Patents by Inventor James O. Dunn, Jr.

James O. Dunn, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5893819
    Abstract: A recreational equipment junction box for tubular recreational equipment is disclosed. The junction box is a one-piece molded thin-walled enclosure having a plurality of spaced and opposed sides. At least one side of the enclosure is provided with a closed wall within a tubular ring section of predetermined dimension. The closed wall is capable of being partially removed for receiving a window or capable of being entirely removed for receiving a complementary shaped tube within the tubular ring section for connection to the enclosure. The junction box facilitates the transition of movement in four possible directions, while also enhancing the use of transparent windows in one or more locations as may be desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Soft Play L.L.C.
    Inventors: James O. Dunn, Jr., Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: 5711744
    Abstract: A one-piece helical tube component for use in forming spiral or helical playground units is disclosed. The helical tube component includes an interconnected series of helical tube segments each having a constant predetermined diameter and slope. Complementary male and female tube segments are provided adjacent opposite ends of the interconnected series of helical tube segments for corresponding mating engagement with complementary male and female tube segments of another similarly formed helical tube component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Jonathan E. Brooks
  • Patent number: 5695407
    Abstract: A movable rocking-type recreational equipment device is disclosed. The device includes a tubular enclosure having opposite open ends for entry of an occupant and a support for suspending the enclosure above a floor or ground surface. The support and tubular enclosure are constructed and connected to one another to permit rocking movement of the tubular enclosure relative to the support through the movement of an occupant within the tubular enclosure. The tubular enclosure is resiliently supported relative to the support in order to level the tubular enclosure on the support following the conclusion of the rocking movement. The tubular enclosure may be connected to flexible tubes in a recreational play system environment to enable rocking movement of the tubular enclosure while remaining connected to the flexible tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James O. Dunn, Jr., Grant M. Strawcutter, Jonathan E. Brooks, Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: 5692993
    Abstract: A laterally movable recreational device is disclosed. The device includes an enclosure having at least one opening for entry of an occupant and a support for suspending the enclosure above a floor or ground surface. The support and enclosure are constructed and connected to one another to facilitate movement of the enclosure in a predetermined path. There is a controlled fluid or resilient mounting of the enclosure relative to the support in the predetermined path in order to facilitate a controlled fluid or resilient movement of the enclosure relative to the support in the predetermined path when an occupant enters the enclosure. Preferably, the predetermined path in which movement of the enclosure relative to the support is facilitated is a lateral or horizontal path enabling controlled fluid or resilient movement of the enclosure relative to the support in such lateral or horizontal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James O. Dunn, Jr., Todd A. Coble, Jonathan E. Brooks
  • Patent number: 5690584
    Abstract: A movable recreational equipment device is disclosed. The device includes an enclosure having at least one opening for entry of an occupant and a support for suspending the enclosure above a floor or ground surface. The support and enclosure are constructed and connected to one another to permit controlled fluid movement of the enclosure relative to the support. The enclosure has controlled fluid or resilient mounting relative to the support in order to permit controlled fluid or resilient movement of the enclosure relative to the support when an occupant enters the enclosure. Preferably, the enclosure provides controlled fluid or resilient multi-directional movement of the enclosure relative to the support. The device may be connected to one or more flexible tubes in a recreational play system environment to enable movement of the enclosure while remaining connected to the flexible tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: 5683301
    Abstract: A movable occupant directed recreational equipment device is disclosed. The device includes an enclosure having at least one opening for entry of an occupant and a support for suspending the enclosure above a floor or ground surface. The support and enclosure are constructed to permit movement of the enclosure relative to the support in at least one predetermined path. An occupant directed controller within the enclosure is provided for directing movement of the enclosure relative to the support in the at least one predetermined path. Preferably, the enclosure and support are constructed to permit movement of the support in at least two predetermined paths through a dual axis pivoting mechanism, although additional movement of the enclosure relative to the support is provided in pathways outside of the at least two predetermined paths which are generally transverse to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James O. Dunn, Jr., Grant M. Strawcutter, Jonathan E. Brooks, Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: 5669855
    Abstract: A movable recreational equipment device is disclosed. The device includes an enclosure having at least one opening for entry of an occupant and a support for suspending the enclosure above a floor or ground surface. The support and enclosure are constructed and connected to one another to restrict movement of the enclosure in a first predetermined path. The enclosure has controlled fluid or resilient mounting relative to the support in a second predetermined path in order to permit controlled fluid or resilient movement of the enclosure relative to the support in the second predetermined path, when an occupant enters the enclosure. Preferably, the first predetermined path, in which movement of the enclosure relative to the support is restricted, is a horizontal path while the second predetermined path, enabling controlled fluid or resilient movement of the enclosure relative to the support, is a vertical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James O. Dunn, Jr., Grant M. Strawcutter, Jonathan E. Brooks, Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: D376405
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Soft Play, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Jonathan E. Brooks
  • Patent number: D381057
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, Inc.
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Jonathan E. Brooks
  • Patent number: D381386
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Soft Play, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: D384387
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Inventors: James O. Dunn, Jr., Todd A. Coble
  • Patent number: D394894
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Jonathan E. Brooks
  • Patent number: D397397
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Inventors: Grant M. Strawcutter, James O. Dunn, Jr., Jonathan E. Brooks