Basketball practice system

• US 6,544,132 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ryan Tvedt
• Original Assignee: Ryan Tvedt
• Inventors: Tvedt, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US09/797,615
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/472, 473/431-435, 473/447, 473/448, 473/449, 473/479, 473/481-489, 473/FOR.101, 273/402, 273/317.3
• US Class Current: 473/448
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/002 variable in size
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball

Abstract

A basketball practice system for providing a portable assembly positionable between the shooter and the basketball hoop for teaching proper arcing when shooting a basketball. The basketball practice system includes a base assembly, a support assembly, and a frame assembly having an opening positionable at a predetermined height between a shooter and a basketball hoop given a pre-determined shooting distance between the shooter and the basketball hoop.

Claims

1. A basketball shooting training system, comprising:

a base assembly;

a support assembly extending from said base assembly;

a frame assembly coupled to an upper end of said support assembly, said frame assembly forming an opening;

said base assembly and said support assembly being positionable such that said frame assembly is adapted for positioning between a shooter and a basketball hoop such that a basketball shot towards the basketball hoop such that the basketball passes through said opening approaches the basketball hoop at a desired downward angle for facilitating passing of the basketball through the basketball hoop;

a lower member, an upper member, a pair of sleeve members, and a pair of side members;

an upper end of each of said side members being coupled to an associated end of said upper member;

each of said sleeve members being coupled to an associated end of said lower member;

a lower end of each of said side members being insertable through an associated one of said sleeve members; and

a pair of locking means, each locking means being for selectively holding an associated side member in a static position relative to said associated sleeve member whereby a distance between said upper member and said lower member is adjustable for selectively altering a level of difficulty for shooting the basketball through the opening.

2. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, said base assembly further comprising:

an elongated central member;

an upper collar coupled to said central member;

a plurality of leg members, each leg member having an upper portion coupled to said upper collar;

a lower collar slidably coupled to said central member;

a plurality of leg support struts, each of said leg support struts being pivotally coupled to extend between said lower collar member and an associated one of said leg members for permitting sliding of said lower collar on said central member whereby said leg members are adjustable between an open position and a storage position.

3. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said base assembly having a plurality of wheels for facilitating movement of said base assembly.

4. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said support assembly being telescopically adjustable for adjusting a height of said opening.

5. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said support assembly including a biasing member for holding an upper end of said support assembly in an upright position for permitting bending of an upper portion of said support assembly when said frame assembly is struck whereby said support assembly is adapted for preventing tipping over of said base assembly when the basketball strikes said frame assembly.

6. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

said plurality of legs being a number of legs chosen from the group of numbers of legs consisting of three legs, four legs and five legs.

7. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said frame assembly including a plurality of frame members, said frame members being removably coupled to each other whereby said frame is disassemblable for storing said frame assembly.

8. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

said support assembly including a first member having a plurality of aligned aperture pairs extending through said first member, said aperture pairs extending along a length of said first member;

said support assembly including a second member, said second member including a pair of aligned holes alignable with a selectable one of said aperture pairs; and

a pin insertable through said aligned holes and said selectable one of said aperture pairs whereby said first member is held in a static position relative to said second member when said pin is inserted through said aligned holes and said selectable one of said aperture pairs.

9. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said base assembly having a hollow interior, said base assembly further having a fill opening and a drain opening whereby said hollow interior is adapted for being filled with a weighting material for facilitating stable positioning of said base assembly.

10. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

said support assembly including a plurality of coaxially positioned nested pipe members, an innermost one of said pipe members being coupled to said frame assembly, an outermost one of said pipe members being coupled to said base assembly.

16. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

said support assembly having indicia for indicating a proper height adjustment for a pre-determined distance between the shooter and the basketball hoop for facilitating adjustment of said support assembly.

17. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

frame indicia on each of said side members for facilitating positioning of said side members such that said upper member is adjustable to a level position and for facilitating consistent setting of a desired level of difficulty.

11. A basketball shooting training system, comprising:

a base assembly;

a support assembly extending from said base assembly;

a frame assembly coupled to an upper end of said support assembly, said frame assembly forming an opening;

said base assembly and said support assembly being positionable such that said frame assembly is adapted for positioning between a shooter and a basketball hoop such that a basketball shot towards the basketball hoop such that the basketball passes through said opening at a top of an arc of a path of travel of the basketball whereby the basketball approaches the basketball hoop at a desired downward angle for facilitating passing of the basketball through the basketball hoop;

said support assembly being telescopically adjustable for adjusting a height of said opening;

said support assembly including a biasing member for holding an upper end of said support assembly in an upright position for permitting bending of an upper portion of said support assembly when said frame assembly is struck whereby said support assembly is adapted for preventing tipping over of said base assembly when the basketball strikes said frame assembly;

said frame assembly further comprising

a lower member, an upper member, a pair of sleeve members, and a pair of side members,

an upper end of each of said side members being coupled to an associated end of said upper member,

each of said sleeve members being coupled to an associated end of said lower member,

a lower end of each of said side members being insertable through an associated one of said sleeve members,

a pair of locking means, each locking means being for selectively holding an associated side member in a static position relative to said associated sleeve member whereby a distance between said upper member and said lower member is adjustable for selectively altering a level of difficulty for shooting the basketball through the opening;

an upper end of said support assembly being coupled to said lower member of said frame assembly at a position offset from a center of said lower member whereby said support assembly is positioned for facilitating clear viewing of the basketball hoop by the shooter when said basketball shooting training system is positioned between the shooter and the basketball hoop;

said lower member, upper member, and said side members of said frame assembly being removably coupled to each other whereby said frame is disassemblable for facilitating storage of said frame assembly;

said support assembly including a first member having a plurality of aligned aperture pairs extending through said first member, said aperture pairs extending along a length of said first member;

said support assembly including a second member, said second member including a pair of aligned holes alignable with a selectable one of said aperture pairs;

a pin insertable through said aligned holes and said selectable one of said aperture pairs whereby said first member is held in a static position relative to said second member when said pin is inserted through said aligned holes and said selectable one of said aperture pairs;

said first member having indicia positioned proximate said hole pairs for indicating a proper height adjustment for a predetermined distance between the shooter and the basketball hoop;

a support angle member coupled to said frame assembly and said support assembly such that said support angle extends between said frame assembly and said support assembly;

said support assembly including a plurality of coaxially positioned nested pipe members, an innermost one of said pipe members being coupled to said frame assembly, an outermost one of said pipe members being coupled to said base assembly.

12. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

said base assembly having a hollow interior, said base assembly further having a fill opening and a drain opening whereby said hollow interior is adapted for being filled with a weighting material for facilitating stable positioning of said base assembly.

13. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

said base assembly having a plurality of wheels for facilitating movement of said base assembly.

14. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 11, said base assembly further comprising:

an elongated central member;

an upper collar coupled to said central member;

a plurality of leg members, each leg member having an upper portion coupled to said upper collar;

a lower collar slidably coupled to said central member;

a plurality of leg support struts, each of said leg support struts being pivotally coupled to extend between said lower collar member and an associated one of said leg members for permitting sliding of said lower collar on said central member whereby said leg members are adjustable between an open position and a storage position.

15. The basketball shooting training assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

said plurality of legs being a number of legs chosen from the group of numbers of legs consisting of three legs, four legs and five legs.