Collapsible ball game goal

• US 7,540,814 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Socci Sport, LLC
• Original Assignee: Socci Sport, LLC
• Inventors: Dilling, Jan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US11/352,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20070187897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 473/476, 473/459, 473/470, 473/478
• US Class Current: 473/478
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/08 with substantially horizontal opening for ball, e.g. for basketball A63B57/40, A63B63/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/002 Games using balls, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A goal for a collapsible, three-dimensional game includes: (a) at least two generally ring-shaped, openable hoops, each of the hoops being openable, closable, and coupleable at a hoop coupling of each hoop, the hoops including at least three post connecting mechanisms; (b) at least three detachable posts of substantially equal length, the posts being removably connectable to one of the post connecting mechanisms on the hoops; (c) a substantially flexible net affixed to an upper one of the hoops; and (d) a detachable net holding mechanism attachable to the post connecting mechanisms on each post; wherein, when the goal is in an open, erect position: a lower one of the hoops rests on the playing surface, the upper hoop being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the lower one of the hoops, the net extending downwardly between the substantially horizontally oriented hoops.

Claims

1. A collapsible, three-dimensional game goal for use on a playing surface, comprising:

(a) at least two generally ring-shaped, openable hoops, each comprising one hoop coupling, each of the hoops being openable and closable at the hoop coupling, the hoops comprising at least three post connecting mechanisms;

(b) at least three detachable posts of substantially equal length, opposite ends of each of the posts being removably connectable to one of the post connecting mechanisms on the hoops;

(c) a length of substantially flexible net affixed at a plurality of net attachment points to an upper one of the hoops; and

(d) a detachable net holding mechanism attachable to the post connecting mechanisms at the opposite ends of each post;

wherein, the goal comprises an open, erect position in which a lower one of the hoops rests on the playing surface, the upper one of the hoops being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the lower one of the hoops, the net extending downwardly between the substantially horizontally oriented hoops and the substantially vertically oriented, spaced apart posts;

the at least three posts and the net defining at least three adjacent, substantially vertical scoring surfaces;

the upper one of the hoops defining the generally circular upper periphery of a scoring basket at the top of the goal, the sides of a generally triangular-shaped base of the scoring basket being formed by the scoring surfaces; and

wherein the goal further comprises a collapsed position in which each of the hoops is itself open and coupled to the other one of the hoops at the hoop coupling, the coupled hoop in the collapsed goal position forming compact coils that are each substantially smaller than the hoops in the erect goal position;

and wherein the at least three post connecting mechanisms comprise at least three generally T-shaped post connecting tees wherein each post connecting tee comprising a post receiving end that in the erect goal position receives a corresponding end of one of the posts and wherein the tee attachment screw extends through a top of the corresponding post connecting tee and through one of the hoops, the tee attachment screw being fastened in the post receiving end of the corresponding post connecting tee and where the net is attached at a plurality of spaced apart net attachment points to the upper hoop, but not affixed to the at least three posts.

2. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the net hangs from the upper hoop on a slant so that a plurality of apertures in the net are diamond-shaped.

3. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the goal in the erect position comprises two of the hoops:

the upper hoop and the lower hoop; and

three of the posts; and

the coupled hoop in the collapsed goal position forming three adjacent hoop coils, an edge of the net being looped over the tee attachment screws on the upper hoop.

4. The goal according to claim 3, wherein the detachable net holding mechanism attached to the post connecting tee is a post line attached at one end to the post connecting tee on the lower hoop, and at an opposite, detachable end to a corresponding one of the post connecting tees on the upper hoop;

wherein the post line holds a portion of the net against the adjacent post when the goal is in the open, erect position, and the tee attachment screw is also a point of attachment for the post line.

5. The goal according to claim 3, wherein the net attachment points comprise a tee attachment point on each post connecting tee, at least three fixed net attachment points on the upper hoop, each fixed net attachment point being between the post connecting tees, and at least one detachable net attachment point corresponding to the hoop coupling.

6. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the net remains attached to the upper one of the hoops, but not to the lower one of the hoops, in both the collapsed and the open, erect positions;

and wherein the compact coils of the collapsed goal position are each about ⅔

the size of the hoops in their connected position.

7. The goal according to claim 5, wherein the fixed net attachment points are spaced apart net attachment loops permanently affixed at one end portion to the upper hoop, an edge of the net being slidably looped through an opposite end portion of each of the net attachment loops.

