Patent Application
20070087869
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to net support structures and more particularly to such a net support structure for supporting badminton net, tennis net, volleyball net, or the like having two joining members having a plurality of (e.g., three) pivotal components (e.g., sockets or the like).
2. Related Art
Portable net supports for badminton net, tennis net, or the like are gradually gaining popularity, particularly in urban areas by virtue of its easy setting up capability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,956 discloses a net support structure as shown in
However, the patent suffered from a couple of disadvantages. For example, no fastening means is provided for securing the leg member 95 to the joining member 93. As such, the leg member 95 tends to disengage with the joining member 93. Further, each of the upright 92 and the cross member 94 is formed of modules connected together by sleeve(s). However, such sleeve type connecting devices are not reliable (i.e., structurally weak). Thus, the net support structure tends to deform after a period time of use.
Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. 543,486 discloses a net support structure for badminton net, tennis net, or the like as shown in
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a net support structure comprising two pairs of leg members; two uprights; two joining members each including two opposite grooves each pivotably secured to the leg member, a transverse socket, and a longitudinal channel adapted to pivotably secure to the upright; a hollow cross member including a hollow, staged plug formed of an elastomeric material, the plug including an internal shoulder and having one end fastened in the socket, two end modules each having an end recess with the other end of the plug fastened therein, and a staged intermediate module including an extension at either end having a diameter smaller than that of the intermediate module, the extension being inserted into a corresponding end of either end module for fastening; an elastic cord passed through the cross member and having either end tied as an enlargement secured to the shoulder of the plug; two disc-shaped members each disposed proximate either end of the cross member and including a central hole with the cross member passed through, and a plurality of peripheral grooves for securing to the leg members and the upright in a folded state of the joining member; and a net including two side sheaths sleeved on the uprights.
In one aspect of the present invention, the upright comprises two cavities on its outer surface, and the channel comprises two opposite tabs on its inner surface, the tabs being adapted to lockingly engage with the cavities for fastening the upright in the channel.
In another aspect of the present invention, the upright comprises a lower support rod and an upper sliding rod adapted to slide into the support rod, and a fastener provided proximate a top of the support rod, the fastener being adapted to secure the sliding rod and the support rod together.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, a net support structure in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises two leg devices 10, a cross member 20, two uprights 30, and a net 40. Each component is discussed in detailed below.
The leg device 10 comprises a substantially T-shaped joining member 11 including two opposite grooves 111 of U-section, a transverse socket 112, a longitudinal channel 113 having two opposite slightly projected detents 114 on its inner surface, the channel 113 being adapted to pivotably secure to the upright 30 by driving a pivot 51 through lower apertures thereof and a lower through hole 301 of the upright 30 with the detents 114 matingly engaged with corresponding members (not shown) of the upright 30; and two leg members 12 each adapted to connect to the groove 111 and pivotably secured thereto by driving a pivot 51 through apertures thereof and an end through hole of the leg member 12.
The hollow cross member 20 comprises two hollow end modules 22 having one end connected to the socket 112 by means of a hollow, staged plug 53 formed of an elastomeric material in which one end of the plug 53 is inserted into the socket 112 for fastening and the other end thereof is inserted into an end recess of the end module 22 for fastening, and a staged intermediate module 21 including an extension 211 at either end having a diameter smaller than that of the intermediate module 21, the extension 211 being inserted into a corresponding end of either end module 22 by snapping. An elastic cord 52 passes through the cross member 20 and has either end tied as an enlargement 521 secured to an internal shoulder of the plug 53.
Each of two disc-shaped members 60 is disposed proximate either end of the cross member 20 and comprises a central hole 61 with the cross member 20 passed through, and a plurality of peripheral grooves 62 for securing to the leg members 12 and the upright 30 in a folded state of the leg device 10 by pivoting the leg members 12 and the upright 30 toward and disposing same in parallel with the transverse socket 112. The net 40 comprises two side sockets 41 sleeved on the uprights 30. Thus, the net 40 is suspended by the uprights 30. Also, the elastic cord 52 applies tension to the leg devices 10 to tension the net support structure.
Referring to
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.
