by having sleeves that surround the

spring couplings that are attached to the padding.

Unfortunately, the spring couplings, through repeated

expansion and contraction during normal use, can wear away the

sleeve and can pinch the seams at the end of the sleeves. The

sleeve is also not fixed in place but permits some radial

movement of the padding to take place that can expose the

underlying spring couplings. The sleeve can also permit the

build-up of debris and water/condensation that can compromise

operation of the helical spring over time.

Nothing above should be read as necessarily falling within the

common general knowledge.

It would be desirable to overcome at least some of the above

mentioned disadvantages or to at least provide the public with

a useful choice.

Summary of the invention In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of

arresting displacement of trampoline padding including at

least the following steps:

a) provide a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the

frame having a plurality of spring coupling attachment

formations;

b) provide a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment

formations that for each of a subset of attachment

formations have a corresponding one of the plurality of

spring attachment formations on the support frame;

c) provide padding with a plurality of connecting formations

wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is

associated with a corresponding attachment formation

selected from said plurality of connector attachment

formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting

formation, in use, substantially aligns with its

corresponding attachment formation;

d) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on

the padding with said corresponding attachment formation

on the jumping mat;

e) provide a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting

structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to

the net supporting structure having a plurality of

connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of

the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting

formations is associated with a corresponding spring

attachment formation selected from said plurality of

connector attachment formations on the jumping mat,

wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially

aligns with its corresponding spring attachment

formation; f) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) provide a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) attach the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) attach the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a system

for arresting displacement of trampoline padding including at

least the following:

a) a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the frame

having a plurality of spring coupling attachment

formations;

b) a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment formations

that for each of a subset of attachment formations have a

corresponding one of the plurality of spring attachment

formations on the support frame;

c) padding with a plurality of connecting formations wherein

each of the plurality of connecting formations is

associated with a corresponding attachment formation

selected from said plurality of connector attachment

formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting

formation, in use, substantially aligns with its

corresponding attachment formation; d) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; e) a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to the net supporting structure having a plurality of connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; f) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) wherein the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat.

In relation to both the first and second aspects above:

In one embodiment, preferably a majority of each of said

plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its

connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment

formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of

spring couplings, more preferably where each of said plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

In a further embodiment, a majority of each of said plurality

of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection

with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations

on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring

couplings, more preferably where each of said plurality of

connecting formations on the padding shares its connection

with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations

on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring

couplings.

In a yet further embodiment, each of said plurality of

connecting formations on the padding shares its connection on

one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on

the jumping mat with one of said plurality of connecting

formations on the net and one the plurality of spring

couplings.

Preferably, each of the plurality of connecting formations on

the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of material. The

strip of material in one embodiment is large enough to have a

plurality of said apertures formed in it. In an alternative

embodiment, it is a tab of material with a single said

aperture.

In one embodiment, the padding is formed by combining a

plurality of abutting padding segments, preferably each

padding segment provided with a joining strip of material

that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation

on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place.

The joining strip can conveniently be provided with a hook or loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary receiving formation.

Preferably, the act of attaching the first end of each of said

plurality of spring couplings to one of said plurality of

spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat

prevents removal of any connecting formation on the net or the

padding connected to said one of said plurality of spring

coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat.

It is preferred that each of the plurality of spring coupling

attachment formations on the jumping mat is a metal loop, more

preferably a triangular metal loop (also known as a V-loop)

that is conveniently attached to the periphery of the jumping

mat by a loop of material.

In a most preferred embodiment, the plurality of connecting

formations on the padding are apertures in the padding in the

form of a slot that permits insertion of said triangular metal

loop through it.

Preferably, the padding includes a peripheral support frame

attachment formation, more preferably the peripheral frame

attachment formation being a loop of retaining material that,

in use, passes around the peripheral support frame. In a

currently preferred embodiment, this is in the form of a pair

of strips of material located on the operatively underside of

the padding surface proximal the peripheral support frame and

sewn in place on the padding. The said pair of strips of

material have complementary hook and loop regions that, in

use, retain the two strips together to form a closed loop

around the peripheral support frame. Of course, other

attachment means can be used, such as bungie cord.

In a further preferred embodiment, the said plurality of

connecting formations on the net are mounted on a detachable

portion of the net that is detachable from the rest of the

net, more preferably that the detachable portion is attached

to the rest of the net by way of attachment formations, most

preferably by way of at least one zip closure.

In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides

trampoline padding including at least the following:

a) a resiliently deformable padding body with a jumping mat

edge and a peripheral frame edge, an operatively upper

surface and an underside; and

b) a plurality of connecting formations located proximal or

on the jumping mat edge.

Preferably, the plurality of connecting formations are

substantially evenly spaced from one another proximal or on

the jumping mat edge.

On one embodiment, each of the plurality of connecting

formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of

material. The strip of material in one embodiment is large

enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed in it. In

an alternative embodiment, it is a tab of material with a

single said aperture.

In one embodiment, the padding is formed by combining a

plurality of abutting padding segments, preferably each

padding segment provided with a joining strip of material

that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation

on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place.

The joining strip can conveniently be provided with a hook or

loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the

complementary receiving formation.

In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of abutting padding

segments, when combined, form a generally closed polygon or

ring shape.

The invention extends to a trampoline assembled using the

above method or system.

The invention is described below with reference to non

limiting examples.

Brief description of the drawings The invention is described below with reference to non

limiting examples with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trampoline of the

invention;

Figure 2 is a partial zoomed perspective view of trampoline

padding from Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a combination of a plurality of abutting

trampoline padding segments of the invention in plan and

bottom views;

Figures 4 to 7 are partial perspective views of a partially

assembled trampoline with padding of the invention focusing on

the helical spring couplings area and depicting installation

of the padding of the invention;

Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the underside of a

partially assembled trampoline with padding of the invention

focusing on the helical spring couplings area and depicting

installation of the padding of the invention.

Examples Reference numerals between figures are only highlighted if there is a particular feature to be explored. In the interests of lack of clutter, not all reference numerals are duplicated between views, even if those features are present in the views.

Example 1

With reference to Fig. 1, a trampoline, generally indicated as 100, has a rigid peripheral supporting frame 110 and 6 U shaped supporting legs 120 mounted to the supporting frame 110 that support the trampoline above underlying ground, generally indicated as 130.

A jumping mat 140 is attached to the frame under tension using a plurality of helical spring couplings 150 (only a sample are individually identified by reference numeral in the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter).

Padding, generally indicated as 160, consists of a plurality of padding abutting padding segments 170 (only a sample are individually identified by reference numeral in the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter). Each padding segment 170 is composed of a resiliently deformable foam inside a hard wearing waterproof cover (not separately shown).

An enclosure, generally indicated as 180, is made up of a number of components:

a) a series of foam-clad upright supporting poles 190 that are mounted near their bottom end to the supporting legs 120 by a U-clamp(not shown) b) an enclosure net 200; and c) a supporting top ring 210.

The net 200 is attached to the supporting top ring 210 and the

supporting top ring 210 is mounted to the top of the series of

supporting poles 190. The net 200 is also attached to the

series of supporting poles 190 using netting straps 210 (only

a sample are individually identified by reference numeral in

the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter).

The netting straps 210 are pre-sewn into the net 200. The

straps 210 attach to the supporting poles 190 by complementary

hook and loop strips (not shown) on opposing surfaces of the

straps 210.

The net also has reinforcing 230 sewn onto it at near its

bottom end.

The net is installed with its bottom end adjacent to the

jumping mat 140 periphery (not shown). This is described in

more detail below.

The padding 160 is installed by joining the padding segments

170 together and laying the resulting structure on top of the

spring couplings 150 between the net 200 and supporting poles

190 as shown by the arrows.

With reference to Fig. 2, the padding 160 is formed by joining

padding segments 170 together at their abutting edges 240 and

250. Abutting edge 240 has a flap of material 260 (joining

strip) with a strip of hook material 270 on its operatively

underside and a strip of loop material 280 complementary to

the strip hook material is provided on the operatively upper

side of the padding segment 170 proximal the abutting edge

250.

In use, the abutting edges 240 and 250 are aligned and placed

in contact. The flap of material 260 is pressed down such that

the strip of hook material 270 aligns with and engages with the strip of loop material 280 to bind the padding segments

170 together.

With reference to Fig. 3, the padding 160 is shown partially

assembled. The padding segments 170 are shown on the right

hand side with their top sides showing 300 and with their

undersides 310 showing on the left hand side.

The flap of material 260 on each padding segment 170 is shown

on the right hand side such that it partially overlaps its

adjacent padding segment 170, except where there is no

adjacent padding segment.

