EP1609509B1

EP1609509B1 - Modular foam implement

Info

Publication number: EP1609509B1
Application number: EP05013314A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Preben Ebsen
Original assignee: PE REDSKABER AS
Current assignee: PE REDSKABER AS
Priority date: 2004-06-25
Filing date: 2005-06-21
Publication date: 2008-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2025-06-21
Also published as: DK1609509T3; ATE403471T1; DE602005008670D1; EP1609509A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a modular foam implement consisting of at least two combined foam modules, consisting of at least one wedge-shaped foam module, and where the foam modules contain fastening means. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple system for making foam implements from a number of smaller foamed modules, so that the greatest possible flexibility is achieved with regard to designing and storing and handling of such implements. This may be achieved if the foam implement contains at least two wedge-shaped foam modules, where at least two wedge-shaped foam modules interact with other foam modules for forming at least one continuous inclining surface, where the foam modules interact with each other so that combined they constitute a foam implement. <IMAGE>

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a foam implement that may be used in connection with physical exercises and play, where the foam implement contains at least two wedge-shaped foam modules, where at least two wedge-shaped foam modules interact with other foam modules for forming at least one continuous inclining surface, where the foam modules interact with each other so that combined they constitute a foam implement.

Description of Prior Art

Foamed implements are often used in gymnastics, where they are used as landing mattresses or the like.
US 4,802,249 describes a joinable insert for a bed for use in e.g. hospitals, where a wedge may be disposed under a patient's head, while another wedge may be placed under the patient's legs. Between the two wedges, a flat connecting element is provided, causing that the two wedges can be disposed with different spacing.
Also, the patent describes that the three mentioned components may be collapsed and placed in a trunk.
US 5,964,634 discloses a toy set consisting of modular building elements made of a flexible foam material, where the joining between plane surfaces is effected by means of e.g. Velcro®.
US 2004/0079297 discloses a staircase that may be used for e.g. dogs which, maybe because of age, have difficulty in jumping up on furniture. The staircase is formed by foam modules that are fastened to each other by means of Velcro®.
The above mentioned documents describe technical solutions from other technical areas.
AT 400001 discloses a pillow-like springboard, which is provided with a rigid spring plate at the top side and a rigid bearing plate at the underside. Between the two plates is provided a spring unit consisting of wood or carbon. Between the spring plate and the bearing plate there is provided a wedgeshaped or quadratic core made of a resilient foam material with open pores.
Using rigid components in exercise implements is disadvantageous in that gymnasts may be injured if they fail a jump and hit one of the rigid or solid components.
As documentation within the art, there is DK utility model publication DK 2002 00323 U3 that describes a foam implement for gymnastics and play. The invention concerns the combination of two foam parts, of which one part is entirely wedge-shaped, and the other part partially wedge-shaped. The two foam parts may be used as independent implements or may be assembled into one implement. One part is formed as a small wedge, whereas the other is formed as a rectangular mattress extended at one end with a wedge-shaped part. The two foam parts may be assembled into a landing mat or a large wedge. The invention in question provides many opportunities for set-ups with fewer implements that require less space for storage.
US 4,905,330 concerns five cushion pieces pivotally interconnected to provide multiple furniture and exercise pieces. A pair of wedge-shaped pieces are pivotally interconnected to a rectangular piece for pivoting about a common axis. A pair of half size rectangular pieces are pivotally interconnected to each other with one of the pieces being pivotally connected to the rectangular piece at an edge diagonally opposite the pivotal connection of the rectangular piece to the two wedge pieces.
DE8528264U1 concerns cubic or triangular bodies, which bodies are hollow but made of a foamed material where the outer side of the cubic or triangular bodies are provided with a Velcro fastening system.
DE29609784U1 concerns elements for making a toy house. These toy elements are formed as squares or triangles, and they are provided with fastening materials on some surfaces.
US4253661 concerns thick, resilient flexible pad with a sloped top surface and sloped sides provides for safe, non-jarring leg exercises involving running squatting squat-running, leg joint pivoting, balance and the like.
One of the limitations of the above mentioned invention is that it is not well suited for extension in height, as for example by constructing a higher landing wedge. Furthermore, the number of possible combinations is limited. A further limitation by the invention is that the large wedge takes up relatively much space in connection with transport and storage. Furthermore, the large wedge may be difficult and cumbersome to handle in connection with transport.

