Playground equipment

• US 20090197740A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KOMPAN A/S (Cidron II A/S)
• Original Assignee: KOMPAN A/S (Cidron II A/S)
• Inventors: Stahl, Michael, Gronfeldt, Peter Christian Raaby, Julskjaer, Niels, Ibsen, Hans Jorgen Meyer, Laris, Michael Philip, Nguyen, Minh Thanh, Mueller, Karin
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2009/006 Playground structures
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 9/00 Climbing poles, frames, or stages climbing walls for mountaineering training A63B69/0048; endless loop ladders A63B22/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/007 involving water
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/02 with moving substructures
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A playground system includes a playground appliance and a processing unit. The processing unit is adapted to receive a sensor signal from the sensor indicative of the detected movement, and to control the display to indicate a user-selection responsive to the received sensor signal.

Claims

1. A playground system, comprising a playground appliance and a processing unit, wherein the playground appliance comprises:

a display operationally connected to the processing unit and adapted to display one or more user-selectable items;

a support structure for securing at least a part of the playground appliance to a surface;

a support member for supporting a user of the playground appliance, wherein the support member is movably arranged relative to the support structure responsive to a kinetic energy imparted by the user;

a sensor operationally connected to the processing unit and adapted to detect a movement of the support member;

and wherein the processing unit is adapted to receive a sensor signal from the sensor indicative of the detected movement, and to control the display to indicate a user-selection responsive to the received sensor signal.

2. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a platform on which the user can stand.

3. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is further adapted to detect a direction of the movement.

4. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is further adapted to detect a speed of the movement.

5. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is further adapted to detect a degree of displacement of the support member caused by the movement.

6. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the movement includes a tilt motion.

7. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the movement includes a rotation.

8. A playground system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to control the display to display one or more selectable items of a list of selectable items;

and to scroll through the list responsive to the detected sensor signal.

9. A playground system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more user-interface elements with each user-interface element being operationally connected to the processing unit, and the processing unit being adapted to control each of the user-interface elements, wherein the user-interface elements comprising:

a housing including a rear surface mountable on a playground appliance;

a front cover including a convex front surface having a centre axis defining a forward direction, the front surface comprising at least one light-emitting front surface part having a surface normal at an angle relative to the forward direction;

wherein said angle is larger than 30 degrees.

10. A user-interface element for playground equipment, the user-interface element comprising:

a housing including a rear surface mountable on a playground appliance;

a front cover including a convex front surface having a centre axis defining a forward direction, the front surface comprising at least one light-emitting front surface part having a surface normal at an angle relative to the forward direction;

wherein said angle is larger than 30 degrees.

11. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein said angle is no smaller than 40 degrees, preferably no smaller than 45 degrees.

12. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein the user-interface element comprises a user-operatable input device for receiving a user input.

13. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein the input device comprises an actuator member defining a principle direction of actuation along the forward direction.

14. A user-interface element according to claims 10, comprising a light source and a light guide adapted to direct light emitted by the light source through the light-emitting surface part.

15. A user-interface element according to claim 14, wherein the light guide is adapted to scatter the light so as to provide a diffuse light emission from the light-emitting surface part.

16. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein the convex front surface is a spheroidal or spherical dome.

17. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein the front surface comprises a plurality of elongated light-emitting surface parts each having a proximal end portion, proximal to a centre axis of the convex surface, and a distal end portion, proximal to a circumferential edge of the convex surface.

18. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a front portion providing a circumferential mounting member for connecting the circumferential edge of the front cover, and a side wall substantially tangential to the convex surface along the circumferential edge.

19. A user-interface element according to claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a base portion for mounting the user-interface element to an elongated member defining a longitudinal axis, and wherein the principle direction of actuation defines an acute angle to the longitudinal axis.