Only one flap of material 260 is visible on the padding

segments 170 on the left hand side because the others are

hidden from view. This also reveals the strip of hook material

270 on the underside of flap 260 that interacts, in use, with

its complementary strip of loop material 280 to bind the

padding segments 170 together.

Each padding segment has an overhang flap 330 that, in use,

hangs over the outer edge of the trampoline peripheral

supporting frame (110 in Fig. 1).

Each padding segment 170 has two evenly spaced padding tabs

320 in its operatively inner surface and two pairs of padding

peripheral frame attachment strips 340 sewn on its operatively

underside outer surface proximal the overhang flap.

Each pair of peripheral frame attachment strips 340 have a

hook strip 350 and a complementary loop strip 360.

Only a sample of reference numerals 170, 260, 270, 280, 320,

330, 340, 350 and 360 are used to identify features in the

figure in the interests of avoiding clutter. However, it will

be clear to an art-skilled worker which other features have the appropriate reference numerals, especially as the padding segments 170 are identical and repeated.

With reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 7, these figures represent a

progression for the installation of a pad into a trampoline of

Fig. 1.

A trampoline is installed in the traditional way, whereby each

of a plurality of triangular metal loops (also known as V

loops) 400 is pre-assembled to be held in a loop of material

410 that is sewn onto the jumping mat 140 near its periphery

430.

The net 200 has slots 390 formed in it that permit each of the

triangular metal loops 400 to pass through the slots.

In use, each of the triangular metal loops 400 is passed

through the net at its complementary slot 390. Then, each of

the plurality of spring couplings 150 is hooked onto a

triangular metal loop 400. Each spring coupling 150 is

tensioned using a tensioner (not shown) and the opposite side

of the spring coupling 150 is hooked into an aperture 420

formed in the peripheral supporting frame.

To assemble the padding, a plurality of padding segments 170

are joined at their abutting edges 240 and 250 as described

with reference to Fig. 2 (above).

The padding is rotated so its normally uppermost face is

abutting against the net 200. The padding tab 320 is placed

above and horizontally aligned with a triangular metal loop

400.

With reference to Fig. 5, the spring coupling 150 is released

using a tensioning device (not shown), the triangular metal

loop 400 is passed through the aperture 440 in the tab 320.

With reference to Fig. 6, the detached spring coupling 150 is

reattached using a tensioning device (not shown).

With reference to Fig. 7, once all of the padding tabs 320

have been secured in place by triangular metal loop 400 and

spring couplings 150, the pad is rotated to cover the spring

couplings 150.

With reference to Fig. 8, peripheral frame attachment hook

strip 350 is passed around the frame 110 and secured to its

complementary loop strip 360.

Example 2

With reference to Fig. 9, an alternative example is shown. The

same reference numerals are used for features common to

Example 1.

A trampoline (full trampoline not shown) is installed in the

traditional way, whereby each of a plurality of triangular

metal loops (also known as V-loops) 400 is pre-assembled to be

held in a loop of material 410 that is sewn onto a jumping mat

140 near its periphery 430.

A net 200 has slots 390 formed in it that permit each of the

triangular metal loops 400 to pass through the slots.

The net 200 is divided into an upper net portion 500 and a

detachable lower net portion 510, separated by circumextending

zip closure 520.

In use, the lower net portion 510 is detached from upper net

portion 500 by unzipping the zip closure 520. Each of the

triangular metal loops 400 is passed through the net at its

complementary slot 390 in the lower net portion 510.

To assemble padding, a plurality of padding segments 170

(shown as cut-away to expose the zip closure 520 behind) are

joined as described with reference to Fig. 2 (above).

The padding is rotated so its normally uppermost face is

abutting against the net 200. A padding tab 320 is placed

above and horizontally aligned with a triangular metal loop

400.

The triangular metal loop 400 is passed through the aperture

440 in the tab 320.

Each of the plurality of spring couplings 150 is hooked onto a

triangular metal loop 400. Each spring coupling 150 is

tensioned using a tensioner (not shown) and the opposite side

of the spring coupling 150 is hooked into an aperture 420

formed in the peripheral supporting frame.

Once all of the padding tabs 320 have been secured in place by

triangular metal loop 400 and spring couplings 150, the pad is

rotated to cover the spring couplings 150.

The lower net portion 510 is reattached to the upper net

portion 500 by zipping up the zip closure 520.

