Human free-fall slide

• US 7,357,728 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZS1, LLC
• Original Assignee: Frederick Edward Osler-Weppenaar
• Inventors: Osler-Weppenaar, Frederick Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIEN T
• Application Number:
  US11/162,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20070072689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 472/116, 472/117, 472/128, 472/129, 472/134, 182/137, 182/139
• US Class Current: 472/116
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 6/02 for landing, e.g. for pole vaulting
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 2031/002 Free-fall
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/00 Chutes; Helter-skelters
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/12 with inflatable and movable substructures connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00

Abstract

A slide and process of using the slide for humans'"'"' amusement, recreation and entertainment. The slide is an inflatable apparatus comprising a slide device and an airbag device. The slide device is an inflatable bag having a slide segment. The airbag device has a bottom bag separated into sections by vented baffles. The bottom bag is interconnected to top bags in the form of crumple tubess, which in turn are connected to a top cover sheet. In use, a person slides off the end of the slide segment and free falls to the airbag device.

Claims

1. An airbag device to cushion the free fall of an individual from a height comprising,

a base bag capable of sustaining an air pressure, said base bag being separated into a plurality of sections by vented baffles and wherein a plurality of breather holes at the top of the base bag permit airflow to and from the base bag;

a plurality of crumple tubes sealably attached to the base bag over said breather holes and at least two such crumple tubes having a means for attachment to a top cover sheet; and

,

a top cover sheet fastened to a plurality of crumple tubes.

2. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the air pressure is above about one-half pound per square inch gauge and preferable in a range of about 2 to 3 pounds per square inch gauge.

3. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein each breather hole has a diameter above about 20 millimeters and preferably in a range of 20 to 50 millimeters.

4. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the crumple tubes are elongated walls extending across the width of the airbag device.

5. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the crumple tubes are at least about 30 centimeters in diameter.

6. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the crumple tubes are all about the same inflated height.

7. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the crumple tubes are at least about 2 meters in inflated height.

8. The airbag device claim 1 wherein at least one of the crumple tubes is taller than the others.

9. The airbag device of claim 8 wherein each taller crumple tube is positioned on the airbag device so that it is a target for individuals to attempt to clear in landing on the airbag.

10. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the means for attachment is a loop at the crumple tubes and wherein the top cover sheet is fastened to the crumple tubes via a plurality of loops on the underside of the top cover sheet.

11. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the means for attachment is a strip of VELCRO®

affixed at the top of the crumple tubes and wherein the top cover sheet is fastened to the crumple tubes via a plurality of mating strips of VELCRO®

affixed to the bottom of the top cover sheet.

12. An amusement, recreation, and entertainment slide comprising,

a slide device which comprises an inflatable bag having at least one slide segment, each slide segment having a standing area for a person, each slide segment ending a distance above the ground;

and

an airbag device comprising a base bag capable of sustaining an air pressure, said base bag being separated into a plurality of sections by vented baffles and wherein a plurality of breather holes at the top of the base bag permit airflow to and from the base bag;

a plurality of crumple tubes sealably attached to the base bag over said breather holes and at least two such crumple tubes having a means for attachment to a top cover sheet; and

, a top cover sheet fastened to a plurality of crumple tubes;

wherein the airbag device is positioned such that a person sliding off the end of a slide segment will free fall into said airbag device.

13. The slide of claim 12 wherein the inflatable bag has crawl tubes with transparent panels, said crawl tubes being accessible to individuals from the base of the slide device.

14. The slide of claim 12 wherein each slide segment has a firm support under its lower end.

15. The slide of claim 14 wherein the firm support is constructed from a material selected from a group consisting of wood, aluminum, steel, foam rubber and one or more bag segments permanently inflated to high pressure.

16. A process of using a slide comprising the steps of,

providing a slide device which comprises an inflatable bag having at least one slide segment, each slide segment having a standing area for a person, each slide segment ending a distance above the ground;

and an airbag device comprising a base bag capable of sustaining an air pressure, said base bag being separated into a plurality of sections by vented baffles and wherein a plurality of breather holes at the top of the base bag permit airflow to and from the base bag;

a plurality of crumple tubes sealably attached to the base bag over said breather holes and at least two such crumple tubes having a means for attachment to a top cover sheet; and

, a top cover sheet fastened to a plurality of crumple tubes;

wherein the air bag device is positioned such that a person sliding off the end of a slide segment will free fall into said airbag device;

sliding off the slide device; and

free falling to the airbag device.