Patent Application
20220212078
One common way recreational and professional soccer players as well as athletes of other ball-related sports (e.g., ping pong, tennis, basketball) practice their ball skills is to project a ball toward a rebounder (e.g., wall or net) and, in some instances, the rebounding device returns the ball via, for example, bouncing back via the law of conservation of momentum. However, when the ball rebounds, or is bounced back, it often does so in an undesirable way (e.g., bouncing rather than smoothly returning to the practicing player, or rebounding at an undesirable angle) thereby making it difficult to practice ball skills, which can waste the player's time.
Ball return devices and systems are herein described. A ball return device may have a body and an attachment mechanism. The body may have a front surface configured to return a ball incident thereon and a back surface. The body may be configured to be positioned at an angle to, and coincident with, an underlying surface (e.g., a court or grass field) and the angle between the ground surface and the body may be variable. The angle may be set and maintained by the attachment mechanism. Variability of the angle may be facilitated by adjusting a configuration of attachment mechanism and/or a position or orientation of the body relative to the underlying surface.
The attachment mechanism may be coupled to the body and adapted to attach the body to an external anchoring mechanism such as a fence, a post, a garage door, or a wall. In one instance, the external anchoring mechanism is a chain-link fence and a portion of the attachment mechanism is configured to pass through one or more of the chain links of the chain-link fence. In another instance, the external anchoring mechanism is a post and a portion of the attachment mechanism is configured to wrap partially around the post. Exemplary attachment mechanisms are a combination of a strap and a ratchet.
In some embodiments, the ball return device may include first and second beams. The first beam may project a first distance from the back surface and extend across at least a portion of a length of the back surface. The second beam may project a second distance from the back surface and extend at least a portion of a length of the back surface. In most cases, the second beam will not touch or be overlapping with the first beam. A relative relationship between the first distance of the first beam and the second distance of the second beam may orient the front surface at an angle of less than 90° relative to the underlying surface when the first beam and the second beam are positioned against a vertical anchoring mechanism oriented at an angle of approximately 90° relative to the underlying surface. In some embodiments, a relative relationship between the first distance of the first beam and the second distance of the second beam may orient the front surface at an angle of greater than 90° relative to the underlying surface when the first beam and the second beam are positioned against a vertical anchoring mechanism oriented at an angle of approximately 90° relative to the underlying surface. At times, an exterior surface of the first beam furthest away from the front surface is oriented at an angle that is not parallel to the front surface.
In some embodiments, the ball return device has a first attachment mechanism positioned at a first end of the body and a second attachment mechanism positioned at a second end of the body.
In some embodiments, the ball return device may include a support device joining mechanism configured to join with an external support device, the external support device may be adapted to maintain an orientation of the body once the body is positioned thereon.
In at least some embodiments, the body may include one or more joining mechanisms configured to enable the ball return device to be joined with another ball return device. Exemplary joining mechanisms include a peg and corresponding hole arrangement, a strap, and a clamp.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:
Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components, or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, the description is done in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.
Disclosed herein is a ball return system and device. The ball return devices may include a ball return device body or surface and a stand or other support or attachment mechanism. As used herein “ball return device” may refer to a system that includes a ball return device body and an attachment mechanism or stand and/or just the ball return device body. In general, when a player directs a ball toward the disclosed ball return device, the ball will impact a front surface thereof and be directed back toward the player in a controlled manner that conserves momentum. For ease of discussion, the system/device will be referred to collectively herein as a ball return device and, at times, a ball return device body. Additionally, although the following discussion relates primarily to soccer and soccer balls, a person of skill in the art will understand that the ball return device disclosed herein may be easily adapted to enable games and/or practice of various other ball sports such as field hockey, street hockey, tennis, racket ball, squash, baseball, lacrosse, and/or basketball by, for example, altering the placement, orientation, and/or configuration of the ball return device. In some embodiments, the ball return device disclosed herein may be used for sports that do not employ a spherical ball such as hockey.
