Play Enclosure Having Visually Stimulating Lighting

This invention relates to equipment particularly suited for recreational use by children. In particular, the invention relates to play equipment for use in indoor playgrounds.

While children's play equipment has been around for decades, many parents are unaware of the fundamental role play equipment has in a child's physical, mental and social developments. Generally, play equipment, such as well-known playground slides and monkey bars, does not offer the fullest opportunity for children to develop. In particular, there is the need for play equipment that stimulates children's natural curiosity and improves their mental and physical development.

In accordance with the invention, a play enclosure is disclosed which provides children, and particularly small children, with safe, challenging play by which the children can develop their imaginations, self-confidence, physical strength, agility and social skills.

In one embodiment, a play enclosure includes an elongated conduit. The conduit has a transverse cross-section that is large enough for children to crawl through. A number of pinpoint apertures are located through the top portion of the conduit along its longitudinal extent. Each pinpoint aperture has a diameter suitable for admitting a beam of ambient light into the interior of the conduit. Lamps or other light sources are suspended above the conduit and cast light into the pinhole apertures. The pinhole apertures admit beams of light into the interior of the conduit. The beams of light strike the bottom portion of the internal wall of the conduit creating visually stimulating patterns.

In another embodiment, the elongated conduit includes a larger aperture in addition to the pinhole apertures. A light source is mounted to the conduit over the larger aperture so that it can cast light through the larger aperture into the interior of the conduit. The pinhole apertures can be arranged in concentric circles around the larger aperture or in other patterns as desired.

In some cases the light source is a strobe light. The light source can flash at regular or irregular intervals. Ideally, the conduit is curved so as to reduce the amount of ambient light entering through the longitudinal openings in the conduit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a play enclosure in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the play enclosure shown in FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2--2;

FIG. 3 is a view from within the conduit of the play enclosure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a play enclosure in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the play enclosure shown in FIG. 4 taken along the lines 5--5.

Referring to FIG. 1, a play enclosure 10 is illustrated having a play house 12 and an elongated conduit 14 extending from playhouse 12. Although conduit 14 as illustrated is cylindrical, this is not essential. Conduit 14 may have a rectilinear or other-shaped cross-section. Conduit 14 has an internal diameter of sufficient width to allow a child to comfortably and safely crawl therethrough. Conduit 14 may be straight but is preferably curved as shown in FIG. 1. Conduit 14 should be sufficiently long and/or curved so that ambient light entering at its openings such as longitudinal opening 16 provides minimal illumination within conduit 14. Playhouse 12 illustrates one of the many play environments in which the invention may be practiced, and is not an essential part of the invention. It will be noted, however, that playhouse 12 (or other suitable enclosure) can be used as a means for reducing the amount of ambient light entering conduit 14. While the conduit 14 illustrated here has two longitudinal openings, the invention can be practiced with conduits having one opening. Alternatively, openings to the conduit need not be at longitudinal ends, but could be located elsewhere.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of light admitting (or "pinhole") apertures 18 are located along at least a portion of conduit 14. Pinhole apertures 18 are approximately 3/16" in diameter. Not every one of pinhole apertures 18 is designated by a reference numeral. Alternatively, pinhole apertures 18 may have other diameters suitable to admit beams of ambient light in the interior 20 of elongated conduit 14. A strobe light 22 is mounted to conduit 14 in close proximity to the light admitting apertures 18. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, strobe light 22 includes a housing 24, a light bulb 26 mounted within housing 24, and a power cord 28 suitable for supplying electricity to light bulb 26 from any suitable power supply such as a conventional wall outlet. Preferably, light bulb 26 is a neon, halogen or other type of bulb which emits bright light at relatively low temperatures. Conventional incandescent light bulbs may generate unacceptable levels of heat. Alternatively, a neon or other light can be used.degree. Strobe light 22 also includes conventional internal circuitry (not shown) for causing light bulb 26 to flash in a strobe fashion. Alternatively, light bulb 26 can remain on or can flash at irregular or random intervals. Light bulb 26 as shown in FIG. 2 is not illuminated.

