Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Target or obstacle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-25
2004-07-13
Graham, Mark S. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Target or obstacle
C473S172000, C273S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06761644
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable target for sporting projectiles for use in connection with games and sports involving balls. The portable target for sporting projectiles has particular utility in connection with improving accuracy in hitting golf balls at both short and long distances.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable targets for sports are desirable for improving accuracy in hit or thrown projectiles, such as golf balls or footballs. Such balls usually travel a long distance. Small deflections during flight of the ball result in wide deviations from the intended landing location of a ball. Ball sports place value upon delivering a ball to a precise location at a distance from the player. Winning players and teams get a ball to the right place. Players practice ball control at every opportunity. During practice, a second player may assist a first player by retrieving balls and by analyzing the first player's performance. Other practice targets provide a target or net for the first player in the absence of a second player.
The use of sports targets is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,386 to Parks discloses a sports training target and method. However, the Parks '386 patent does not partition the horizontal bin, and has a further drawback of not permitting a ball to enter the target from above the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,023 to Cho discloses a collapsible golf net that has mesh material attached to a circular frame held upright. However, the Cho '023 patent does not have partitions, and additionally does not have a rigid frame.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,115 McLain discloses a portable ball practice target that has mesh material on an upright frame. However, the McLain '115 patent does not have multiple openings, and cannot have a shelf to collect balls.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,699 to Macaluso discloses a foldable net that forms an upright orientation through rods attached to a frame. However, the Macaluso '699 patent does not have a generally rectangular frame, and cannot have partitions.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,901 to Bison et al. discloses a sport target apparatus that has a target and retention flaps. However, the Bison '901 patent does not have partitions to divide the target area, and does not have wheels.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 205,040 to Bruns discloses a golf practice target that has a central hole in a panel mounted upon a four-legged stand. However, the Bruns Des. '040 patent does not have partitions in the target area, and has the additional deficiency of no wheels.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a portable target for sporting projectiles that improves accuracy in hitting golf balls. The Parks '386 patent makes no provision for a divided horizontal bin. The Cho '023 patent also lacks partitions to divide the net. The McLain '115 patent makes no provision for a shelf. The Macaluso '699 patent lacks a rectangular frame and partitions. The Bison '901 and Bruns Des. '040 patents as well lack partitions.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved portable target for sporting projectiles that can be used for improving accuracy in hitting golf balls. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the portable target for sporting projectiles according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of improving accuracy in hitting golf balls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of sports targets now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved portable target for sporting projectiles, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved portable target for sporting projectiles and method which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a portable target for sporting projectiles which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a portable sports target for projectiles, such as golf balls, having a frame of components, a shelf, panels, a wall, partitions, wheel assemblies, and a means to connect the frame components. The frame has components of two front legs, two rear legs, two center legs, two spaced apart parallel stiles, two spaced apart parallel rails perpendicular to said stiles, two arms, and a header. The shelf has the stiles and the rails around the perimeter of the shelf. The two panels remain upright and perpendicular to the shelf and have a front leg, an arm, a rear leg, and a rail on their perimeters. The wall is upright and at a generally right angle to the shelf and to the side panels. The rear legs, the stile, and the header form the perimeter of the wall. Between the panels, one or more partitions stand upright, perpendicular to the wall, and parallel to the panels. The partitions span between the stiles and divide the shelf. Each of the front legs, the rear legs, and the center legs has a wheel assembly at one end to move the target. The means to connect involves a tongue and groove joint between the front legs, the rear legs, the center legs, the stiles, the rails, the arms, the header, and the partitions. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include tongue and grooved piece connecting means, panels and wall of mesh material, partitions that slide into grooved pieces, materials that resist the elements, and a game awarding point values for landing a ball in gaps between different partitions. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved portable target for sporting projectiles that has all of the advantages of the prior art sports targets and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of
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