AU2015202862A1 - Trampoline equipment and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

- 31 stN raC. Methods and systems of arresting displacement of trampoline padding utilising a jumping mat having attachment formations that have corresponding spring attachment formations on the support frame and enclosure net that permit the padding, net and jumping mat to be attached together. cV) (.0 CM CD , cm% *m r- C) L Cr) T-0 coo C) CD co co C LOx co.

Description

- 1 Trampoline equipment and methods Field of -the ivenio The present invention relates to trampoline equipment and more particularly to improvements relating to trampoline safety equipment and methods associated directly thereto. Ba~kr~n tOte i "Nvenio Trampolines are well known in the industry. Trampolines can have a rigid supporting frame located some distance above the underlying ground. The supporting frame is attached to an inner jumping mat by means of a multitude of helical spring couplings that each attach on one side of the spring coupling to the frame and the other end of the spring coupling to an attachment located on the jumping mat. The spring couplings are assembled under tension and permit a user to bounce up and down on the jumping mat, whereby the spring couplings absorb much of the jumping energy and then release this as a rebound through the jumping mat. Trampolines have been implicated in a number of moderate to serious injuries, particularly in children. A common type of injury relates to where a user has landed outside of the mat surface. The user can end up landing: on the hard ground, on the frame and/or among the helical spring couplings. In the case of landing on the frame or among the helical springs, padding has been introduced on top of the spring couplings and supporting frame. This does function to reduce the possibility of injury but sometimes this malfunctions. Enclosures have also been fitted to trampolines. If these are configured with netting, the netting in some cases is attached - 2 as close as possible to the periphery of the mat surface. Doing so largely prevents inadvertent access to the ground, supporting frame and the spring couplings. Use of such enclosures also results in a reduction in injuries. Australian Patent application no. 2010246564 and certified Australian Innovation Patent No. 2012100239 both describe a system whereby the base of the enclosure net has slots formed in it and attachments on the jumping mat (triangular loops) are passed through the slots before attachment of the spring couplings. Use of this system aims to lock the base of the enclosure net in place at the periphery of the enclosure net. In practice, this system has proved difficult to install as this involves moving the enclosure net into position, threading the triangular loop through the appropriate hole and then attaching and tensioning the spring coupling to the appropriate slot in the supporting frame. This can be particularly difficult in windy environments with the wind causing movement of the net and applying a force to pull the triangular loop free from the slot before the spring attachment can be properly fitted. Also, the enclosure netting, if not already set, can easily be misaligned with the wrong spring coupling, leading to having to start over, or worse where the problem is not corrected and the enclosure is placed under undue tension in one place and not enough tension elsewhere due to the misalignment. A form of padding injury is where the padding has shifted in use and exposed the underlying spring couplings or supporting frame and the user has landed on the exposed spring couplings or supporting frame. In some cases the shifting of the padding has been caused by incorrect assembly. Many trampolines are assembled by end- - 3 users and the pads end up being incorrectly assembled over the spring couplings due to fiddly fixing systems that can be easily incorrectly installed. Many trampolines are now provided with both padding and an enclosure net with the net attached near its bottom proximal the jumping mat periphery. This has introduced its own problems in that the net has to be sufficiently taught to prevent the user inadvertent access to the areas outside the jumping mat periphery. If the net is made sufficiently taught, however, this tension can act to displace the padding to expose the underlying spring couplings. Australian Patent application no. 2010246564 attempts to alleviate this issue by having sleeves that surround the spring couplings that are attached to the padding. Unfortunately, the spring couplings, through repeated expansion and contraction during normal use, can wear away the sleeve and can pinch the seams at the end of the sleeves. The sleeve is also not fixed in place but permits some radial movement of the padding to take place that can expose the underlying spring couplings. The sleeve can also permit the build-up of debris and water/condensation that can compromise operation of the helical spring over time. Nothing above should be read as necessarily falling within the common general knowledge. It would be desirable to overcome at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

-4 In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding including at least the following steps: a) provide a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the frame having a plurality of spring coupling attachment formations; b) provide a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment formations that for each of a subset of attachment formations have a corresponding one of the plurality of spring attachment formations on the support frame; c) provide padding with a plurality of connecting formations wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding attachment formation; d) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; e) provide a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to the net supporting structure having a plurality of connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; - 5 f) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) provide a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) attach the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) attach the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat. In a second aspect, the present invention provides a system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding including at least the following: a) a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the frame having a plurality of spring coupling attachment formations; b) a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment formations that for each of a subset of attachment formations have a corresponding one of the plurality of spring attachment formations on the support frame; c) padding with a plurality of connecting formations wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding attachment formation; - 6 d) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; e) a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to the net supporting structure having a plurality of connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; f) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) wherein the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat. In relation to both the first and second aspects above: In one embodiment, preferably a majority of each of said plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings, more preferably where each of said plurality - 7 of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings. In a further embodiment, a majority of each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings, more preferably where each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings. In a yet further embodiment, each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection on one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of said plurality of connecting formations on the net and one the plurality of spring couplings. Preferably, each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of material. The strip of material in one embodiment is large enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed in it. In an alternative embodiment, it is a tab of material with a single said aperture. In one embodiment, the padding is formed by combining a plurality of abutting padding segments, preferably each padding segment provided with a joining strip of material that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place. The joining strip can conveniently be provided with a hook or - 8 loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary receiving formation. Preferably, the act of attaching the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat prevents removal of any connecting formation on the net or the padding connected to said one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat. It is preferred that each of the plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat is a metal loop, more preferably a triangular metal loop (also known as a V-loop) that is conveniently attached to the periphery of the jumping mat by a loop of material. In a most preferred embodiment, the plurality of connecting formations on the padding are apertures in the padding in the form of a slot that permits insertion of said triangular metal loop through it. Preferably, the padding includes a peripheral support frame attachment formation, more preferably the peripheral frame attachment formation being a loop of retaining material that, in use, passes around the peripheral support frame. In a currently preferred embodiment, this is in the form of a pair of strips of material located on the operatively underside of the padding surface proximal the peripheral support frame and sewn in place on the padding. The said pair of strips of material have complementary hook and loop regions that, in use, retain the two strips together to form a closed loop around the peripheral support frame. Of course, other attachment means can be used, such as bungie cord.

- 9 In a further preferred embodiment, the said plurality of connecting formations on the net are mounted on a detachable portion of the net that is detachable from the rest of the net, more preferably that the detachable portion is attached to the rest of the net by way of attachment formations, most preferably by way of at least one zip closure. In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides trampoline padding including at least the following: a) a resiliently deformable padding body with a jumping mat edge and a peripheral frame edge, an operatively upper surface and an underside; and b) a plurality of connecting formations located proximal or on the jumping mat edge. Preferably, the plurality of connecting formations are substantially evenly spaced from one another proximal or on the jumping mat edge. On one embodiment, each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of material. The strip of material in one embodiment is large enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed in it. In an alternative embodiment, it is a tab of material with a single said aperture. In one embodiment, the padding is formed by combining a plurality of abutting padding segments, preferably each padding segment provided with a joining strip of material that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place. The joining strip can conveniently be provided with a hook or loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary receiving formation.

- 10 In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of abutting padding segments, when combined, form a generally closed polygon or ring shape. The invention extends to a trampoline assembled using the above method or system. The invention is described below with reference to non limiting examples. Brie desripion f te dlrawing The invention is described below with reference to non limiting examples with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trampoline of the invention; Figure 2 is a partial zoomed perspective view of trampoline padding from Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a combination of a plurality of abutting trampoline padding segments of the invention in plan and bottom views; Figures 4 to 7 are partial perspective views of a partially assembled trampoline with padding of the invention focusing on the helical spring couplings area and depicting installation of the padding of the invention; Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of the underside of a partially assembled trampoline with padding of the invention focusing on the helical spring couplings area and depicting installation of the padding of the invention.

- 11 Reference numerals between figures are only highlighted if there is a particular feature to be explored. In the interests of lack of clutter, not all reference numerals are duplicated between views, even if those features are present in the views. Example 1 With reference to Fig. 1, a trampoline, generally indicated as 100, has a rigid peripheral supporting frame 110 and 6 U shaped supporting legs 120 mounted to the supporting frame 110 that support the trampoline above underlying ground, generally indicated as 130. A jumping mat 140 is attached to the frame under tension using a plurality of helical spring couplings 150 (only a sample are individually identified by reference numeral in the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter). Padding, generally indicated as 160, consists of a plurality of padding abutting padding segments 170 (only a sample are individually identified by reference numeral in the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter) . Each padding segment 170 is composed of a resiliently deformable foam inside a hard wearing waterproof cover (not separately shown). An enclosure, generally indicated as 180, is made up of a number of components: a) a series of foam-clad upright supporting poles 190 that are mounted near their bottom end to the supporting legs 120 by a U-clamp(not shown) b) an enclosure net 200; and c) a supporting top ring 210.

- 12 The net 200 is attached to the supporting top ring 210 and the supporting top ring 210 is mounted to the top of the series of supporting poles 190. The net 200 is also attached to the series of supporting poles 190 using netting straps 210 (only a sample are individually identified by reference numeral in the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter). The netting straps 210 are pre-sewn into the net 200. The straps 210 attach to the supporting poles 190 by complementary hook and loop strips (not shown) on opposing surfaces of the straps 210. The net also has reinforcing 230 sewn onto it at near its bottom end. The net is installed with its bottom end adjacent to the jumping mat 140 periphery (not shown) . This is described in more detail below. The padding 160 is installed by joining the padding segments 170 together and laying the resulting structure on top of the spring couplings 150 between the net 200 and supporting poles 190 as shown by the arrows. With reference to Fig. 2, the padding 160 is formed by joining padding segments 170 together at their abutting edges 240 and 250. Abutting edge 240 has a flap of material 260 (joining strip) with a strip of hook material 270 on its operatively underside and a strip of loop material 280 complementary to the strip hook material is provided on the operatively upper side of the padding segment 170 proximal the abutting edge 250. In use, the abutting edges 240 and 250 are aligned and placed in contact. The flap of material 260 is pressed down such that the strip of hook material 270 aligns with and engages with - 13 the strip of loop material 280 to bind the padding segments 170 together. With reference to Fig. 3, the padding 160 is shown partially assembled. The padding segments 170 are shown on the right hand side with their top sides showing 300 and with their undersides 310 showing on the left hand side. The flap of material 260 on each padding segment 170 is shown on the right hand side such that it partially overlaps its adjacent padding segment 170, except where there is no adjacent padding segment. Only one flap of material 260 is visible on the padding segments 170 on the left hand side because the others are hidden from view. This also reveals the strip of hook material 270 on the underside of flap 260 that interacts, in use, with its complementary strip of loop material 280 to bind the padding segments 170 together. Each padding segment has an overhang flap 330 that, in use, hangs over the outer edge of the trampoline peripheral supporting frame (110 in Fig. 1). Each padding segment 170 has two evenly spaced padding tabs 320 in its operatively inner surface and two pairs of padding peripheral frame attachment strips 340 sewn on its operatively underside outer surface proximal the overhang flap. Each pair of peripheral frame attachment strips 340 have a hook strip 350 and a complementary loop strip 360. Only a sample of reference numerals 170, 260, 270, 280, 320, 330, 340, 350 and 360 are used to identify features in the figure in the interests of avoiding clutter. However, it will be clear to an art-skilled worker which other features have - 14 the appropriate reference numerals, especially as the padding segments 170 are identical and repeated. With reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 7, these figures represent a progression for the installation of a pad into a trampoline of Fig. 1. A trampoline is installed in the traditional way, whereby each of a plurality of triangular metal loops (also known as V loops) 400 is pre-assembled to be held in a loop of material 410 that is sewn onto the jumping mat 140 near its periphery 430. The net 200 has slots 390 formed in it that permit each of the triangular metal loops 400 to pass through the slots. In use, each of the triangular metal loops 400 is passed through the net at its complementary slot 390. Then, each of the plurality of spring couplings 150 is hooked onto a triangular metal loop 400. Each spring coupling 150 is tensioned using a tensioner (not shown) and the opposite side of the spring coupling 150 is hooked into an aperture 420 formed in the peripheral supporting frame. To assemble the padding, a plurality of padding segments 170 are joined at their abutting edges 240 and 250 as described with reference to Fig. 2 (above). The padding is rotated so its normally uppermost face is abutting against the net 200. The padding tab 320 is placed above and horizontally aligned with a triangular metal loop 400. With reference to Fig. 5, the spring coupling 150 is released using a tensioning device (not shown), the triangular metal loop 400 is passed through the aperture 440 in the tab 320.

