Entrapment assembly

• US 5,048,845 A
• Filed: 03/30/1989
• Issued: 09/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Champion Discs Incorporated, Innova Champion Discs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innova Champion Discs, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunipace, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/331,268
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 273/400, 446/46
• US Class Current: 273/400
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/06 Ring or disc tossing games , e.g. quoits; Throwing or tossing games, e.g. using balls; Games for manually rolling balls, e.g. marbles

Abstract

An entrapment assembly suitable for use as a "hole" in, e.g., a flying disc golf game, is disclosed. The assembly consists of a top portion operatively connected to a nest bottom portion, wherein at least one deflection member is operatively connected to said top portion and descends therefrom to form a "caged" target area for a flying disc or other object. In a preferred embodiment of the assembly, the caged target area is operatively connected to a pedestal and the deflection member or members are a series of tubular shaped impact absorbing members, curved slightly inward, pivotally attached to said top portion and descending into the nest.

Claims

1. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a pedestal means for supporting said assembly above the ground;

(b) an upwardly opening nest means for holding said thrown object including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest means, said nest means having a generally basket shape with upwardly extending edge portions;

(c) a downwardly opening and generally domed-shaped top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest means; and

(d) at least one deflection member operatively connected to said top portion and freely extending downwardly therefrom,

wherein at least two of said pedestal means, said nest means and said top portion are substantially interchangeable with each other.

2. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one stabilizing member is operatively connected to said pedestal and said nest.

3. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for operatively connecting said nest to said top portion is an impact absorbing member.

4. The entrapment assembly of claim 3 wherein said impact absorbing member has a tubular shape.

5. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest is a tubular shaped member.

6. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein said nest has a generally circular shape with upwardly extending edge portions.

7. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one deflection member is a series of tubular shaped members mounted on the outer portion of said top portion and extending downwardly to the interior portion of said nest means.

8. The entrapment assembly of claim 7 wherein said series of tubular shaped members curve inwardly toward the interior region of said assembly.

9. The entrapment assembly of claim 8 wherein said tubular shaped members are of sufficient length to descend within the interior portion of said nest.

10. The entrapment assembly of claim 7 wherein said tubular shaped members are spaced substantially equidistantly from one another around the periphery of said top portion.

11. The entrapment assembly of claim 10 wherein the distance between said tubular shaped members is less than the width of an object to be entrapped in said assembly.

12. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein said object thrown at said assembly is a flying disc.

13. The entrapment assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one deflection member is of sufficient length to descend within the interior portion of said nest formed by said edge portions.

14. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a pedestal means for supporting said assembly above the ground;

(b) an upwardly opening nest means for holding said thrown object including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest means;

(c) a top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest means; and

(d) at least one deflection member operatively connected to said top portion and freely extending downwardly therefrom,

wherein said means for operatively connecting said nest to said top portion is an impact absorbing member and

wherein said nest means further comprises at least one upwardly extending tab portion in the interior region thereof.

15. The entrapment assembly of claim 14 wherein said upwardly extending tab portion is of sufficient size to fit securely within a portion of the internal portion of said impact absorbing member.

16. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a pedestal means for supporting said assembly above the ground;

(b) an upwardly opening nest means for holding said thrown object including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest means;

(c) a top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest means; and

(d) at least one deflection member operatively connected to said top portion and freely extending downwardly therefrom,

wherein said means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest is a tubular shaped member and

wherein said pedestal further comprises an inwardly formed enclosed region at the central portion thereof.

17. The entrapment assembly of claim 16 wherein said inwardly formed enclosed region is of sufficient size to permit a portion of said upright tubular shaped member to securely engage said nest portion.

18. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a pedestal means for supporting said assembly above the ground;

(b) an upwardly opening nest means for holding said thrown object including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest means;

(c) a top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest means; and

(d) at least one deflection member operatively connected to said top portion and freely extending downwardly therefrom,

wherein said means for operatively connecting said nest to said top portion is an impact absorbing member and

wherein said top portion further comprises at least one upwardly extending tab portion in the interior region thereof.

19. The entrapment assembly of claim 18 wherein said downwardly extending tab portion is of sufficient size to fit securely within a portion of the internal portion of said impact absorbing member.

20. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a pedestal means for supporting said assembly above the ground;

(b) an upwardly opening nest means for holding said thrown object including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest means;

(c) a top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest means; and

(d) at least one deflection member operatively connected to said top portion and freely extending downwardly therefrom,

wherein said at least one deflection member is a series of tubular shaped members mounted on the outer portion of said top portion and extending downwardly to the interior portion of the nest means and

wherein said top portion further comprises a series of openings spaced substantially equidistantly from one another around the periphery of said top portion.

21. The entrapment assembly of claim 20 wherein said tubular shaped members are pivotally connected to said series of openings.

22. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) an upwardly opening nest having a generally basket shaped with upwardly extending edge portions;

(b) a downwardly opening top portion of a generally dome-shape including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest, wherein said top portion and said nest are of approximately the same size and shape, and

(c) at least one deflection member connected to said top portion and extending downwardly therefrom.

23. The entrapment assembly of claim 22 wherein said at least one deflection member comprises a series of tubular members.

24. The entrapment assembly of claim 23 wherein said tubular members are curved inwardly toward the central region of said assembly.

25. The entrapment assembly of claim 24 wherein said at least one deflection member is of sufficient length to descend into the interior region of said nest.

26. The entrapment assembly of claim 23 wherein said tubular members are of sufficient length to descend into the interior region of said nest.

27. The entrapment assembly of claim 22 wherein said means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest is an impact absorbing member.

28. The entrapment assembly of claim 27 wherein said impact absorbing member is tubular in shape.

29. The entrapment assembly of claim 22 wherein said assembly further comprises means for supporting said assembly above the ground, said means being an additional member of approximately the same size and shape as said top portion.

30. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a self-supporting pedestal base means for supporting said assembly above the ground;

(b) an upwardly opening nest having a generally circular shape with upwardly extending edge portions and including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest and additional means for stabilizing said assembly;

(c) a top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said nest; and

(d) a series of deflection members pivotally connected to the outer peripheral region of said top portion and extending downwardly therefrom and into the interior region of said nest.

31. The entrapment assembly of claim 30 wherein said deflection members are tubular in shape and spaced equidistantly around the periphery of said top portion.

32. An entrapment assembly for arresting and trapping an object thrown at said assembly comprising:

(a) a pedestal;

(b) an upwardly opening nest having a generally circular shape with upwardly extending edge portions and including means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest and additional means for stabilizing said assembly;

(c) a top portion including means for operatively connecting said top portion to said means; and

(d) a series of deflection members pivotally connected to the outer peripheral region of said top portion and extending downwardly therefrom and into the interior region of said nest,

wherein said pedestal, said nest and said top portion are of the same approximate size and shape.

33. The entrapment assembly of claim 32 wherein said means for operatively connecting said pedestal to said nest and said means for operatively connecting said nest to said top portion are tubular members both having the same approximate size and shape.