8. The goal according to claim 5, wherein the detachable net attachment point is a strip of hook and loop material attached to the net and attachable around the upper hoop, a vertical length of the net being greater than a height of the goal in the erect position.

9. The goal according to claim 1, wherein each scoring surface faces out in a different direction from the scoring basket, the scoring basket extending down to the playing surface.

10. The goal according to claim 1, further comprising a bottom line extending between three of the post connecting tees on the lower hoop, the bottom line being woven through a plurality of apertures of a bottom portion of the net, the tee attachment screw on each post connecting tee on the lower hoop being a point of attachment for the bottom line.

11. The goal according to claim 3, wherein the lower hoop comprises a male end that fits into a corresponding female end of the hoop coupling of the upper hoop and the upper hoop comprises a male end that fits into a corresponding female end of the hoop coupling of the lower hoop in the collapsed goal position.

12. The goal according to claim 10, wherein the bottom line is affixed to a tee attachment screw on each of the three post connecting tees, the bottom line being generally taut and generally forming the triangular shape at the base of the net when the goal is in the erect position.

13. A method of disassembling the three-dimensional game goal of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

a) Detaching a detachable net attachment mechanism from a hoop coupling on an upper hoop of the goal;

the goal comprising;

(1) at least two generally ring-shaped, openable, spaced apart, substantially horizontally and substantially parallel hoops having substantially the same diameter as one another, each of the hoops comprising at least one hoop coupling, each of the hoops being openable and closable at the hoop coupling, the hoops comprising at least three post connecting mechanisms;

(2) at least three detachable, spaced apart, substantially vertical posts of substantially equal length, opposite ends of each of the posts being removably connectable to one of the post connecting mechanisms on the hoops;

(3) a length of substantially flexible net extending between the hoops and between the posts, the net being affixed to an upper one of the hoops, but not to the posts;

the net extending downwardly within the hoops; and

(d) a detachable net holding mechanism attachable to the post connecting mechanisms at the opposite ends of each post;

b) Detaching an upper end of each of three post lines from a net attachment mechanism on an upper hoop post connecting mechanism for each post of the goal;

c) Removing each post from the upper and lower hoop post connecting mechanisms of the goal;

d) Pulling the upper hoop of the goal apart at the upper hoop coupling; and

e) Pulling the lower hoop of the goal apart at the lower hoop coupling.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein step d) precedes steps b) or c).

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

f) Connecting one end of the upper or lower hoop into the hoop coupling of the opposite hoop;

connecting one end of the other hoop into the hoop coupling of the opposite hoop.

16. A method of erecting the three-dimensional game goal of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

a) Pulling a hoop assembly of the collapsed goal apart at two hoop couplings of the goal;

the goal comprising;

(1) at least two generally ring-shaped, openable hoops having substantially the same diameter as one another, each of the hoops comprising at least one hoop coupling, each of the hoops being openable and closable at the hoop coupling, the hoops comprising at least three post connecting mechanisms;

(2) at least three detachable posts of substantially equal length, opposite ends of each of the posts being removably connectable to one of the post connecting mechanisms on the hoops;

(3) a length of substantially flexible net extending between the hoops and between the posts, the net being affixed to an upper one of the hoops, but not to the posts; and

(d) a detachable net holding mechanism attachable to the post connecting mechanisms at the opposite ends of each post;

b) Connecting an end of the upper or lower hoop into the hoop coupling of the same hoop;

connecting an end of the other hoop into the hoop coupling of the same hoop;

c) Placing the lower hoop on a generally flat surface with the lower hoop post connecting mechanisms facing in an upward direction;

d) Holding the upper hoop 12 over the lower hoop 11 with upper hoop post connecting mechanisms facing in a downward direction over the corresponding lower hoop post connecting mechanisms; and

e) Inserting one end of each post into the lower post connecting mechanism and an opposite end of the post into the corresponding upper hoop post connecting mechanism;

repeat for each post.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

f) Pulling a post line taut along each corresponding post and over a portion of net against the post and attaching a detachable end of the post line to the net attachment mechanism on the upper hoop post connecting mechanism at the top of the post; and

repeat for each post line.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

g) Attaching the hook and loop strip around the hoop coupling on the upper hoop.