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Inflatable and Expandable Slide and Pool Construction CROSS-REFERENCE TO RET.ATEb APPf,ICATrONS
[001] This claims priority to U.S. provisional application serial no.
601720,340 filed on September 23, 2005,~which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.
BACKGROUND of THE INVENTION
[002] Inflatable slides are an increasingly popular backyard or poolside recreational toy. The slide naay be i~.;~ated either by filling the slide structure with air via an inflation valve and then closing the valve, or by a continuous airflow from au~ aiz blower. Zn the latter case, as is known, the outer material of the slide body is permeable and allows air to escape at a rate that will maintain the body in an inflated state as air is blown into the body. The slides typically include a ladder or other means to permit the user to climb to the top of the slide, and often include a device for spraying water onto the slide to facilitate sliding. However, known constructions for inflatable slides are fixed in the sense that they do not per,~adt the user to selectively change the slide structure.
Sv~ARx of ~ INV~NTZO~
[003] The instant invention permits the user of az~ iuflafable slide to selectively change the structure of the slide by expanding it to include a pool or basin at the end of the slide. The pool porti~ox~ z~aay be releasably attached to the ~zont ezrd of the slide arid ~u,ay include inflatable sides 83138301.1 and an inflatable end bumper. If the slide is a continuous airflow inflatable, the sides of the pool portion may be inflated by the air blowez wb,ez~ the sides are released from their attachment to the end of the slide, BRIEF DESC~TrON' OF THE DRAWINGS
[004] The fbllovv~in,g description of the invention will be more fully understood with reference to tlae accompanying drawings in which:
[005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an expandable inflatable slide according to the instant invention, prior to expansion.
[006J FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the outside fasteners that detaehably secure the end bumper of the slide to the sides of the slide.
~007j FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the xz~side fasteners that detachably secure the end bumper to the sides of the slide.
[008] FIG. 4 is a view ofthe end bu;tx~.pex after it has been detached from the sides of the slide axed pulled a small distance away from the slide.
[009j FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slide structure after the ez~d buzxzper bias been fully pulled away From the slide and the e~ctended legs have been i~z~ated, ~, order to ~ornn a pool or basin at the end of the slide.
[OIOj FIG. 6 is a close up view of one of the external flaps located vn each of the two e~ctendable legs of the pool.
[011 j FIG. 7 depicts tl~e ~lap of p'ig. 6 iav open position so that the user of the slide may reach into the extendable leg to open or close the inner flap.
B3t38301.1 - 2 -_ CA 02555655 2006-08-09 '~.,.- ..
[012] ~ FIG. 8 is a close up view of one of the izuaer flaps located on each side of the slide structure at the end of the slide, with th,e iz~er flap being opened to allorw air from the air blower to enter into the extendable legs of the pool to inflate them.
DETAILED DESC~TION' OF THE INVENTION
[013] Fig. 1 depicts an expandable inflatable slide construction 10 in accordance With the instant invention. 7n this particular embodiment two slide surfaces 14 are separated by a barrier 16 formed in the slide, but the slide may have a single sliding surface, or several, as desired.
Sleeve 12 extends From side J.8 of the slide to receive air from a~a air blower (not shown) to maintain the slide in an inflated state. Ties 13 pem~at the sleeve to be secured to the blower. )~or small slides, the slide may be constructed o~ impermeable material and inflated nr~, the manner of a balloon -- i_e., in conventional fashion, using a shut-off valve to close off the inflated body. For larger slides, however, it is recommended that the slide be made of air pezuxeable material and that a continuous aia blower be employed to keep the slide inflated, as in known in the tzeld_ [014] .A~ U-shaped end bumper 20 xs detachably secured to the front wall 24 of the slide, and provides cvslZioning when a person slides down the slide and reaches the bottom.. End bumper 20 is preferably wzrxprised of an inflatable bladder made of, for example, FVC, that xnay be sealed off by a valve (not shown); xz~ other words, it is not a contxnu~ous airflow inflatable structure. The bladder is enclosed in a cover made of the same material as the sides of the slide, both for continuity of appearance and for protection, of the bladder from puncture.
[015] For decorative purposes, members 26 may be formed on each side of the slide and are inflated by the air blower as part of slide construction 10. Extendable legs 36, which will form the sides of the pool, as explained more fully below, are seen in collapsed condition; the legs 36 are secured to the slide front wall 24 and the distal portions 25 of end bumpex 20 (Figs, 2 and 3).
s313saor.t - 3 The collapsed legs 36 are held in place between end bumper 20 and slide front wall 24 as explained more fuhy below. Pool bottom 35 (Fig. 4), which comprises a sheet of plastic material such as PVC, is also held in collapsed position adjacent slide front wall 24 (not shown here).
[016] As sEen in Figs. 2 and 3, end bumper.20 may be released from attachment to the slide by unfastenizag outside fasteners 30 axrd inside fasteners 3z. These fasteners may corrxprise conventional hook-and-leap materials, straps and buckles, or other devices, as desired. The end bumper 20 may then be pulled away From the front wall 24 of the slide as shown in Fig.4, thereby extending out pool bottom 35 and pool legs 36. Handles 22 formed in end bumper 20 nrlay facilitate the re-positioning of the end bumper 20.
[017] Tn Fig. 5, end bumper 20 is seen in its outwardmost position with extendable legs 36 inflated and pool or basin 34 fully formed at the bottom of the slide [018] Figs. 6-8 depict the procedure for effecting inflation of the extendable pool legs 36. After end bumper 20 has been pulled substantially to its outexmost position, external flap 40 on each leg may be opened via fasteners 42, here shown as zippers. The user may then reach inside and open infernal flaps 44, located at each of the ends 24 of the slide, via fasteners 46, again shown as zippers. Air from the air blower may now flow out of the ends of the slide and into the extendable pool legs 36 to inflate thez>«. Tb,e user then closes the external flaps 40 to prevent air from escaping from lEgs 36.
[018] The slide portion of the instant invention may be made from 420 denier polyester or 490 denier Nylon, with a PVC coating, and may be fabricated by well known die-cutting, sonic welding and/or sewing operations. Preferably, the sliding surfaces themselves have an external coating of PAC, while the remainder of the slide and the extendable legs has an internal P'V'C
H3138301.1 - 4 -.., ' coating. The air blower unit may be a comnnexcxally available 380 watt or 580 watt, 110 volt blower.
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