Lightweight portable goal post

• US 9,427,644 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kendyl A. Roman
• Original Assignee: Kendyl A. Roman
• Inventors: Roman, Kendyl A
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/072,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 273398-402, 473476-478, 403/295, 138/115, 138/174, 428/36.9, 528/34, 528/52
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/024 with screws or pins in the earth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/008 Goals for rugby or American football
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Low cost, durable, reusable, lightweight, inexpensive, simple, easy to assemble/disassemble, transportable goal posts. Each goal posts may be composed of single piece T reinforcements and a single piece cross bar reinforcement, as well as readily available construction materials, such as PVC pipe. The bodies of the single piece reinforcements are sized so that the pipes forming the upright posts and crossbar have the same length. Assembly, disassembly, and transportation are simplified. The disassembled components can be carried in vans and SUVs. Internal reinforcements allow flexible, low cost materials such as PVC pipe to be used while maintaining a professional, aesthetic appearance.

Claims

1. A T reinforcement for use in forming a portable goal post with a plurality of pipes, comprising:

a) a T body,

b) an upper leg, connected to the T body,

c) a horizontal leg, connected to the T body, and

d) a lower leg, connected to the T body,

wherein a shoulder is formed where each leg meets the T body,

wherein the T body height, between the upper leg shoulder and the lower leg shoulder is about eighteen inches,

wherein the T body horizontal width, between the horizontal leg shoulder and an attachment to a vertical portion of the T body is about one inch,

wherein the horizontal leg is at least three feet in length,

wherein the upper leg and the lower leg are each at least two feet in length, and

wherein each leg is configured to be inserted into and to reinforce a respective one of the plurality of pipes.

2. The T reinforcement of claim 1, wherein each leg comprises of a vertical piece and a horizontal piece having a cross hair cross-section.

3. The T reinforcement of claim 1 , wherein each leg comprises a hollow cylinder having an outer diameter configured to connect tightly with the inner diameter of an attached upper post, lower post, or cross bar section.

4. The T reinforcement of claim 3 , wherein the hollow cylinder is internally reinforced with a plurality of radially intersecting, rectangular sheets of material.

5. The T reinforcement of claim 1 , wherein each leg comprises of a rectangular bar having a plurality of perpendicular disks spaced at intervals along the bar.

6. The T reinforcement of claim 1 wherein each leg comprises of a rectangular bar having a plurality of perpendicular disks spaced at intervals along the bar, and wherein each leg further comprises an intersecting bar providing an addition dimension of support between the disks.

7. The T reinforcement of claim 1 wherein each leg comprises of a rectangular bar having a plurality of cutouts in the rectangular bar.

8. A portable goal post consisting of:

a) two T reinforcements of claim 1; and

b) six pipes of the plurality of pipes, each pipe having a predetermined length is less than or equal to nine feet; and

c) a cross bar reinforcement, having

i) a cross bar body, and

ii) two cross bar legs, connected to the cross bar body,

wherein any two of the six pipes form upper posts, each removeably connected to the upper leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively,

wherein any two of the six pipes form lower posts, each removeably connected to lower leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively, and

wherein any two of the six pipes form cross bar sections to form a cross bar, each removeably connected a horizontal leg of the T reinforcements respectively, and both connected to respective cross bar legs,

wherein over half of the distance between upper posts are reinforced by the combination of horizontal legs and the cross bar reinforcement,

wherein the portable goal post is assembled using any of the same length pipes,

whereby the portable goal post is disassembled and transported using a passenger vehicle.

9. A goal post system comprising two portable goal posts of claim 8.

10. The goal post of claim 8,

wherein the outer diameter of the T body is the same as the outer diameter of the attached upper post, lower post, or cross bar section,

whereby the seam between the respective shoulder and the attached post or section is hidden.

11. The goal post of claim 8, wherein each leg has an outer diameter which connects tightly with the inner diameter of the attached upper post, lower post, or cross bar section,

wherein the shape of the attached post or section is reinforced,

whereby the goal post maintains a predetermined shape.

12. A method of assembling the portable goal post of claim 8, the method comprising the steps of:

a) removeably connecting each of the upper posts to the upper leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively,

b) removeably connecting each of the lower posts to the lower leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively,

c) removeably connecting each of the cross bar sections to one leg of the cross bar reinforcement respectively,

d) removeably connecting each of the cross bar sections to the horizontal leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively,

wherein each of the legs of the reinforcements help maintain the shape of the post or section into which the respective leg is inserted,

whereby the goal post is assembled using lightweight posts and sections.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

e) driving fence posts into a playing field,

f) raising the assembled goal post over the fence posts, wherein one lower post is placed over one of the fence posts and the other lower post is placed over the other fence post, whereby the fence posts hold the goal post erect,

g) later, disassembling the goal post for compact storage or transportation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

h) transporting the disassembled goal post using a passenger vehicle.

15. A portable goal post consisting of:

a) a cross bar reinforcement comprising;

i) a cross bar body, and

ii) two cross bar legs, each connected to the cross bar body,

wherein a shoulder is formed where each leg meets the cross bar body,

wherein the cross bar body horizontal width, between the cross bar leg shoulders is about two inches,

wherein each cross bar leg is at least three feet in length,

wherein each leg is configured to be inserted into and to reinforce a respective one of a plurality of pipes;

b) six pipes of the plurality of pipes, each pipe having a predetermined length is less than or equal to nine feet; and

c) two T reinforcements, each T reinforcement comprising;

i) a T body,

ii) an upper leg, connected to the T body at a shoulder,

iii) a horizontal leg, connected to the T body at a shoulder, and

iv) a lower leg, connected to the T body at a shoulder,

wherein any two of the six pipes form upper posts, each removeably connected to the upper leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively,

wherein any two of the six pipes form lower posts, each removeably connected to lower leg of one of the T reinforcements respectively, and

wherein any two of the six pipes form cross bar sections to form a cross bar, each removeably connected to a horizontal leg of the T reinforcements respectively, and both connected to respectively cross bar legs,

wherein over half of the distance between upper posts are reinforced by the combination of horizontal legs and the cross bar reinforcement,

wherein the portable goal post is assembled using any of the same length pipes,

whereby the portable goal post is disassembled and transported using a passenger vehicle.

16. The portable goal post of claim 15, wherein each leg comprises of a vertical piece and a horizontal piece having a cross hair cross-section.

17. The portable goal post of claim 15,

wherein the outer diameter of the T body is the same as the outer diameter of the attached upper post, lower post, or cross bar section,

whereby the seam between the respective shoulder and the attached post or section is hidden.

18. The portable goal post of claim 15, wherein each leg has an outer diameter which connects tightly with the inner diameter of the attached upper post, lower post, or cross bar section,

wherein the shape of the attached post or section is reinforced,

whereby the goal post maintains a predetermined shape.

19. The portable goal post of claim 15, wherein each leg comprises hollow cylinder having an outer diameter configured to connect tightly with the inner diameter of an attached upper post, lower post, or cross bar section.

20. The portable goal post of claim 15, wherein each leg comprises of a rectangular bar having a plurality of perpendicular disks spaced at intervals along the bar.