The ball return devices disclosed herein may be made from any appropriate material including wood, plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, vinyl, foam, and combinations thereof In many cases, the ball return devices disclosed herein are designed and manufactured so as to be portable (e.g., with a weight that can be less than 20 pounds) and may be compact for easy storage and transport. The ball return devices disclosed herein are also configured to be easy to move and/or reposition by, for example, a player or a coach. Additionally, the ability of a single person to easily carry a ball return device makes this a device that can be incorporated into routine training activities and even “warming up” prior to a game or while waiting on the sidelines during a game.
In various embodiments, the ball return devices disclosed herein may be manufactured from a material that absorbs varying portions of the momentum of a ball upon impact. For example, the ball return devices disclosed herein may be manufactured from foam when a relatively high degree of impact momentum absorption is desired (as may be the case when practicing in relatively small spaces, indoors, or for training purposes (e.g., with children)) and from a high density and rigid plastic when a relatively low degree of momentum absorption is desired (as may be the case when practicing in relatively large spaces, or when attaching the ball return device permanently to a support mechanism at a soccer facility, recreation center, or in the backyard, or for other training purposes (e.g., when an elite player is practicing responding to fast-moving incoming balls, the common term for which is practicing at “game speed”)). In some embodiments, the ball return devices disclosed herein may be manufactured so as to have a plurality of options for momentum absorption via, for example, a cover, attachment mechanism, or other device that may be affixed to and/or positioned on a surface of the ball return devices disclosed herein. For example, the ball return devices disclosed herein may be manufactured from a high density and rigid plastic and may have a momentum-absorbing cover (made from, for example, foam or fabric) that attaches to a front surface of ball return device.
When playing and practicing soccer, passing and receiving (trapping) the ball are absolutely fundamental to playing the game and many individuals practice these skills by repeatedly kicking a ball against a wall. This enables one to have many “touches” on the ball (as many as 20 or 30 per minute) in a short period of time, and to practice receiving, controlling, maneuvering (repositioning) and then passing (skilled kicking) the ball back to the wall from a variety of assumed positions. This form of practice necessitates proximity to a substantial and permanent wall constructed on a firm surface, (e.g., grass, concrete, clay, asphalt, wood, etc.) such as found on a handball, or racquetball, court or simply a reasonably smooth cement wall, usually constructed on a cement surface. Almost invariably such a wall is at a 90° angle with the ground surface and a ball impacting a wall at a 90° angle very often pops up and bounces in an irregular fashion rather than rolling smoothly like a soccer pass from a teammate when returning to the practicing player. This bouncing or other unpredictable ball returning behavior is accentuated by, for example, variations in the wall surface (e.g., bumps or gaps), by striking the ball more forcefully, and/or when the player moves further from the wall. This bouncing is undesired for many reasons. For example, it interferes with rapid repetitive patterns, one-touch passing, and by creating a more random ball return pattern it disconnects the quality of the players initial strike/pass from the quality of the returned ball, depriving the player of significant feedback. Ideally, a well-executed pass to a ball return device should give the practicing player a good, game-realistic, pass in the return. By angling the device at something less than 90° to the surface, the ball is returned smoothly with much less bouncing enabling practicing repetitive patterns and giving the practicing player immediate feedback regarding the quality of his or her strike on the ball. This bouncing is also undesired because, for example, the player doesn't know where the ball is going to go when rebounding from the wall and he or she must chase the ball when it rebounds off the wall in an unpredictable direction. This wastes valuable time, threatens training engagement, and makes it difficult for players to practice in relatively close proximity to one another and not interfere with one another's practice by unpredictable rebounds.
Additionally, a limitation of this particular practice technique (i.e., kicking a ball against a wall at a 90° angle to the ground) is that adequately firm and solid, right angle walls are almost always constructed as part of a playground (e.g., cement) court for sports such as squash, racquetball etc., and therefore a soccer player cannot practice this technique on a grass or artificial turf surface, which is where soccer is typically played. Therefore, the soccer player cannot practice this technique on the surface upon which the game is typically played and any feedback received from kicking a ball at a wall of this type is inaccurate because it does not account for how a ball's behavior would be modified were it kicked and/or rolling on a grass or turf surface. Should the soccer player wish to practice his or her skills on grass or turf, he or she must kick a soccer ball along the soccer pitch and then run after the ball. This causes inefficiencies in practice because the soccer player spends more time running after the soccer ball (especially when practicing kicks that travel a relatively long distance) than kicking, or touching, the ball and receiving feedback regarding the accuracy of his or her kicks and/or ball directing skills.
