This invention relates, generally, to a storage net device. More specifically, it relates to a storage net device that is adapted to suspend from a garage door.
Year-round athletic training, particularly in baseball and softball, is a necessity for maximizing an athlete's potential to compete at the highest level. Consistent year-round training, however, can be difficult to maintain given the changes in weather and the high cost and low availability of indoor training facilities. In addition, it can be difficult for athletes with a busy schedule to find time to travel to training facilities and travel times inherently take away from training time.
Currently, there exist several athletic training devices for providing at home training. Some examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,725,444, 7,293,776, 5,876,291, and 5,571,266. Each of these patents discloses a training device suspended to a garage door or a garage door opening and several include a plurality of pockets/sleeves for receiving and securing a ball or similar sports object. Hereinafter a ball or similar sports object will be collectively referred to as a “projectile.” Each of these training devices, however, fails to disclose a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use storage sleeve affixed to both an upper end of the training device and a garage door. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,958,925 discloses a garage door storage device suspended from a garage door; however, the disclosed storage device does not include a storage sleeve, and thereby lacks the ability to store and secure a storage net therein.
Accordingly, what is needed is a training or storage net having a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use storage sleeve adapted to affix to the inside of a garage door. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.
All referenced publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicants in no way disclaim these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.
The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a storage net having a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use storage sleeve adapted to affix to the inside of a garage door is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.
The novel structure includes a net having a rear barricade and a front barricade, each barricade including lower end and an upper end with a height extending therebetween, a pair of sides with a width extending therebetween. A receiving pocket is disposed between the rear and front barricades, and is designed to receive and retain items therein for storage.
A storage sleeve is affixed to the upper end of the rear barricade of the net, which forms a backing structure. The storage sleeve has an upper end with a plurality of grommets disposed therein. Each upper grommet is aligned about a first horizontal axis. The lower end, likewise, has a plurality of lower grommets with each lower grommet aligned about a second horizontal axis. In addition, at least two of the upper grommets are vertically aligned with a lower grommet.
In an embodiment, the upper end of the rear barricade of the net is secured to the storage sleeve between the plurality of upper and lower grommets. An elastic cord is disposed at the upper end of the front barricade of the net, with the elastic cord being insertable through the upper grommets and allowing access to the receiving pocket. The elastic cord mechanically connects the net to a garage door, helps retain items stored within the receiving pocket, and allows a user to access the receiving pocket by exerting a pulling force on the elastic cord.
The present invention further includes a plurality of hook and strap fasteners. Each strap is secured around a structural member of a garage door and each hook is received by a loop formed by the elastic cord that is in communication with the net. In a first storage configuration, the net is suspended vertically from the garage door by releasing the lower grommets from the hooks while the upper grommets remain suspended from the hooks. In a second storage configuration, the hooks catch both the upper and lower grommets when the net is enfolded in the storage sleeve.
In an embodiment, the storage sleeve has a width greater than or equal to the width of the rear barricade of the net, such that the entire net can be enfolded in the storage sleeve. In an embodiment, the storage sleeve is comprised of a smooth outer surface to prevent objects from catching on the storage sleeve when secured in the storage configuration.
In an embodiment, the net includes a lower elastic cord which is sized and shaped to span between subsequent horizontally-aligned roller mechanisms on a garage door, such that the elastic cord has a length less than or equal to the distance between the subsequent roller mechanisms. The lower elastic cord secures to the garage via a loop and the hook and strap fasteners described above. Because the length of the lower elastic cord is less than or equal to the distance between subsequent roller mechanisms, the lower elastic cord is stretched to secure to the garage, further securing the net to the garage.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this disclosure proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the disclosure set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and within which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
The present invention is an athletic training or storage net having a simple, inexpensive, and easy to use storage sleeve adapted to affix preferably to the inside of a garage door. The storage sleeve allows the net to be secured to the garage door indefinitely without hindering the intended operation of the garage door. The training net easily and quickly transitions between a storage orientation and training orientation allowing an athlete to maximize his/her training time.
As depicted in
Referring back to
Upper grommets 114a and lower grommets 114b are vertically spaced inwardly, towards the longitudinal axis of storage sleeve 108, from their respective ends 110, 112. In an embodiment, upper and lower grommets 114a, 114b are spaced an equal distance from their respective upper and lower ends 110, 112.
Storage sleeve 108 is preferably permanently integrated into upper end 102, however, it is considered that upper end 102 may be temporarily secured to storage sleeve 108. Upper end 102 is secured to storage sleeve 108 between upper and lower grommets 114a, 114b. This attachment location enables the entirety of net 100 to be located between grommets 114a, 114b when net 100 is rolled into storage sleeve 108. As a result, net 100 does not interfere with hooks 118 when received by grommets 114a, 114b in the storage configuration.
Storage sleeve 108 preferably includes a width that extends at least as wide as the width of net 100. If viewing
The present invention further includes a series of hook and strap fasteners for securing storage sleeve 108 to garage door 116. Each hook and strap fastener includes hook 118 and strap 120. Straps 120 are secured to a structural member of garage door 116 while hooks 118 catch grommets 114a. As shown in
As shown most clearly in
Strap 120 is preferably a hook and loop fastener so that a user can easily attach strap 120 to garage door 116 without having to permanently modify garage door 116. An embodiment may use other known attachment devices, but it is particularly advantageous to use an easily attachable fastener that does not require any permanent alterations to the existing garage structure.
In an embodiment, strap 120 may be secured to any structural member, however, it is desirable to secure strap 120 to a structural member that can be lowered to allow a user to more easily roll net 100 into sleeve 108.
Referring to
Referring now to
An embodiment may also include additional fasteners located on the upper and lower ends of the storage sleeve, such as hook and loop fasteners. The additional fasteners allow the storage sleeve to more fully enclose and secure the training net when in the storage configuration.
Referring now to
Support members 134 are removably attached to a section of net 100 or sleeve 108 near upper end 102 of net 100. An embodiment may include an additional support member extending along the upper end 102 of net 100 to which support members 134 are removably secured. Alternatively, support members 134 may pivot at the connection point to net 100, sleeve 108, or the additional support member.
In an embodiment, support member 134 has an adjustable length through any mechanical properties known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, including but not limited to a telescoping design or through separable and foldable sections. The adjustable length allows the entire assembly to reduce in size to reduce the costs associating with shipping and packaging.
Barrier 136 preferably includes support rod 138 from which barrier 136 hangs. Support rod 138 provides the rigidity necessary to keep barrier 136 in a generally horizontal and semi-rigid orientation. In addition, support rod 138 is preferably insertable and removable through an eye hole formed in the upper end of barrier 136. Similar to support member 134, support rod 138 may be collapsible in length to reduce the size of the assembly for shipping and packaging.
An embodiment includes an additional reinforcing net secured within the opening 126. The reinforcing net is removably attached using clips or other fastening devices known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The reinforcing net acts as an intermediate dampener to prevent the sports object from striking receiving pocket 124 as full speed. Ultimately, the reinforcing net takes the brunt of the impact to increase the longevity of the receiving pocket.
Referring now to
Each of rear barricade 140 and front barricade 150 is generally rectangular in shape. As such, rear barricade 140 includes upper end 144, lower end 142, and sides 146; similarly, front barricade 150 includes upper end 154, lower end 152, and sides 156. Since the barricades are generally rectangular in shape, the upper ends and lower ends have a height extending therebetween, and the sides have a width extending therebetween.
Rear and front barricades 140, 150 are joined at respective lower ends. In an embodiment, the barricades are part of a continuous net, in which one end is folded toward another end, forming the rear and front barricades. In an alternative embodiment, the barricades are separate components that are joined together through stitching, adhesives, a common fabric border, hook-and-loops fasteners, one or more elastic cords, or other similar fastening mechanisms. As shown in
Upper end 144 of rear barricade 140 is secured to storage sleeve 108, which is discussed in greater detail above. Net 100 is designed to hang from storage sleeve 108 in a first storage configuration, in which items 162 may be stored within net 100, as shown in
Still referring to
When the portion of elastic cord 170 at upper end 154 of front barricade 150 is mechanically connected to the subsequent roller mechanisms 130, elastic cord 170 is under a tension force due to it being stretched between roller mechanisms 130. While elastic cord 170 is under a tension force, elastic cord 170 is in a resting configuration absent a manual external force, such as a pulling force applied by a user. In the resting configuration, elastic cord 170 is designed to be disposed proximate to storage sleeve 108. However, elastic cord 170 is also designed to receive a pulling force from a user, such that the user can gain access to receiving pocket 160. To interact with receiving pocket 160, a user manipulates elastic cord 170 to pull elastic cord 170 away from storage sleeve 108, thereby further stretching and deforming elastic cord 170. Elastic cord 170 rebounds back to the resting configuration when it is no longer subject to an external force, such as the pulling force applied by the user to gain access to pocket 160. In an alternative embodiment, two separate elastic cords are disposed at opposing sides of one of rear and front barricades 140, 150, with the two elastic cords adapted to extend from the corners of net 100 to mechanically connect net 100 to roller mechanisms 130.
It is appreciated that upper end 154 of front barricade 150 need not include elastic cord 170 to allow access to receiving pocket 160. Instead, in alternative embodiments, different materials may be disposed at upper end 154 of front barricade 150 to secure items 162 within pocket 160 and provide an access mechanism to pocket 160. Such materials may be made of rope, vinyl, textile, or another flexible material that is capable of receiving a pulling force from a user without breaking. The materials may be secured against rear barricade 140, or storage sleeve 108, via a hook and loop fastener, temporary adhesives, a slot-and-groove fastener, complementary magnets, a button-and-hole fastener, or other similar detachable fasteners known in the art. In addition, upper end 154 may include an aperture allowing for a telescoping mechanism, such that a material can be inserted into the aperture to secure upper end 154 against rear barricade 140, and temporarily removed from the aperture to allow a user to pull front barricade 150 away from rear barricade 140, allowing access to pocket 160.
Elastic cord 170 may form a continuous border of net 100 by intertwining with respective sides 146, 156, as well as respective lower ends 142, 152, of rear and front barricades 140, 150. For example, lower elastic cord 174 is shown in
As shown in
Barricade: is a material barrier that partially encloses a space.
Elastic: capable of rebounding to a position of repose or recovering size and shape after being stretched or deformed.
Grommet: is a ring made of a stronger material than a surrounding fabric, such as metal or plastic, that is used to strengthen a small hole in the fabric. While grommets are typically ring shaped, it is considered that the grommets may have other shapes so long as the hole in the fabric is reinforced.
Hook: is a structural member that is curved or bent back at an angle for catching hold of or hanging things thereon.
Net: is a fabric barricade.
Strap: is a strip of material used to fasten, secure, or hold onto something.
The advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.
This nonprovisional application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to nonprovisional application Ser. No. 15/450,165, entitled “Athletic Training Net,” filed Mar. 6, 2017 by the same inventor, which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Pat. No. 9,623,306 B1, entitled “Athletic Training Net,” issued Apr. 18, 2017 by the same inventor, which is a continuation of and claims priority to provisional application No. 62/253,756, entitled “Garage Sports Net,” filed Nov. 11, 2015 by the same inventor.
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Screenshot of video on Youtube of Cobra Garage Door Storage Web and Clamp-On Hooks with Pete Wagner. iCast 2018. Published on Jul. 11, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=_dgD_scgU_s. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62253756 | Nov 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15450165 | Mar 2017 | US |
Child | 15990219 | US | |
Parent | 15097982 | Apr 2016 | US |
Child | 15450165 | US |