Sport measuring apparatus

• US 6,430,819 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick J. Grewen, Jeffrey E. Aldstadt
• Original Assignee: Frederick J. Grewen, Jeffrey E. Aldstadt
• Inventors: Grewen, Frederick J., Aldstadt, Jeffrey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US09/351,573
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 337/59, 33/1.G, 33/1.H, 332/89, 334/13, 334/14, 337/55, 337/56, 337/60, 336/791, 334/94, 335/62, 33/270.1, 33/270.2, 33/270.3, 33/270.31, 33/270.32, 473/415, 473/490, 473/FOR.100, 473/FOR.132, 473/FOR.212, 273/317, 273/108
• US Class Current: 33/1.00G
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/06 Apparatus for setting-out or dividing courts

Abstract

A measuring apparatus for identifying the boundaries and indicia of a basketball court or street hockey rink, respectively. In a first embodiment, the measuring apparatus comprises the combination of an elongate measuring strip and the casing for containing the same. The casing is preferably attached to the base of a portable basketball backboard and hoop set such that the measuring strip may be extended therefrom and extended across the playing surface to identify the boundaries and indicia inherent to a conventional basketball court. The second embodiment likewise comprises the combination of an elongate measuring strip and the casing for housing the same, and is designed and configured to identify the boundaries and indicia of a street hockey rink. The casing is preferably formed upon the frame of a conventional street hockey goal net with the measuring strip being extensible therefrom to measure out and identify the placement of the boundaries and indicia inherent to a street hockey rink.

Claims

1. A measuring apparatus for indicating the position of the boundaries and indicia of a basketball court upon a planar surface relative a portable basketball backboard and hoop set, the measuring apparatus comprising:

an elongate measuring strip having proximal and distal ends, said proximal end beings attachable to said portable basketball backboard and hoop set such that said distal end freely extends therefrom, said elongate measuring strip having indicia formed thereon for indicating the position of the baseline, freethrow line, three-point line and sidelines of a conventional basketball court when said measuring strip is extended across said planar surface; and

a casing for housing said elongate measuring strip, the proximal end of said measuring strip being anchored within said casing, said casing having an aperture formed thereon to enable the distal end of said measuring strip to extend therefrom.

2. The measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said casing is pivotally mountable upon said portable basketball backboard and hoop set.

3. The measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said casing is integrally formed as part of said portable basketball backboard and hoop set.

4. The measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said casing is detachably fastenable to said portable basketball backboard and hoop set.

5. The measuring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said measuring apparatus is further designed and configured to indicated the position of the centerline, center circle and restricting circle of a basketball court.

6. A method for indicating the position of the boundaries and indicia of a basketball court upon a planar surface about the basketball hoop of a portable basketball backboard and hoop set comprising the steps:

(a) providing a generally planar surface and a portable basketball backboard and hoop set having a measuring strip formed thereon and extensible therefrom, said elongate measuring strip having indicia formed thereon for indicating the position of the baseline, freethrow line, and three-point line of a conventional basketball court upon said planar surface relative said portable basketball backboard and hoop set when said hoop of said portable basketball backboard and hoop set is maintained in an elevated configuration;

(b) securely positioning said portable basketball backboard and hoop set with the elongate measuring strip affixed thereto upon said planar surface;

(c) extending said measuring strip about said planar surface and forming markings upon said planar surface corresponding to the baseline, freethrow line, and three-point line of said conventional basketball court as indicated by said indicia formed upon said measuring strip; and

(d) withdrawing said measuring strip from said planar surface.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (c) further comprises rotating said measuring strip about said planar surface to indicate said three-point line of said basketball court.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

(a) step (a) further comprises providing chalk; and

(b) wherein in step (c) said markings are formed by ablating said chalk upon said planar surface.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein:

(a) step (a) further comprises providing adhesive tape; and

(b) wherein in step (c), said markings are formed by affixing one or more strips of said adhesive tape to said planar surface.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein:

(a) step (a) further comprises providing paint; and

(b) wherein in step (c), said markings are formed by applying said paint to said planar surface.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein in step (a), said measuring strip further includes indicia for indicating the position of the sidelines of said basketball court.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein in step (a), said measuring strip further includes indicia for indicating the position of the centerline, center circle, and restricting circle of said basketball court.