[0001] The invention concerns series of tracks which.can form a complete minigolf installation,
comprising multiple layers of fiber-glass compact polyurethane, or other synthetic
material, put in place by casting or injection, with an uncovered or elastomer-covered
sliding plane.
[0002] It is known that minigolf installation are currently built by forming the various
tracks on site with cement or by prefabricating the elements with cement and then
putting them in place on site.
[0003] It is obvious that the cost of producing the cement tracks of either type is very
high. Furthermore, trasporting the prefabricted elements is difficult due to their
great weight.
[0004] Moreover, the cement tracks are subject to continuous thermal variations from day
to night and are exposed to atmospheric agents, with the result that they crack frequently
and require continuous maintenance, if not replacement.
[0005] The aim of this invention is to realize a minigolf game park with prefabricated elements
which are portable, lightweight, and readily assembled and disassembled.
[0006] This aim is achieved with a series of elements comprising multiple layers of fiber-glass
covered on the upper outer layer with gelcoat, with sliding planes either uncovered
or covered with elastomers like polyurethane, synthetic rubber or the like, or even
covered with carpet.
[0007] The elements may also be made of compact polyurethane or other synthetic material,
put in place by casting and by injection.
[0008] All the tracks, although differing in specific shapes, have a common structure comprising
several homogeneous layers of biber-glass, -compact polyurethane, or ohher synthetic
material put in place on site by casting or by injection, to form a corridor equipped
at the beginning with a sheet with the starting point and along its length with various
obstacles placed in the plane and above it, and connected to the circular, triangular
or polygonal arrival area, characterized by a width preferably double that of the
corridor.
[0009] A further characteristic of the invention consists of the fact that the tracks are
put in place with preferably galvanized bolts (anchors) sunk dufing construction in
the application base, consisting of a smooth and levelled layer of plane or sand concrete,
and able to be inserted in suitable openings arranged as needed on the outer edges
of the track; hard plastic nuts are screwed onto the bolts to allow rapid assembly
of the various elements and eventual disassembly at the end of the season.
[0010] Some purely exemplifying but preferred embodiments of the invention are presented
in the attached drawings, which shew:
- figure 1, an axonometric cu:away showing the layers forming each track;
- figure 2, an axon&metric view of the transverse cutaway of the corridor in every
track;
- figure 3, an axonometric explosion of--a bolt (anchor) in place;
- figure 4, flat and side views of various shaped possible tracks or elements.
[0011] The figures show in detail the overlying layers 1 of fiber-glass with upper layer
of gel-coat 2 forming the flat sliding plane, with outlets 3 for rain water drainage,
and also forming the side edges 4 of each track corridor, covered with the layer 5
of elastomer such as polyurethane, synthetic rubber or of carpet, with side openings
5A for the bolts (anchors), consisting of galvanized pin P and dowel T, fixed by menas
of nuts D
1 and D
2.
[0012] of course the edges may be formed in a different way.
[0013] The several tracks of various shape indicated with the letters A, B, C, D, E, F;
G, H, I, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T and schematized in figure 4 all show the corridor
with started 6, preferably made of a small alluminum sheet with the starting point
indicated, and the circular 7, or triangular 8 arrival area (or any other shape),
with a width preferably more than double that of the corridor with the hole at the
end.
[0014] In particular, according to the invention, track A presents planimetric obstacles
9 triangular in structure, track C presents cylindrical and/or polygonal planimetric
obstacles 10, track E has narrowings 11, track I has the diamond-shaped obstacle 12,
and track O progressively narrows telescopically 13.
[0015] With regard to the obstacles,placed in the corridor in an altimetric sense, track
B presents a rise with central depression 14, F has a rise with vertical pit 15, G
has the rise 16 plus the inclined arrival are 17, H has planar vertical canalization
18 in parallel to the axis of the corridor, L has swelling 19, N has a rise with descending
steps 20, Q has a bulRhead as portions of cylindrical surface 21 extending upward
R has a rise with another central obstacle 22, S has an up ramp with basket 23 in
the separate circular area 25, and T has the final complete ramp 26.
[0016] IH some structural variants of the tracks, the corridor is not aligned with the midpoint
of the arrival area, as in track D with the corridor 27 in a bent line and the arrival
area 28 in a spiral. In M and P, the corridor has a double right angle bend 29, and
eventual intermediate obstacle 30.
[0017] With regard to the dimension of the tracks in the examples, these are preferably:

[0018] The elements are relatively .lightweight because of the reduced weight of their constituent
materials.
[0019] Of couree, while the principle of the finding remains the same, the forms of realization
and the details of construction may be widely varied with respect to that described
and illustrated here, without going beyond the bounds of the present invention.
1. Minigolf installation with assemblable and disassembable elements characterized
by the fact that said elements are prefabricated with multiple layers 1 of fiber-glass,
with an upper layer of gelcoat 2, in a single block forming the side edges 4 of the
corridor, covered by a layer 5 of elastomers and connected to an arrival area 7 double
the width of the corridor and are applied by means of bolts sunk in a smoothed base
of plane or sand concrete, inserted in suitable openings and blocked with hard plastic
nuts.
2. Minigolf installation according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the elements
are .prefabricated in polyurethane or analogous synthetic material, put in place by
injection or casting.
3. Minigolf installation according bo claim 1 characterized by the fact that the edges,
formed as small railings, do not form a single body with the corridor but are added
later.
4. Minigolf installation according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the bolts,
(anchors) inserted in lateral openings 5A in edges 4, consist of galvanized pin P
and T and are fixed by means of nuts D1 and D2.
5. Minigolf installation according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the layer
5 is carpet.
6. Minigolf installation according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the sliding
plane is left uncovered.
7. Minigolf installation according to the preceding claims characterized by the presence
of outlets in the base of the sliding plane for drainage of rain water.
8. Minigolf installation according to the preceding claims characterized by the fact
that the tracks have planimetric obstacles 9; 10, 11, 12, 13, with triangular, cylindrical
or polygonal structures, narrowings, or progressive narrowings.
9. Minigolf installation according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 characterized by the fact
that the tracks present altimetric obstacles in the corridor 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 as rises, pits, ramps, canalized guides, vertical extensions.
10. Minigolf installation according to claim 1, 2, 3 and 4 characterized by the fact
that the tracks have the corridor 27, 29 not aligned with the midpoint of the arrival
area.