Beim Training für viele Sportarten spielt die Sprungkraft der Beinmuskulatur eine massgebende Rolle. Messtechnisch sollten daher vor allem die Absprungkraft bei Einzel- und Mehrfach-Absprüngen, aber auch die Aufsprung- oder Rückkehrkraft sowie die zwischen beiden Messpunkten liegende Flugzeit erfasst werden.

Erfindungsgemäss wird dies erreicht durch drei in Dreieckform angeordnete, fixierte sowie mit Kraftmess-Sensoren (6) bestückte Abstützeinheiten (2), die durch eine Grundplatte (3) untereinander derart stabilisiert sind, dass auch gleichzeitige Ab- und/oder Aufsprungkräfte für Einfach- und Mehrfachsprünge, unabhängig von der Bodenauflage (1), messbar sind.

A vertical jump exercise apparatus is proposed to train and condition participants in sports demanding a high degree of vertical jumping ability. Elastic cords (20) fastened to the waist of the user provide a nearly constant resistive force, thereby simulating increased body weight to strengthen leg muscles and to improve motor reflexes. Generation of the nearly constant force is accomplished by directing one or more of the elastic cords beneath or away from the exercise area (12), thus allowing use of an increased length of cord. Directional control for the jumper, cord following to prevent fouling of the cord, and reduced friction are provided by movable tracking assemblies (40) that may pivot or move linearly and may be provided with pulleys. The tracking assemblies may also serve as force imbalance indicators for the elastic cords.

An integrated bungy jumping system and component parts is provided, including:

• a) a bungy jumping platform comprising jumper preparation areas (1, 2) and one or more jumping areas (3, 4) at different levels and preferably located away from a supporting structure;
• b) a bungy jumping apparatus comprising elasticised bungy jumping cords (9, 9a) and control means to adjust the height of the bungy cords above the supporting or other surface and to lower the jumper to the surface upon completion of a jump; and
• c) a bungy jumping rack (6) comprising a body portion and securing means to connect the control means to the supporting structure and preferably to protect any working parts from interference during use.

Jump ball comprising an inflatable flexible ball body (10,21) and a rigid annular plate, the ball body being jammed in the annular plate (2,25) in inflated condition and coupling between ball body (10,21) and annular plate (2,25) by means of interlocking and mutually confining male and female parts. The female part is preferably a groove (3,11,22) with the male part fitting into said groove (3,11,22). The groove (3,11,22) is preferably present in the ball body (10,21).

A ball pit apparatus for use with a plurality of balls. The ball pit apparatus includes: a base portion configured to provide a ball pit for holding a plurality of balls, wherein the base portion includes one or more inflatable side walls configured to, when inflated, extend around a periphery of the base portion; a roof portion configured to provide a ball chamber for holding a plurality of balls above the base portion; one or more inflatable supports configured to, when inflated, hold the roof portion above the base portion; a suction inlet configured to be in fluid communication with the ball chamber so that, when suction is provided at the suction inlet, suction is also provided to the ball chamber; a ball inlet configured to be in fluid communication with the ball chamber so that, when suction is provided to the ball chamber, a ball received at the ball inlet is drawn into the ball chamber. The roof portion includes an opening configured to face the base portion when the one or more inflatable supports are inflated. The roof portion includes at least one blocking element configured to block the opening so as to prevent balls from falling through the opening when suction is provided to the ball chamber and to not block the opening so as to allow balls to fall through the opening when suction is not provided to the ball chamber.

The device is composed of a structure that comprises four inter-hinged modules (1-2-3-4), which enables multiple mounting possibilities thereof. Each module is formed of two essentially straight lateral bars (15-15') that incorporate a pair of inwardly curved sections (17), which act as links between the two bars, through the complementary fixing means, in such a way that the end of each module ends in a pair of legs in the form of forks (18), which in turn end either in the support legs (19) of the device, or in the aforementioned hinging means (16), it having been provided that a series of adjustable and non-essential crossbars (20-20'-20") are subject to being inserted into place in the centre of the frame defined by the lateral bars (15-15'). The device is complemented by a series of accessories that make it possible to significantly increase the diverse types of exercises that may be carried out with the same.

An exerciser comprising a frame assembly including a track and comprising a movable body support for supporting an exercising person and movably arranged on said track in a first and a second direction; a movable foot support coupled to said frame assembly engageable the feet of the exercising person supported on said movable body support, said movable foot support comprising a flexible sheet attached to a peripheral frame, the movable foot support capable of providing a spring force in response to the engagement of the feet of the exercising person moving with the movable body support in said second direction and to establish, as a result of the spring force, a return movement by the movable foot support in said first direction which can be translated by the exercising person into a movement of said movable body support in said first direction.

A projectile launcher for launching a projectile, the projectile launcher arranged to be connected to a trampoline having a frame and a jumping mat, the jumping mat connected to the frame by resilient members, the projectile launcher including a propulsion element adapted to provide a motive force to propel a projectile and an energy extraction element arranged to be connected to a trampoline and to extract energy from the action of a user bouncing on the trampoline to provide power to the propulsion element.

An exerciser comprising a frame assembly including a track and comprising a movable body support for supporting an exercising person and movably arranged on said track in a first and a second direction; a movable foot support coupled to said frame assembly engageable the feet of the exercising person supported on said movable body support, said movable foot support comprising a flexible sheet attached to a peripheral frame, the movable foot support capable of providing a spring force in response to the engagement of the feet of the exercising person moving with the movable body support in said second direction and to establish, as a result of the spring force, a return movement by the movable foot support in said first direction which can be translated by the exercising person into a movement of said movable body support in said first direction.

A bouncy cushion (1) of the kind that comprises an inflatable casing comprising a circumferential wall (6a,6b,6c,6d), an upper side wall (4;13) and a lower side wall (5;14), in which the upper side wall (4;13) is connected to the lower side wall (5;14) by means of a number of flexible threads or strips (10;12), is safer to use than conventional bouncy cushions. A part of the air at a compression site cannot be displaced as the threads do not allow creation of enough space for this air, and the compression process is partly prevented, which provides the desired safety. The bouncy cushion can be used for e.g. springboard in connection with artistic gymnastics, as trampoline, as gymnastic equipment for e.g. promoting motor behaviour and as air mattress for sleeping on. The thickness, air pressure and number and distribution of flexible threads in the bouncy cushion are chosen in relation to the desired object.

The invention relates to an optoelectronic device for measuring the ground contact time and position of a body within a preset region, which comprises a first measurement bar (1), which includes one or more infrared light beam transmitters, and a second measurement bar (2), which is arranged opposite and parallel to the first bar and includes one or more receivers, the number whereof is equal to the number of transmitters present in the first bar. The first and second bars (1, 2) are connected one another by means of an electrical line (3) and form a measurement area (13) therebetween.

An integrated bungy jumping system and component parts is provided, including:

• a) a bungy jumping platform comprising jumper preparation areas (1, 2) and one or more jumping areas (3, 4) at different levels and preferably located away from a supporting structure;
• b) a bungy jumping apparatus comprising elasticised bungy jumping cords (9, 9a) and control means to adjust the height of the bungy cords above the supporting or other surface and to lower the jumper to the surface upon completion of a jump; and
• c) a bungy jumping rack (6) comprising a body portion and securing means to connect the control means to the supporting structure and preferably to protect any working parts from interference during use.