Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2002-05-07
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06383096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to soccer goal frames and nets, specifically to a strong, durable, easy to install and use, and relatively low in cost soccer net installation system, and a method for its use, that allows soccer nets to be rapidly installed and removed from soccer goal frames. Some embodiments of the present invention are used for permanent installation of a net to a soccer goal frame, while others are used for detachable connection therebetween and subsequent off-site storage to protect the soccer net from theft, vandalism, and premature deterioration due to weathering elements when not in use. The present invention can be cost effectively incorporated into new soccer goal frames during manufacture, as well as easily retrofitted to existing soccer goal frames. The system and method comprise the use of one or more cords or cables attached to the top and side edges of the soccer net, a means for attaching the soccer net to each cord or cable, and a small number of cord or cable anchoring devices attached in recessed positions on the soccer goal frame that are remote from player contact during game play but which remain easily accessible to those installing or removing the net. Eight anchoring sites are used in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, with four of the anchoring sites being in spaced-apart positions near to or on the top surfaces of the soccer goal frame and the remaining four anchoring sites being in positions within or near to its front and back lower corners.
2. Description of Prior Art
Soccer is popular sport worldwide and continues to enjoy increasing popularity in the United States. As a result, more soccer goal frames are appearing on school playgrounds and in recreational parks for youth and adult use. Being twenty-four feet across and eight feet high with rearwardly extending lateral support members, regulation soccer goal frames are substantial in size and commonly left on playing fields after use. In contrast, soccer nets are often removed from public places after use due to the hazards of theft, vandalism, and premature deterioration caused by weathering elements. As a result, before use of the present invention, those responsible for preparing soccer fields for play, particularly where more than one opposed pair of soccer goal frames were located, generally found themselves with a high labor cost for installation and removal of nets, or high expenses relating to stolen, damaged, and/or prematurely deteriorated nets.
Since for most effective use they must span the twenty-four foot overhead crossbar, the eight feet high vertically extending front posts, as well as the rearwardly extending parts of the soccer frame, regulation size soccer nets are large and not easily manipulated. Further, installing and removing soccer nets with most prior art systems involves expensive hardware, or a time consuming and cumbersome process. For example, one prior art method of soccer net attachment involves the individual connection of small flat, essentially U-shaped spring clips to the rear surface of the overhead crossbar and the rear surface of the vertically extending front posts of a soccer goal frame. Since soccer nets are flexible, without a means for stiffening the top and side edges of the soccer net or in the alternative very close spacing of the spring clips, the net will not be maintained sufficiently close to the soccer goal frame for optimal wear and use. When using close spacing of spring clips as a means of soccer net attachment to the rear surfaces of the overhead crossbar and the vertically extending front posts, for optimum net attachment the spring clips would need to be placed no further apart than twelve to fourteen inches. At a minimum this would require approximately twenty-two spring clips attached to the overhead crossbar and approximately seven spring clips attached to each front post, resulting in a total of at least thirty-six net attachment points on each soccer goal frame. Assuming for example that a time period of five to ten seconds would be required for net manipulation at each of the attachment points, a minimum time period of approximately five to ten minutes would be required for the attachment of the top and side edges of the soccer net to the overhead crossbar and front posts of one soccer goal frame. Additional time would also be needed for attachment of a second net to the overhead crossbar and front posts of an opposing soccer goal frame, as well as to initially lay out and orient each of the soccer nets prior to attachment, spread each of the nets over the rearwardly extending components of the frame, and for the repeated repositioning of a chair or step-stool upon which a person installing the nets could stand, when needed, to easily reach the spring clips attached to the two overhead crossbars and the upper portions of the front posts. If the actual installment and release time of the net to the overhead crossbar and front posts for each installed net could be reduced from ten minutes to only one or two minutes, the time savings would be significant. Installment and release times under two minutes can be achieved with the detachable preferred embodiments of the present invention. In addition to the disadvantages of cumbersome handling and the substantial amount of time needed to use a soccer net attachment system with thirty-six or more spring clips, the spring clips can become broken during the net installation and removal processes, or as a result of vandalism. Therefore, attachment means supplemental to the spring clips are often needed for effective net installation with prior art systems, such as the use of hook-and-loop types of fasteners which are not inexpensive, strips of duct tape which can become sticky in warm weather and difficult to remove, or small plastic clips or ties which can become easily broken or misplaced. The present invention would require no such supplemental attachment means.
In contrast, to facilitate and enhance the speed of both installation and removal of the soccer net from a soccer goal frame, the present invention uses support cords or cables to stiffen the top and side edges of a soccer net, a means for attaching the cords or cables to the net, and a small number of cord anchoring devices attached to the soccer goal frame in selected recessed positions that are remote from player contact during game play. A first preferred embodiment of the present invention, intended for permanent installation of a soccer net during its useful life, comprises a single substantially non-stretchable support cord or cable. It also comprises a quantity of flexible filamentous material for use in binding the soccer net edges to the cord or cable, in addition to eight anchoring devices each having a central aperture and attached to the soccer goal frame at different attachment sites, with four in elevated positions near to the overhear crossbar and the rear surface of the front posts and four in lowered positions near to the bottom of the soccer goal frame. A second preferred embodiment for detachable net connection comprises three at least slightly stretchable soccer net support cords and eight anchoring sites. As the means for connecting each cord to the net in the second preferred embodiment, the stretchable cords are woven through the soccer net holes, in place of filament attachment. Anchoring devices would include L-shaped brackets, upright posts, hooks, cable clips, and holes or cavities formed into the lower supports. A third preferred embodiment for detachable net connection comprises five at least slightly stretchable soccer net support cords and eight anchoring sites. The cords are also woven through the holes in the soccer net in place of filament attachment. Anchoring devices would include L-shaped brackets, upright posts, rings, hooks, cable clips, and holes or cavities formed into the lower supports. It is also considered within the scope of the present invention to have other permanent and detachable embodiments with varying numbers of cord
Chambers M.
Morse Dorothy S.
Sewell Paul T.
LandOfFree
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