Projectile machine with remote control for basketball...

Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Practice or training device

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C473S431000, C473S422000, C124S006000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06241628

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a projectile machine for use in practicing various activities including the practice of basketball shots from various positions on a basketball court. The projectile machine when practicing basketball shots automatically returns the basketballs to the person practicing shots thereby eliminating the necessity for the practicing player or other players to retrieve the basketballs that have been shot and return them to the player practicing the shots. More specifically, the present invention enables basketballs that have been shot towards the basketball goal or hoop to be automatically collected and mechanically returned to a selected on-court location at varying elevations, trajectories and velocity. The projectile machine can also be used during various activities relating to the practice of various endeavors in which an article is projected in a desired trajectory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Basketball players spend considerable time and effort in practicing shots from various positions on the basketball court. When doing so, it is necessary for the individual to retrieve each basketball that is shot or other players retrieve and return the basketballs to the person practicing the basketball shots. In an effort to reduce the necessity of the practicing player or other players retrieving and returning the basketballs to various locations on the basketball court, devices have been developed to collect and return basketballs to various locations on the basketball court.
Prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,340, issued Apr. 1, 1986 discloses a machine for collecting and returning basketballs to various locations on the basketball court. The prior art of record in that patent also is relevant to this invention.
The machine disclosed in the above prior patent functions effectively but does not include various capabilities that are desirable when practicing basketball shots. The present invention is constructed so that it returns a basketball to various selected locations on the basketball court by varying the path of trajectory and velocity of the returning basketball. The basketball practice machine of this invention is mobile and can be operated from either a 110 or 12 volt power source, thus enabling operation in both indoor and outdoor environments. Also, the operation of the basketball return machine of this invention may be controlled remotely which enables a player to control the functions of the machine. Additionally, the basketball return machine of this invention includes a net supported by a collapsible frame that collects balls that go through the basketball goal or bounce off the backboard or goal and return them to the machine for projecting the basketballs singly toward different locations on the basketball court.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The basketball practice device of this invention includes a portable and mobile machine capable of being positioned at a desired location on a basketball court generally underneath the basketball goal and backboard into which shooting practice is to be conducted. The machine includes a base having a ball ejecting or projecting mechanism which can be rotated about a vertical axis for directing balls to a selected on-court location dependent on the angular position about a vertical axis, the angular position about a horizontal axis and the velocity of the basketball as it is ejected or projected. Adjustment of the velocity, the vertical angle of discharge and the horizontal angle of discharge controls the movement characteristics of the returned basketballs.
The basketball return machine includes a collecting net supported from a base with the net having a wide opening at the top. The net is generally of a funnel shape in order to collect the balls from the basketball goal or backboard with the restricted bottom end of the funnel shaped net having an opening to feed the balls by gravity into the ball ejecting or projecting mechanism.
An object of the present invention is to provide a basketball practice device which includes a portable and mobile machine including a funnel shaped net associated with the basketball goal and backboard to collect balls which go through the goal, bounce off the goal or backboard and return them by gravity to a basketball ejecting or projecting mechanism that returns the balls to a desired on court location dependent upon the positioning and adjusted characteristics of the ball ejecting or projecting mechanism.
Another object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice device in which the ball ejecting or projecting mechanism is adjustable about a vertical axis to angularly select the desired direction of the ball to different spaced locations on the basketball court.
A further object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice device in accordance with the preceding objects in which the angular relation of the trajectory path about a horizontal axis can be adjusted for returning the basketball to a practice player at various distances and elevations from the ejecting or projecting mechanism.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice device in which the basketball ejecting mechanism is capable of adjusting the velocity of the basketball when discharged for causing the ball to be projected a greater distance or at a higher elevation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice device in accordance with the preceding object in which the basketball ejecting mechanism includes a pair of spaced rollers and a plunger which forces the basketball between the rollers with the spaced relationship of the rollers determining the velocity of the basketball as it leaves the ejecting mechanism.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice device in which the device includes a collapsible collection net that is removably attached to a mobile supporting base having the ejecting mechanism mounted thereon.
Another object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice machine with an ejecting mechanism that is adjustable about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis with the rotation or adjustment of the ejecting mechanism being programmed to discharge basketballs in accordance with a predetermined pattern or a random pattern or discharge of basketballs which may be controlled remotely by a unit operated by a coach, player or players.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a basketball practice device in accordance with the preceding objects which effectively collects and returns basketballs which have been shot at a basketball goal in order for the player practicing basketball shots to continuously shoot practice shots without having to retrieve basketballs or have others retrieve basketballs with the basketball practice device returning the balls to on court locations at varying velocities and trajectories to enable a basketball player to not only practice basketball shots but also become more proficient in catching and handling basketballs returned by the device.
Another feature of this invention is to provide a basketball practice device in accordance with the preceding objects which is adapted for home use by mounting the projecting mechanism on a supporting post for the backboard and goal.
Still another feature of this invention is a projecting mechanism which includes powered projectile retention members which move past the projectile to eject the projectile in a desired trajectory.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1198300 (1916-09-01), Watkins
patent: 2182369 (1939-12-01), Barron
patent: 2526018 (1950-10-01), Foster et al.
patent: 2908266 (1959-10-01), Cooper
patent: 3467073 (1969-09-01), Rhodes
patent: 36

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