Ball game goal

• US 4,611,812 A
• Filed: 05/16/1985
• Issued: 09/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
• Original Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
• Inventors: Morrison, Howard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shapiro, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US06/734,543
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 273/398-402, 273/1.5 R, 273/1.5 A
• US Class Current: 473/485
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/08 with substantially horizontal opening for ball, e.g. for basketball A63B57/40, A63B63/06 take precedence

Abstract

A portable, elevated, ball receiving game apparatus including an open topped, closed bottom lightweight plastic basket supported upon a single, central, elongated stem. The end of the stem opposite the basket is securable in a base having radially extending feet sufficient to support the apparatus upon a generally planar surface. Pegs are provided to further secure the base into a relatively soft ground surface. The stem is made of a tubular plastic material of a diameter of approximately one inch so as to permit a player to grasp the stem at a point intermediate the basket and the base and by exerting a force in a plane generally transverse to the generally vertically oriented axis of the stem effect sufficient, repeated, displacement of the basket from its initial orientation to cause the ball to be ejected out of the basket. To enhance portability and storage as well as to provide for varying heights of the elevated basket, the stem is preferably made of connectable sections.

Claims

1. A portable, elevated, ball receiving game comprising:

a base;

a generally vertically oriented, elongated height stem, one end of which is securable to the base;

the stem having an outer diameter of approximately one inch;

an open top ball receiving basket with a closed bottom attached to the other end of the stem;

a ball sized to be received within the basket; and

the flexibilty of the stem providing means for ejecting the ball from the basket through the open top.

2. The game of claim 1 in which the stem comprises connectable sections with each section being a tube joinable together by connector means.

3. The game of claim 1 in which the basket comprises an inverted truncated cone.

4. The game of claim 1 in which the stem is tubular and the outer diameter is no more than approximately one-twentieth of the overall height of the stem.

5. The game of claim 4 in which the wall thickness of the tubular stem is between about one-sixteenth and about one-eighth of an inch.

6. The game of claim 1 in which the stem is made of plastic and is rigid enough to support the basket and ball but is sufficiently flexible to permit flexing of the stem by a player grasping the stem intermediate the basket and the base and exerting a force in a plane generally transverse to the axis of the stem.

7. The game of claim 6 in which the stem is tubular with a wall thickness of between about one-sixteenth and about one-eight of an inch.

8. The game of claim 1 including means for securing the base to a ground supporting surface.

9. The game of claim 1 in which the stem is sufficiently rigid to remain generally vertically oriented while supporting the basket, but is sufficiently flexible to be readily deflected from the vertical orientation by a player exerting a force in a plane generally transverse to the vertical orientation at approximately the midpoint of the stem.

10. The game of claim 9 in which the stem is tubular with a wall thickness is approximately one-eighth of an inch.

11. The game of claim 9 in which the stem is tubular with a wall thickness is approximately one-sixteenth of an inch.

12. The game of claim 1 in which the height of the stem is about seven feet.

13. The game of claim 1 in which the stem is tubular with a wall thickness is approximatley one-eighth of an inch.

14. The game of claim 1 in which the stem is tubular with a wall thickness is approximately one-sixteenth of an inch.

15. A method of ejecting a ball from an elevated, closed bottom, ball receiving goal that is supported upon an elongated stem with a generally vertically oriented axis comprising the steps of:

the player grasping the stem at a point intermediate the basket and the base; and

the player exerting a force in a plane generally transverse to the axis of the stem resulting in the basket being repeatedly displaced from its initial orientation so as to cause ejection of the ball from the basket.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the force is exerted in a circular motion in the generally transverse plane.

17. The method of claim 15 in which the force is exerted in a reciprocating manner in the generally transverse plane.