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(11) | EP 0 744 202 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | An improved structure for supporting a children's slide |
| (57) An improved structure to mount a children's slide. It consists of two hollow modular
parts (2) joined at one side to a third part (1) making up a truncated pyramid shaped
structure closed at the top by a third part (10) which forms a raised platform having
a non-slip surface, its front side communicating with a slide consisting of sections
(19) and (20). Parts (13) are connected to part (10), forming handrails. The invention is applicable to make up demountable structures for children to play. |
OBJECT
[0001] The object of the present invention is an improved structure to mount a children's slide which, in addition to the function for which it was designed, affords a number of advantages discussed hereinafter, and others that are inherent in its organisation and construction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The installation of structures of various kinds for children to play is a well-known practice in green areas, one of the most usual being slides that allow children to slide to the ground from a raised point. Presently known slides consist of a structure fixed to ground and made of various components rigidly-connected to one another by means of linking means such as bolts, nails, welding and the like, forming an assembly destined to remain where it is installed for an unlimited time that may not be taken apart or carried elsewhere, other than by skilled staff equipped with suitable tools therefor.
[0003] Structures of this kind, very suitable for parks or public playgrounds, are not adequate to be installed in the gardens of private houses because of the cost and complexity their installation entails, and furthermore the inconvenience derived from taking the installation apart whenever the entire surface of the garden needs to be disposed of for whatever reason.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The structure to mount a children's slide object of the present invention precisely solves the disadvantages of traditional structures that make up the prior art.
[0005] Broadly speaking, the subject structure consists of a plurality of parts made of a hard moulded material that includes interconnecting means obtained at the moulding stage proper, which means are used to mount the various components following a simple method that needs no tools nor any auxiliary linking elements to be used.
[0006] The main constituent parts of the structure subject of the invention are preferably nine, two of which are modular forming groups of two. Six of the parts, among these the modular parts aforesaid, form a sort of tower, consisting of two modular or twin sides, a top platform that is reached through a fourth part that provides cross members serving as staircase steps, and two modular parts forming safety handrails on either side of the platform.
[0007] The body of the slide or inclined plane proper consists of two sections assembled lengthwise, the top section being tied to the raised platform, together with the handrails, whereas the lower section is supported on the ground. Both sections are joined with the assistance of a frame-like part that has one of its cross members joined to the structure whereas the opposite cross member links said sections at an area lying at the midpoint of the slide.
[0008] As explained above, the parts are made of plastic material, which is lightweight in order for handling to be easy, has no sharp corners and rounded vertices. When taken apart, the parts may all be kept in a small space, thereby making storage easier and reducing sending costs.
[0009] The improved structure of the present invention provides the advantages described above as well as others that will follow easily from the embodiment described hereinafter in detail for an easy understanding of the features set out above, contemporaneously giving a number of details and attaching to the present specification, to such end, some drawings showing a practical example of the object of the present invention that is meant to illustrate and not to limit its scope.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Figure 1 shows the various parts altogether making up the structure, seen separately and in projection.
[0012] Figures 2 to 7 illustrate the successive mounting stages of the parts leading to children's slide being formed altogether.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0013] With reference to the drawings, the structure to mount a children's slide consists of a plurality of parts including means for their contingent connection, of which the parts with reference numbers -1- and -2- make up a sort of truncated pyramid shaped tower when assembled. Two of part number -2- are provided in order to form the two sides of said tower, whereas part -1- takes up a position adjacent to said parts. Parts -2- have openings -3- and -4- to alleviate their weight, save material and provide windows enabling the inside of the tower to be seen. The longitudinal sides of said parts -2- have holes -5- that are slotted outwardly and diametrically and provide female openings for male spigots -6- lying on the sides of part -1-, which include diametrically opposed expansions, shaped as the slots aforesaid, in order to allow their passage therethrough and on being turned over a certain angle to establish a tie linking part -1- to parts of type -2-, cooperating with semi-spherical spigots -7- on part -1- that are housed in purposely provided cavities -8- on the sides of parts -2-. Such parts -2- have quarter-spherical shaped elements -9- on their outer bottom portion, establishing stands on the ground.
[0014] The upper side of parts -2- is centrally provided with spigots of type -6- designed to be inserted through holes of type -5- existing in an oblong rectangular part -10- constituting the top base of the truncated pyramid shape tower, and serving as the raised platform where a child will be situated before travelling down the slide.
[0015] The part -10- aforesaid comprises an elevated area -11- defining a non-slip plane with quincunx-shaped reliefs. Elongated openings -12- are provided on either side of said elevated area for two modular parts -13- forming two handrails to be attached. The attachments consist of salients -14- having on their sides hook-like claws yielding resiliently as they pressed through the openings -12- and making up the connection between parts upon expanding.
[0016] Certain holes -5a- in parts -2- receive male spigots -6a- lying axially to the cross sector of a trapezium frame -15-, the opposite sector of which houses its ends -16- in perforated tabs -17- and -18-, respectively found in sections -19- and -20- integrating the slide proper, which it connects without any apparent discontinuity, forming a uniform undulated plane for the child to slide down. The lower section -19- is supported directly on the ground, whereas the top section -20- houses its edges -21- in open slots -22- of the front edge of the platform -10-.
[0017] The top ends of the sides of section -20- of the slide are provided with recesses -23- housing the lower front edges -24- of the handrail parts -13-, limited by incises -31-, its edges -24- being laterally provided with hook-like claws to establish a rigid connection on the slotted bottom of said recesses -23- that hold such handrails -13- in a functional position, combined with the fitting aforesaid, which consists of salients -14- and openings -12.
1. An improved structure to mount a children's slide, of the kind consisting of a plurality
of parts made of a moulded material, with blunt edges and vertices and being lightweight,
including means for the contingent connection of such parts, obtained at the moulding
stage proper, essentially characterised by consisting of two hollow flattened modular parts having an isosceles trapezium
contour (2), joined at one side to a third part (1) of equivalent contour taking up
a central orthogonal position in relation to the parts aforesaid, the latter being
held joined to the third central part through conjugated means provided therein and
comprising radially slotted female holes (5) and male spigots (6) with diametrically
opposed salients, combined with semi-spherical protuberances (7) and cavities (8)
to such end, establishing a tie by the resilience of the material, providing a contingent
link to form a truncated pyramid shaped tower, closed at the top by a fourth rectangular
part (10) making up a raised platform, with a non-slip surface (11), its front side
communicating with the slide proper, which consists of sections (19) and (20) and
the rear edge of which communicates with part (1), having oblong hollows defining
cross members (25) serving as staircase steps.
2. An improved structure to mount a children's slide, as in claim 1, characterised because the top platform (10) has open slots (22) on its front edge to house the
edges (21) of the longitudinal sides of the top section (20) making up the slide,
both of its sections having at their connecting area pairs of perforated tabs (17)
and (18) faced two by two, to establish two passages for the projecting ends (16)
of the base side of a trapezium shaped frame part (15), whose opposite side has similarly
projecting ends with male spigots (6a) designed to be housed and tied in holes (5a)
of the modular parts (2).
3. An improved structure to mount a children's slide, as in claims 1 and 2, characterised because the top ends of the longitudinal sides of section (20) making up the slide
has two recesses (23) to house salients (24) lying on the lower front edge of handrail
parts (13) which have on the lower rear edge further salients (14) resembling the
above, to be housed in elongated openings (12) of the platform (10), both salients
carrying hook-like claws to establish a snap fit due to the resilience of the material.