- 15 With reference to Fig. 6, the detached spring coupling 150 is reattached using a tensioning device (not shown). With reference to Fig. 7, once all of the padding tabs 320 have been secured in place by triangular metal loop 400 and spring couplings 150, the pad is rotated to cover the spring couplings 150. With reference to Fig. 8, peripheral frame attachment hook strip 350 is passed around the frame 110 and secured to its complementary loop strip 360. Example 2 With reference to Fig. 9, an alternative example is shown. The same reference numerals are used for features common to Example 1. A trampoline (full trampoline not shown) is installed in the traditional way, whereby each of a plurality of triangular metal loops (also known as V-loops) 400 is pre-assembled to be held in a loop of material 410 that is sewn onto a jumping mat 140 near its periphery 430. A net 200 has slots 390 formed in it that permit each of the triangular metal loops 400 to pass through the slots. The net 200 is divided into an upper net portion 500 and a detachable lower net portion 510, separated by circumextending zip closure 520. In use, the lower net portion 510 is detached from upper net portion 500 by unzipping the zip closure 520. Each of the triangular metal loops 400 is passed through the net at its complementary slot 390 in the lower net portion 510.

- 16 To assemble padding, a plurality of padding segments 170 (shown as cut-away to expose the zip closure 520 behind) are joined as described with reference to Fig. 2 (above). The padding is rotated so its normally uppermost face is abutting against the net 200. A padding tab 320 is placed above and horizontally aligned with a triangular metal loop 400. The triangular metal loop 400 is passed through the aperture 440 in the tab 320. Each of the plurality of spring couplings 150 is hooked onto a triangular metal loop 400. Each spring coupling 150 is tensioned using a tensioner (not shown) and the opposite side of the spring coupling 150 is hooked into an aperture 420 formed in the peripheral supporting frame. Once all of the padding tabs 320 have been secured in place by triangular metal loop 400 and spring couplings 150, the pad is rotated to cover the spring couplings 150. The lower net portion 510 is reattached to the upper net portion 500 by zipping up the zip closure 520. As shown in Fig. 8, peripheral frame attachment hook strip (not shown) is passed around the frame 110 and secured to its complementary loop strip (not shown). It will be appreciated by art-skilled workers that modifications can be made to the embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be appreciated that the invention broadly consists in the parts, elements and features described in this specification, which when compared to prior art relating to - 17 the field, should serve to illustrate the novelty of the invention described herein.

Claims (54)

1. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding including at least the following steps: a) provide a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the frame having a plurality of spring coupling attachment formations; b) provide a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment formations that for each of a subset of attachment formations have a corresponding one of the plurality of spring attachment formations on the support frame; c) provide padding with a plurality of connecting formations wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding attachment formation; d) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; e) provide a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to the net supporting structure having a plurality of connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated - 19 with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; f) connect each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) provide a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) attach the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and i) attach the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat.

2. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 1, wherein a majority of each of said plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

3. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment - 20 formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

4. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 1, wherein a majority of each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

5. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

6. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection on one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of said plurality of connecting formations on the net and one the plurality of spring couplings.

7. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of material.

8. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strip of material is large enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed in it. - 21

9. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 7, wherein it is a tab of material with a single said aperture.

10. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the padding is formed by combining a plurality of abutting padding segments.

11. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 10, wherein each padding segment provided with a joining strip of material that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place.

12. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 11, wherein the joining strip is provided with a hook or loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary receiving formation.

13. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 11, wherein attaching the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat prevents removal of any connecting formation on the net or the padding connected to said one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat.

14. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein - 22 each of the plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat is a metal loop.

15. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 14, wherein the metal loop is a triangular metal loop attached to the periphery of the jumping mat by a loop of material.

16. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plurality of connecting formations on the padding are apertures in the padding, each in the form of a slot that permits insertion of said triangular metal loop through it.

17. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the padding includes a peripheral support frame attachment formation.

18. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 17, wherein the peripheral frame attachment formation is a loop of retaining material that, in use, passes around the peripheral support frame.

19. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 18, wherein the loop of retaining material is a pair of strips of material located on the operatively underside of the padding surface proximal the peripheral support frame and sewn in place on the padding that have, which pair of strips of material have complementary hook and loop regions that, in use, retain the two strips together to form a closed loop around the peripheral support frame. - 23

20. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the said plurality of connecting formations on the net are mounted on a detachable portion of the net that is detachable from the rest of the net.

21. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 20, wherein the detachable portion is attached to the rest of the net by way of attachment formations.

22. A method of arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 21, wherein, attachment formations are at least one zip closure.

23. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding including at least the following: a) a trampoline with a peripheral support frame, the frame having a plurality of spring coupling attachment formations; b) a jumping mat having a plurality of attachment formations that for each of a subset of attachment formations have a corresponding one of the plurality of spring attachment formations on the support frame; c) padding with a plurality of connecting formations wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, - 24 substantially aligns with its corresponding attachment formation; d) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; e) a trampoline enclosure having a net supporting structure mounted on the trampoline and a net mounted to the net supporting structure having a plurality of connecting formations at or near operatively lower end of the net, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations is associated with a corresponding spring attachment formation selected from said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat, wherein each connecting formation, in use, substantially aligns with its corresponding spring attachment formation; f) wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the net is connected with said corresponding attachment formation on the jumping mat; g) a plurality of spring couplings, each having a first end and a second end; h) wherein the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to a corresponding one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the support frame; and - 25 i) the second end of each of said plurality of spring couplings is attached to the corresponding one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat.

24. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein a majority of each of said plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

25. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said plurality of connecting formations on the net shares its connection the one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

26. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein a majority of each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings.

27. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 26, wherein each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection with one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of the plurality of spring couplings. - 26

28. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein each of said plurality of connecting formations on the padding shares its connection on one of said plurality of connector attachment formations on the jumping mat with one of said plurality of connecting formations on the net and one the plurality of spring couplings.

29. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of material.

30. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 29, wherein the strip of material is large enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed in it.

31. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 29, wherein it is a tab of material with a single said aperture.

32. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 31, wherein the padding is formed by combining a plurality of abutting padding segments.

33. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 32, wherein each padding segment provided with a joining strip of material that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place. - 27

34. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 33, wherein the joining strip is provided with a hook or loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary receiving formation.

35. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 33, wherein attaching the first end of each of said plurality of spring couplings to one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat prevents removal of any connecting formation on the net or the padding connected to said one of said plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat.

36. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 35, wherein each of the plurality of spring coupling attachment formations on the jumping mat is a metal loop.

37. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 36, wherein the metal loop is a triangular metal loop attached to the periphery of the jumping mat by a loop of material.

38. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 37, wherein the plurality of connecting formations on the padding are apertures in the padding, each in the form of a slot that permits insertion of said triangular metal loop through it.

39. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 38, wherein - 28 the padding includes a peripheral support frame attachment formation.

40. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 39, wherein the peripheral frame attachment formation is a loop of retaining material that, in use, passes around the peripheral support frame.

41. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 40, wherein the loop of retaining material is a pair of strips of material located on the operatively underside of the padding surface proximal the peripheral support frame and sewn in place on the padding that have, which pair of strips of material have complementary hook and loop regions that, in use, retain the two strips together to form a closed loop around the peripheral support frame.

42. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 41, wherein the said plurality of connecting formations on the net are mounted on a detachable portion of the net that is detachable from the rest of the net.

43. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 42, wherein the detachable portion is attached to the rest of the net by way of attachment formations.

44. A system for arresting displacement of trampoline padding as claimed in claim 43, wherein, attachment formations are at least one zip closure. - 29

45. A trampoline padding including at least the following: c) a resiliently deformable padding body with a jumping mat edge and a peripheral frame edge, an operatively upper surface and an underside; and d) a plurality of connecting formations located proximal or on the jumping mat edge.

46. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 45, wherein the plurality of connecting formations are substantially evenly spaced from one another proximal or on the jumping mat edge.

47. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 45 or claim 46, wherein each of the plurality of connecting formations on the padding is an aperture formed in a strip of material.

48. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 47, wherein the strip of material is large enough to have a plurality of said apertures formed in it.

49. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 47, wherein the strip of material is a tab of material with a single aperture.

50. A trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 45 to 49, wherein the padding is formed by combining a plurality of abutting padding segments.

51. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 50, wherein, each padding segment is provided with a joining - 30 strip of material that, in use, attaches to a complementary receiving formation on an abutting padding segment to secure the padding in place.

52. A trampoline padding as claimed in claim 51, wherein the joining strip is provided with a hook or loop strip with a complementary loop or hook strip on the complementary receiving formation.

53. A trampoline padding as claimed in any one of claims 50 to 52, wherein the plurality of abutting padding segments, when combined, form a generally closed polygon or ring shape.

54. A trampoline when assembled using a system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22.