The invention relates to basketball sets and more particularly blow molded youth basketball sets.
Plastic youth basketball sets are well known in the art. However, these basketball sets suffer from disadvantages that can affect the assembly, durability, and performance of the basketball sets.
The known plastic youth basketball sets are height adjustable through manually raising or lowering the post. However, these posts require the user to simultaneously hold the post at the desired height and lock the post in place at that height. Additionally, many of these posts do not provide for variable positioning while retaining a rigid and upright stance without the use of additional components. The posts that do not rely on additional components result in a post that bends or leans when extended. Also, these known posts generally lack a locking feature that can withstand the intense downward forces of the popular “slam-dunk,” potentially causing damage to the basketball set and injury to the users.
Furthermore, these known plastic youth basketball sets lack the corner guards featured on professional basketball sets. The corner guards are generally made of softer materials to protect the users and provide a more decorative, professional look.
Therefore, there is a need for a durable plastic youth basketball set that can hold itself in a rigid, upright position and includes safety features such as a sturdy height position locking system and soft backboard corner guards.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention include devices and kits for assembling a blow molded basketball set. As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” are used to distinguish one element, set, object, or thing from another, and are not used to designate relative position or arrangement in time.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a blow molded basketball goal including an inner post, an outer post, a rim, and a backboard is provided. The inner post has a top end, a bottom end, a length measured from the top end to the bottom end, and a plurality of protrusions positioned near the bottom end of the inner post. The outer post has a bottom end, a hollow interior defined by an interior wall, an open top end adapted to receive the inner post, and at least one protuberance on the interior wall. When the inner post is received in the outer post, the plurality of protrusions of the inner post bear against the interior wall of the outer post and the at least one protuberance of the outer post bears against the inner post. The rim is securable to the inner post, and the backboard is securable to the rim.
In some embodiments, the inner post also includes a plurality of recesses in a side of the inner post arranged along the length of the inner post. Each of the plurality of recesses is defined by at least a bottom upward-angled surface and a top surface.
In some embodiments, the outer post also includes a latch having a pivot hinge and a projection. The projection corresponds to the plurality of recesses of the inner post such that the projection can be fit into any of the plurality of recesses of the inner post to lock the inner post in the outer post at a desired height.
In some embodiments, the inner post also includes a plurality of tapered protrusions and a stepped collar. The plurality of tapered protrusions are positioned near the top end of the inner post. The stepped collar has a lower step configured to support a portion of the backboard, and an upper step configured to limit the positioning of the rim when securing the rim to the inner post. Also, the stepped collar is positioned between the plurality of tapered protrusions and an upper-most recess of the plurality of recesses.
In some embodiments, the rim has a rear section and a front section. The rear section has a first hole adapted to receive the top end of the inner post. The first hole is defined by a first wall having a plurality of tapered recesses corresponding to the plurality of tapered protrusions of the inner post such that the protrusions bear against the recesses to secure the rim to the inner post. The front section has a second hole defined by a second wall having a plurality of voids and clips adapted to secure a flexible elongate material to the rim. When the rim is secured to the inner post, the upper step of the stepped collar bears against a bottom surface of the rear section of the rim such that the rim does not move down the length of the inner post when force is applied to the rim.
In some embodiments, the backboard includes an opening adapted to receive a portion of the rim such that the backboard does not interfere with securing the rim to the inner post. When the rim is received through the opening of the backboard and secured to the inner post, a bottom surface of the backboard bears against a collar of the inner post such that the backboard does not move down the length of the inner post when force is applied to the backboard.
In some embodiments, the backboard includes at least one removable corner member having a vertical section and a horizontal section. The horizontal section has at least one retaining bar for insertion into a corresponding slot in a corner of the backboard. The vertical section has at least one tab for insertion into a corresponding recess in the corner of the backboard.
In some embodiments, the basketball goal also includes a base having an opening to receive the bottom end of the outer post. The opening is defined by a wall having a plurality of tapered recesses corresponding to a plurality of tapered protrusions of the outer post positioned near the bottom end of the outer post. The protrusions bear against the recesses to secure the outer post to the base.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a kit for assembling a blow molded basketball goal including an inner post, an outer post, a rim, and a backboard is provided. The inner post has a top end, a bottom end, a length measured from the top end to the bottom end, a plurality of protrusions positioned near the bottom end of the inner post, and a plurality of recesses arranged along the length of the inner post. Each of the plurality of recesses is defined by at least a bottom upward-angled surface and a top surface. The outer post has a bottom end, a hollow interior defined by an interior wall, an open top end adapted to receive the inner post, at least one protuberance on the interior wall, and a latch having a pivot hinge and a projection. When the inner post is received in the outer post, the plurality of protrusions of the inner post bear against the interior wall of the outer post and the at least one protuberance of the outer post bears against the inner post. The projection of the latch corresponds to the plurality of recesses of the inner post such that the projection can be fit into any of the plurality of recesses of the inner post to lock the inner post in the outer post at a desired height. The rim is securable to the inner post, and the backboard is securable to the rim.
