Gymnastics apparatus having multi-layered textured cover

Abstract

A covered gymnastics apparatus comprises a support component, such as, for example, a portion of a pommel horse, a balance beam, vault table, a vault board, landing mat, or other gymnastics component, having a shape arranged to support a user and comprising a first material, includes an overlayer sized and shaped to be applied over the support component and having a textured surface arranged for contact by the user during a gymnastics routine. The overlayer is formed of a second material comprising a multi-layered material, the multi-layered material comprising polyurethane and having a textured contact surface.

1 . A covered gymnastics apparatus comprising: 
 a support component having a shape arranged to support a user and comprising a first material;    an overlayer sized and shaped to be applied over the support component and having a textured surface arranged for contact by the user during a gymnastics routine; and    the overlayer formed of a second material comprising a multi-layered material, the multi-layered material comprising polyurethane.    
   
   
       2 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the overlayer includes a non-woven fiber layer, and wherein the polyurethane is impregnated into the non-woven fiber layer.  
   
   
       3 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane is extruded onto a base cloth.  
   
   
       4 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the textured contact surface comprises a pebble-grained surface.  
   
   
       5 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the overlayer is formed of Zi/O®.  
   
   
       6 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support component comprises part of any one of a vault table, a landing mat, a vault board, a pommel horse, or a balance beam, and wherein the overlayer comprises at least one panel sized to cover at least a portion of the support component and securable to the support component.  
   
   
       7 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the overlayer comprises a polyurethane impregnated non-woven fiber and the textured surface comprises a pebble-grained surface.  
   
   
       8 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the overlayer includes a thickness of about 1.5 mm.  
   
   
       9 . The gymnastics apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the overlayer comprises a plurality of joined panels, the panels sized and shaped to conform to at least a portion of the support component and securable to the support component.  
   
   
       10 . A gymnastics component for use on a gymnastics apparatus comprising: 
 a support component, the support component having a portion arranged to support a user during a gymnastics routine, the portion comprising at least a first material;    an overlayer, the overlayer comprising polyurethane and having a textured contact surface, the textured contact surface positioned for contact by the user during the gymnastics routine; and    the overlayer sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of the support component and securable to the support component.    
   
   
       11 . The gymnastics component of  claim 10 , wherein the overlayer includes a non-woven fiber base layer impregnated with polyurethane.  
   
   
       12 . The gymnastics component of  claim 10 , wherein the polyurethane is extruded onto a base layer.  
   
   
       13 . The gymnastics component of  claim 11 , wherein the textured contact surface comprises a pebble-grained surface.  
   
   
       14 . The gymnastics component of  claim 10 , wherein the overlayer is formed of Zi/O®.  
   
   
       15 . The gymnastics component of  claim 11 , wherein the support component comprises part of any one of a vault table, a vault board, a pommel horse, a landing mat. or a balance beam, and wherein the overlayer is fastened to the support component by at least one of stitching, lacing, or stapling.  
   
   
       16 . The gymnastics component of  claim 11 , wherein the textured surface comprises a pebble-grained surface.  
   
   
       17 . The gymnastics component of  claim 16 , wherein the overlayer includes a thickness of about 1.5 mm.  
   
   
       18 . A method of preparing a gymnastics apparatus for use comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a support component for supporting a user during a gymnastics routine;    selecting an overlayer material having a textured contact surface and including polyurethane and a base layer;    sizing and shaping the overlayer material to conform to a shape of at least a portion of the support component such that the textured contact surface is positioned for contact by a user during a gymnastics routine; and    fastening the overlayer material to the support component.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sizing and shaping step includes the steps of providing a number of panels of the overlayer material, cutting each panel to conform to the shape of a portion of the support component, and joining the panels together.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of fastening the overlayer material to the support component includes fastening the joined panels to the support component by at least one of stapling, nailing, stitching, or lacing.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the overlayer material comprises Zi/O® and the textured contact surface comprises a pebble-grained surface.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , including forming the textured surface by embossing a pebble-grained surface onto a surface of the polyurethane.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , including selecting a thickness of the overlayer material of about 1.5 mm.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the base layer comprises a non-woven fiber, and including the steps of impregnating the polyurethane into the base layer and embossing a surface of the polyurethane with a pebble-grained pattern to form the textured contact surface.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the polyurethane is extruded onto the base layer.