Diving board with nonlinear leaf springs

Abstract

Disclosed is a composite diving board supported by nonlinear leaf springs, in which the spring cross section transitions from wide and thin at the ends to narrower and thicker at the center, while always maintaining approximately the same cross section at all points. Additional embodiments of the invention include a water feature and an illumination feature integrated into the board design.

1 . A diving board assembly comprising a board with a forward end for extending over a swimming pool and a heel end for mounting the board from a pool deck, a base and a plurality of nonlinear leaf springs supporting the board on the base, wherein a cross section of the leaf spring is wider and thinner at an extremity where the spring contacts the board than at a center region where the spring contacts the base and wherein a cross section at any point along the spring has an area that is approximately the same as the area of a cross section at any other point along the spring.  
   
   
       2 . The diving board of  claim 1  wherein the springs attach to the board with bolts embedded in the board that pass through a plurality of aligned apertures in the springs, the base includes a plurality of spring retention channels, the springs rest in the retention channels, and a retention plate secures the springs to the base.  
   
   
       3 . The diving board of  claim 2  wherein the springs comprise an elongated body with a forward arm that is positioned toward the forward end of the board, a relatively horizontal segment that rests on the base, a sloped segment between the horizontal segment and the forward arm, a base arm positioned toward the heal end of the board, and a sloped segment between the horizontal segment and the base arm.  
   
   
       4 . The diving board of  claim 3  wherein the retention channels incorporate sloped ramps of approximately the same slope as the sloped segment of the springs between the forward arm and the horizontal segment.  
   
   
       5 . The diving board of  claim 4  further including a crescent shaped notch in the heel end of the board and a step attached to the base and positioned below the notch.  
   
   
       6 . The diving board of  claim 5  having an overall length of approximately seven feet, a width of approximately 17 inches at the heel end, a maximum width of approximately 19 inches at the point above the center, and a width of approximately 15 inches at the forward end.  
   
   
       7 . The diving board of  claim 3  further including a sheer waterfall propagator attached under the forward end of the board and a water supply conduit extending the length of the board to bring water to an input opening on the waterfall propagator.  
   
   
       8 . The diving board of  claim 7  further including a light source attached to the waterfall propagator so as to illuminate water emitted from the waterfall propagator.  
   
   
       9 . The diving board of  claim 3  further including a water emitter attached under the forward end of the board and a water supply conduit extending the length of the board to bring water to the emitter.  
   
   
       10 . A diving board assembly comprising a board with a forward end for extending over a swimming pool and a heel end for mounting the board from a pool deck, a base and a plurality of nonlinear leaf springs supporting the board on the base, wherein the springs comprise an elongated body with a forward arm that is positioned toward the forward end of the board, a relatively horizontal segment that rests on the base, a sloped segment between the horizontal segment and the forward arm, a base arm positioned toward the heel end of the board, and a sloped segment between the horizontal segment and the base arm, and wherein a cross section of the leaf spring is wider and thinner at an extremity where the spring contacts the board than at a center region where the spring contacts the base and wherein a cross section at any point along the spring has an area that is approximately the same as the area of a cross section at any other point along the spring, wherein the springs attach to the board with bolts embedded in the board that pass through a plurality of aligned apertures in the springs, the base includes a plurality of spring retention channels that incorporate sloped ramps of approximately the same slope as the sloped segment of the springs between the forward arm and the horizontal segment, the springs rest in the retention channels, and a retention plate secures the springs to the base the retention channels.  
   
   
       11 . The diving board of  claim 10  further comprising a sheer waterfall propagator attached under the forward end of the board, a water supply conduit extending the length of the board to bring water to an input opening on the waterfall propagator, and a light source attached to the waterfall propagator so as to illuminate water emitted from the waterfall propagator.