In some embodiments, the inner post also includes a plurality of tapered protrusions positioned near the top end, and a stepped collar positioned between the plurality of tapered protrusions and an upper-most recess of the plurality of recesses. The stepped collar has a lower step configured to support a portion of the backboard, and an upper step defining configured to limit positioning of the rim when securing the rim to the inner post.
In some embodiments, the rim has a rear section and a front section. The rear section has a first hole adapted to receive the top end of the inner post. The first hole is defined by a first wall having a plurality of tapered recesses corresponding to the plurality of tapered protrusions of the inner post such that the protrusions bear against the recesses to secure the rim to the inner post. The front section has a second hole defined by a second wall having a plurality of voids and clips adapted to secure a flexible elongate material to the rim. When the rim is secured to the inner post, the upper step of the stepped collar bears against a bottom surface of the rear section of the rim such that the rim does not move down the length of the inner post when force is applied to the rim.
In some embodiments, the backboard includes an opening adapted to receive a portion of the rim such that the backboard does not interfere with securing the rim to the inner post. When the rim is received through the opening of the backboard and secured to the inner post, a bottom surface of the backboard bears against a collar of the inner post such that the backboard does not move down the length of the inner post when force is applied to the backboard.
In some embodiments, the backboard includes at least one removable corner member having a vertical section and a horizontal section. The horizontal section has at least one retaining bar for insertion into a corresponding slot in a corner of the backboard. The vertical section has at least one tab for insertion into a corresponding recess in the corner of the backboard.
In some embodiments, the kit also includes a base having an opening to receive the bottom end of the outer post. The opening of the base is defined by a wall having a plurality of tapered recesses corresponding to a plurality of tapered protrusions of the outer post positioned near the bottom end of the outer post. The protrusions bear against the recesses to secure the outer post to the base.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a height adjustable post adapted to secure to a base is provided. The post includes a blow molded inner member and a blow molded outer member. The inner member has a top end, a bottom end, a length measured from the top end to the bottom end, and a plurality of protrusions positioned near the bottom end of the inner member. The outer member has a bottom end, an open top end adapted to receive the inner member, a hollow interior defined by an interior wall, and at least one protuberance on the interior wall. When the inner member is received in the outer member, the plurality of protrusions bear against the interior wall of the outer member and the at least one protuberance bears against the inner member.
In some embodiments, the inner member also includes a plurality of recesses arranged along the length of the inner member. In other embodiments, the outer member also includes a latch having a pivot hinge and a projection. The projection of the latch interacts with the plurality of recesses of the inner member such that the projection can be pivoted into any of the plurality of recesses of the inner member to secure the post at a desired height.
In some embodiments, the inner member also includes a plurality of tapered protrusions positioned near the top end, and a collar positioned between the plurality of tapered protrusions and an upper-most recess of the plurality of recesses. The collar is configured to support a backboard assembly and prevent the backboard assembly from moving down the length of the inner member when force is applied to the backboard assembly.
In some embodiments, the backboard assembly includes a blow molded rim and a blow molded backboard. The rim includes a rear section and a front section. The rear section has a first hole adapted to receive the top end of the inner member. The first hole is defined by a first wall having a plurality of tapered recesses corresponding to the plurality of tapered protrusions of the inner member such that the protrusions bear against the recesses to secure the backboard assembly to the post. The front section has a second hole defined by a second wall having a plurality of voids and clips adapted to secure a flexible elongate material to the rim. The backboard includes an opening and at least two removable corner members. The opening is adapted to receive a portion of the rear section of the rim such that the backboard does not interfere with receiving the top end of the inner member through the first hole of the rim. Each of the at least two removable corner members has a vertical section and a horizontal section. The horizontal section has at least one retaining bar for insertion into a corresponding slot in a corner of the backboard. The vertical section has at least one tab for insertion into a corresponding recess in the corner of the backboard.
