Apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball, comprising:
- a portable, free-standing frame, including a forward rectangular tubular frame member having a perimeter defined by a pair of spaced, vertical sections interconnected by a pair of spaced, horizontal sections;
a rebounding net having a forwardly directed open end connected to all of said forward rectangular frame member'"'"'s sections in a manner so that said frame member'"'"'s perimeter substantially defines the shape and area of said net'"'"'s open end, said open end providing an entry/exit way for a ball said net further having a rearward rectangular rebounding surface with a pair of vertical edges generally parallel to said forward frame member'"'"'s vertical sections, and a pair of horizontal edges generally parallel to said forward frame member'"'"'s horizontal sections, said net further having four generally trapezoidally shaped sidewalls, one each interconnecting one of said frame member sections and one edge of said rectangular rebounding surface, in a manner so that all of said sidewalls converge symmetrically toward each other from said net opening to said rebounding surface; and
tensioning means, supportably coupling each corner of said net rebounding surface to said portable frame, for pulling each corner both rearwardly and outwardly away from each other with substantially the same amount of force being applied to each corner, to place each net sidewall and said rebounding surface in tension, wherein said tensioning means suspends said net from said portable frame so that the only portion of said net directly connected to any portion of said frame is said net'"'"'s open end, and still further, with said tensioning means being adjustable to vary tension in said net'"'"'s sidewalls and rebounding surface.
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Abstract
A rebounding net (16) is supported in a portable frame (19). The net (16) includes a rectangular forward end (18) which provides a ball entry/exit way of a certain area through which a ball can move. The net (16) further includes a rearward end (32) which provides a ball-rebounding surface, and the net'"'"'s forward end is connected to its rearward end by converging sidewalls (24,26,28,30). The sidewalls (24,26,28,30) have a generally trapezoidal-like shape and the net'"'"'s rearward end (32) has a generally rectangular shape. The net (16) is supported by the frame in such a manner that tension in the net can be adjusted to influence the net'"'"'s ball rebounding or returning characteristics.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. An apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball, comprising:
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a portable, free-standing frame, including a forward rectangular tubular frame member having a perimeter defined by a pair of spaced, vertical sections interconnected by a pair of spaced, horizontal sections; a rebounding net having a forwardly directed open end connected to all of said forward rectangular frame member'"'"'s sections in a manner so that said frame member'"'"'s perimeter substantially defines the shape and area of said net'"'"'s open end, said open end providing an entry/exit way for a ball said net further having a rearward rectangular rebounding surface with a pair of vertical edges generally parallel to said forward frame member'"'"'s vertical sections, and a pair of horizontal edges generally parallel to said forward frame member'"'"'s horizontal sections, said net further having four generally trapezoidally shaped sidewalls, one each interconnecting one of said frame member sections and one edge of said rectangular rebounding surface, in a manner so that all of said sidewalls converge symmetrically toward each other from said net opening to said rebounding surface; and tensioning means, supportably coupling each corner of said net rebounding surface to said portable frame, for pulling each corner both rearwardly and outwardly away from each other with substantially the same amount of force being applied to each corner, to place each net sidewall and said rebounding surface in tension, wherein said tensioning means suspends said net from said portable frame so that the only portion of said net directly connected to any portion of said frame is said net'"'"'s open end, and still further, with said tensioning means being adjustable to vary tension in said net'"'"'s sidewalls and rebounding surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball, comprising:
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a portable frame, including a forward rectangular tubular frame member defined by a pair of spaced, vertical sections interconnected by a pair of spaced, horizontal sections; and
includinga rebounding net having a forwardly directed open end connected to said forward rectangular frame member in a manner so that said frame member'"'"'s sections define the shape and area of said net'"'"'s open end, said open end providing an entry/exit way for and ball said net further having a rearward rectangular rebounding surface with a pair of vertical edges generally parallel to said forward frame member'"'"'s vertical sections, and a pair of horizontal edges generally parallel to said forward frame member'"'"'s horizontal sections, said net further having four generally trapezoidally shaped sidewalls, one each interconnecting one of said frame member sections with one edge of said rectangular rebounding surface, in a manner so that said sidewalls converge symmetrically from said net opening to said rebounding surface; and
includinga plurality of tensioning cords, with at least one of said cords being connected substantially adjacent each corner of said net rebounding surface, said portable frame further including another rectangular tubular frame member positioned rearwardly of said net'"'"'s rectangular rebounding surface, and having horizontal and vertical sections that are substantially parallel to the edges of said net rebounding surface; and
includingat least one eyelet mounted adjacent each corner of said rearward frame member, wherein at least one cord extends from each corner of said rebounding surface and is threaded through the eyelet which is nearest said corner; and
includinga disk member having a first, second and third pair of eyelets extending through the thickness of said disk member, and having a tightening eyelet also extending through the thickness of said disk member, wherein said pairs of eyelets are circumferentially spaced a distance from each other adjacent the periphery of said disk member; and
includinga tightening cord, threaded through said eyelet pairs and coupling said tensioning cords to said eyelet pairs, wherein said tightening cord is further threaded through said tightening eyelet, said tightening cord being threaded through said eyelet pairs and said tightening eyelet in a manner so that pulling said tightening cord through said tightening eyelet causes said tightening cord to tighten and pull against said tensioning cords, such pulling causing an equal tension to arise in each tensioning cord, for pulling each corner both rearwardly and outwardly away from each other so that each net sidewall and said net rebounding surface are placed in tension, and for suspending said net from said portable frame; and
further includinglocking means for maintaining tightness of said tightening cord when it is pulling against said tensioning cords.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeEvert J. Steen
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Original AssigneeEvert J. Steen
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InventorsSteen, Evert J.
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Primary Examiner(s)Pinkham, Richard C.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Brown, T.
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Application NumberUS06/796,182Time in Patent Office726 DaysField of Search273/29 A, 273/26 R, 273/26 A, 273/55 B, 273/181, 273/181 J, 273/181 K, 273/182 R, 273/410, 273/411, 273/127 R, 273/127 B, 273/127 CUS Class Current473/435CPC Class CodesA63B 2102/24 Ice hockeyA63B 69/0097 Ball rebound walls with hol...