Brief description of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple system for making foam implements from a number of smaller foamed modules, so that the greatest possible flexibility is achieved with regard to designing, storing and handling of such implements.
This may be achieved if the fastening means releasably connect the foam modules in a first operational situation, and the fastening means are released when the foam modules are stored.
Hereby is achieved a flexible system with the possibility of building up foam implements in many different ways while simultaneously they may be packed and transported efficiently. The invention further provides possibility of building and assembling a foam implement by means of only one kind of foam module, reducing the number of different single implements that typically form part of a set-up used in connection with gymnastic exercises or a show.
In a possible embodiment of the invention, the foam modules may have one or more differing surface materials. Hereby is achieved that the foam core may be coated with different types of fabric, tarpaulin or other suited material. The underside of the foam modules may advantageously be equipped with a skid proof layer, reducing the displacement sometimes occurring in connection with application on gym floors etc.
The foam modules may advantageously contain one or more foam types. Hereby is achieved that the foam modules may be constructed with a very definite hardness, weight or yieldability. It is thus possible to construct an implement which is adapted to various disciplines, as e.g. jumping exercises, where a good and efficient take-off is necessary. It is also a possibility to combine different foam modules with each their properties into an assembled foam implement.
In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the foam modules is equipped with a shock-absorbing top side. This shock-absorbing top side may be implemented by means of a layer with hard foam material or the like. Such a surface will be particularly suited in connection with jumping exercises, where the surface contributes to providing a better and more efficient take-off, or maybe reduce the physical loads occurring in connection with a landing.
In an embodiment of the invention, some of the foam modules are fitted with fastening devices. Hereby is achieved that the foam modules can be combined into an assembled implement which, in spite of the loads, remains together as a unit. The fastening devices may e.g. be VELCRO® or similar material.

Short Description of the Drawings

The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where:

Fig. 1: shows an example of a cross-section of a single wedge-shaped foam module;
Fig. 2: shows a perspective view of the wedge-shaped foam module;
Fig. 3: shows a landing wedge built up of four modules;
Fig. 4: shows a landing wedge built up of four modules in perspective view;

Fig. 5: shows the principle of the construction of a landing wedge consisting of four foam modules;
Fig. 6: shows an example of a large landing wedge constructed of nine foam modules;
Fig. 7: shows a landing wedge consisting of three foam modules;
Fig. 8: shows a landing wedge consisting of four foam modules, of which two are wedge-shaped; and
Fig.9: shows a landing wedge consisting of four foam modules, where the inclination of the landing wedge is not uniform.

Detailed Description of the Invention

On Fig. 1 is seen a cross-section of a landing wedge 10 consisting of a foam core 13, a shock-absorbing plate 12 and a fastening device 14 sewn thereon. The foam core 13 may consist of one or more different foam materials with properties as e.g. yieldability or weight. The fastening device 14 can be made of VELCRO® which is typically sewn onto the module at one or more of its sides.
Fig. 2 shows the wedge-shaped foam module 20 in perspective view, containing a shock-absorbing plate 22. The shock-absorbing plate 22 is disposed at the top side of the wedge-shaped foam module 20, and may e.g. be made of a harder foam material than the foam core, in order to make the foam implement more firm in the surface. Hereby is obtained a suitable and gentle landing zone for gymnasts. The core of the foam module may be coated with a surface 25 of tarpaulin or fabric which is hard-wearing and easy to clean.
Fig. 3 shows an example of the invention in the form of a landing wedge containing four wedge-shaped foam modules 31, 32, 33, 34, all having the same shape. The foam modules are held together by fastening devices so that they do not separate by loading.
Fig. 4 shows a landing wedge 45 in perspective view, which is built up of four wedge-shaped foam modules 41, 42, 43, 44, where the landing zone on the foam module 41 contains a shock-absorbing plate 46. The foam modules 41, 42, 43, 44 have identical shape, but they do not necessarily have the same surface or foam core. In that way it is possible to combine and assemble foam modules with different properties into one implement having one or more properties. Also, it is not necessary to dispose the fastening devices in the same way on all the foam modules 41, 42, 43, 44. The fastening devices may also be straps.
On Fig. 5 is seen the construction of a landing wedge in principle, consisting of four foam modules 51, 52, 53, 54 which are held together by fastening devices 55, 56, 57, 58. The fastening devices 55, 56, 57, 58 may e.g. be VELCRO® or similar sewn thereon which is mounted on suitable sides of the foam modules 51, 52, 53, 54. In order to make the drawing as simple as possible, only four fastening devices are shown.
Fig. 6 shows an example of a large landing wedge 60 built up of nine foam modules, all having identical shape. The invention enables construction of implements that are adapted to various heights.
Fig. 7 shows a foam implement 70 which is built up of three foam modules, of which two foam modules are wedge-shaped 71, 72, and one foam module is box-shaped 73. The Figure illustrates the possibility of building up a foam implement consisting of at least two wedge-shaped foam modules that interact with other non-wedged foam modules.
Fig. 8 shows a foam implement 80 which is built up of four foam modules, of which two foam modules are wedge-shaped 81, 82, and two foam modules are box-shaped 83, 84.
Fig. 9 shows a foam implement 90 which is built up of four foam modules, of which two foam modules are wedge-shaped 91, 92, one is box-shaped 94, and one is trapezoidal 93. The foam module 93 is trapezoidal as seen from the side, but has physical shape as a frustum of a pyramid. The invention enables that the inclination of the inclining surface does not need to be the same, which is shown on the Figure, by the foam modules 92 and 93 not having the same inclination as the foam module 91.

Claims

Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) consisting of:
- at least two combined foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43, 44,51,52,53,54, 71,72,73, 81,82,83,84,9,92,93,94);

- at least two interacting wedge-shaped foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53, 54,71,72,81,82,91,92);

- where the at least two wedge-shaped foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53, 54,71,72,81,82,91,92) interact with other foam modules (73,83,8493,94) for forming at least one continuously inclining surface (30,45,50,60,70,80,90);

- where the foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53,54,71,72,73,81, 82,83,84,91,92,93,94) interact mutually for forming a foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90),
- the foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53,54,71,72,73,81,82,83,84, 91,92,93,94) containing fastening means (12,22,55,SG,57,58) for fastening the foam modules to each other; characterised in that

- the fastening means releasably connect the foam modules during a first operation situation,

- the fastening means are released when the foam modules are stored.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1, characterised in that the foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53, 54,71,72,73,81,82,83,84,91,92,93,94) comprise a skid proof layer on the underside.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1 - 2, characterised in that at least one of the foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53, 54,71,72,73,81,82,83,84,91,92,93,94) consist of a foam core with more than one foam material (13), the foam materials differing in hardness, yieldability or weight.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1 -3, characterised in that at least one of the foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53, 54,71,72,73,81,82,83,84,91,92,93,94) is equipped with a shock-absorbing side (22, 46).
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 4, characterised in that the shock-absorbing side (12, 22, 46) is implemented by means of a hard top layer foam material.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1 - 5, characterised in that the foam modules (10,20,31,32,33,34,41,42,43,44,51,52,53, 54,71,72,73,81,82,83,84,91,92,93,94) are fitted with Velcro® fasteners or straps as fastening devices (12,22,55,56,57,58) on some of the sides.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1 - 6, characterised in that the foam module consists of two wedge shaped modules and one or two box shaped modules.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1 - 6, characterised in that the implement consists of two wedge shaped modules and one box shaped module, wherein all three modules are coated with a tarpaulin material and comprise Velcro® fasteners thereon for fastening the modules to each other, wherein at least one of the wedge shaped modules has a shock absorbing top side made of a harder foam material than the foam core.
Modular foam implement (30,45,50,60,70,80,90) according to claim 1 - 6, characterised in that the implement comprises four wedge shaped foam modules that are identical in shape but have different foam cores to achieve different properties. 10 Use of a modular foam implement according to any preceding claim as a landing wedge in jumping exercises.