Dual Bracket Mechanism Mounted Sports Goal Practice Backstop System

• US 20170173431A1
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Sports TEK Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smart Sports TEK Incorporated
• Inventors: Rigoli, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/026 stabilised by weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls

Abstract

A sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal, sans any kind of tools, including a backstop net mechanism with a multiplicity of sections, a right and left bracket assembly including a corner bracket mechanism with a clamp knob and a pivot hinge member, a right and left support structures that are removably attached to the pivot hinge members and a counterweight mechanism which counterbalances the weight of the backstop net mechanism.

Claims

1. A sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal comprising:

a removably attachable backstop net mechanism comprising a multiplicity of sections;

a first bracket assembly and a second bracket assembly wherein each of the first bracket assembly and the second bracket assembly comprise;

a first corner bracket mechanism comprising a clamp knob apparatus and a second corner bracket mechanism comprising a clamp knob apparatus; and

,

a first pivot hinge member and a second pivot hinge member comprising at least 180 degrees range in travel;

a first support structure and a second support structure,

wherein the first support structure and the second support are removably attached to the first pivot hinge member and the second pivot hinge member; and

,

at least one counterweight mechanism.

2. The sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal of claim 1 further comprising a first support structure sleeve and a second support structure sleeve, wherein the first support structure and the second support structure are in communication with the first support structure sleeve and a second support structure sleeve respectively.

3. The sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal of claim 1, wherein the first bracket assembly and the second bracket assembly communicate with the sports goal by an attachment mechanism and wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a J-clamp mechanism.

4. The sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal of claim 1, further comprise a removably attached backstop net mechanism wherein the first left support structure and second support structure are in communication with the removably attached backstop net mechanism.

5. The sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal of claim 1 further comprising a backstop net control strap in communication the first pivot hinge member and the second pivot hinge member.

6. The sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal of claim 1, wherein the right and left support structures further comprise at least one insert devices and at least one capping mechanism, wherein the insert devices are in communication with the pivot hinge member.

7. The sports goal practice backstop for removable attachment to a sports goal of claim 1 wherein the backstop requires no tools for assembly, no tools for installation and no tools for removal and wherein the size and orientation of the deployed backstop is substantially similar to the diameter of the actual goal crease and wherein the system requires no modification to the goal frame, no drilling of apertures and no mounting of secondary brackets.

8. A tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system comprising:

a removably attachable backstop net mechanism comprising a multiplicity of sections;

a first bracket assembly and a second bracket assembly wherein each of the first bracket assembly and the second bracket assembly comprise;

a first corner bracket mechanism comprising a clamp knob apparatus and a second corner bracket mechanism comprising a clamp knob apparatus; and

,

a first pivot hinge member and a second pivot hinge member;

a first support structure and a second support structure,

wherein the first support structure and the second support are removably attached to the first one pivot hinge member and the second pivot hinge member; and

at least one counterweight mechanism;

wherein upon attachment, the system is oriented forward of the plain of the net so as to comprise a forward lean.

9. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 wherein the tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system is rotatably attached to a net frame for storage behind the goal without removal from said goal frame.

10. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 further comprising a universal corner bracket design disposed to fit on either side of a net frame wherein no designated left or right corner bracket orientation is required.

11. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 further comprising a drop-in locking deployment corner bracket assembly comprising a pivot bracket wherein the pivot bracket is disposed to drop fit into place and securely lock and wherein no additional locking hardware and no tools are required.

12. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 further comprising a self-centering corner bracket system disposed to find a center-line regardless of goal pipe diameters.

13. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 further comprising a lacing bar clearance system wherein the lacing bar clearance system is disposed to fit standard and non-standard net frames.

14. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 10 further comprising a set of anti-rotation corner bracket strap which adds a third point of contact to the goal frame to prevent the corner bracket from rotating backwards during usage.

15. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 10 further comprising a set of net control strap which retains and guides the backstop netting from becoming fowled during the process of storing or folding the backstop behind the goal.

16. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 further comprising a net wing pocket and weight bar member system wherein the net wing pocket communicates with the weight bar such that the net wing pocket and weight bar member system is disposed to retrain the tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system from movement during use and wherein the net wing pocket and the weight bar member system further comprise a stiffener bar member to prevent the net wing pocket from buckling during use.

17. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 8 further comprising:

an impact/energy absorbing net system sewn only at a set of four top points of a set of net poles allowing the netting to free float absorbing impact and providing less chance of the ball tearing through the netting; and

,

a shock absorbing polymer net pole insert design comprising a set of net pole inserts comprising a polymer material, wherein the set of net pole inserts comprise a set of ribs to allow the net poles to better absorb and disperse impact energy when struck by a ball.

18. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 10 further comprising a net wing cross strap and a net wing base wherein the net wing cross strap attaches the net wing base to the goal frame to better control the net wing motion.

19. The tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system of claim 10 further comprising:

a set of reinforced net pole sleeve ends comprising a reinforcement material wherein the reinforcement material prevents the net poles from tearing through the net sleeves; and

,

a set of clamp knobs wherein the set of clamp knobs are designed to be larger than the set of netting openings in order to prevent the set of clamp knobs from catching in the netting which would prevent proper backstop operation.

20. A tool-less attachment sports goal practice backstop system comprising:

at least one slideably and removably attachable net pole comprising a multiplicity of sections;

a net pole insert boot design system comprising;

a pivot hinge member;

at least two boot wrap apparatuses; and

at least two clamp mechanism.