The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a ball return device that may be used on an indoor and/or outdoor soccer field or practice facility thereby enabling the soccer player to practice ball-handling skills on the turf/ground upon which soccer is often played.
In many cases, the ball return devices disclosed herein may be placed on (i.e., be coincident with) an underlying surface (e.g., the ground) however, this need not necessarily be the case depending on, for example, a use case and/or user preference. For example, when a player desires to practice with a ball as it travels in the air, as may be the case when playing catch or hitting a ball with a racket, the system/device may be positioned above the ground at a desired height. When a player desires to practice ground passing and/or kicking a soccer ball, the player may position a ball return device so as to be near and/or coincident with the ground.
The ball handling devices disclosed herein also provide a surface from which a kicked ball returns to a player in a controlled manner because it offers the ability to adjust the relative angle between a front surface of the ball return device and the underlying surface (e.g., ground) upon which the ball return device rests. For example, when the ball return device is placed on the ground such that it makes an angle of less than 90° (e.g., 45°-88°) with playing surface, copying the position of the locked ankle of a kicking teammate, the ball returns to the kicker in a smoother fashion like a pass from another player, unlike when the same ball is kicked against a wall where the relative angle between the wall and the underlying surface is 90°. In a preferred embodiment, the angle is between 75 and 88° with the underlying surface. This enables a player to practice ball-handling skills in a more efficient and meaningful way.
The ball return devices disclosed herein also return an impacting ball, such as a soccer ball, with a spin (e.g., a back spin) that mimics a ball spin of an incoming pass (a ball rebounding off of a wall will not have such a ball spin due to bouncing/skipping along the surface). In this way, a player may practice both kicking the ball at the ball return device and receiving incoming/rebounded balls that are similar to incoming balls as they would be received during game play. Thus, the player is able to practice handling incoming balls (rebounded by the ball return device) that are similar to incoming balls from another player on a soccer field thus making practice more meaningful and relevant to game play. This is particularly relevant for balls rebounding off the ball return device body at an upward angle relative to the ground (as may occur when the ball return device body is pointed upwards with an angle greater than 90° relative to the underlying surface).
Also, the ball return devices disclosed herein are configured to return balls to players at a realistic game speed that mimics a firm pass received from another player (provided that the incoming momentum of the ball is sufficient to do so).
In addition, as the angle between the ball return device and the underlying surface becomes smaller, the ball slows somewhat in its return to the practicing player. This may be desired when, for example, a player is practicing kicking a ball so that it goes a far distance but does not have the room to practice such kicking with the traditional dimensions such practice would require. For example, a soccer player using a ball return device disclosed herein would be able to practice making 60 yard kicks of a soccer ball (by kicking the ball relatively hard) and have that ball returned to the soccer player at a manageable rate of speed without being 60 yards away from the ball return device. In some instances, an angle between the front surface of a ball return device body and the ground may be adjusted to further accommodate such a practice session. This use of the ball return devices disclosed herein may also be helpful in the case of training young children who are just learning to control the ball/play soccer because a reduction in ball speed of a ball rebounding off of a ball return device makes it easier for the children to interact with the rebounding ball and limits a potential cause of injury (e.g., being struck by a quickly moving rebounding ball). This makes teaching children proper ball-handling techniques safer, easier, and more productive. Additionally, or alternatively, in an embodiment where the ball being directed toward the ball return device is relatively small, as may be the case with, for example, a field hockey or street hockey ball, the angle may be decreased to accommodate the smaller size of the ball.
