# US 10,307,629 B2 · Jungle gym joint

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- Number: US 10,307,629 B2
- Document ID: US10307629B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/047,037
- Filed: 2016-02-18
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-26
- Assignees: Agatsuma Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Agatsuma Co., Ltd
- Inventors: Shinji Todokoro
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307629B2

## CPC

- A63B 9/00: Climbing poles, frames, or stages {(climbing walls for mountaineering training A63B69/0048; endless loop ladders A63B22/04)}
- F16B 7/0446: {for tubes using the innerside thereof (F16B7/025 takes precedence)}
- F16B 12/40: Joints for furniture tubing
- F16C 11/04: Pivotal connections (hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D)
- A63B 2009/006: {Playground structures}
- A63B 2208/12: specially adapted for children
- A63B 2210/50: Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
- A63G 21/00: Chutes; Helter-skelters
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- A63G: MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT

## Abstract

A jungle gym joint has a joint main body having joint shafts to which a plurality of pipes are connected and a rotary member having a short rod shape to one end side of which the pipe is connected. A folding portion is formed at a bifurcate portion of the rotary member where a flat plate portion of the joint main body is inserted thereinto, allowing the pipe to be folded. A cylindrical cover member is provided on an outer circumference of the folding portion. The cover member includes a restricting wall portion restricting the folding of the pipe by being brought into abutment with the flat plate portion or the bifurcate portion and a cutout portion formed by cutting out the circumferential wall to prevent the abutment of the circumferential wall with the flat plate portion or the bifurcate portion to thereby release the folding of the folding portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A jungle gym joint having:
a joint main body having a plurality of joint shafts projecting therefrom configured to connect to a plurality of pipes individually, and a plurality of flat plate portions that projects from the joint main body;
a plurality of rotary members, each comprising:
a first end side that is configured to connect to one of the plurality of pipes;
a second end side; and
a bifurcate portion formed on the second end side of the rotary member,
wherein the bifurcate portion is configured to accept and pivotably hold a respective one of the flat plate portions of the joint main body about a pivot axis extending between two fork portions of the bifurcate portion to form a folding portion configured to fold the one of the plurality of pipes relative to other ones of the plurality of pipes; and
a plurality of cover members, each configured to be mounted on an outer circumference of a respective one of the folding portions so as to rotate about an axis of the cover member while being restricted from moving along the axis of the cover member, wherein each cover member comprises:
a circumferential wall;
a pair of opposing restricting wall portions axially extending from the circumferential wall that restrict the folding portion from folding when the cover member is rotated such that the restricting wall portions are misaligned with the pivot axis and abut opposing sidewall portions of the flat plate portion to prevent folding about the pivot axis; and
a pair of opposing cutout portions defined circumferentially between the restricting wall portions that are configured to release the folding restriction on the folding portion when the cover member is rotated such that the restricting wall portions are axially aligned with the pivot axis and the cutout portions are aligned with the sidewall portions of the flat plate portion to allow folding about the pivot axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 1, wherein each cover member includes a projecting portion that projects from an inner circumferential surface of the cover member, and wherein each rotary member includes a guide groove configured to be brought into sliding engagement with the projecting portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 2, wherein the guide groove includes a rotation restricting portion configured to be brought into abutment with the projecting portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 3, wherein the guide groove is formed on the rotary member into a recessed groove shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 4, wherein a rotation restricting projection having a projecting arc shape is provided on a projecting end portion of each flat plate portion so as to project from the projecting end portion, wherein a surface of each bifurcate portion between the two fork portions thereof faces the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, wherein the surface includes a recessed arc shape configured to receive the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, and wherein the surface includes an abutment portion configured to be brought into abutment with the rotation restricting projection.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 4, wherein each cover member includes a rotary engaging portion formed into a projecting shape or a recessed shape on the inner circumferential surface thereof, wherein a restricting engaging portion provided on one of a respective one of the rotary members and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to restrict the folding of the folding portion, wherein a releasing engaging portion provided on the other one of the rotary member and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to release the restriction of the folding of the folding portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 3, wherein a rotation restricting projection having a projecting arc shape is provided on a projecting end portion of each flat plate portion so as to project from the projecting end portion, wherein a surface of each bifurcate portion between the two fork portions thereof faces the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, wherein the surface includes a recessed arc shape configured to receive the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, and wherein the surface includes an abutment portion configured to be brought into abutment with the rotation restricting projection.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 3, wherein each cover member includes a rotary engaging portion formed into a projecting shape or a recessed shape on the inner circumferential surface thereof, wherein a restricting engaging portion provided on one of a respective one of the rotary members and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to restrict the folding of the folding portion, wherein a releasing engaging portion provided on the other one of the rotary member and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to release the restriction of the folding of the folding portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 2, wherein a rotation restricting projection having a projecting arc shape is provided on a projecting end portion of each flat plate portion so as to project from the projecting end portion, wherein a surface of each bifurcate portion between the two fork portions thereof faces the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, wherein the surface includes a recessed arc shape configured to receive the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, and wherein the surface includes an abutment portion configured to be brought into abutment with the rotation restricting projection.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 2, wherein each cover member includes a rotary engaging portion formed into a projecting shape or a recessed shape on the inner circumferential surface thereof, wherein a restricting engaging portion provided on one of a respective one of the rotary members and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to restrict the folding of the folding portion, wherein a releasing engaging portion provided on the other one of the rotary member and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to release the restriction of the folding of the folding portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 1, wherein a rotation restricting projection having a projecting arc shape is provided on a projecting end portion of each flat plate portion so as to project from the projecting end portion, wherein a surface of each bifurcate portion between the two fork portions thereof faces the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, wherein the surface includes a recessed arc shape configured to receive the projecting end portion of the flat plate portion, and wherein the surface includes an abutment portion configured to be brought into abutment with the rotation restricting projection.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The jungle gym joint according to claim 1, wherein each cover member includes a rotary engaging portion formed into a projecting shape or a recessed shape on the inner circumferential surface thereof, wherein a restricting engaging portion provided on one of a respective one of the rotary members and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to restrict the folding of the folding portion, wherein a releasing engaging portion provided on the other one of the rotary member and the joint main body is configured to be brought into engagement with the rotary engaging portion to release the restriction of the folding of the folding portion.