As shown in Fig. 8, peripheral frame attachment hook strip

(not shown) is passed around the frame 110 and secured to its

complementary loop strip (not shown).

It will be appreciated by art-skilled workers that

modifications can be made to the embodiments of the invention

without departing from the scope of the invention.

It will be appreciated that the invention broadly consists in

the parts, elements and features described in this

specification, which when compared to prior art relating to the field, should serve to illustrate the novelty of the invention described herein.

What we claim is:

1. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

including at least the following steps:

a) provide a trampoline with a peripheral support

frame, the frame having a plurality of spring

coupling attachment formations;

b) provide a jumping mat having a plurality of

attachment formations that for each of a subset of

attachment formations have a corresponding one of

the plurality of spring attachment formations on the

support frame;

c) provide padding with a plurality of connecting

formations wherein each of the plurality of

connecting formations is associated with a

corresponding attachment formation selected from

said plurality of connector attachment formations on

the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation,

in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding

attachment formation;

d) connect each of the plurality of connecting

formations on the padding with said corresponding

attachment formation on the jumping mat;

e) provide a trampoline enclosure having a net

supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a

net mounted to the net supporting structure having a

plurality of connecting formations at or near

operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of

the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; f) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) provide a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) attach the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) attach the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat.

2.A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 1, wherein a majority of each of said

plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its

connection the one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the

plurality of spring couplings.

3. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of

connecting formations on the net shares its connection

the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

4. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 1, wherein a majority of each of said

plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares

its connection with one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the

plurality of spring couplings.

5. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of

connecting formations on the padding shares its

connection with one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the

plurality of spring couplings.

6. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of

connecting formations on the padding shares its

connection on one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of said

plurality of connecting formations on the net and one the

plurality of spring couplings.

7. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of

connecting formations on the padding is an aperture

formed in a strip of material.

8. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strip of material is

large enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed

in it.

9. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding

as claimed in claim 7, wherein it is a tab of material

with a single said aperture.

10. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein

the padding is formed by combining a plurality of

abutting padding segments.

11. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 10, wherein each padding

segment provided with a joining strip of material that,

in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation

on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in

place.

12. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 11, wherein the joining strip

is provided with a hook or loop strip with a

complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary

receiving formation.

13. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 11, wherein attaching the

first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings

to one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment

formations on the jumping mat prevents removal of any

connecting formation on the net or the padding connected

to said one of said plurality of spring coupling

attachment formations on the jumping mat.

14. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein each of the plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat is a metal loop.

15. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 14, wherein the metal loop is

a triangular metal loop attached to the periphery of the

jumping mat by a loop of material.

16. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plurality of

connecting formations on the padding are apertures in the

padding, each in the form of a slot that permits

insertion of said triangular metal loop through it.

17. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein

the padding includes a peripheral support frame

attachment formation.

18. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 17, wherein the peripheral

frame attachment formation is a loop of retaining

material that, in use, passes around the peripheral

support frame.

19. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 18, wherein the loop of

retaining material is a pair of strips of material

located on the operatively underside of the padding

surface proximal the peripheral support frame and sewn in

place on the padding that have, which pair of strips of

material have complementary hook and loop regions that,

in use, retain the two strips together to form a closed

loop around the peripheral support frame.

20. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein

the said plurality of connecting formations on the net

are mounted on a detachable portion of the net that is

detachable from the rest of the net.

21. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 20, wherein the detachable

portion is attached to the rest of the net by way of

attachment formations.

22. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 21, wherein, attachment

formations are at least one zip closure.

23. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding including at least the following:

a) a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the

frame having a plurality of spring coupling

attachment formations;

b) a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment

formations that for each of a subset of attachment

formations have a corresponding one of the

plurality of spring attachment formations on the

support frame;

c) padding with a plurality of connecting formations

wherein each of the plurality of connecting

formations is associated with a corresponding

attachment formation selected from said plurality

of connector attachment formations on the jumping

mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding attachment formation; d) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; e) a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to the net supporting structure having a plurality of connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; f) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) wherein the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat.

24. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein a majority of

each of said plurality of connecting formations on the

net shares its connection the one of said plurality of

connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with

one of the plurality of spring couplings.

25. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said

plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its

connection the one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the

plurality of spring couplings.

26. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein a majority of

each of said plurality of connecting formations on the

padding shares its connection with one of said plurality

of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat

with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

27. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 26, wherein each of said

plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares

its connection with one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the

plurality of spring couplings.

28. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein each of said

plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares

its connection on one of said plurality of connector

attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of said

plurality of connecting formations on the net and one the

plurality of spring couplings.

29. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein each of the

plurality of connecting formations on the padding is an

aperture formed in a strip of material.

30. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 29, wherein the strip of

material is large enough to have a plurality of said

apertures formed in it.

31. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 29, wherein it is a tab of

material with a single said aperture.

32. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 31, wherein

the padding is formed by combining a plurality of

abutting padding segments.

33. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 32, wherein each padding

segment provided with a joining strip of material that,

in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation

on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in

place.

34. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 33, wherein the joining strip

is provided with a hook or loop strip with a

complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary

receiving formation.

35. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 33, wherein attaching the

first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings

to one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment

formations on the jumping mat prevents removal of any

connecting formation on the net or the padding connected

to said one of said plurality of spring coupling

attachment formations on the jumping mat.

36. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 35, wherein

each of the plurality of spring coupling attachment

formations on the jumping mat is a metal loop.

37. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 36, wherein the metal loop is

a triangular metal loop attached to the periphery of the

jumping mat by a loop of material.

38. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 37, wherein the plurality of

connecting formations on the padding are apertures in the

padding, each in the form of a slot that permits

insertion of said triangular metal loop through it.

39. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 38, wherein the padding includes a peripheral support frame attachment formation.

40. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 39, wherein the peripheral

frame attachment formation is a loop of retaining

material that, in use, passes around the peripheral

support frame.

41. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 40, wherein the loop of

retaining material is a pair of strips of material

located on the operatively underside of the padding

surface proximal the peripheral support frame and sewn in

place on the padding that have, which pair of strips of

material have complementary hook and loop regions that,

in use, retain the two strips together to form a closed

loop around the peripheral support frame.

42. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 41, wherein

the said plurality of connecting formations on the net

are mounted on a detachable portion of the net that is

detachable from the rest of the net.

43. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 42, wherein the detachable

portion is attached to the rest of the net by way of

attachment formations.

44. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline

padding as claimed in claim 43, wherein, attachment

formations are at least one zip closure.

Claims

45. A trampoline padding including at least the

following:

c) a resiliently deformable padding body with a

jumping mat edge and a peripheral frame edge, an

operatively upper surface and an underside; and

d) a plurality of connecting formations located

proximal or on the jumping mat edge.

46. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 45, wherein

the plurality of connecting formations are substantially

evenly spaced from one another proximal or on the jumping

mat edge.

47. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 45 or claim

46, wherein each of the plurality of connecting

formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a

strip of material.

48. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 47, wherein

the strip of material is large enough to have a plurality

of said apertures formed in it.

49. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 47, wherein

the strip of material is a tab of material with a single

aperture.

50. A trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims

45 to 49, wherein the padding is formed by combining a

plurality of abutting padding segments.

51. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 50,

wherein, each padding segment is provided with a joining strip of material that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place.

52. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 51, wherein

the joining strip is provided with a hook or loop strip

with a complementary loop or hook strip on the

complementary receiving formation.

53. A trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims

50 to 52, wherein the plurality of abutting padding

segments, when combined, form a generally closed polygon

or ring shape.

54. A trampoline when assembled using a system as

claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22.

1/8

190 210 100 190

190 180 220 220 200 270 170 160 190 260 220 230 240 170 250 160 280 170 Fig. 2 150 150 110 150 120 140 170 120 120 120 120 130 120

Fig. 1

2/8

310 170

260 160

320 360 270 260 320 350 340 280 170

260 340 300

330 170

Fig. 3

140 250 240 3/8 440

170 320 170

140

430 200 400 410 390 410 150 400 390 390 400 150 410

110

150 420 Fig. 4

4/8 170

440

320 140

410

150

430 200

390

400 410 400 150 Fig. 5

5/8

170

320 140 440

400

430

400

410 150 150 410 Fig. 6

140 6/8

170 170

410 410 320 410

400 200

400

110

420 150 400 150 440 150

Fig. 7

7/8 170 150 150 170

350 200

440

360 410 110 140

150

430 410 320 400 Fig. 8

140 8/8

500

520 510

410 170

430 320 390 200 400 400 150 410

150

110 440 420 390 400 150 Fig. 9