In some circumstances, the ball return device may be positioned on an underlying surface so that it makes an angle of greater than 90° (e.g., 95°-165°) with the underlying surface. In a preferred embodiment, the angle may be between 142°-161° and, in some instances, may be around 155° or 160°. In these circumstances, the ball consistently returns to the kicker at an angle above the underlying surface (i.e., pops up or does not roll along the ground) and with a spin and trajectory more typical of an incoming high pass (long ball) from another player. This enables a player to practice ball-handling skills (e.g., heading, trapping, passing) with deliberate high incoming balls and provides an opportunity for a player to practice receiving a high incoming ball and either stop the ball (to dribble another way) or pass it (i.e., kick it back to a ball return device) in an efficient and meaningful way (game-realistic). In live play, practice or a game, with a player from the opposing team pressuring you to win the ball it can be very difficult for a player to learn the skill of receiving high balls out of the air. The demand of visually tracking the ball through the air above head height, while switching attention back and forth from the ball to the pressuring opponent is incredibly challenging for a sport that requires foot/eye coordination because often a player can never see both at the same time. The ball return device, when the pop-up angle is employed, allows a player to get tremendous repetition and authentic training of this kind of skill. The training opportunity of a player popping the ball up in the air themselves is limited by the unrealistic flight of the ball coming straight down on them and does not allow for receiving a ball from one direction to move in another and find a teammate to pass to, both of which are critical decision making skills for the sport of soccer. The ball return devices disclosed herein address all of these training limitations, allowing a player to master fundamental skills as well as more sophisticated skills involving coordinating vision, body positioning and quick decision-making (i.e., passing again).
The ball return devices disclosed herein also return an impacting ball, such as a soccer ball, with a spin that mimics a ball spin of an incoming pass. In this way, a player may practice both kicking the ball at the ball return device and receiving incoming/rebounded balls that are similar to incoming balls as they would be received during game play. Thus, the player is able to practice handling incoming balls (rebounded by the ball return device) that are similar to incoming balls from another player on a soccer field thus making practice more meaningful and relevant to game play, as may not be the case with other known netted rebounders.
In some instances, the ball return devices described herein may be configured to be affixed to an external anchoring mechanism such as a fence (e.g., chain link, slat, picketed) and/or a fence post. In some embodiments, the ball return devices described herein may be configured to attach to a mechanism (e.g., loop or hook) affixed to and/or imbedded in, for example, the ground, a fence, a garage door, door frame and/or a wall. Affixing the ball return devices disclosed herein to an external anchoring mechanism may improve their ability to return the momentum of an impacting ball without falling over or otherwise moving as may be the case with other known free-standing ball rebounders.
Attaching a ball return device to an external anchoring mechanism provides a number of advantages. First, when a ball return device is attached to a fence-like external anchoring mechanism, the fence provides a backstop for the ball return device effectively catching any balls kicked toward a ball return device that miss the ball return device. Otherwise, the ball would travel past the ball return device requiring the player to chase after it, thereby wasting valuable practice time and effort, and discouraging a player from challenging him or herself too much. Second, some of the ball return devices disclosed herein can transfer momentum to the external anchoring mechanism and, therefore, can withstand impacts of greater force than a self-supporting ball return device, such as a net that tends to have little structural integrity, are unstable, fall over, and lose tension over time. Third, because some of the ball return devices disclosed herein partially rely on an external structure for rigidity and maintenance of a desired orientation with respect to an underlying surface, these ball return devices do not require equipment and/or parts that enable it to stand on its own (i.e., be self-supporting). This reduces the materials needed to manufacture the ball return device thereby decreasing the overall weight and size of the ball return device, which makes the ball return devices easier to transport and store than known rebounding devices.
Attaching a ball return device to an external anchoring mechanism provides the further advantage of being a stable and unchanging set up that reliably returns balls in the same manner and, in some instances, a ball returned to a player may be of a higher quality (e.g., easier to work with and “game speed”) than an incoming ball. The ball may be of higher quality when, for example, an incoming ball is not rolling along the ground (i.e., is bouncing as it approaches the ball return device) it may be returned as a ball rolling smoothly along the ground. In essence, a player is passing with a better partner than he or she may be, and is therefore able to practice at a higher level and improve faster.
