Patent Application
20250153021
There are approximately 500 Croquet Clubs in the US today, and only about 10 of those are in public parks. The remainder are behind the closed doors of country clubs. As such, limited access to available facilities to play croquet is a limiting factor in the sport's adoption.
Croquet hoops in use today typically stand about 12 inches (30.5 cm) tall above the ground with a penetration of about 10 inches (25.4 cm) down into the soil. This arrangement provides stability to hoop, particularly the portion of the hoop extending above the surface of play.
A unique hoop base makes it possible to set up and remove the hoops for a game of croquet on an artificial turf sports playing surface or other surface comprising an underlying membrane.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop apparatus, including: a croquet hoop; a croquet hoop base operative to supportably engage the croquet hoop in a first direction, the croquet hoop base having a plurality of support legs extending perpendicularly to the first direction in which the croquet hoop extends relative to the croquet hoop base; and a corresponding plurality of tabs extending from respective ones of the support legs in a second direction opposite the first direction, the corresponding plurality of tabs extending a first distance less than a fiber length of a playing surface on which the croquet hoop base is to be disposed.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Other implementations are also described and recited herein.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
In croquet, some croquet equipment is disposed in the field of play. This croquet equipment may include croquet hoops through which a croquet ball can pass and a center post that extends from the surface of play and factors into gameplay.
As noted above, limited access to facilities for croquet impacts the popularity of the sport. Moreover, many public or otherwise accessible facilities on which croquet may be played may have surfaces with underlying membranes that provide drainage or other features. In this regard, traditional croquet apparatus, including the hoops and the center post, are typically driven into the surface of play to supportively dispose the equipment above the field of play. For example, hoops may include extended portions that are intended to be driven into the field of play by some depth, such as 5 inches (12.7 cm) or more (e.g., up to 12 inches (30.5 cm)). As such, croquet equipment has traditionally not been allowed on field surfaces (e.g., artificial turf surfaces) that include an underlying membrane because such equipment, if installed traditionally, would puncture the underlying membrane. This would result in damage to the field surface and may void any warranties for the field.
The croquet assemblies and apparatuses described herein provide a unique hoop base that facilitates the installation of one or more croquet hoops and/or a center post on a field surface having an underlying membrane (e.g., artificial grass found at school football, soccer, lacrosse fields, etc.) such that the equipment and apparatuses does not penetrate the underlying membrane. In this regard, the equipment described herein may be deployed, used in play, and retrieved with no impact or damage to the field surface having an underlying membrane.
With reference to
The croquet hoop base 102 may include hoop sleeves 110 that accept receipt of the hoop 104 to supportively engage the hoop 104. The support legs 106 may extend diagonally from the hoop sleeves 110 such that the hoop sleeves 110 are disposed at an inflection of the support legs 106. Support members 112 may extend between the support legs 106 that provide additional stability to the croquet hoop base 102 when disposed on a surface having an underlying membrane. Tabs 114 may extend from intersections of the support members 112 and the support legs 106 that also extend in a direction perpendicular to the support legs 106 and support members 112 and in a direction opposite to the direction from which the hoop 104 extends when installed with the croquet hoop base 102.
The hoop 104, when installed with the croquet hoop base 102, may define an inter-hoop area 116 between the vertical portions of the hoop 104. This may allow a croquet ball to pass through the hoop 104 according to standard gameplay. The support legs 106 may extend relative to the hoop 104 when installed with the croquet hoop base 102, such that the support legs 106 do not interrupt or otherwise pass through the inter-hoop area 116 to preclude obstruction of a croquet ball. Moreover, it may be appreciated that an approach to the hoop 104 at an approach angle offset relative to a direction perpendicular to the direction corresponding to the span between the vertical portions of the hoop 104. A croquet ball approaching the hoop from within the approach angle may still allow a croquet ball to pass through the hoop 104. Accordingly, the angle at which the support legs 106 extend from the hoop supports may correspond to the approach angle such that the support legs 106 may minimally interfere with gameplay by not reducing or extending into an area defined by the angle of approach.
Further still, the support members 112 extending between the support legs may be offset in a direction away from the direction the hoop 104 extends from the croquet hoop base 102 when the hoop 104 is installed. In this regard, to the extent the support members 112 extend through an area defined by the approach angle, the support members 112 may be disposed below the support legs 106 such that the support members 112 are disposed below the top surface of the playing field fibers, thus minimizing, or eliminating, the impact of the support members 112 on a croquet ball approaching the croquet hoop base 102 from within the approach angle. In addition, a support member 112 may extend between the hoop sleeves 110. This support member 112 may also be offset in the direction opposite the direction the hoop 104 extends. In addition, there may be tabs 118 disposed at the hoop sleeves 110 extending in the direction opposite the hoop 104 to provide additional engagement with a substrate.
Accordingly, the croquet hoop base 102 provides support and stability for the hoop 104 by engaging the tabs 108 and tabs 114 into the fibers of the playing surface. However, the length of the tabs 108 may be such that the tabs 108 correspond to the depth of the fibers of the playing surface. For example, the length of the tabs 108 may be equal to or less than the depth of the playing surface fibers (e.g., the distance from which the playing surface fibers extend from an underlying membrane). As such, when located on the playing field, the tabs 108 of the croquet hoop base 102 may mesh with the playing surface fibers to nestle down into the fibers of the playing surface. In one example, the tabs 108 may extend into the fibers less than one inch from the top of the fibers to ensure that the tabs 108 do not puncture the membrane. In one example, the tabs 108 may extend from the support legs 106 in the direction opposite that of the hoop 104 a distance of not more than 2 inches, not more than 1.75 inches, not more than 1.5 inches, not more than 1.25 inches, not more than 1 inch, not more than 0.75 of an inch, not more than 0.5 of an inch, or not more than 0.25 of an inch. In other examples, the tabs 108 may extend from the support legs 106 in the direction opposite that of the hoop 104 a distance of not less than 0.25 of an inch, not less than 0.5 of an inch, not less than 0.75 of an inch, not less than 1.0 inch, not less than 1.25 inches, not less than 1.5 inches, or not less than 1.75 inches. In another example, the tabs 108 may extend from the support legs 106 a distance of not less than about 1 inch and not greater than about 1.5 inches.
The croquet hoop base 102 may further be held in place by tape or other fastener that is easily removed when play is done. For example, the tape may extend along the top of the playing surface and over one or more of the support legs 106.
The same principle is used for a similar base for the center post 200 shown in
As such, the present disclosure may facilitate a croquet kit that may include a plurality of croquet hoop apparatuses 100 and at least one center post assembly 200. Such a kit may further include other croquet equipment such as one or more croquet mallets and/or one or more croquet balls.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop apparatus, including: a croquet hoop; a croquet hoop base operative to supportably engage the croquet hoop in a first direction, the croquet hoop base having a plurality of support legs extending perpendicularly to the first direction in which the croquet hoop extends relative to the croquet hoop base; and a corresponding plurality of tabs extending from respective ones of the support legs in a second direction opposite the first direction, the corresponding plurality of tabs extending a first distance less than a fiber length of a playing surface on which the croquet hoop base is to be disposed.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the croquet hoop base further includes hoop sleeves for removable engagement of the croquet hoop.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the support legs extend from the hoop sleeves.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the support legs extend diagonally from the hoop sleeves.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein an included angle between support legs extending from opposite ones of the hoop sleeves is equal to or greater than an approach angle of the croquet hoop.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the approach angle includes a range of angles from which an approaching croquet ball may pass through the hoop.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, further including: at least one support member extending between respective ones of the plurality of support legs.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein additional tabs extend from an intersection of the at least one support member and the respective ones of the plurality of support legs in the second direction.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the at least one support member extends through the approach angle of the croquet hoop and is offset from the plurality of support legs in the second direction.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the plurality of tabs extend in the second direction not more than 1.5 inches.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the plurality of tabs extend in the second direction not less than 1 inch.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a croquet hoop, wherein the plurality of tabs are disposed at terminal end portions of the plurality of support legs.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a kit, including: a croquet hoop; and a center post base including a plurality of center post support legs extending from a center post engagement member, the center post support legs including center post tabs extending in the second direction.
While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any technologies or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular implementations of the particular described technology. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
Thus, particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results.
A number of implementations of the described technology have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the recited claims.
The present application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/599,196, entitled “CROQUET HOOP” and filed on Nov. 15, 2023, which is specifically incorporated by reference herein for all that it discloses or teaches.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63599196 | Nov 2023 | US |
