Collapsible net

• US 7,270,608 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kwang Han Cho
• Original Assignee: Kwang Han Cho
• Inventors: Cho, Kwang Han
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Mark S
• Application Number:
  US11/345,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 473476-478, 473/197, 473454-456, 473/421, 273398-402
• US Class Current: 473/197
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls

Abstract

A collapsible net for stopping flying balls and for installing on a floor includes a collapsible center coil loop, collapsible first and second side coil loops, a vertical fabric portion, top and bottom fabric portions, and top and bottom straps. The collapsible center coil loop includes a top part, a bottom part, and first and second side parts. Each side coil loop includes a top part, a bottom part, and inner and outer side parts. Each inner side part is connected to each side part of the collapsible center coil loop. The vertical fabric portion covers the openings of the coil loops for stopping the flying balls. The opening angle of the side coil loops are controllable. The propping device includes pecks and strings to fix the net to the floor.

Claims

1. A collapsible net for stopping flying balls and for installing on a floor comprising:

a) a collapsible center coil loop comprising a top part, a bottom part, and first and second aide parts;

b) a collapsible first side coil loop comprising a top part, a bottom part, and inner and outer side parts, wherein the inner side part is connected to the first side part of the collapsible center coil loop;

c) a collapsible second side coil loop comprising a top part, a bottom part, and inner and outer side parts, wherein the inner side part is connected to the second side part of the collapsible center coil loop;

d) a vertical fabric portion for covering the openings of the coil loops for stopping the flying balls;

e) a top fabric portion for holding the top parts of the coil loops and for covering a top surface defined by the top parts of the coil loops;

f) a bottom fabric portion for holding the bottom parts of the coil loops and for covering a bottom surface defined by the bottom parts of the coil loops;

g) a top strap for connecting the upper ends of the outer side part of the first and second coil loops;

h) a bottom strap for connecting the lower ends of the outer side part of the first and second coil loops; and

i) a propping device for holding the collapsible net down to the floor,

wherein the vertical fabric portion on the collapsible center coil loop, the collapsible first side coil loop, and the collapsible second side coil loop form a substantially concave-truncated-cylinder-shaped net for catching the flying balls.

2. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the coil loops are substantially quadrilateral.

3. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the propping device comprises a plurality of stakes for fixing the bottom fabric portion to the floor.

4. The collapsible net of claim 3, wherein the bottom fabric portion comprises a plurality of flanges with holes, wherein the hole is adapted to accept the stake.

5. The collapsible net of claim 4, wherein the flanges of the bottom fabric portion are provided at predetermined locations along the bottom parts of the coil loops.

6. The collapsible net of claim 5, wherein the predetermined locations for the flanges comprises a joint portion of the bottom part and the outer side part of the first side coil loop, a joint portion of the bottom part and the outer side part of the second side coil loop, a joint portion of the bottom parts of the center coil loop and the first side coil loop, and a joint portion of the bottom parts of the center coil loop and the second side coil loop.

7. The collapsible net of claim 3, wherein the propping device further comprises a plurality of strings for fixing the top parts of the coil loops to the floor, wherein each string comprises a first end and a second end.

8. The collapsible net of claim 7, wherein the first ends of the strings are connected to predetermined locations along the top parts of the coil loops.

9. The collapsible net of claim 8, wherein the predetermined locations comprises a joint portion of the top part and the outer side part of the first side coil loop, a joint portion of the top part and the outer side part of the second side coil loop, a joint portion of the top parts of the center coil loop and the first side coil loop, and a joint portion of the top parts of the center coil loop and the second side coil loop.

10. The collapsible net of claim 8, wherein the second ends of the strings are connected to the stakes, wherein the stakes are stretched and fixed to the floor to make the string tight enough to hold the collapsible net.

11. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the vertical fabric portion comprises a net portion and a sleeve portion, wherein the sleeve portion covers and clings to the coil loops and is connected to the net portion.

12. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the top fabric portion comprises a net, wherein the top fabric portion is confined by the top parts of the coil loops and the top strap.

13. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the bottom fabric portion comprises a net, wherein the bottom fabric portion is confined by the bottom parts of the coil loops and the bottom strap.

14. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the top and bottom straps are elastic, further comprises two elastic poles having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the length of each elastic pole is longer than the side part of the coil loops, wherein the elastic poles are elastic, wherein the elasticity of the elastic poles is lower than the elasticity of the top strap, wherein the top strap comprises a plurality of holes for securing the upper end of the elastic poles, wherein the lower parts of the elastic poles are fixed or secured by a fabric portion to the side parts of the first and second coil loop.

15. The collapsible net of claim 1, further comprises two elastic poles having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the elastic poles are connected into one piece and threaded along holes provided at the edge of the top fabric portion, for heightening the top fabric portion by bending the threaded elastic poles upward.

16. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the opening angle of the concave-truncated-cylinder-shape is controllable, wherein the opening angle is defined by the surfaces of the first and second side coil loops.

17. The collapsible net of claim 16, wherein the opening angles ranges from about zero (0) to about one hundred eighty (180) degrees.

18. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the coil loops are installed perpendicularly to the floor.

19. The collapsible net of claim 1, wherein the coil loops are substantially quadrilateral, wherein the vertical fabric portion comprises a net portion and a sleeve portion, wherein the sleeve portion covers and clings to the vertices of the quadrilateral coil loops, wherein the sleeve portion is substantially triangular.

20. The collapsible net of claim 1, further comprising a target, wherein the target is installed on the vertical fabric portion covering the center coil loop.