Mounting frame for basketball backboard

• US 5,098,093 A
• Filed: 05/17/1990
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donovan Dupre
• Original Assignee: Donovan Dupre
• Inventors: Dupre, Donovan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/525,073
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1.5 R, 248/237, 248/148, 40/606, 40/610
• US Class Current: 473/483
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball

Abstract

A collapsible mounting frame (10) for a basketball backboard (12) has a pair of frame portions (20, 22) adapted for mounting on the sloping roof (16) of a building. Each frame portion (20, 22) has a base member (24), a vertical member (26) connected by a hinge (30) to the base member (24), and a diagonal member (28) connected by hinges (30) to the base member (24) and the vertical member (26). The diagonal member (28) includes a pair of diagonal portions (28A, 28B) adjustably connected to each other to adapt the frame (10) for mounting on roofs (16) having varying slopes.

Claims

1. A collapsible supporting frame for a basketball backboard for mounting on the sloping roof of a building, said supporting frame being installed in erected position on the roof from a collapsed flat position of a generally uniform rectangular cross section for storage and shipment and comprising:

a pair of generally identical frame portions positioned on said sloping roof in parallel spaced relation to each other, each frame portion including a base member secured to said sloping roof, a generally vertical support member pivotably connected to said base member and extending in a generally vertical direction from said sloping roof, and a diagonal member of adjustable length pivotably connected at one lower end to said base member and pivotably connected at its other upper end to said vertical member, each of said frame portions when installed on said roof being of a triangular configuration to form a pair of spaced generally identical unconnected frame portions, each of said members of said frame portions being of a generally flat shape having a length, a width less than said length and a thickness less than said width, said length and width defining two opposed flat surfaces separated by said thickness;

said diagonal member for each frame portion being of an adjustable length and comprising a pair of diagonal portions adjustably connected to each other to adjust the length of said diagonal member;

a hinge between each pair of adjacent members forming each frame portion for pivotably connecting said members to each other, each frame portion being individually collapsible upon disconnection of said diagonal portions from each other for folding said diagonal portions against said base member and said vertical member for subsequent folding of said base and vertical members against each other with said diagonal portions therebetween for providing a collapsed flat position of a generally uniform thickness for storage and shipment;

a separate mounting block between said base member and said vertical support member of each frame portion, said hinge between said base member and said vertical support member being mounted on said mounting block at a height above the base at least twice said thickness for pivotably connecting said base member and said vertical support member, said block spacing said base member and said vertical support member from each other in said collapsed flat position to permit said diagonal portions to fit therebetween, said opposed surfaces of all said members of said frame portion being in generally parallel relation to each other when in a collapsed flat position thereby to provide a collapsed frame portion of a generally uniform thickness for shipment;

a basketball backboard on the vertical member of each frame portion at a position generally adjacent the lower edge of the roof; and

vertically adjustable means between said basketball backboard and said vertical members permitting said backboard to be mounted at a predetermined height above a playing surface.

2. The collapsible supporting frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said vertical members has an elongate vertically extending slot therein, and removable fasteners on said backboard extend through said slots for adjustably mounting said backboard on said vertical members.

3. The collapsible supporting frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of each pair of diagonal portions has an elongate slot therein and the other associated diagonal portion of each pair has a removable fastener fitting within said elongate slot for adjustable securement therein.

4. The collapsible supporting frame as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said members forming said frame portions is of a flat rectangular shape.