Collapsible/portable soccer goal

• US 5,586,768 A
• Filed: 12/12/1994
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Onofrio F. Pavonetti
• Original Assignee: Onofrio F. Pavonetti
• Inventors: Pavonetti, Onofrio F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US08/354,477
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 273/400, 273/411, 273/409, 273/401, 273/398, 273/127 B
• US Class Current: 473/478
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/024 with screws or pins in the earth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like

Abstract

A collapsible soccer goal for an athletic field having a matched pair of vertical side supporting frame sections, and a crossbar beam having a plurality of horizontal sections. Each of the vertical and horizontal sections comprising a locking hinge enabling each of the sections to be folded in half. The plurality of horizontal sections are detachably connected together by clamping means to form the crossbar beam; and the vertical frame sections each having an overhead elongated hinge removably connectable to a horizontal section for supporting the crossbar beam in a hanging manner from the vertical side supporting frame sections.

Claims

1. A collapsible soccer goal for an athletic field comprising:

a matched pair of vertical side supporting frame sections, and a crossbar beam having a plurality of horizontal sections;

each of said vertical and horizontal sections comprising a locking hinge enabling each said section to be folded in half;

said plurality of horizontal sections being detachably connected together by clamping means to form said crossbar beam; and

said vertical frame sections each having an overhead elongated hinge removably connectable to a horizontal section for supporting said crossbar beam in a hanging manner from said vertical side supporting frame sections.

2. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 1, wherein each vertical side supporting frame section, and each said horizontal section comprises two right angle elements.

3. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 2, wherein each said vertical side supporting frame section comprising two right angle elements hingeably connected by means of said locking hinge, and a plurality of struts for supporting said right angle elements.

4. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 3, wherein a set of struts are erectable into a frame position from a stored position in one of said halves of said vertical sections.

5. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 2, wherein each said overhead elongated hinge is fastened to one of said right angle elements of said horizontal sections by means of a pivotable lock.

6. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 3, wherein each said vertical frame section when folded in half about said locking hinge form a box by means of said two right angle elements mating together, with said plurality of struts all fitting within said box, so as to form a compact portable package.

7. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 2, further including a net secured to each said angle element of all said right angle elements forming said pair of vertical side supporting frame sections and said horizontal sections.

8. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 7, wherein said net is secured by means of a plurality of hooks attached to all of said angle elements.

9. A collapsible soccer goal for an athletic filed comprising:

a matched pair of vertical side supporting frame sections, and a crossbar beam having a plurality of horizontal sections;

each of said vertical and horizontal sections comprising two right angle elements, and a locking hinge enabling each said section to be folded in half;

said plurality of horizontal sections being detachably connected together by clamping means to form said crossbar beam;

said vertical frame sections each having an overhead elongated hinge removably connectable to a horizontal section for supporting said crossbar beam in a hanging manner from said vertical side supporting frame sections;

each said vertical side supporting frame section comprising two right angle elements hingeably connected by means of said locking hinge, and a plurality of struts for supporting said right angle elements and forming a draped net outline; and

a set of struts are erectable into a frame position from a stored position in one of said halves of said vertical sections;

said set of struts including at least a top strut parallel to said athletic field and connectably extending from said one half of said vertical section; and

at least a plurality of rear struts connected to said top strut and generally facing opposite to said right angle elements.

10. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of rear struts comprise at least a pair of telescoping elements.

11. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 10, wherein said pair of telescoping elements extend outwardly from a further rear strut and in opposite directions from each other.

12. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 9, further including at least one diagonal strut collapsibly extending between said one of said halves of said vertical sections and said plurality of rear struts.

13. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 12, wherein said at least one diagonal strut are two struts fixedly pivoted to one of said plurality of rear struts.

14. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 9, further including a base strut pivotably connected to the other half of said vertical section and to one of said plurality of rear struts.

15. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 14, further including a diagonal strut collapsibly extending between said other half of said vertical section and to an end of said base strut opposite from said pivot connection.

16. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 14, including means for anchoring said base strut to the athletic field.

17. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of rear struts comprise at least a plurality of folding rear struts connected to each other.

18. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 17, wherein said plurality of folding rear struts are lockingly pinned to each other and unfoldably extend in line to pivotably connect one end thereof to said top strut opposite from the connection of said top strut to said one half of said vertical section.

19. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 17, further including a pivotable rear strut connectable to an end of at least one of said plurality of folding rear struts to form a line of rear struts facing opposite to said right angle elements.

20. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 17, further including a base strut pivotally connected to the other half of said vertical section and to one of said plurality of rear struts.

21. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 17, further including a diagonal strut collapsibly extending between said other half of said vertical section and to an end of said base strut opposite from said pivot connection.

22. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 20, wherein said pivotable rear strut is tubular in form, and said plurality of folding rear struts are two flat bars pivotably secured together by means of a locking pin.

23. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 22, wherein said tubular rear strut is connectable to an end of at least one of said two folding rear struts by means of a translatable sleeve provided on said tubular rear strut and locking means provided on said tubular sleeve for locking in place said another end of said two folding rear struts and fixedly holding same in said tubular sleeve.

24. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 23, wherein said translatable sleeve is provided with an internal blind channel, and said tubular rear strut is provided with means mating with said channel for preventing said translatable sleeve from being removed from said tubular rear strut.

25. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 23, further including an alignment means on said tubular rear strut and engagement means on said end of at least one of said two folding rear struts;

and said alignment means mating with another end of said at least one of said two folding rear struts for aligning said engagement means with said locking means; and

said locking means mating with said engagement means.

26. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 25, wherein said engagement means comprise notches on opposite surfaces of said another end of said two folding rear struts.

27. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 26, wherein said locking means comprise a pair of threaded elements engageable with said notches on the opposite surfaces of said another end of said two folding rear struts.

28. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 25, wherein said engagement means comprises at least one aperture in said another end of said two folding rear struts.

29. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 28, wherein said locking means comprises at least one threaded element passing through said at least one aperture.

30. The collapsible soccer goal, according to claim 9, wherein said crossbar beam and said pair of side supporting frame sections form a goal zone, and said overhead elongated hinges lock said pair of vertical side supporting frame sections to said crossbar beam by tensioning means connectable to said overhead elongated hinges.

31. The collapsible soccer goal according to claim 9, wherein a split hingeable side wall is connected to one of said two right angle elements of each of said pair of vertical side supporting frame sections so as to form a U-shape, whereby said locking hinges may be shielded for safety purposes.