This bouncy mechanism enables people to jump higher than they ever could on solid ground. This ability is even used on a professional level among gymnasts who need trampolines to help them perform incredible maneuvers in the air.
Trampoline Springs – All-Rite Spring Company
The strong, elastic fabric of a trampoline, combined with the many springs that support it, make the creation of this kind of upward momentum possible. When a person jumps, their body weight comes back down and stretches the springs. The springs then try to return to their natural shape, causing everything to tighten and the person on the trampoline to go upwards again.
The higher they go, the more the impact of their landing stretches the springs when they come back down. An equal force is then exerted as the springs pull together again.
Trampoline Springs – All-Rite Spring Company
Because the weight of a human body or multiple human bodies can cause so much strain when jumping up and down, trampolines are built using strong, durable springs that are fitted the entire way around the trampoline frame. The springs are fastened into the steel frame on one end, and securely hooked to the elastic trampoline fabric on the other end. They are placed only inches apart so that the impact of any force is shared equally among them.
Many suppliers sell replacement springs for trampoline owners in case the original springs begin to break or lose their force from constant use. A trampoline spring is really just a strong coil spring manufactured to meet the specifications of a particular trampoline on the market. When a company decides to design a new trampoline, they will commission engineers to design springs that can handle a weight capacity that is compliant with the product’s purpose and the other materials used.
The trampolines that gymnasts use are much more heavy duty than a common trampoline that you would find in someone’s backyard. A gymnast’s trampoline is more costly to manufacture as the springs typically need to be longer to allow for more travel while still being strong enough to bear high levels of force.