In most cases, the front surface of a ball return device will be a single surface of uniform texture (e.g., smooth or with small textural features as may occur with fabric or fiberglass). This offers a firm and even rebounding surface, which is superior to known ball return products. For example, ball catching or return devices that employ a net extended across a structure (e.g., a PVC pipe structure) tend to have little structural integrity and loose their ability to return impacting balls over time because the net loosens/stretches and absorbs more momentum with each impact. They are also unstable and prone to falling over when impacted with a ball or even, in some cases, when subjected to wind. This is because they are not anchored to anything and/or are not of sufficient weight. Also, the flexibility in the net causes the ball to be returned (when the ball is not caught in the net) in a random direction at a random speed. Therefore, these devices provide less valuable feedback to the player as to the quality and/or accuracy of their effort to hit or kick the ball. Additionally, known ball return devices do not provide the speed and/or directional return adjustability afforded by the invention disclosed herein. Furthermore, many commonly used net-employing rebounders require a player to be perfectly in front of the net (not passing from the side) and incoming balls to impact the center of a net or surface so that they may be returned to the player properly. Failure to be in the perfect position and/or to direct the ball toward the center results in balls that impact a lower quality surface or even the frame holding up the net/rebounder, and balls rebounding off of either of these surfaces typically move in an unpredictable/erratic manner, speed, and spin. Furthermore, if the player is standing to the side of a typical netted rebounder trying to make a diagonal pass (arguably the most common angle to pass in soccer) the ball may not rebound at all and the pattern of repetition completely lost. The ball return devices disclosed herein do not require a ball to impact only a certain location on the impact/front surface and do not require a player to stand in one fixed position (relative to the face of the ball return device). A ball impacting many positions (e.g., far left or far right) on the front surface of the ball return devices disclosed herein will be returned in the same manner as a ball impacting a center position of the front surface. This allows a practicing player to pass the ball into the ball return device from a position off to the side, the ball traveling at a angle (˜45°) into the board, the player continuing on the run to receive the ball in a similar position on the other side of the ball return device, i.e., a “give-and-go” or “one-two”, a common skill for using a teammate (a two player combination) to beat an opposing player.
In addition, the present invention is particularly well adapted for soccer practice because it enables a player to kick a ball along the ground toward the ball return device body and receive a rebounded ball that is rolling along the ground. In contrast, the preferred striking point for a soccer ball on a traditional netted rebounder (i.e., target) is, necessarily, above the ground because the inherent characteristics of the netted rebounder (e.g., a frame and a net, with a target in the center of the net due to the elasticity of the net). Such a positioning for the target is simply not beneficial for a soccer player, who aims to improve his or her ground passing (the pass or kick most commonly used in soccer). Furthermore, the feedback provided by such a netted rebounder is wrong for a soccer player as a soccer player needs to practice receiving balls passed along the ground, which due to the limitations inherent to the netted rebounder, are impossible for the netted rebounder to provide.
Turning now to the figures,
Angle 107 may be selected so as to provide a desired ball return rate of speed and/or direction. For example, in some embodiments, angle 107 may be in the range of approximately 45-88° so as to facilitate rapid return of the ball along the ground (or at an angle toward the ground when ball return device body 100 is positioned above the ground). As the magnitude of angle 107 is decreased, momentum absorption of ball return device body 100 will increase. Thus, as the magnitude of angle 107 decreases, the degree of momentum absorption increases. In some embodiments, angle 107 may be adjusted so as to accommodate different types of balls and/or balls of the same type but of differing sizes and/or inflation level as measured in, for example, pounds per square inch (PSI).
Although ball return device body 100 is shown in
Exemplary ball return device attachment system 500 may be designed to affix to the rear of a ball return device body 100 and attachment mechanisms 515 and/or 525 may be designed to fit around, or otherwise attach to, an anchoring mechanism for the ball return device body 100 so as to provide support and stability for the ball return device body 100. In some embodiments, two or more exemplary ball return device attachment systems 500 may be affixed to the rear of a ball return device body 100.
In some embodiments, connector 510 and/or 520 may be adjustable so as to vary an angle between vertical component 505 and, for example, the ground. In other embodiments, connector 510 and/or 520 may set attachment mechanisms 515 and/or 525 at a fixed distance from vertical component 505 thereby making an angle between vertical component 505 and the ground constant.
