SOUND ABSORBING REBOUNDING DEVICE

• US 20180169498A1
• Filed: 12/18/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dream Dribble, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dream Dribble, LLC
• Inventors: KAUFMANN, Dylan S., Braunstein, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/14 with form or shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/11 Trampolines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A sound absorbing rebounding device provides a way for a person to practice dribbling a basketball while minimizing sounds and vibrations emanating from the basketball and the device during such practice. The device has a frame, a rebounding surface that mimics or replaces the hard surface on which a user would normally dribble to cause a rebounding effect, and a base to separate or space the rebounding surface from the floor, so that sounds and vibrations during bouncing of the basketball are not transferred to the surface on which the device is resting. The frame shape allows the user to practice dribbling in all different directions around the user'"'"'s body placed relative to the user'"'"'s legs, such as a T, an H, or the number 8. The device may be collapsible via hinges placed within its frame that allow the device to be collapsed in varying degrees of compactness.

Claims

1. A sound absorbing rebounding device comprising:

a frame enclosing a dribbling area;

a base attached to the frame and configured to space the frame from a supporting surface on which the device rests, wherein the frame is configured such that the dribbling area has a T-shape comprising a horizontal section and a vertical section, a first end of which is arranged at an approximate midpoint of the horizontal section; and

a rebounding surface attached to the frame and extending across the dribbling area, wherein the rebounding surface is made from a material which allows a ball, when bounced thereon, to rebound with a reduced amount of noise as compared to when the ball is bounced on an average hardwood floor.