ACCESSIBLE ENCLOSED PLAYGROUND SYSTEM

Abstract

A playground system has an enclosure that defines a play area and an entry point. A transfer system couples with the entry point of the enclosure. A modular playground is positioned within the enclosure to exclude the playground system from compliance with accessibility standards. The modular playground has a plurality of base members arranged within the enclosure, a play unit positioned on each base member, and an securement member engaged with the base member, the play unit, and the enclosure for securement in a customized arrangement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-Provisional application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/316,258 filed Mar. 22, 2010, and which is incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/408823 filed Nov. 1, 2010, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a federal law which prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination on the basis of disability. Titles II and III of the ADA require, among other things, that newly constructed and altered State and local government facilities, places of public accommodation, and commercial facilities be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Recreation facilities, including play areas, are among the types of facilities covered by Titles II and III of the ADA.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, sometimes referred to as the Access Board, is responsible for developing accessibility guidelines to ensure that new construction and alterations of facilities covered by Titles II and III of the ADA are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The Access Board initially issued the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) in 1991. Subsequently, the U.S. Access Board has issued revised guidelines, the most recent being in 2008.

Some States, local jurisdictions, and insurance companies require compliance with the standards established by the American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM). ASTM has developed a number of standards concerning public and home playground safety, accessibility, surfacing, and soft contained play equipment (F1918-04).

The ADAAG revised guidelines and ASTM standards have a large impact on the design of play areas by establishing minimum accessibility requirements. More specifically, the ADAAG revised guidelines provide specifications for accessible routes for wheelchairs and mobility devices, transfer systems for transferring a person from a wheelchair to the play structure, play components, entry points, seats, maneuvering space for wheelchair and mobility devices, and reach ranges.

When these specifications and standards are met or exceeded, the resulting play area provides increased accessibility and safety to children with disabilities. However, the specifications have an important role in determining the footprint and the cost of materials and installation. Typically, compliance with the ADAAG revised guidelines and ASTM standards results in the play area having a larger footprint and an increased cost of materials and installation. In some circumstances, the revised guidelines can have the unintended consequence of discouraging or precluding the installation of a play area due to a lack of space or financial resources.

Notwithstanding accessibility requirements, different age groups of children require different types of playground equipment. Older children prefer larger equipment that requires more athleticism and skill. Younger children and toddlers require smaller equipment and more safety features, such as softer materials. Regardless of the equipment, installation of modern playground equipment is time-consuming, inefficient, expensive, and requires a lot of space. Due to the materials and installation methods used to install playground equipment, it is difficult to change or expand a playground system after it has been installed. For example, rubber surfacing must be permanently installed and can not be moved or modified after installation.

Therefore, there is a need for a play area with a reduced footprint and reduced cost, that installs easily, can be modified, and complies with the ADAAG revised guidelines and ASTM standards.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an accessible enclosed playground system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of an accessible enclosed playground system;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of alternate embodiment of an accessible enclosed playground system;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the another embodiment of an accessible enclosed playground system;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modular playground, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the modular playground;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of modular playground;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a play unit; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a eighth embodiment of a play unit;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of a play unit; and

FIG. 17 is another perspective view of the modular playground.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description illustrates the claimed invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the claimed invention, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the claimed invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the claimed invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the claimed invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The claimed invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As shown in FIGS. 1-17, an embodiment constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, generally referred to as an accessible enclosed playground system 10, includes an enclosure 12 sized and shaped to contain a modular playground 100. A transfer system 14 couples with an entry point 16 of the enclosure to permit entry and exit to and from the enclosure 12 by able and disabled persons.

By locating the modular playground 100 within the enclosure 12 and limiting entry and exit to the transfer system 14, the modular playground 100 does not have to meet the specifications for accessibility routes. ADA/ABA Section 1008.2.2 states that, “Accessible routes serving soft contained play structures shall be permitted to use the exception in 1008.2.2. EXCEPTION: Transfer systems complying with 1008.3 shall permitted to be used as part of an accessible route.” Therefore, the modular playground 100 can be designed with a smaller footprint. For example, play units 116 of the modular playground 100 can be positioned closer together.

The enclosure 12 is generally cube-shaped having a generally horizontal floor panel 17 and a generally horizontal ceiling panel 18 attached at respective ends to generally vertical sidewalls 20 with arcuate corner members 22 using any suitable method, such as fasteners, adhesive, and the like. The enclosure 12 can be retromolded or otherwise formed as a unitary one-piece structure. The enclosure 12 defines a front face 24, a rear face 26, and a play area therein. A generally vertical rear panel 28 attaches to the rear face 26 with a suitable method, such as with fasteners, so that the rear panel 28 covers the entire rear face 26. The generally vertical front panel 30 attaches to the front face 24 with a suitable method, such as fasteners, so that the front panel 30 covers a portion of the front face 24 and defines an entry point 16 sized and shaped to engage the travel system 14. The rear face 26 can be molded or otherwise formed as part of the enclosure.

