Basketball Stopping Wall

• US 20130331208A1
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Indian Industries Incorporated (Escalade Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Indian Industries Incorporated (Escalade Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elpers, Philip, Guerzini, Michael, Hughes, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/476
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a basketball stopping apparatus arranged for attachment to a basketball goal assembly. In some embodiments, the basketball stopping apparatus is configurable between a first position and a second position, the first position being arranged for the deflection of errant basketball shots and the second position being arrange for storage of the basketball stopping apparatus before and/or after use. Additionally, some embodiments include a wall coupled to base arms that are pivotably mounted to a bottom end of the basketball goal assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus for stopping an errantly shot basketball, the apparatus comprising:

a flexible wall attachable to a post of a basketball goal, the flexible wall comprising left and right wall portions having upper edges securable to a top end region of the post;

a left base arm secured to a bottom edge of the left wall portion and arranged to pivotally connect to a bottom end region of the post;

a right base arm secured to a bottom edge of the right wall portion and arranged to pivotally connect to a bottom end region of the post;

wherein when connected to the bottom end region of the post, the left and right base arms are pivotable between a vertical configuration and a horizontal configuration;

wherein in the vertical configuration the left and right base arms gather the bottom edges of the left and right wall portions of the flexible wall near the post; and

wherein in the horizontal configuration the left and right base arms spread the left and right wall portions of the flexible wall laterally away from the bottom end region of the post so as to spread the flexible wall portions into an open arrangement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a length of the left base arm is arranged along a length of the bottom edge of the left wall portion; and

a length of the right base arm is arranged along a length of the bottom edge of the right wall portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

a left intermediate arm secured to the left wall portion and a right intermediate arm secured to the right wall portion;

wherein the left and right intermediate arms each have a length and spread the secured wall portion along the length.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the left and right intermediate arms have base ends positioned at or near the bottom end region of the post and outer ends positioned at or near a periphery of the wall portion so as to push the periphery of the respective wall portion away from the bottom end region of the post.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the left and right base arms are rigid along their length and the left and right intermediate arms are flexibly resilient along their length.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

in the horizontal configuration the left and right base arms are generally parallel to a supporting surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

in the horizontal configuration the left and right base arms are positioned behind a backboard of the basketball goal.

8. An apparatus for stopping an errantly shot basketball, the apparatus comprising:

a flexible wall attachable to a basketball goal, the flexible wall comprising left and right wall portions each having a bottom portion that is securable to a base positioned on a support surface and an upper portion that is securable to an elevated portion of the basketball goal;

a left base arm secured to a bottom edge of the left wall portion and arranged to pivotally connect to the base;

a right base arm secured to a bottom edge of the right wall portion and arranged to pivotally connect to the base;

wherein when connected to the base, the left and right base arms are pivotable between a vertical configuration and a horizontal configuration;

wherein in the vertical configuration the left and right base arms gather the bottom edges of the left and right wall portions of the flexible wall above the base; and

wherein in the horizontal configuration the left and right base arms spread the left and right wall portions of the flexible wall laterally away from the base so as to spread the flexible wall portions into an open arrangement behind a backboard of the basketball goal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising:

a left intermediate arm secured to the left wall portion and a right intermediate arm secured to the right wall portion;

wherein the left and right intermediate arms each have a length and spread the secured wall portion along the length.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

in the horizontal configuration the left and right intermediate arms each have a base end adjacent to but spaced apart from the base.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

in the horizontal configuration the left and right base arms spread the left and right wall portions into a planar arrangement.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

in the horizontal configuration the wall portions are generally parallel with the backboard of the basketball goal.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

a length of the left base arm is arranged along a length of the bottom edge of the left wall portion; and

a length of the right base arm is arranged along a length of the bottom edge of the right wall portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the left and right base arms are received in left and right sleeves that extend along and are secured to the left and right wall portions.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the left and right intermediate arms are received in left and right sleeves that extend along and are secured to the left and right wall portions.

16. An apparatus for stopping an errantly shot basketball, comprising:

a flexible wall attachable to a basketball goal, the flexible wall comprising left and right wall portions each having a bottom portion that is securable to a base positioned on a support surface and an upper portion that is securable to an elevated portion of the basketball goal;

a left base arm secured to a bottom edge of the left wall portion and arranged to pivotally connect to the base;

a right base arm secured to a bottom edge of the right wall portion and arranged to pivotally connect to the base; and

a left intermediate arm secured to the left wall portion and a right intermediate arm secured to the right wall portion;

wherein the left and right intermediate arms each have a base end, an outer end, and a length and spread the secured wall portion along their length; and

wherein the base ends of the left and right intermediate arms are adjacent to the base and the outer ends are adjacent a peripheral edge of the respective flexible wall.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein

the left and right base arms are rigid along their length and the left and right intermediate arms are flexibly resilient along their length.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising:

connecting members connecting the left intermediate arm to the left wall portion and the right intermediate arm to the right wall portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the base and outer ends of the left and right intermediate arms are received in opposing end pockets that are secured to the left and right wall portions.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the left and right intermediate arms spread the flexible wall portions behind a backboard of the basketball goal.