Playground equipment with protective coating

Abstract

Playground equipment including one or more structures wherein at least one of the structures includes a protective coating. The coating may be a polyurea and is applied to an exposed surface of the playground equipment structure at a first thickness, and may be applied to an unexposed surface of the playground equipment structure at a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness. Preferably, the first thickness is between 20 and 50 mils and the second thickness is between 5 and 30 mils. The first thickness and second thickness may also be substantially the same.

1 . Playground equipment comprising: 
 one or more equipment structures; and    a protective coating on at least one of the equipment structures,    wherein the protective coating is a polyurea.    
   
   
       2 . The playground equipment of  claim 1  wherein the polyurea is TuffShell™ M25.  
   
   
       3 . The playground equipment of  claim 1  wherein the at least one structure has multiple surfaces including at least one exposed surface and at least one unexposed surface, and 
 wherein the protective coating is on the at least one exposed surface and the at least one unexposed surface, and the protective coating has at least a first-thickness and a second thickness, the first thickness being on the exposed surface and the second thickness being on the unexposed surface, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.    
   
   
       4 . The playground equipment of  claim 3  wherein the first thickness is 20 to 50 mils.  
   
   
       5 . The playground equipment of  claim 3  wherein the second thickness is 5 to 20 mils.  
   
   
       6 . The playground equipment of  claim 1  wherein the protective coating has a crinkle finish.  
   
   
       7 . The playground equipment of  claim 6  wherein the crinkle finish exhibits insulating properties to lower the extent of a temperature increase of the protective coating upon exposure to sunlight.  
   
   
       8 . The playground equipment of  claim 1  wherein the polyurea is a two-part polyurea.  
   
   
       9 . Playground equipment comprising: 
 one or more equipment structures; and    a protective coating on at least one of the equipment structures,    wherein the protective coating has the following properties: a tensile strength between 1500 and 3000 psi, and an elongation percentage at 25° C. of between 280 and 700 percent.    
   
   
       10 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein the protective coating has a hardness between 40 and 95 Shore A.  
   
   
       11 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein the protective coating has a tear strength between 300 and 600 PLI.  
   
   
       12 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein the protective coating has a thermal shock rating between +400 and −80° F., and a notched Izod impact rating between 65 to 85 inch-pounds/inch.  
   
   
       13 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein the protective coating is a polyurea.  
   
   
       14 . The playground equipment of  claim 13  wherein the polyurea is a two-part polyurea.  
   
   
       15 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein the at least one structure has multiple surfaces including at least one exposed surface and at least one unexposed surface, and 
 wherein the protective coating is on the at least one exposed surface and the at least one unexposed surface, and the protective coating has at least a first thickness and a second thickness, the first thickness being on the exposed surface and the second thickness being on the unexposed surface, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.    
   
   
       16 . The playground equipment of  claim 15  wherein the first thickness is 20 to 50 mils.  
   
   
       17 . The playground equipment of  claim 15  wherein the second thickness is 5 to 30 mils.  
   
   
       18 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein at least one of the structures has an exposed surface and the protective coating on the exposed surface has a crinkle finish.  
   
   
       19 . The playground equipment of  claim 18  wherein the crinkle finish exhibits insulating properties to lower the extent of a temperature increase of the protective coating upon exposure to sunlight.  
   
   
       20 . A method of applying a protective coating to a playground equipment structure, the method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a structure of the playground equipment to be coated;    applying the protective coating at a first thickness on at least one exposed surface of the structure; and    applying the protective coating at a second thickness on at least one unexposed surface of the structure,    wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the protective coating is a polyurea.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the protective coating is applied by spraying it on the structure.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the spraying is achieved with a plural component spray system.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the plural component spray system utilizes an impingement sprayer.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the first thickness is 20 to 50 mils.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the second thickness is 5 to 30 mils.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20  further including the step of applying a crinkle finish on at least one exposed surface of the structure.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the crinkle finish is applied by spraying a dust coat onto the structure from a distance greater than the distance from which the protective coating was applied.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the impingement sprayer has a material hose lines and that further includes the step of heating the material hose lines.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the material hose lines are heated to approximately 160 20  F. to 225° F.  
   
   
       31 . The playground equipment of  claim 1  wherein the at least one structure has multiple surfaces including at least one exposed surface and at least one unexposed surface, and 
 wherein the protective coating is on the at least one exposed surface, the protective coating having an uneven thickness across the exposed surface.    
   
   
       32 . The playground equipment of  claim 31  wherein the uneven thickness is greatest at points along the exposed surface that experience higher amounts of wear.  
   
   
       33 . The playground equipment of  claim 9  wherein the at least one structure has multiple surfaces including at least one exposed surface and at least one unexposed surface, and 
 wherein the protective coating is on the at least one exposed surface, the protective coating having an uneven thickness across the exposed surface.    
   
   
       34 . The playground equipment of  claim 33  wherein the uneven thickness is greatest at points along the exposed surface that experience higher amounts of wear.  
   
   
       35 . A method of applying a protective coating to a playground equipment structure, the method comprising the steps of: 
 selecting a structure of the playground equipment to be coated;    applying the protective coating at an uneven thickness on at least one exposed surface of the structure.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the uneven thickness is greatest at points along the exposed surface that experience higher amounts of wear.