In some embodiments, the base includes an opening to receive the bottom end of the outer member. The opening of the base is defined by a wall having a plurality of tapered recesses corresponding to a plurality of tapered protrusions of the outer member positioned near the bottom end of the outer member. The protrusions bear against the recesses to secure the post to the base.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views. The following examples are presented to further illustrate and explain the present invention and should not be taken as limiting in any regard.
As shown in
In preferred embodiments, the outer post 20 also includes at least one protuberance 27 located on the interior wall 26 within the cavity 23, as depicted in
Preferably, the inner post 10 also includes a plurality of recesses 14 arranged in-line along at least 60% of the length of the inner post 10, as shown in
In preferred embodiments, the latch 30 includes knobs 31 positioned near the bottom and on opposing sides of the latch 30, as depicted in
The latch 30 also has a projection 32 positioned near the top of the latch 30. The projection 32 preferably has a bottom surface 33 and a top surface 34 that correspond to the bottom surface 15 and the top surface 16 of the plurality of recesses 14 of the inner post 10 such that the projection 32 can be inserted into any of the plurality of recesses 14 by pivoting the latch 30 to align the projection 32 with one of the recesses 14. When the projection 32 is fitted into a recess 14, the generally horizontal top surfaces 16/34 bear against each other to prevent any downward movement of the assembled basketball set 100. The upward-angled bottom surfaces 15/33 simplify disengaging the latch 30 when a user wants to adjust the height of the rim 40. Preferably, the latch 30 also includes an aperture 35 that extends at least partially into the rear of the projection 32, as depicted in
In some embodiments, the latch 30 also has a notch 36 located between the knobs 31 on the same side of the latch 30 as the projection 32. Preferably, when the latch 30 is pivoted to the closed, or locked, position, the notch 36 snaps into a corresponding slot 281 of the niche 28. When snap-fitted into the slot 281, the notch 36 resists pivoting of the latch 30 and further strengthens the locking of the inner post 10 to the outer post 20.
In preferred embodiments, the inner post 10 also includes a plurality of tapered protrusions 17 positioned near the top end 11. As seen in
The rim 40 is configured to be removably secured to the inner post 10. Preferably, the rim 40 has a rear section 41 and a front section 42, as shown in
The front section 42 of the rim 40 preferably includes a hole defined by a circular wall 47 having attachment means for securing a flexible elongate material, such as a net, to the front section 42 to form a basketball hoop. In preferred embodiments, the attachment means are a plurality of voids 48 and a plurality of clips 49 of the like disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/992,792, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, the attachment means use any system known in the art, such as a plurality of J-hooks.
The backboard 50 is configured to be removably secured to the rim 40. Preferably, the backboard 50 has a generally rectangular shape and has an opening 51, as shown in
As depicted in
Preferably, the backboard 50 also includes at least one corner guard 60. In preferred embodiments, the backboard 50 includes at least two corner guards 60, located on the bottom-most corners of the backboard 50, as shown in
In preferred embodiments, the horizontal section 61 of the corner guard 60 includes at least one retaining bar 63 configured for insertion into a corresponding slot 53 of the backboard 50. Preferably, the slot 53 has a first pocket 54 with a height greater than the height of the retaining bar 63, and a second pocket 55 with a height equal to, or slightly greater than, the height of the retaining bar 63. Thus, the retaining bar 63 can be easily inserted into the first pocket 54 and moved toward the center of the backboard 50 into the second pocket 55 for a snug, secure fit.
Preferably, the vertical section 62 of the corner guard 60 includes at least one tab 64 configured for insertion into a corresponding recess 56 of the backboard 50. In preferred embodiments, the vertical section 62 includes at least two tabs 64. The tab 64 is preferably generally ramp shaped oriented such that the rear of the tab faces away from the center of the backboard 50. Thus, when the corner guard 60 is installed in the corner edge 52, the tab 64 drops into the corresponding recess 56 and the rear of the tab bears against a wall of the recess 56 to secure the corner guard 60 and resist its removal.
In preferred embodiments, the outer post 20 also includes a plurality of tapered protrusions 29 positioned near the bottom closed end 21. As seen in
In some embodiments, the base 70 also includes an interior cavity 75 that is accessible through a hole 76 in the top of the base 70, as shown in
In preferred embodiments, each of the components described above that form the assembled basketball set 100 is a unitarily formed blow molded article. In some embodiments, a polymeric material is used to make the described components.
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features, and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features. Indeed, many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.