Foldable net shield for a garage door

• US 9,486,691 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kelvin Mcgee
• Original Assignee: Kelvin Mcgee
• Inventors: McGee, Kelvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M
• Application Number:
  US14/662,473
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/023 Supports, e.g. poles

Abstract

A foldable net shield for an entire garage door including a single rebound net connected to a frame by sleeves and spaced apart poles pivotably conjoined at forwardly and rearwardly foldable hinge assemblies on each of an upper and a lower portion of the frame. A foldable leg assembly is disposed on the lower portion of the frame proximal at least at each of a right and a left side of the frame. A brace on a rear end of the frame at least at a pair of the rearward hinge assemblies and each foldable leg assembly brace the frame against the garage door and provide space between the respective hinge and leg assembly and the garage door to prevent damage to the garage door upon impact of an object, such as a basket ball, with the rebound net. A joint is disposed on each pole.

Claims

1. A foldable net shield for a garage door comprising:

a continuous foldable frame having a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion in a position parallel to the top portion, a front end, a rear end, a right end, a left end, wherein the frame has a fully extended condition and an alternate folded condition;

a single rebound net disposed across the entire frame;

a plurality of spaced apart poles continuously disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion of the frame in a position perpendicular to the top and bottom portions;

a plurality of hinge assemblies comprising a plurality of forward hinge assemblies and a plurality of rearward hinge assemblies, one of the hinge assemblies disposed on the frame at each of the top and bottom ends of each pole, wherein the forward hinge assemblies and the rearward hinge assemblies are alternatingly disposed on the poles, wherein the frame is foldable forwardly at each forward hinge assembly, wherein the frame is foldable rearwardly at each rearward hinge assembly;

at least one pair of foldable leg assemblies, wherein one leg assembly is disposed on the frame bottom portion proximal each of the left and right ends;

a plurality of braces, one of the braces being disposed on the rear end of the frame at least at a pair of the rearward hinge assemblies and on each foldable leg assembly in a position perpendicular to the frame, each brace having an external end; and

a non-slip foot disposed on the external end of each brace and the distal end of each of a leg of the foldable leg assemblies;

wherein the rebound net in the extended condition has a height and a width substantially equal to a height and a width of a garage door.

2. The foldable net shield for a garage door of claim 1 further comprising:

an upper section and a lower section of each pole; and

a joint centrally disposed on each pole between the upper section and the lower section.

3. The foldable net shield for a garage door of claim 1 wherein each leg assembly comprises:

a bracket disposed on the frame, the bracket having a forward side disposed proximal the frame front end and a rearward side disposed proximal the frame rear end;

wherein each leg is pivotably disposed on each of the forward side and the rearward side, each leg having a proximal end pivotably attached to the bracket and a distal end; and

a pivot arm pivotably conjoining each leg to the frame, each pivot arm having an exterior end disposed on the leg in a position more proximal the distal end than the bracket and an interior end disposed on the frame more proximal the distal end than the bracket.

4. The foldable net shield for a garage door of claim 2 wherein each leg assembly comprises:

a bracket disposed on the frame, the bracket having a forward side disposed proximal the frame front end and a rearward side disposed proximal the frame rear end;

wherein each leg is pivotably disposed on each of the forward side and the rearward side, each leg having a proximal end pivotably attached to the bracket and a distal end; and

a pivot arm pivotably conjoining each leg to the frame, each pivot arm having an exterior end disposed on the leg in a position more proximal the distal end than the bracket and an interior end disposed on the frame more proximal the distal end than the bracket.

5. A foldable net shield for a garage door comprising:

a continuous foldable frame having a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion in a position parallel to the top portion, a front end, a rear end, a right end, a left end, wherein the frame has a fully extended condition and an alternate folded condition;

a single rebound net disposed across the entire frame;

a plurality of spaced apart poles continuously disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion of the frame in a position perpendicular to the top and bottom portions, each pole having an upper section, a lower section, a top end, and a bottom end;

a plurality of hinge assemblies comprising a plurality of forward hinge assemblies and a plurality of rearward hinge assemblies, one of the hinge assemblies disposed on the frame at each of the top and bottom ends of each pole, wherein the forward hinge assemblies and the rearward hinge assemblies are alternatingly disposed on the poles, wherein the frame is foldable forwardly at each forward hinge assembly, wherein the frame is foldable rearwardly at each rearward hinge assembly, each hinge assembly comprising;

a gap in each of the frame top and bottom portions directly adjacent each of the top end and the bottom end of each pole;

a C-bracket bridging each gap, wherein the respective top end and bottom end of each pole is attached to a lower portion of the C-bracket;

an opening in each C-bracket, wherein the opening in each forward hinge assembly is directed toward the rear end of the frame, wherein the opening in each rearward hinge assembly is directed toward the front end of the frame;

a pivot member disposed through the C-bracket and the frame on each of a side of the gap;

wherein the frame of each side of the gap is pivotable forwardly and rearwardly at each forward hinge assembly and each rearward hinge assembly respectively;

a sleeve connecting the rebound net to the frame between each of the hinge assemblies, continuously along each of the right end and the left end, and between an outermost one of the hinge assemblies and each of the right end and left end;

a band attaching each of a pair of the sleeves together at each hinge assembly wherein the band is configured to permit the hinge assemblies to fold;

at least one pair of foldable leg assemblies, wherein one leg assembly is disposed on the frame bottom portion proximal each of the left and right ends, each leg assembly comprising;

an attachment bracket disposed on the frame, the attachment bracket having a forward side disposed proximal the frame front end and a rearward side disposed proximal the frame rear end;

a leg pivotably disposed on each of the forward side and the rearward side, each leg having a proximal end pivotably attached to the attachment bracket and a distal end;

a pivot arm pivotably conjoining each leg to the frame, each pivot arm having an exterior end disposed on the leg in a position more proximal the distal end than the attachment bracket and an interior end disposed on the frame more proximal the distal end than the attachment bracket;

a plurality of braces, one of the braces being disposed on the rear end of the frame at each rearward hinge assembly and on each foldable leg assembly in a position perpendicular to the frame, each brace having an internal end centrally attached to the C-bracket and an external end; and

a non-slip foot disposed on each of the external end of each brace and the distal end of each leg;

wherein the rebound net in the extended condition has a height and a width substantially equal to a height and a width of a garage door.

6. The foldable net shield for a garage door of claim 5 further comprising:

a joint centrally disposed on each pole between the upper section and the lower section.

7. The foldable net shield for a garage door of claim 6 further comprising:

a pair of detent pins on each of the sides of the gap, the detent pins being disposed through the frame and into each C-bracket.