In some cases, ball return device body 100 may include a plurality of center attachment mechanisms 610 that are configured to enable attachment of ball return device body 100 to, for example, a center post or anchor. In some instances, center attachment mechanisms 610 may operate to facilitate attachment of ball return device body 100 to a fence post or center beam and holes 605 may operate to attach the sides of ball return device body 100 to the fencing itself as may be the case with chain-link fencing.
In some embodiments ball return device body 100 may be configured to couple to another ball return device body 100 via, for example, side-by-side placement of the two ball return device bodies 100 that are coupled together via a joining mechanism. An exemplary joining mechanism is shown in
Joining mechanism 640 may be configured to occupy a region (e.g., top and/or bottom) of a front surface of one, or both, ball return device bodies 100 that does not typically come into contact with a ball that impacts the ball return devices. Although the joining mechanism 640 shown in
Ball return system 300 may be configured so that an angle 315 between board 320 and anchor 305 varies by, for example, adjustment of attachment mechanism 310 and/or placement of front surface 320. Also, while only one attachment mechanism 310 is shown in
Ball return device body 1000 includes a front surface 1005, a top surface 1010, and a notch 1015 into which, for example, an attachment mechanism may be positioned. It should be noted that although surface 1010 is referred to herein as a “top surface” ball return device 1000 need not necessarily be oriented so that surface 1010 is on top (i.e., not in contact with an underlying surface). Indeed, there are circumstances when ball return device body 1000 may be oriented so that surface 1010 may be coincident with an underlying surface and may not, therefore, be a “top” surface.
Exemplary dimensions for the front surface 1005 include a length of 24-60 inches and a height of 5-24 inches. Exemplary dimensions for the top surface 1010 include a length of 24-60 inches and may be consistent with a length of the front surface 1001) and a width of 1-6 inches. Exemplary dimensions for the notch 1015 include a width of 0.5-4 inches and a length of 1-6 inches. In some instances, the top surface 1010 may be oriented at an angle of greater than 90° relative to the front surface 1005.
As shown in
Upper beam 1025 and lower beam 1030 may run the entire length of the back surface of ball return device body 1000 and/or a portion or portions thereof. In many instances, upper beam 1025 and lower beam 1030 are parallel to one another but this need not be the case. In many instances, upper beam 1025 may be larger, and extend further away from front surface 1005, than lower beam 1030. In this way, upper beam 1025 supports the positioning of front surface 1005 at an angle of less than 90° relative to the ground, or an underlying surface, upon which ball return device body 1000 rests. Upper beam 1025 also acts to maintain the position of front surface 1005 at the angle of less than 90° relative to the ground when ball return device 1000 is positioned against a vertically oriented surface when front surface is impacted with another object (e.g., a ball).
Exemplary widths for upper beam 1025 include, but are not limited to, 1-6 inches and heights of 2-7 inches. In some embodiments, a top edge of upper beam 1025 may be positioned at an angle of greater than 90° relative to the front surface 1005 (e.g., 110°-150°). Often times a lower edge of upper beam 1025 may be parallel to the top edge of upper beam 1025 but this need not necessarily be the case. A side edge of upper beam 1025 may be positioned at an angle of, for example, 5-40° relative to the front surface 1005.
Exemplary widths for lower beam 1030 include, but are not limited to, 1-6 inches at the widest point and may taper to a smaller width toward the bottom edge of front surface 1005. Exemplary heights for lower beam 1030 include, but are not limited to, heights of 2-7 inches. In some embodiments, a top edge of lower beam 1030 may be positioned at an angle of less than 90° relative to the front surface 1005 (e.g., −10° to −50° (i.e., 270°-230°)) (not shown). Often times a lower edge and/or an upper edge of lower beam 1030 may be parallel to the top edge of lower beam 1030 and/or a lower or upper edge of upper beam 1025 but this may not necessarily be the case. A side edge of lower beam 1030 may be positioned at an angle of, for example, 5-40° relative to the front surface 1005. In most instances, the angle at which the side edge of lower beam 1030 is positioned relative to front surface 1005 may be the same as, or substantially similar to, the angle at which the side edge of upper beam 1025 is positioned relative to front surface 1005.
