Patent Application
20080194361
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a base such as those used in games like baseball, softball and kickball and, more specifically, to a base which includes impact-absorbing internal structure to minimize player injury.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to provide deformable ribs in the underside of a base, each rib extending down from the top wall and parallel with some ribs and angled with respect to others. The ribs are interconnected to each other. These ribs are mostly integral with a center web. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,415,385; 5,290,028; and 5,000,447. Another base includes a fabric and rubber core to absorb impact. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,275,547. Another less closely related invention utilized honey-combed cells to absorb the impact of falling children. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,697.
The present invention differs from the above referenced inventions and others similar in that these prior devices require that any ribs used for impact absorption or deflection be interconnected at least with the top surface and, often, with the side surfaces of the base. Many disclose ribs in a particular configuration such that the ribs are angled one to another or angled relative to a center support to which they are connected wherein a pattern of ribs is formed.
The first objective of the present invention is to provide a base that minimizes the danger of injury to a player.
The second objective of the present invention is to provide a base in which structure is included for absorbing or deflecting impact;
The third objective of the present invention is to provide a base of unitary construction to avoid any loss of integrity on impact.
The fourth objective of the present invention is to provide a base that may be rotationally molded and, as such, relatively inexpensive to manufacture by reducing both the necessary materials and the labor required for its assembly.
The fifth objective of the present invention is to provide a base that is lightweight yet capable of being securely anchored.
The sixth objective of the present invention is to provide a base with internal structural components of structure and orientation to absorb and deflect impact uniformly regardless of the direction of impact.
The present invention differs from the prior art in that it provides a base with improved internal structure designed to absorb or redirect impact without the need to attach said structure to a top surface or to a mid-point. This provides for better absorption of impact and simpler, less expensive construction. Prior art reveals bases with internal structures akin to ribs and integrally formed with the top, bottom and sometimes the side surfaces of the base. The present invention instead includes a base with a plurality of indentations rising from the bottom surface said indentations having a closed top end and an internal surface. The indentations of the preferred embodiment show a footprint on the bottom surface of the base, often generally circular or generally rectangular. The indentations are of varying heights such that the tallest are near the center of the base and the others graduate in height toward and form the sides of the base. A second embodiment includes a top surface just under and in close proximity to which are the closed top ends of the indentations.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated from the following description. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided for illustration of the preferred embodiment. However, such embodiment does not represent the full scope of the invention. The subject matter which the inventor does regard as his invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of this specification.
A base of the present invention is shown in
In a first embodiment, each of said first pair of side surfaces 12 and 14 and each of said second pair of side surfaces 16 and 18 is rounded slightly toward the mid-point 20 in keeping with the generally accepted shape for a base 10 and also for facilitating the shoe(s) of a sliding player to slide up and over the base without injury. Said first plurality of indentations of varying heights 24 are arranged such that the taller are near the mid-point 20 and the shorter are near one of said first pair of side surfaces 12 and 14 or said second pair of side surfaces 16 and 18. The outside surface 31 of each of said second plurality of indentations of uniform height 26 actually form said first pair of side surfaces 12 and 14 and said second pair of side surfaces 16 and 18.
Said first plurality of indentations 24 and said second plurality of indentations 26 exhibit any shape of cross-section 32 and are not required to be of same shape of cross-section or the same size. The cross-section 32 is typically shaped similarly to said footprint 34 although such similarity is not required. The preferred embodiment includes generally circular shaped cross-sections 32 the shape of which is reflected by the shape of the closed top end 36 of each indentation 24 and 26. The closed top end 36 of each of said first and second plurality of indentations, 24 and 26, respectively, is not integral with any other portion of the base 10 including any closed top end 36 of any other indentation 24 and 26 other than their integral connection with the bottom surface 22. Finally, the footprint 34 of each of said first plurality of indentations 24 or each of said second plurality of indentations 26 is usually larger than its closed top end 36.
In a second embodiment (see
In both first and second embodiments of the base 10, it is preferred that said base 10 is molded in one piece. Rotational molding is to be considered, however, injection molding may be as efficacious for some needs. In addition, an anchoring device 50 is contemplated and may be integrally molded with the base 10 or it may be detachably associated with the base 10 by means to fasten it to the base wherein said means is integrally molded with the base and is not an inventive aspect of this invention.
Thus, the present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.
Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the footprint of the indentations may be of any shape as may their cross sections. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