The enclosure 12 is preferably made from a polymer, but any other suitable material that meets the integrity standards of the ADA, ADAAG, and ASTM can be used, including, but not limited to metal, wood, or other materials. The front panel 30 is preferably made from a transparent material, such as glass or polymer, to allow observation into the enclosure 12.

The transfer system 14 is preferably a generally rectangular platform or step sized and shaped to meet the specification of ADAAG Section 15.6.6 regarding transfer systems. The 2008 ADAAG revised guidelines specify that a platform have a level surface of 14″ minimum depth, 24″ minimum width, 11″-18″ height above the floor. However, transfer system 14 can be of any size or shape to meet any desired specifications. The transfer system 14 is preferably made from a pliable material, such as plastic, foam, soft padding, or fabric, however, any material can be used.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the accessible enclosed playground system 10 can be incorporated into a larger footprint systems 40 and 50 that can include non-enclosed elements subject to the accessibility standards of the ADAAG revised guidelines. In this way, the playground system 10 can be used either independently as a smaller footprint system, or as part of a larger footprint system.

Preferably, the modular playground 100 includes soft contained play equipment such as the equipment disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/316,258, hereby incorporated by reference. The ADAAG defines “Soft contained play equipment” as “a play structure made of one or more components, on which an individual enters a fully enclosed play environment that uses pliable materials such as plastic, soft padding, and fabric.”

As shown in FIGS. 5-17, a modular playground 100, includes a plurality of interconnecting base members 112 that detachably connect to each other to form a continuous play surface 114. A plurality of interchangeable play units 116 detachably connect to the base members 112 to create a plurality of customized arrangements. The disclosed playground satisfies ASTM rules that allow the base members 112 and play units 114 to be arranged closer together than currently known playground systems.

As shown in FIGS. 5-6, each base member 112 defines mating surfaces 118 that are shaped and sized to mate with a corresponding mating surface 118 of another base member 112. Preferably, each mating surface 118 is a generally vertical and generally planar surface. However, each mating surface 118 can also define other shapes and sizes, including, but not limited to, tongue and groove portions, dovetail portions, mortise and tenon portions, box joint portions, half and half joint portions, corresponding tab and receiver portions, and the like.

The base member 112 is preferably square-shaped so that in an assembled playsurface 114, each mating surface 118 is orientated for attachment to another base member 112. In this way, a plurality of base members 112 form the continuous play surface 114 and can be interchangeably connected in a customized arrangement, such as the rectangular arrangement shown in FIG. 6. Although the base member 112 of the current disclosure is generally square-shaped, other shapes and sizes can be used, such as, rectilinear, curvilinear, polygonal, or any other shape and size that allow multiple base members 112 to arrange in a desired arrangement.

The base members 112 can be secured to a predetermined setup area 120 such as the ground, floor, foundation, wall, ceiling, or other surface, with a plurality of detachable securement members, preferably anchors 122. Each anchor 122 includes a generally linear rod 124, a washer 126, and a nut 128. Each rod 124 can be inserted into a generally annular opening 130 of the base members 112 and into the setup area 120 to engage the nut 128. The nut 128 is sized and shaped for insertion into the opening 130 so that the nut 128 is flush with the playsurface 114. As shown in FIG. 5, the opening 130 can be located at an intersection of the base members 112 with each base member 112 defining a portion of the opening 130. In this way, a single anchor 122 can secure multiple base members 112 to the setup area 120. However, openings 130 can be defined at any location on the base member 112. If desired, the rod 124 can define a textured outer surface to aid the securement to the setup area 120, such as, raised rings, or raised spirals. The nut 128 can have a lower surface shaped correspondingly to the textured surface of the opening 13 as seen in FIG. 5 to help hold adjacent base member 112 together. The threaded washer 126 engages a corresponding threaded portion of the rod 124 and mates with the lower surface of the base members 112. The threaded nut 128 engages with a corresponding threaded upper portion of the rod 124. An annular portion of the nut 128 mates against the upper surface of the base members 112. Preferably, the nut 128 mates with a recessed portion of the base members 112 so that the nut 128 is flush with the play surface 114. When the nut 128 is secured to the rod 124, the base members 112 are clamped between the nut 128 and the washer 126, thereby, securing the base members 112 to the setup area 120 with the anchors 122.

The anchor 122 can also include an extended rod 132 in place of the rod 124, for attachment of the play units 116. The extended rod 132 is identical to the rod 124, including threaded portions, except that the extended rod 132 is long enough to extend upwardly through the play unit 116 and engage the nut 126. When the nut 128 is secured to the rod 132, the play unit 116 and base members 112 are clamped between the nut 128 and the washer 126, thereby, securing the play unit 116 and base members 112 to the setup area 120 with the anchors 122. Other securement members can be substituted for the anchors 124 and 132, such as, stakes, spikes, adhesive, or fasteners. In addition, the linear rod 124 can comprise other shapes, such as a square tube.

As shown in FIG. 7, the play unit 116 defines a generally hyperboidal lower portion 134 and a generally ellipsoidal upper portion 136. The upper portion 136 defines a recessed section 138, such as a socket, that is shaped and sized to receive interchangeable play members. The lower portion 134 defines a pair of holes 140 for receiving a fastener for attachment to the extended rod 132 for additional securement of the play unit 116. The lower face 142 of the play unit 116 defines an opening 144 to receive the extended rod 132. The play units 116 are preferably made from a polymer material, but can be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to soft foam, rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, or polystyrene. Also, the play unit can be made using any appropriate process or method, including, but not limited to, shaped foam, blow molding, rotational molding, vacuum molding, or injection molding.

FIGS. 9-17 depict alternate embodiments of the play units 116. The modular playground system 100 can use any number or variety of play units 116 in conjunction with the base members 112 to create customized arrangements that accommodate virtually any size or shape setup area 120.

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the play unit 150 that defines a generally vertical ring 152 extending upwardly from a base 154. FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the play unit 160 that defines a generally oval and generally horizontal pedestal 162 extending upwardly from a base 164. FIG. 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the play unit 170 that defines a generally oval step 172. Multiple steps can be stacked to a desired height. FIG. 12 shows a fifth embodiment of the play unit 180 that defines a generally turtle shell shaped unit 182. FIG. 13 shows a sixth embodiment of the play unit 190 that defines a triangular member 192 having a spherical member 194 at each vertices. Multiple play units 190 can be used together. FIG. 14 shows a seventh embodiment of the play unit 200 that defines a multitude of steps 202 having irregular shaped upper surfaces 204, which can be arranged alone or adjacent each other. FIG. 15 shows an eighth embodiment of the play unit 210 that defines a generally triangular shaped member 212 with an irregular shaped upper surface 214. FIG. 16 shows a ninth embodiment of the play unit 220 that defines a generally hollow bean-shaped member 222 with an opening 224. All of the components of the playground system can appear in a multitude of customized colors to create a desired aesthetic appearance.

Changes can be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A playground system, comprising:

an enclosure defining a play area and an entry point;

a transfer system coupled with the entry point of the enclosure;

a modular playground positioned within the enclosure, the modular playground having a plurality of base members arranged within the enclosure; a play unit positioned on at least one base member; and an securement member engaged with the base member, the play unit, and the enclosure for securement in a customized arrangement.

2. The playground system of claim 1, wherein the entry point is an exclusive entry point.

3. The playground system of claim 1, wherein the modular playground is positioned within the enclosure to exclude the playground system from compliance with accessibility standards.

4. The playground system of claim 1, further comprising, non-enclosed elements subject to the accessibility standards.

5. The playground system of claim 1, wherein the play unit is shaped and sized for engagement with any multiple base members.

6. A modular playground system, comprising:

an enclosure;

a plurality of base members arranged within the enclosure;

a play unit positioned on at least one base member;

a securement member engaged with the base member, the play unit, and the enclosure for securement in a customized arrangement;

wherein the securement member, the base member, and the play unit is positioned within the enclosure to exclude the playground system from compliance with accessibility standards.

7. The playground system of claim 6, wherein the entry point is an exclusive entry point.

8. The playground system of claim 6, wherein the modular playground is positioned within the enclosure to exclude the playground system from compliance with accessibility standards.

9. The playground system of claim 6, further comprising, non-enclosed elements subject to the accessibility standards.

10. The playground system of claim 6, wherein the play unit is shaped and sized for engagement with any multiple base members.

11. A method for assembling a modular playground system that is excluded from the accessibility standards, comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure that defines a play area and an entry point;

coupling a transfer system with the entry point of the enclosure;

positioning a modular playground within the enclosure, the modular playground having a plurality of base members arranged within the enclosure; a play unit positioned on at least one base member; and an securement member engaged with the base member, the play unit, and the enclosure for securement in a customized arrangement.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the modular playground further comprises a plurality of base members arranged within the enclosure; a play unit positioned on at least one base member; and an securement member engaged with the base member, the play unit, and the enclosure for securement in a customized arrangement.