METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A BASKETBALL BACKBOARD

• US 20120031558A1
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifetime Products (Lifetime)
• Original Assignee: Lifetime Products (Lifetime)
• Inventors: STEVENS, LARRY
• Granted Patent: US 8,845,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1284 Application of adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 5/00 Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A basketball backboard assembly and a method of making the backboard assembly are disclosed. The assembly includes a backboard frame structure and an acrylic backboard which are bonded together with a suitable elastomeric adhesive, providing adequate adhesion and flexibility. The elastomeric adhesive has a bond gap in the range from 2 to 2.5 mm. The adhesive is catalyzed to provide control of the set time in the range from about 5 minutes to 1 hour. A plurality of bond gap spacers are located between the frame bonding surface and the backboard bonding surface to provide the bond gap.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a basketball backboard, the method comprising:

applying an uncured adhesive between a basketball backboard frame and a basketball backboard; and

curing the adhesive to bond the basketball backboard and the basketball backboard frame;

wherein the adhesive has sufficient flexibility and adhesion to allow the basketball backboard to be used for playing the game of basketball.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive directly bonds the basketball backboard and the basketball backboard frame.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is sandwiched between the basketball backboard frame and the basketball backboard.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a silicone elastomeric adhesive.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a catalyzed elastomeric adhesive.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein a bond gap between the basketball backboard frame and the basketball backboard is in the range of about 2 mm to about 2.5 mm (about 0.08 inch and about 0.1 inch).

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the basketball backboard is constructed from acrylic.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the basketball board is constructed from a polymer.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive is applied by automated equipment.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein a curing time of the adhesive is about fifteen (15) minutes.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes dimethylpolysiloxane as an ingredient.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes N-propylsilicate as an ingredient.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes aminopropyltriethoxysilane as an ingredient.

15. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes trimethoxysilylpropylisocyanurate as an ingredient.

16. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes aminopropyltriethoxysilane and trimethoxysilylpropylisocyanurate as ingredients.

17. The method as in claim 1, further comprising preparing a bonding surface of the basketball backboard frame to receive the adhesive.

18. The method as in claim 1, further comprising preparing a bonding surface of the basketball backboard to receive the adhesive.

19. The method as in claim 1, wherein the adhesive provides sufficient flexibility in the bond to dissipate impact energy from the basketball backboard and to the basketball backboard frame when a basketball strikes the basketball backboard when playing the game of basketball.

20. A method of bonding a basketball backboard to a frame, the method comprising:

disposing an adhesive between a basketball backboard and a frame; and

sandwiching the adhesive between the basketball backboard and the frame to directly bond the basketball backboard and the frame;

wherein the adhesive has sufficient flexibility to allow the basketball backboard to be used for playing the game of basketball; and

wherein the adhesive has sufficient adhesion to securely connect the backboard and the frame.

21. The method as in claim 20, wherein the backboard is constructed from acrylic;

wherein the frame is constructed from metal; and

wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive that provides elastic bonding between the acrylic backboard and the metal frame.

22. The method as in claim 20, wherein the backboard is constructed from a polymer;

wherein the frame is constructed from metal; and

wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive that provides elastic bonding between the backboard and the metal frame.

23. The method as in claim 20, wherein the backboard is constructed from acrylic;

wherein the frame comprises a painted metal surface; and

wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive that provides elastic bonding between the acrylic backboard and the metal frame.

24. The method as in claim 20, wherein the backboard is constructed from acrylic;

wherein the frame comprises a powder coated surface; and

wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive that provides elastic bonding between the acrylic backboard and the powder coated surface.

25. The method as in claim 20, wherein the backboard is constructed from a polymer;

wherein the frame comprises a painted metal surface; and

wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive that provides elastic bonding between the backboard and the metal frame.

26. The method as in claim 20, wherein the backboard is constructed from a polymer;

wherein the frame comprises a powder coated surface; and

wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive that provides elastic bonding between the backboard and the powder coated surface.

27. The method as in claim 20, wherein the adhesive is a catalyzed elastomeric adhesive.

28. The method as in claim 20, further comprising a bond gap between the frame bonding surface and the backboard bonding surface, the bond gap having a size between about 2 mm to about 2.5 mm (0.08 inch to 0.1 inch).

29. The method as in claim 20, wherein the adhesive has a set time of about fifteen (15) minutes.

30. A method of bonding a basketball backboard and a basketball backboard frame, the method comprising:

bonding a basketball backboard and a basketball backboard frame directly together with an elastomeric adhesive, the elastomeric adhesive creating an elastic and high strength bond between the backboard and the frame, the elastomeric adhesive having sufficient flexibility and adhesion to allow the basketball backboard to be used for playing the game of basketball.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the elastomeric adhesive has a set time of about fifteen (15) minutes or less.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the backboard and the frame are separated by a bond gap having a size in the range from about 2 mm to about 2.5 mm (about 0.08 inch to about 0.1 inch).

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the backboard is constructed from acrylic and the frame comprises a painted metal surface, the elastomeric adhesive directly bonding the acrylic backboard and the painted metal surface of the frame.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the backboard is constructed from a polymer and the frame comprises a painted metal surface, the elastomeric adhesive directly bonding the backboard and the painted metal surface of the frame.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the backboard is constructed from acrylic and the frame comprises a powder coated surface, the elastomeric adhesive directly bonding the acrylic backboard and the powder coated surface of the frame.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the backboard is constructed from a polymer and the frame comprises a painted metal surface, the elastomeric adhesive directly bonding the backboard and the powder coated surface of the frame.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

preparing a bonding surface of the backboard;

preparing a bonding surface of the frame; and

sandwiching the elastomeric adhesive between the bonding surface of the backboard and the bonding surface of the frame.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the elastomeric adhesive includes aminopropyltriethoxysilane as an ingredient.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the elastomeric adhesive includes trimethoxysilylpropylisocyanurate as an ingredient.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein the elastomeric adhesive includes aminopropyltriethoxysilane and trimethoxysilylpropylisocyanurate as ingredients.