The lower edge of upper beam 1025 and the upper edge of lower beam 1030 may define the upper and lower edges of cutaway 1020. A width of ball return device body 1000 between front surface 1005 and the edge of cutaway may be, for example, 0.25-3 inches. In some embodiments, cutaway 1030 may include one or more structural supports (not shown) that may act to structurally support ball return device body 1000. One purpose of cutaway 1020 is to decrease the overall weight of ball return device body 1000 by removing unnecessary material therefrom. It may also serve as a location for the application/attachment of one or more support mechanisms.
More specifically,
Ball return device body 1500 includes a front surface 1505, a top surface 1510, two ratchets 1535, and handle 1540. It should be noted that although surface 1510 is referred to herein as a “top surface” ball return device 1500 need not necessarily be oriented so that surface 1510 is on top (i.e., not in contact with an underlying surface). Indeed, there are circumstances when ball return device body 1500 may be oriented so that surface 1510 may be coincident with an underlying surface and may not, therefore, be a “top” surface.
Exemplary dimensions for the front surface 1505 include a length of 24-60 inches and a height of 5-24 inches. Exemplary dimensions for the top surface 1510 include a length of 24-60 inches and may be consistent with a length of the front surface 1501) and a width of 1-6 inches. Exemplary dimensions for the notch 1515 include a width of 0.5-4 inches and a length of 1-6 inches. In some instances, the top surface 1510 may be oriented at an angle of greater than 90° relative to the front surface 1505.
As shown in
Upper beam 1525 and lower beam 1530 may run the entire length of the back surface of ball return device body 1500 and/or a portion or portions thereof. In many instances, upper beam 1525 and lower beam 1530 are parallel to one another but this need not be the case. In many instances, upper beam 1525 may be larger, and extend further away from front surface 1505, than lower beam 1530. In this way, upper beam 1525 supports the positioning of front surface 1505 at an angle of less than 90° relative to the ground, or an underlying surface, upon which ball return device body 1500 rests. Upper beam 1525 also acts to maintain the position of front surface 1505 at the angle of less than 90° relative to the ground when front surface is impacted with another object (e.g., a ball).
Exemplary widths for upper beam 1525 include, but are not limited to, 1-6 inches and heights of 2-7 inches. In some embodiments, a top edge of upper beam 1525 may be positioned at an angle of greater than 90° relative to the front surface 1505 (e.g., 110°-150°). Often times a lower edge of upper beam 1525 may be parallel to the top edge of upper beam 1525 but this not necessarily be the case. A side edge of upper beam 1525 may be positioned at an angle of, for example, 5-40° relative to the front surface 1505.
The dimensions of support mechanism 1600 may be configured so as to fit within/work with a ball return device body, such as ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 as shown in
The dimensions of support mechanism 1700 (e.g., size and position of support pad 1730 when support beam 1720 is extended) may be configured so as to fit within/work with a ball return device body, such as ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 as shown in
In order to affix ball return device body 1000 to chain-link fence 1205, strap 1415 is passed under base pole 2015 and through one of the openings in chain-link fence 1205 so as to be fed through ratchet 1405. Once strap 1415 is tightened within ratchet 1405, ball return device body may be positioned so as to coincide with the plane of chain-link fence 1205 so that upper beam 1025 and lower beam 1030 is substantially coincident with chain-link fence 1205 as shown in the arrangement 2001 of
For some of the embodiments described above the upper and/or lower beams of a ball return device body described herein may be adjustable. For example, upper beam 1025, upper beam 1525, lower beam 1030, and/or lower beam 1530 may be collapsible (e.g., fold down from an extended position via, for example, a hinge) and/or may be removable for storage and/or transport. In some instances, a size and/or orientation of upper beam 1025, upper beam 1525, lower beam 1030, and/or lower beam 1530 may be adjustable by, for example, adding and/or subtracting components from upper and/or lower beams.
Additionally, or alternatively, some of the embodiments described above the upper and/or lower beams of a ball return device body described herein may be configured to position the front surface at a desired angle relative to the ground when positioned against a vertical surface (e.g., fence or wall). For example, upper beam 1025, upper beam 1525, lower beam 1030, and/or lower beam 1530 may be collapsible (e.g., fold down from an extended position via, for example, a hinge) and/or may be removable for storage and/or transport. In some instances, a size and/or orientation of upper beam 1025, upper beam 1525, lower beam 1030, and/or lower beam 1530 may be adjustable by, for example, adding and/or subtracting components from upper and/or lower beams.