As best seen in FIG. 2, conduit 14 includes an aperture 30 for admitting the light emanated by strobe light 22. Housing 24 of strobe light 22 is preferably of sufficient breadth and width to completely cover aperture 30, while aperture 30 is of sufficient diameter to allow most of the light of bulb 26 to enter the interior 20 of conduit 12. The peripheral edge of housing 24 is contoured to mount flushly on conduit 14 so that light emanated by bulb 26 is not directly visible external the conduit 14. Referring to FIG. 3, the apertures 18 and 30 are shown as viewed looking up from the interior 20 of conduit 14. It will be noted that apertures 18 form a plurality of concentric circles about aperture 30. The apertures 18 allow beams B of ambient light to enter the interior 20 of conduit 14 thereby creating a visually stimulating patterns of light along the bottom portion of the internal wall 32 of conduit 14, as best seen in FIG. 2. These visually stimulating patterns are particularly visible in between flashes of strobe light 22. The patterns formed by the concentric circles of light can be varied by arranging apertures 18 in other configurations such as squares and lines, for example.

Apertures 18 serve additional purposes of allowing persons external the conduit 14 to indirectly perceive the strobe effect of strobe light as its light is reflected off the internal wall 32 of conduit 14 and out through the apertures 18.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a play enclosure 34 in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Play enclosure 34 includes a playhouse 36 and an elongated conduit 38 extending from the playhouse 36. Conduit 38 has an internal diameter of sufficient width to allow a child to comfortably and safely crawl therethrough. Conduit 38 may be straight but is preferably curved as shown in FIG. 4. Conduit 38 should be sufficiently long and/or curved so that ambient light entering at the longitudinal openings such as opening 40 provides minimal illumination within conduit 38. Playhouse 36 illustrates one of the many play environments in which the invention may be practiced, and is not a part of the invention. It will be noted, however, that playhouse 10 (or other suitable enclosure) can be used as a means for reducing the amount of ambient light entering longitudinal opening 40 of conduit 38.

A plurality of light admitting (or "pinhole") apertures 42 are located along the longitudinal extent of conduit 38. These apertures are approximately 3/16" in diameter. Alternatively, pinhole apertures 42 may have other diameters suitable to admit a beam of ambient light into the interior 44 of conduit 38. For clarity not every one of apertures 42 in FIG. 4 is designated by a reference numeral. It will be noted that the apertures 42 are generally on the top surface of conduit 38, and form two spaced-apart rows extending along the longitudinal extent of conduit 38. Preferably, the spacing between apertures within each of these rows is at random intervals. It will be noted that apertures 42 allow beams B' of ambient light to enter the interior 44 of conduit 38 thereby creating a visually stimulating pattern of light on the bottom portion of the internal wall 46 of conduit 38. These patterns may be varied by arranging the apertures 42 in other configurations as desired. The paths of apertures 42 may be serpentine to follow the curves of conduit 38. In this manner, apertures 48 act as a lighted guideway along conduit 38.

Two lamps 48 are suspended above apertures 42. While the invention is illustrated with two lamps, the invention will function with only a single lamp or, alternatively, with more than two lamps. Each lamp 48 includes a conical housing 50, a suspension rod 52 by which the lamps 48 are suspended from the ceiling or other structure (not illustrated), and a light bulb 54. Although not shown, suspension rod 52 is hollow to accommodate a power cord for supplying electricity to the light bulb 54 from any suitable power supply such as a conventional wall outlet. Light bulb 54 is an incandescent light bulb. Alternatively a neon or other light source can be used. Lamps 48 emit light continuously. Alternatively, lamps 48 could flash at regular or irregular intervals.

Light bulbs 54 are neon, halogen or other types of bulbs which emit a bright light at relatively low temperatures. The height at which lamps 48 are suspended may vary. The closer lamps 48 are suspended over conduit 38, the brighter the light admitted by those apertures 42 which are below the lamps. However, if the lamps 48 are placed too close to conduit 38, the lamps may unacceptably heat conduit 38. A desirable lamp height may be selected in accordance with these factors and the esthetic considerations as well as other constraints such as space limitations.

Light emitted by lamps 48 (as well as other ambient light around play enclosure 34) enters the interior 44 of conduit 38 through apertures 42 creating beams B' of light. The beams B' strike the bottom portion of the internal wall 46 of conduit 38, creating visually stimulating patterns. These visually stimulating patterns are particularly visible in between flashes of lamps 48. The patterns formed by the concentric circles of light can be varied by arranging apertures 42 in other configurations such as squares and lines, for example.

Aperture 42 in conduit 38 are vertically oriented so as to readily admit light cast by lamps 48 suspended above. In contrast, apertures 18 of conduit 14 (shown in FIG. 2) are about the imaging center axis of the conduit.

In either of the embodiments shown in FIGS, 1 or 3, the conduits 14 and 38 can be filled (subject to appropriate safety considerations) with vapor (such as steam from dry ice) or particulate dust so beams B and B' are more easily seen.

While the present invention has been described with respect to the preferred embodiment, it is understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.