Portable street hockey backstop

• US 7,244,199 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Romano
• Original Assignee: Robert Romano
• Inventors: Romano, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US11/232,156
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 273398-402, 473/473, 473/474, 473/476, 473/478, 473/421, 473/197, 473/446
• US Class Current: 473/478
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls

Abstract

A backstop for a street hockey goal comprising left and right stanchions with a net fastened therebetween with a strut fastenable to a hockey goal for supporting the net in a deployed position. Once deployed the net exceeds the height of the hockey goal and extends beyond said goal to the left and right. The base of each stanchion matingly engage each other when in the folded position with the net having a partial slit vertically extending with fasteners that attach to their respective stanchions when in the folded position.

Claims

1. A portable street hockey backstop comprising:

a) a first stanchion and a second opposing stanchion, each said stanchion comprising;

i) a base;

ii) a vertical post extending from said base; and

iii) a mounting post extending perpendicularly from the distal end of said vertical post;

b) a net communicating between said first stanchion and said second stanchion;

c) a selectively removable horizontal net support means communicating between said mounting post of said first stanchion and said mounting post of said second stanchion; and

d) means for securing said first stanchion to said second stanchion and,

wherein said horizontal net support means comprises a rigid support plate disposed on the top edge of said net and being of sufficient length to connect to said mounting post of said first stanchion and to said mounting post of the spaced apart second stanchion when said net is in the fully extended position;

wherein said net support means further includes a pivoting net support strut that is in the horizontal position when not in use and is placed into the vertical position to communicate between said support plate and the upper rear portion of a standard street hockey goal frame during installation to provide stability and central support to said support plate when in use.

2. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 1, wherein each said base comprises a pair of substantially hollow parallel feet having a transverse member communicating between a central portion of each said foot with said vertical post extending from a central portion of said transverse member.

3. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 2, wherein said means of securing said first stanchion to said second section comprises:

a) the interior diameter of said feet of said first stanchion being capable of receiving said feet of said second stanchion;

b) a pivoting carry rod hingedly disposed on said vertical post of said second stanchion being of a length substantially equal to the distance between said vertical posts once said feet are telescoped together;

c) a locking means for securing the distal end of said carry rod to said vertical post of said first stanchion in a substantially perpendicular arrangement; and

d) restraining means for securing said net when said first stanchion is interlocked with said second stanchion.

4. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 3, wherein said net restraining means includes at least one hook and loop fastening element affiliated with said vertical post of each said stanchion with mating hook and loop fastening elements disposed on said net thereby enabling the excess net material to be secured thereto.

5. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 4, wherein said net restraining means further includes a centrally disposed slit in a lower portion of said net wherein each side said slit has mating hook and loop fastening elements to seal said slit when in use and to separate said slit and fasten said net to said hook and loop fastener elements disposed on said vertical posts when in the interlocked position.

6. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 4, wherein said net restraining means further includes at least one securing strap having hook and loop fastening elements, said strap being of sufficient length to loop around said vertical posts to prevent the blousy material of said net from excessive movement during transport.

7. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 1, wherein said pivoting net support strut is adapted to be centrally disposed on the street hockey goal frame by a hinged element and the distal end of said net support strut has a groove extending therethrough parallel with said support plate for receiving said plate therein.

8. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 1, that is assembled for use by placing said first stanchion and said second stanchion in spaced apart relation so said net is fully extended and taut, fastening the ends of said net support plate to said mounting posts, pivoting said net support strut and inserting said net support plate therein, thereby effectively forming a backstop frame assembly for connection to the rear of a street hockey goal frame wherein the top and sides of said backstop extend beyond those of the street hockey goal frame thus enabling said backstop to stop any object shot past the street hockey goal frame and proximal thereto.

9. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 1, that is broken down and prepared for transport and storage by removing said net support plate from said net support strut, removing said net support plate from mounting brackets, interlocking foot of said first stanchion with a foot of said second stanchion, releasing hook and loop fastening elements securing a net slit and fastening them to mating hook and loop fastening elements of their respective vertical posts, pivoting a carry rod and securing it with a carry rod locking means, and tightly wrapping a securing strap around said vertical posts and securing it with associated hook and loop fastening elements.

10. A portable street hockey backstop as recited in claim 2, wherein said feet can be folded upward for storage thereby leaving a smaller footprint and having hinged, foldable posts disposed on said distal ends of said vertical posts.