Basketball shooting target

• US 8,439,773 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howard Silagy
• Original Assignee: Howard Silagy
• Inventors: Silagy, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US13/085,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20110263356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/447, 473/472, 473/479, 473/480, 473/522
• US Class Current: 473/447
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball

Abstract

The invention is directed to a novel and unique basketball shooting target removably connected to a basketball goal. The target is an object that includes a female member having a female member core and female outer layer and a male member having a male member core and male outer layer. The female member core includes female lock flanges and female contact surfaces for engaging the male member core. The male member core has buttons that each includes respective cam locks configured for releasable engagement with female lock flanges on a female core to prevent horizontal movement. The male member core has male contact surfaces for engaging the female contact surfaces of the female member to prevent vertical movement. In operation, the male and female members removably connect with one another to engage a netting of a basketball goal and prevent movement relative to one another in horizontal or vertical direction.

Claims

1. A basketball shooting target for removably connecting to a netting of a basketball goal, comprising:

an object for aiming a basketball through a basketball goal configured for removably connecting to a strand of the netting;

the strand being routed through an entire length of the object and the object being configured for removably connecting around the strand of the netting;

the object defining a first aperture for entering the strand into the object and a second aperture for exiting the strand from the object, the object defining a channel running an entire length of the object from the first aperture to the second aperture;

the object being multi-layered, spherical in shape and including at least one cushioning layer;

the object including a female member having a female core and a female outer layer and a male member having a male core and a male outer layer;

whereby the object is positioned at a specific location on the netting to provide a basketball shooting target for training purposes.

2. The basketball shooting target of claim 1, wherein the female core has one or more female contact members of a triangular shape;

and wherein the male core has male contact member of a triangular shape, substantially complementary to the triangular shape of the female contact members, for engaging the female core member to prevent vertical movement of the male and female member relative to another upon engagement thereof.

3. The basketball shooting target of claim 2, further comprising:

the female member core having one or more female lock flanges to prevent horizontal movement upon engagement with the male member core; and

the male member core having a cam lock members configured for respective releasable engagement with the female lock flanges to regulate horizontal movement of the male member relative to the female member.

4. The basketball shooting target of claim 3, wherein the cam lock members are configured for releasable engagement with corresponding the female lock flanges.

5. The basketball shooting target of claim 4, wherein the cam lock members are spring-biased to facilitate engagement and disengagement with the female lock flanges.

6. The basketball shooting target of claim 5, wherein a plurality of buttons are respectively connected to the cam lock members;

the buttons being configured to be depressed to allow free connection and disconnection of the male member to the female member.

7. A basketball shooting target for connecting with a netting of a basketball goal, comprising:

an object for aiming a basketball through a basketball having a female member removably connecting to a male member to secure at least one strand of the netting with a channel defined therein;

the female member having a female core member and a female outer layer;

the female core member having one or more female lock flanges for preventing horizontal movement of the female member relative to a male member upon connecting, a female core member having one or more female contact surfaces to prevent vertical movement of the female member relative to the male member upon connecting;

the female outer layer having one or more cushioning layers attached to an outer surface of the female core member to reduce damage to basketballs and deaden sound; and

the male member having a male core member and a male outer layer;

the male core member having at least one button;

the buttons having one or more cam locks configured for releasable engagement with the female lock flanges to prevent horizontal movement, the male member core having male contact surfaces for engaging the female contact surfaces of the female member to prevent vertical movement;

the male outer layer having one or more cushioning layers attached to an outer surface of the male core member,

whereby male and female members removably connect with one another to engage a netting of a basketball goal and prevent movement relative to one another in horizontal or vertical direction upon connecting.

8. A basketball shooting target for connecting with a netting of a basketball goal, comprising:

an object for aiming a basketball through a basketball having a female member removably connecting to a male member, the object defining a channel through an entire length of the male and female member configured to receive at least one strand of the netting;

the female member having a female core member and a female outer layer;

the female core member having one or more female lock flanges for preventing horizontal movement of the female member relative to a male member upon connecting, a female core member having one or more female contact surfaces defining a triangular shape to prevent vertical movement of the female member relative to the male member upon connecting;

the female outer layer having one or more cushioning layers attached to an outer surface of the female core member to reduce damage to basketballs and deaden sound; and

the male member having a male core member and a male outer layer;

the male core member having one or more spring-biased button members slidably connecting within one or more opposing ends of the male member, the button members having one or more cam locks configured for releasable engagement with the female lock flanges to regulate horizontal movement of the male member relative to the female member, the button members having button surfaces configured to be depressed to move the cam locks relative to one another to engage or disengage the female lock flanges to regulate the horizontal movement of the male member to the female member, the male member core having male contact surfaces defining a triangular shape for engaging the female contact surfaces of the female member to prevent vertical movement;

the male outer layer having one or more cushioning layers attached to an outer surface of the male core member,

whereby male and female members removably connect with one another to engage a netting of a basketball goal and prevent movement relative to one another until depression of the button surfaces.

9. A method for improving basketball shooting accuracy of a basketball into a netting of a basketball goal, comprising:

providing an object configured for removably connecting around a strand of the netting and routing the strand through a channel defined through an entire length of the object to receive the strand;

the object including a female member having a female core member and a female outer layer;

the female core member having one or more female lock flanges for preventing horizontal movement of the female member relative to a male member upon connecting, a female core member having one or more female contact surfaces to prevent vertical movement of the female member relative to the male member upon connecting;

the female outer layer having one or more cushioning layers attached to an outer surface of the female core member to reduce damage to basketballs and deaden sound; and

a male member having a male core member and a male outer layer;

the male core member having one or more button members, the button hook members having one or more cam locks configured for releasable engagement with the female lock flanges to prevent horizontal movement the male member core having male contact surfaces for engaging the female contact surfaces of the female member to prevent vertical movement; and

the male outer layer having one or more cushioning layers attached to an outer surface of the male core member;

positioning the object about the netting of the basketball goal; and

connecting the object to the strand of the netting of a basketball goal; and

whereby the object engages the strand of the netting for aiming purposes to assist a basketball shooter in more accurately guiding the ball through the basketball goal.