Patents
US 12251618 B2: Topographical playground structures, a structural framework thereof, and a method of making the topographical structures
- Granted
- 2025-03-18
- Filed
- 2022-08-17 application 17889649
- Type
- Utility · 23 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to artificial topographical structures, such as mounds, installed at playgrounds using a structural framework. The structural framework is made up of a first plurality of panels extending in a first direction and a second plurality of panels extending in a second direction, with the second direction being transverse to the first direction. Each of the second plurality of panels may be connected to one or more of the first plurality of panels, such as through a complementary arrangement of slots. The artificial structure also includes at least a support layer and a cushion layer. The upper edges of the panels are designed to together provide an artificial mound having a defined contour.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg250318.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLAYCORE WISCONSIN, INC. 73 patents | US company or organization | Elder Mountain, TN | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Robert Norquist | Fort Payne, AL | 33 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Tin-Man Lau | Auburn, AL | 1 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Elisabeth Mathis | Birmingham, AL | 2 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| A63B | Apparatus for physical training, gymnastics, swimming, climbing, or fencing; ball games; training equipment | A63B9/00 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| E01C | Construction of, or surfaces for, roads, sports grounds, or the like; machines or auxiliary tools for construction or repair | E01C13/02 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-08 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | LAU, TIN-MAN signed 2022-08-17 MATHIS, ELISABETH signed 2022-08-17 NORQUIST, THOMAS ROBERT signed 2022-08-19 | PLAYCORE WISCONSIN , INC. CHATTANOOGA, TN | 61026/145 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.