Patent Application
20240033602
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
This invention is directed to an organized storage, transport, and positioning of nets for a various uses, where the net is not a permanent installation of the event, whether sports, gaming, cargo, military, entertainment, or team event.
The storage and installation of large sporting nets is known to be a frustrating task. For example, pulling a soccer net out of a box or bag is a disorganized endeavor. The net becomes entangled when stuffing it into a box or bag, requiring a lot of time to untangle the net as part of installation. During installation, if the net is not completely untangled, there can be an installation mistake requiring the net to be repositioned on the frame, causing additional delays. Installations commonly take 15-30 minutes, and longer if the individuals installing the net are inexperienced, and especially if the individuals storing the net in the bag are inexperienced If two nets have to be installed, such as two goals on a soccer field, the time to set up doubles.
Further if there is no organized method of storing the net when taken down, and the haste of leaving the playing field will inevitably cause an entangled net.
Additionally, in some cases, paid staff is used to setup a net, and efficiency of installation is important to reduces costs. In the event of a game, it is important that the schedule is not disturbed by complications with net installations.
It is highly desirable to reduce the installation time of a portable net, as most team members have a limited amount of time to practice. Also, for a game, the start time is important. It is better to work on practice rather than spend practice time on net installation. Consequently, it is highly desired to have the net organized in a way that avoids a tangled net by the method the net is pulled into and out of the bag, and how it is stored in the bag.
The embodied invention is an organized way of storing and transporting a net that needs to be stored, after it is used, such as a team event, like soccer or volleyball, where the net corners are secured with connecting tabs inside the storage bag. The net is then stored by a combination of folding and rolling the net, and then pulling the storage bag inside out and around the sporting net. When taking the net out of the bag, the net is pulled out of the other end of the bag, and the labeled corners are readily identified by the clips with labels. The net is then more easily unfolded into the correct shape and orientation without entanglements and facilitates a quick and easy net installation. One end of the bag functions as the entrance, and the other end of the bag functions as the exit.
Simple experiments with storing a net inside a bag uncovered the need to organize how a large net should be stored. By using labeled connecting hardware, also called a connecting tab or simply, tab, organization is readily facilitated. The effort to install a soccer net was found to drop from 15-30 minutes to less than 5 minutes by avoiding the need to untangle the large net. Some coaches have been observed to purchase smaller nets with pop up frames to avoid the time lost in untangling a net. The labels include, but are not limited to, color, numeric, text, image, or symbol whether singularly or in combination.
It was also found that an ideal method of storing the bag was by reversing the bag when storing it, by pulling bag over the net by an inside out maneuver. In this way, the tagged net corners go into the bag first, and the folded/rolled net is readily placed into the bag without additional entanglement. In contrast, by grabbing a handful of net and forcing it into the bag causes net entanglement.
Further, this method causes the tags to go firstly into the bag for storage and then firstly come out of the bag. Thus, openings at each end of the bag were observed to be superior to a bag with only a single end opening. Also, the two opening design facilitates keeping the net in the bag as the net is connected to the fame.
The net corners of
Other games with portable nets employ a similar method to store and prevent net entanglement, such as badminton, tennis, and volleyball. A small net, such as used in basketball, will receive a much smaller benefit by including labeled tabs.
In
It has been found that securing the net corners to the tabs in the bag, is essential for the best organized net storage with little or no entanglement when installing the net.
Alternately to
Although the conceived invention describes a sporting net so far, other embodiments and uses of the described invention include other types of larger nets that are folded-rolled up and stored. For example, nets used in military operations and training equally benefit from organized storage. Portable nets used in the entertainment world, such as a circus and stage shows, carnival games which utilize a throwing ball to be caught, cargo contained in a large net, and camping equipment also receive the benefit of organized storage.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, the invention may be modified and adapted to various operational methods to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the description and figure shown herein, and includes all such embodiments, changes, and modifications that are encompassed by the scope of the claims.
