Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Goal or target structure for projectile; element thereof
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-10
2001-07-17
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Goal or target structure for projectile; element thereof
C473S446000, C256S070000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261196
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sports goal. More particularly, present invention relates to a sports goal for minimizing injury to a player striking thereupon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for sports goals have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,120 to Dietrich teaches a frame for supporting a games net that includes a number of tubular frame members having threaded ends and a number of helical springs that are threadably connectable to the threaded ends to form a novel frame structure that is restorable deformable at the joined ends.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,306 to Shewchuk teaches a goal structure for a game such as ice hockey that provides a safety net which is constructed in the conventional form to provide a rigid pair of posts and cross-bar together with net supports extending rearwardly of the posts. The goal structure can be attached to the playing surface or ice hockey an assembly mounted wholly within the posts comprising a spring and cable, the cable passing axially of the post through an apertured guide block at the end of the post into an anchor bolt within the ice. An upper end of the spring is movable axially to apply and release the spring tension either by a transverse pin which extends into slots in the wall of the post or by an axial pin which can be held in a tensioned position by a latch. The anchor bolt in the ice allows the post to slide sideways across the ice. A plug can be placed in the ice surface when the post is removed to prevent water entering the fixture when flooding.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,207 to Boitano teaches a basketball goal for use with a basketball backboard having a front surface that has a rigid annular rim which is normally disposed horizontally during play and a rigid metal plate fixed to the rigid annular rim and extending rearwardly therefrom in coplanar relationship thereto. The goal includes a mounting bracket having at least a back wall and a top wall mounted on the front surface of the backboard by the back wall and pivotally connected to the rigid metal plate. The rigid metal plate is pivotally connected to the bracket to thereby permit the rigid metal plate and rigid annular rim fixed thereto to pivot in relation to the backboard. The releasable latching mechanism is rollably interconnected to the rigid metal plate and to the mounting bracket and permits tilting of the rigid annular rim from the normally horizontal play position thereof only when force of at least a certain preselected amount is placed upon the rigid annular rim. The rigid annular rim immediately returns to the normal horizontal play position after the latching means has been released and the force causing such release has been removed.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,957 to Schmidt teaches a mesh net supporting framework for a hockey goal which is readily collapsed for transportation or storage that has elongated tubular members hinged together at their respective ends and locking mechanisms at those hinges for securing the tubular members in mutually perpendicular configurations. The locking mechanisms may comprise an elbow with one of the tubular members and a short tube extending therefrom perpendicular to one another. There is an abutment on the short tube, and a cylindrical cuff surrounds the other of the tubular members, with that cuff having a semi-cylindrical extension for engaging the abutment. The other tubular member also has a semi-cylindrical end portion for engaging the abutment. Relative angular movement of the tubular members is precluded when the semi-cylindrical end and the semi-cylindrical extension are misaligned, while the tubular members are relatively angularly movable when the semi-cylindrical extension are positioned adjacent the same semicircular portion of the abutment. The locking mechanisms are freed to collapse the goal by rotating the cuff through about one hundred eighty degrees about the other tubular member.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,231 to Reeves teaches a collapsible game goal, such as for lacrosse, that has joints at the intersections of the uprights with the crossbar and the lower frame members. The net is configured such that a portion of the net is installed inside the frame members. The goal can therefore be easily collapsed, such as for transport to a different location. The goal can then be easily put in place, by unfolding the frame members.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for sports goals have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a sports goal for minimizing injury to a player striking thereupon that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a sports goal for minimizing injury to a player striking thereupon that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a sports goal for minimizing injury to a player striking thereupon that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a sports goal for minimizing injury to a player striking thereupon that includes a frame and a net that extends across the frame. The frame is tubular and includes four posts that extend vertically upwardly from a surface, at four corners of an imaginary rectangle, a front cross member that extends horizontally across the uppermost ends of a forwardmost pair of posts of the four posts of the frame. The forwardmost pair of posts of the four posts of the frame are releasably attached to the front cross member of the frame, which allows the forwardmost pair of posts of the four posts of the frame to break away from the front cross member of the frame when struck by the player for preventing injury thereto, while the remainder of the frame remains erect. Each end of the front cross member of the frame has a pin that depends therefrom that is releasably received in a blind bore that extends axially in the uppermost ends of the forwardmost pair of posts of the four posts of the frame.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2525304 (1950-10-01), Lindsay
patent: 3979120 (1976-09-01), Dietrich
patent: 4420158 (1983-12-01), Klock et al.
patent: 4721306 (1988-01-01), Shewchuk
patent: 5039100 (1991-08-01), Cortese
patent: 5464207 (1995-11-01), Boitano
patent: 5539957 (1996-07-01), Schmidt
patent: 5681231 (1997-10-01), Reeves
patent: 5820497 (1998-10-01), Pena
Chambers M.
Chapman Jeanette
Miller, P.E. Richard L.
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