Device for returning a ball at a user determinable speed
First Claim
1. Apparatus for deflecting a sports projectile that is traveling along an incident path, back along a return path, comprising:
- (a) a frame having a base portion and an elevatable portion;
(b) an elastomeric panel suspended within the elevatable portion by an elastomeric cord that extends between a periphery of the elastomeric panel and the elevatable portion of the frame, said elastomeric cord coupling the elastomeric panel to the elevatable portion of the frame so that the elastomeric panel defines an impact area for the sports projectile as the projectile travels along the incident path; and
(c) means for adjusting a tension of the elastomeric panel to enable a user to selectively change a force with which the sports projectile is deflected back along the return path relative to that at which the sports projectile traveling along the incident path strikes the elastomeric panel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ball return device that enables a user to quickly and easily adjust the force with which a ball thrown into the device is returned. The ball return device includes a frame constructed from sections of plastic tubing joined by 90° elbows, forming a base and an elevatable portion. The elevatable portion of the frame is pivotally mounted to the base and adjustably positioned at a desired angle relative to the generally horizontal base by a pair of support members. The angle of the elevatable portion of the frame to the base determines the direction in which the ball is returned relative to a given incident path. The support members extend between the base and the elevatable portion of the frame, and each includes a smaller diameter tube slidably fitted into a larger diameter tube and selectively fixed at one a plurality of preset lengths by a pin that passes through orifices formed in the two tubes. In one preferred form of the invention, a net having hexagonal openings is suspended within the elevatable portion of the frame by lengths of an elastomeric cord that connect a periphery of the net to the frame. The hexagonal openings deform around a ball impacting the net in such a way as to ensure that the ball is consistently returned at a predictable angle relative to the angle at which the ball impacts the net. The elastomeric cord can be tightened or loosened to adjust the tension of the net, thereby determining the relative force with which a ball impacting the net is returned. A friction clip attached to the elastomeric cord retains the selected tension.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. Apparatus for deflecting a sports projectile that is traveling along an incident path, back along a return path, comprising:
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(a) a frame having a base portion and an elevatable portion; (b) an elastomeric panel suspended within the elevatable portion by an elastomeric cord that extends between a periphery of the elastomeric panel and the elevatable portion of the frame, said elastomeric cord coupling the elastomeric panel to the elevatable portion of the frame so that the elastomeric panel defines an impact area for the sports projectile as the projectile travels along the incident path; and (c) means for adjusting a tension of the elastomeric panel to enable a user to selectively change a force with which the sports projectile is deflected back along the return path relative to that at which the sports projectile traveling along the incident path strikes the elastomeric panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for deflecting a sports projectile that is traveling along an incident path, back along a return path, said return path lying in a direction that is consistently predictable relative to the incident path of the sports projectile, comprising:
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(a) a frame having a base portion and an elevatable portion; and (b) a net comprising a plurality of strands that define a plurality of hexagonal-shaped openings, said net being suspended within the elevatable portion by an elastomeric cord that extends between a periphery of the elastomeric panel and the elevatable portion of the frame, said plurality of hexagonal-shaped openings deforming around the sports projectile so as to ensure that the net consistently deflects the sports projectile back along the return path at a predictable angle relative to the incident path along which the sports projectile is traveling when it strikes the net.
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17. Apparatus for deflecting a sports projectile that is traveling along an incident path, generally back along a return path, comprising:
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(a) a frame having a base portion and an elevatable portion; (b) an elastomeric panel suspended within the elevatable portion by an elastomeric cord that extends between a periphery of the elastomeric panel and the frame, said elastomeric cord coupling the elastomeric panel to the elevatable portion of the frame so that the elastomeric panel defines an impact area for the sports projectile as the projectile travels along the incident path; and (c) a support member that extends between the base portion of the frame and the elevatable portion of the frame, said support member having a length that is adjustable to enable a user to selectively set an angle of the elevatable portion of the frame relative to the base portion and thereby determine the return path of the sports projectile relative to the incident path. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification