Patent US5330400A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5330400A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Climbing and play structure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-04-22
•
Granted: 1994-07-19
•
Expires: 2013-04-22
Abstract
Abstract A climbing and play structure having an external rigid polyhedral support structure constructed of rigid compressive members, which acts as an exterior support for a network of primary and secondary tensile members, such as rope-like materials and flexible planar surfaces which may be within and on the surface of the structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph G. Huberman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B9/00; A63B2009/004; A63B2208/00; A63B2208/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A climbing and play structure, (a) a support surface on which said climbing and play structure is placed; (b) an outer rigid support structure comprising sloping compressive beams and having lower vertices between said sloping compressive beams and said support surface, and an upper vertex formed where the upper ends of at least three sloping compressive beams slope toward a single point and are joined to each other, said outer rigid support structure forming a polyhedral shape; (c) a primary inner network comprising primary tensile members roughly paralleling said sloping compressive beams and said support surface, each of said primary tensile members being connected to other tensile members at the interior of said vertices, wherein at least three primary tensile members are connected to each other at the interior of said upper vertex, said primary inner network forming faces along sides of said network between said primary tensile members; and (d) a secondary inner network comprising secondary tensile members forming a pattern on one or more of said faces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
A climbing and play structure, (a) a support surface on which said climbing and play structure is placed; (b) an outer rigid support structure comprising sloping compressive beams and having lower vertices between said sloping compressive beams and said support surface, and an upper vertex formed where the upper ends of at least three sloping compressive beams slope toward a single point and are joined to each other, said outer rigid support structure forming a polyhedral shape; (c) a primary inner network comprising primary tensile members roughly paralleling said sloping compressive beams and said support surface, each of said primary tensile members being connected to other tensile members at the interior of said vertices, wherein at least three primary tensile members are connected to each other at the interior of said upper vertex, said primary inner network forming faces along sides of said network between said primary tensile members; and (d) a secondary inner network comprising secondary tensile members forming a pattern on one or more of said faces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, further comprising horizontal compressive beams extending along said support surface between said sloping compressive beams.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 2, wherein said horizontal compressive beams are covered with a resilient material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible planar surface attached to said sloping compressive beams.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, wherein said support surface is an outside earth surface, and said sloping compressive beams are anchored to the earth surface so that the sloping compressive beams extend into the earth.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, further comprising a load-bearing flexible planar surface within said primary inner network having corners which are attached to said tensile members so that said flexible planar surface is suspended beneath said upper vertex.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 7, wherein said flexible planar surface has peripherally attached webbing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 6, wherein webbing is attached to said flexible planar surface between points on said flexible planar surface where said flexible planar surface is attached to said tensile members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, wherein said polyhedral shape is a tetrahedron.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, wherein said secondary liner network forms a pattern selected from the group consisting of a spider web pattern, consisting essentially of concentric polygons with radial spokes emanating from the central polygon, and an arch pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 1, wherein said structure is attached to a second climbing and play structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 11, wherein said structures are attached by means of an upper horizontal beam extending between upper vertices of said structures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 11, wherein said structures are attached by means of a slide or bridge extending between tensile members of said structure and said second structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 13, wherein said slide or bridge is a flexible planar surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A climbing and play structure according to claim 13, wherein said bridge is a rope structure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2843379A
Cited
US3008711A
Cited
DE1812593A1
Cited
US3547435A
Cited
US3719358A
Cited
US3974611A
Cited
US3970301A
Cited
FR2310787A1
Cited
US4116433A
Cited
US4796884A
Cited
US5070665A
Cited
US5167595A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-07-18 | 1998-01-17 | 1998-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-07-18 | 2002-01-17 | 2002-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-07-18 | 2006-01-17 | 2006-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |