The invention relates generally to portable sport games, and more particularly to a foldup frame for use with a portable sport game, such as basketball.
Home basketball games that allow two or more players compete against each other in basketball shooting games are very popular. Various versions of the home basketball games are available that may be configured to be used in basements, play rooms, garages, etc. . . . These games typically are mounted to free-standing frames and are configured to support one or more basketball nets. A basketball game controller and one or more sensors may be used to provide different games or games modes to control play of one or players. However, the free-standing frames generally take up a lot of room.
In addition, some of the free-standing frames are not very portable. It is desirable to provide a home style basketball game that folds up to a small configuration suitable for transport. The present invention is aimed to one or more of the problems identified above.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a fold-up frame for a portable basketball game device, is provided. The fold-up frame includes a base, a rear brace frame and a backboard brace frame. The base has a base frame, a front leg structure and a rear leg structure. The base frame has a front side and a rear side. The front leg structure is rotatably coupled to the front side of the base frame. The rear leg structure is rotatably coupled to the rear side of the base frame. Each of the front and rear leg structures are moveable between an extended leg position and a storage leg position. The rear brace frame has a lower brace frame portion and an upper brace frame portion. The lower brace frame portion is rotatably coupled to the rear side of the base frame. The rear brace frame is moveable between a storage rear brace position and an extended rear brace position. The backboard brace frame is rotatably coupled to the upper brace frame portion. The backboard brace frame has a first brace coupled to a first side of the upper brace frame portion and a second brace coupled to a second side of the upper brace.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a fold-up frame for a portable basketball game device is provided. The fold-up frame includes a base, a front leg locking mechanism, a rear leg locking mechanism, a rear brace frame, a back brace frame, and a front frame. The base includes a base frame, a front leg structure and a rear leg structure. The base frame has a front side and a rear side. The front leg structure is rotatably coupled to the front side of the base frame. The rear leg structure is rotatably coupled to the rear side of the base frame. Each of the front and rear leg structures are moveable between an extended leg position and a storage leg position. The front leg locking mechanism is configured to lock the front leg structure in the extended position. The rear leg locking mechanism is configured to lock the rear leg structure in the extended position. The rear brace frame has a lower brace frame portion and an upper brace frame portion. The lower brace frame portion is rotatably coupled to the rear side of the base frame. The rear brace frame is moveable between a storage rear brace position and an extended rear brace position. The rear brace frame includes a pair of opposing rear brace frame sides and a rear brace frame upper side. Each of the rear brace frame sides has a top end and a bottom end. The rear brace frame upper side extends between the top ends of the opposing rear brace frame sides. The backboard brace frame is rotatably coupled to the upper brace frame portion. The backboard brace frame has a first brace coupled to a first side of the upper brace frame portion and a second brace coupled to a second side of the upper brace. Each of the first and second braces includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion. The horizontal portion of the first and second braces are configured to extend over the base from when the fold-up frame is assembled. The backboard brace frame includes a first brace and a second brace. Each of the first and second brace includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion. The backboard brace frame is mounted to the rear brace frame by a backboard brace rotational mechanism. Each of the first and second braces are rotatable the respective vertical positions between an extended position and a storage position. The front frame is rotatably coupled to the front side of the base frame and is moveable between a front frame storage front frame position and an extended front frame position. The fold-up frame further includes a ball return ramp coupled to the fold-up frame at a top of the rear brace frame and the front frame and a pair of retention sides coupled to opposite ends of the ball return ramp.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a portable basketball game is provided. The portable basketball game includes a fold-up frame. The fold-up frame includes a base, a rear brace frame, a backboard brace frame, and a front frame. The base has a base frame, a front leg structure and a rear leg structure. The base frame has a front side and a rear side. The front leg structure is rotatably coupled to the front side of the base frame. The rear leg structure is rotatably coupled to the rear side of the base frame. Each of the front and rear leg structures are moveable between an extended leg position and a storage leg position. The rear brace frame has a lower brace frame portion and an upper brace frame portion. The lower brace frame portion is rotatably coupled to the rear side of the base frame. The rear brace frame is moveable between a storage rear brace position and an extended rear brace position. The backboard brace frame is rotatably coupled to the upper brace frame portion. The backboard brace frame has a first brace coupled to a first side of the upper brace frame portion and a second brace coupled to a second side of the upper brace. The front frame is rotatably coupled to the front side of the base frame and being moveable between a front frame storage front frame position and an extended front frame position. The fold-up frame further includes a ball return ramp coupled to the fold-up frame at a top of the rear brace frame and the front frame and a pair of retention sides coupled to opposite ends of the ball return ramp. The portable basketball game further includes a backboard coupled to the backboard brace frame, a rim and a net coupled to the backboard, at least one sensor for detecting a basketball passing through the net, and a controller connected to the at least one sensor for providing a basketball game.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description and appended drawings, wherein:
With reference to the drawings, and in operation, the present invention provides a portable basketball game 10. The portable basketball game 10 includes a foldup frame 12 and a basketball game assembly 14. The basketball game assembly 14 includes a backboard 16, a rim 18, a net 20, a controller 14A with a display 14B, and one or more sensors 14C for detecting a basketball passing through the net 20. In general, the basketball game assembly 14 provides a (countdown) timer and a counter for counting a number of basketball shots made through the net 20 during a predetermined time period. Detection of the number of shots made is performed by the sensors and displayed on the display. As will be discussed in more detail below, the foldup frame 12 may be configured between an open position (
With particular reference to
With particular reference to
The front leg structure 34 are rotatably coupled to the front side 32A of the base frame and the rear leg structure 36 are rotatably coupled to the rear side 32C of the base frame 32. Each of the front and rear leg structures 34, 36 are moveable between respective extended leg positions and storage leg positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the front leg structure 34 may be rotatably coupled to the base frame 32 at each of the opposing sides 32B near the front side 32A of the base frame 32.
As mentioned above, the front leg structure 34 is extendable between an extended position (
In another aspect of the present invention, a front leg locking mechanism 38 may be provided. The front leg locking mechanism 38 is configured to lock the front leg structure 34 in the extended position. In one embodiment, the front leg locking mechanism 38 is in the form of a front brace 40 coupled between the first leg 34A or the second leg 34B and the base frame 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the front brace 40 includes a first brace member 40A and a second brace member 40B. The first brace member 40A is rotatably coupled via a fastener (such as a rivet) to the one of the first and second legs 34A, 34B at one end thereof. The second brace member 40B is rotatably coupled via a fastener (such as a rivet) to the base frame 32 at one end thereof. The opposite ends of the first and second brace members 40A, 40B are rotatably coupled together via a fastener (such as a rivet). A detent feature may lock the brace 40 in a locking configuration. In one embodiment, the front leg locking mechanism 38 includes a front brace 40 associated with one of the first leg 34A and the second leg 34B. In another embodiment, the front leg locking mechanism 38 includes a front brace 40 associated with each of the first leg 34A and the second leg 34B.
The rear leg structure 36 is extendable between an extended position (
In another aspect of the present invention, a rear leg locking mechanism 42 may be provided. The rear leg locking mechanism 42 is configured to lock the rear leg structure 36 in the extended position. In one embodiment, the rear leg locking mechanism 42 is in the form of a rear brace 44 coupled between the rear leg 36A or the second leg 36B and the base frame 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear brace 44 includes a first brace member 44A and a second brace member 44B. The first brace member 44A is rotatably coupled via a fastener (such as a rivet) to the one of the first and second legs 36A, 36B at one end thereof. The second brace member 44B is rotatably coupled via a fastener (such as a rivet) to the base frame 32 at one end thereof. The opposite ends of the first and second brace members 44A, 44B are rotatably coupled together via a fastener (such as a rivet). A detent feature may lock the brace 44 in a locking configuration. In one embodiment, the rear leg locking mechanism 42 includes a front brace 44 associated with one of the first leg 36A and the second leg 36B. In another embodiment, the rear leg locking mechanism 38 includes a rear brace 44 associated with each of the first leg 36A and the second leg 36B.
Each of the first and second legs 34A, 34B, 36A, 36B of the front leg structure 34 and the rear leg structure 36 may be rotatably coupled to the base frame 32 by respective lower front hinges 46 and lower rear hinges 48. Each of the lower front and rear hinges 46, 48 may include a U-shaped bracket 49 connected at the end of the respective first and second legs 34A, 34B, 36A, 36B An enlarged view of one of the lower rear hinges 48 including the U-shaped bracket 49 is shown in
Referring again specifically to
In one embodiment, the rear brace frame 50 is composed from two mirrored portions 56 with a junction located in a middle portion of the rear brace frame upper side 54. One end of one of the two mirrored portions 56 is tapered and fits within the opposing end of the other of the two mirrored portions 56 via a friction fit.
With particular reference to
A pair of latches 62 are coupled between the base frame 32 and each side of the the rear brace frame 50 and are configured to controllably maintain the rear brace frame 50 in the extended rear brace position. One of the latches 62 is illustrated in
Returning to
In the illustrated embodiment the backboard brace frame 70 is mounted to the rear brace frame 50 by a backboard brace rotational mechanism 76 (see
With reference to
The first and second braces 72, 74 are rotatable about the respective vertical portions 72A, 74A between extended positions (shown in
With particular reference to
With reference to
In the illustrated embodiment, the front frame 90 is moveable between an extended position (shown in
The side members 94 extend away from the U-shaped upper front hinge bracket 92A and are supported by the base frame 32 when the front frame 90 is in the extended position. A pair of latches 100 are coupled between each side of the front frame 90 and the base frame 32 and are configured to controllably maintain the front frame 90 in the extended position. One of the latches 100 is shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the front member 92 includes two side portions 92A which extend upward and away from the side members 94 and an upper portion 92B extending between the two side portions 92A. A front cross tube 104 extends between the junction between the side portions 92A and each side members 94. A rear cross tube 106 extends between, and is secured to, the brackets 80 of the backboard brace hinges 78 (see
With particular reference to
The retention sides 114 are connected to opposite sides of the ball return ramp 112. Each retention side 114 may be comprised primarily of a netting material. Each retention side 114 may include a sleeve 114A locating opposite the ball return ramp 112. The sleeves 114A are configured to receive the horizontal portion 72A, 74A of the first and second braces 72, 74. The remaining sides of the retention sides 114 may include a nylon border 114B. A plurality of velcro straps 114C may be connected to the border 114B or the retention sides 114 to assist in correctly positioning the retention sides 114 relative to the foldup frame 12.
With reference to
With reference to
As shown in
With particular reference to
With reference to
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/397,453 filed on Aug. 12, 2022 (attorney docket POPASHOT-P0001P), the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and relied upon.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63397453 | Aug 2022 | US |