In some circumstances, ball return device bodies 1000 and/or 1500 may not have upper beam 1025, upper beam 1525, lower beam 1030, and/or lower beam 1530, respectively and a back surface of ball return device bodies 1000 and/or 1500 may be single planar surface (e.g., without cutaway or carve out 1020 and/or open space 1520) so that a cross section of ball return device bodies 1000 and/or 1500 may be a polygon similar to, for example, ball return device body 100.
Additionally, or alternatively, ball return device bodies 1000 and/or 1500 may not have upper beam 1025, upper beam 1525, lower beam 1030, and/or lower beam 1530, respectively and a back surface of ball return device bodies 1000 and/or 1500 may include one or more vertically oriented beams that are, for example, wider on one side (i.e., a side coincident with top side 1010 or top 1510, respectively) than on another side (i.e., a side coincident with top side 1010 or top side 1510, respectively) in a triangular- and/or polygonal-type of shape.
In some embodiments, ball return device bodies 100, 1000 and/or 1500 may be hollow or partially hollow. In some instances, an exterior surface of ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be made from one material (e.g., a dense plastic) and an interior of ball return device bodies 100, 1000 and/or 1500 may be hollow so as to accept a filler material (e.g., sand or water) inserted after receipt by a customer and/or at a location of intended use of the respective ball return device body. Additionally, or alternatively, an exterior surface of ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be made from one material (e.g., a dense plastic) and an interior of ball return device bodies 100, 1000 and/or 1500 may be made from a less-dense material (e.g., foam).
In some embodiments, a plurality of ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be joined together along a length of, for example, a fence or playing surface perimeter so as to, for example, mark off the boundaries for a play area and/or provide a continuous surface against which multiple players may practice ball skills. The plurality of ball return devices may be joined together via one or more joining mechanisms (e.g., straps, hooks, bungee cords, etc.). In some embodiments, a single and/or plurality of ball return devices may serve as a location on which to display signs, advertisements or other messages as may be provided by decals, stickers, banners, and so on.
In some instances, ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be permanently attached to an anchoring mechanism via, or example, heavy-duty hardware (e.g., screws, clamps, etc.) and/or a bonding agent (e.g., glue, epoxy, etc.). For example, a ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be screwed into a fence post or fence posts and/or one or more clamps may be screwed into a ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500.
In some circumstances, ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be adapted for use indoors (e.g., in a basement and/or garage or a residence) and one or more dimensions of ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 and/or support mechanisms may be adapted for use in this environment. For example, a length of ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be reduced to, for example, 2 or 3 feet so that it may be easily installed indoors. In some instances, a ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be adapted for installation in a doorjamb. In these instances, a support mechanism (e.g., support mechanism 1900) may be adapted for installation in a doorjamb or on the walls of a hallway so that a ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500 may be removably inserted into the support mechanism when in use and removed from the support mechanism when not in use thereby allowing typical use of the doorjamb as a passageway.
Some combinations of ball return device bodies 100, 1000, and/or 1500 and a support mechanism and/or attachment mechanism may include a vibration- and/or sound-dampening feature adapted to reduce vibration/sound produced by a ball impacting the ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500. Exemplary vibration- and/or sound-dampening features include foam inserts or a foam or cushioned backdrop adapted for installation on a portion of a back surface of vibration- and/or sound-dampening feature and/or on an upper and/or lower beam of ball return device body 1000 and/or 1500. This vibration- and/or sound-dampening feature may be of particular importance when ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500 is used inside, particularly when ball return device body 100, 1000, and/or 1500 is attached to a external anchor with good sound reverberation properties (e.g., a metal garage door).
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/406,191 filed Jan. 13, 2017, which is a non-provisional of, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/278,917 entitled “Ball Return Device and System” filed Jan. 14, 2016, both of which are incorporated by reference, in their entirety, herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62278917 | Jan 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15406191 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 17701644 | US |
