Multi sports net with rebounder

• US 8,460,128 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Indian Industries Incorporated (Escalade Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Indian Industries Incorporated (Escalade Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elpers, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US12/974,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 473/421, 473/422, 473/197, 473/195, 473/434, 473/435, 473470-471, D21/699, D21/780, 273/396, 273/407, 273/410
• US Class Current: 473/431
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/003 non-electronic means for locating the point of impact on a target or the point of entry in the goal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0097 Ball rebound walls with holes or in combination with nets A63B63/00

Abstract

A ball sports practice device is disclosed having a forward facing ball capture enclosure and a rear facing rebound structure. The angle between the ball capture enclosure and the rebound structure may be adjusted to support the device to a plurality of use positions on a support surface. An optional support arm may be included to maintain or limit the angle between the capture enclosure and the rebound structure.

Claims

1. A ball sports practice device, comprising:

a forward facing ball capture enclosure, said enclosure comprising;

a first frame having a substantially rectangular front opening to an interior capture area, said interior capture area defined by a substantially vertical rear capture surface and two vertical side capture surfaces extending forward from opposing ends of said rear capture surface; and

a rear facing ball rebound structure arranged on the device on the side opposite the capture area of said first frame, said rebound structure comprising;

a second frame attached to said first frame; and

a rebound net stretched across said second frame;

wherein an angle is generally defined between the capture enclosure and the rebound structure, and wherein the angle may be adjusted to support the device at a plurality of use positions on a support surface by changing the lateral distance between a lower end of the first frame and a lower end of the second frame.

2. The ball sports practice device of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the ball capture enclosure is pivotally attached to an upper portion of the rebound structure along a horizontal axis.

3. The ball sports practice device of claim 2, comprising:

a support arm for maintaining the relative angle between said capture enclosure and said rebound structure in a selected one of said use positions, said support arm attached to at least one of said first frame and said second frame.

4. The ball sports practice device of claim 3, wherein said support arm is attached to said second frame.

5. The ball sports practice device of claim 4, wherein an upper end of said support arm is pivotally attached to said second frame by a hinge which can be locked in selected positions, and wherein a lower end of said support arm makes contact with a support surface at a point between the first frame and the second frame.

6. The ball sports practice device of claim 1, comprising:

a first and second wheel attached to a lower portion of said first frame;

wherein said first and second wheels are positioned such that a vertically lowest point of said first and second wheels is above a vertically-lowest edge of the first frame which engages the support surface when the device is in one of said use positions; and

wherein the device may be tilted into a transport position, such that said vertically lowest point of said first and second wheels is moved below the vertically-lowest edge of the first frame to engage the support surface.

7. The ball sports practice device of claim 6, comprising:

a third and fourth wheel attached to a lower portion of said second frame, said third and fourth wheels positioned to allow the lower portion of said second frame to move laterally as said relative angle between said capture enclosure and said rebound structure is adjusted to one of said plurality of use positions or to said transport position.

8. The ball sports practice device of claim 1, wherein said rear capture surface of said ball capture enclosure includes a portion angled downward and forward in one of said use positions to return captured balls toward a user.

9. The ball sports practice device of claim 6, wherein said first frame comprises sidemembers, said sidemembers defining lower knee portions which are angled toward said first and second wheels to provide clearance between said first frame and the support surface when the device is in the transport position.

10. The ball sports practice device of claim 1, wherein said rear capture surface comprises a loose fitting material.

11. The ball sports practice device of claim 1, comprising a slack curtain which hangs freely from an upper crossmember of said first frame.

12. The ball sports practice device of claim 11, wherein the slack curtain may be draped over the top of the rebound structure to define a top ball capture surface for said interior capture area.

13. The ball sports practice device of claim 1, comprising at least one target mounted to said capture enclosure which indicates a desired target area within the ball capture enclosure.

14. A ball sports practice device, comprising:

a forward facing ball capture enclosure, said enclosure comprising;

a first frame having a substantially rectangular front opening to an interior capture area, said interior capture area defined by a substantially vertical rear capture surface and two vertical side capture surfaces extending forward from opposing ends and substantially perpendicular to said rear capture surface; and

a rear facing ball rebound structure arranged on the device on the side opposite the capture area of said first frame, said rebound structure comprising;

a substantially rectangular second frame, an upper portion of the second frame pivotally attached to an upper portion of said first frame along a horizontal axis; and

a rebound net stretched across said second frame;

wherein the relative angle between the capture enclosure and the rebound structure may be adjusted to support the device at a plurality of use positions on a support surface.

15. The ball sports practice device of claim 14, comprising:

a control mechanism to maintain the relative angle between said capture enclosure and said rebound structure in a selected one of said use positions.

16. The ball sports practice device of claim 15, wherein a support arm has an upper end pivotally attached to said second frame by a hinge which can be locked in selected positions, and wherein a lower end of said support arm makes contact with a ground surface at a point between the first frame and the second frame.

17. The ball sports practice device of claim 14, comprising:

a first and second wheel attached to a lower portion of said first frame;

wherein said first and second wheels are positioned such that a vertically lowest point of said first and second wheels is above a vertically-lowest edge of the first frame which engages the support surface when the device is in one of said use positions; and

wherein the device may be tilted into a transport position, such that said vertically lowest point of said first and second wheels is moved below the vertically-lowest edge of the first frame to engage the support surface.

18. The ball sports practice device of claim 14, wherein said rear capture surface of said ball capture enclosure includes a portion angled downward and forward in at least one of said use positions to return captured balls toward a user.

19. The ball sports practice device of claim 17, wherein said first frame further comprises sidemembers, said sidemembers defining lower knee portions which are angled toward said first and second wheels to provide clearance between said first frame and the support surface when the device is in the transport position.

20. The ball sports practice device of claim 14, comprising a slack curtain which hangs freely from an upper crossmember of said first frame.