Patent Application
20230415016
The present disclosure is generally directed to basketball rebounding devices and systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to multi-shooter basketball rebounding devices and systems.
A wide variety of basketball rebounding devices have been conceived to reduce the time spent rebounding basketball shots. However, conventional ball rebounding devices suffer from several disadvantages. These devices tend to be large and cumbersome to install and move from one location to the another. Many backboard or stanchion mounted devices require installation personnel to climb a ladder above the height of the rime to loosen or tighten multiple fasteners which secure the device to the hoop. Ball rebounding devices that are secured to the backboard or stanchion may not accommodate both fan shaped and square backboard designs. In addition, the conventional ball rebounding devices do not allow multiple shooters to approach the device and retrieve basketballs at the same time. These devices also restrict participation of wheelchair seated shooters. Accordingly, what would be desirable are multi-shooter basketball rebounding devices and systems, which address the foregoing, and other, needs.
The present disclosure provides multi-shooter basketball rebounding devices and systems. An example freestanding basketball rebounding apparatus can include an upper frame assembly configured to rebound shot basketballs to an orifice. The upper frame assembly can include a plurality of upper frame arms and a collapsible-extensible netting configured to couple to the plurality of upper frame arms to form an upwardly and downwardly opened funnel shaped enclosure that directs the shot basketballs to the orifice. The apparatus can also include a bottom support frame assembly configured to collect the shot basketballs from the orifice. The bottom support frame assembly can include a ball catch basket configured to receive and hold multiple basketballs and a plurality of bottom frame legs configured to be adjustable to adjust a height of one or more components of the apparatus. The apparatus can further include a connecting component configured to connect one or more components of the upper frame assembly to the bottom support frame assembly.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the disclosure, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the disclosure, there is shown in the drawings an embodiment of a freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a”, “an” and “the” are not limited to one element, but instead should be read as meaning “at least one”. The terminology includes the words noted above, derivatives thereof and words similar import.
It also should be understood that the terms “about”, “approximately”, “generally”, “substantially” and like terms, used herein when referring to a dimension or characteristic of a component of the present disclosure, indicate that the described dimension/characteristic is not a strict boundary or parameter and does not exclude minor variations therefrom that are functionally similar. At a minimum, such references that include a numerical parameter would include variations that, using mathematical and industrial principles accepted in the art (e.g., rounding, measurement or other systematic errors, manufacturing tolerances, etc.), would not vary the least significant digit.
The present disclosure provides multi-shooter basketball rebounding devices and systems. Basketball rebounding devices can reduce time spent rebounding basketball shots. These devices generally include collapsible-extensible netting and a frame. The frame is secured to a backboard, mounted to a stanchion, or placed on a basketball court below a hoop. The collapsible-extensible netting is stretched between the frame to surround a basketball rim and capture basketballs from made and missed shots. Some devices can further direct the shot basketball(s) to a collection point or to a shooter.
The multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus taught herein can provide much-needed improvement with its ability to rebound made or missed shots from multiple basketball shooters at the same time. It provides an improved shooter-trainer interface by allowing multiple shooters, including and not limited to those that are wheelchair seated to retrieve basketballs quickly and easily from the ball catch at the same time. The ability to manually retrieve multiple basketballs from the device catch is an advantage necessary to facilitate dynamic/high-repetition basketball shooting drills, including shooter vs. shooter drills that simulate a shooter's shot under competitive pressure, various passing frames and ball rotations, and human tempo movements not obtainable using existing rebounding devices.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus, aligned with a basketball hoop or goal to capture made and missed basketballs. The freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus taught herein uniquely facilitates competitive shooting/training games. One such game, multiple shooters are needed to retrieve their basketball from a rebounder at the same time allowing a shooter to pass the basketball to their teammate who is waiting at the next designated shot location. The freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus taught herein allows multiple shooters to physically approach the device at the same time and retrieve basketballs simultaneously, a necessary function not currently available using existing rebounding devices. The freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus taught herein also allows for wheelchair seated shooters to retrieve their rebounded basketball with no greater effort than shooters on foot. In some embodiments, the freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus taught herein can be used with a basketball hoop and backboard mounted to a vertical post or ceiling mount system. The freestanding multi-shooter basketball rebounding apparatus taught herein can provide an angular adjustment to convert a rebounding net assembly to a defensive barrier for basketball and automatic basketball collection allowing multiple shooters to physically approach the device at the same time and retrieve basketballs simultaneously.
The upper frame assembly 106 can be configured to define an orifice 120 through which shot basketballs can descend. The upper frame assembly 106 can include a plurality of upper frame arms 112, a support frame 160, a collapsible-extensible netting 102, and an orifice 120.
The upper frame arms 112 can be detachably connected-extendible arms, which are light and easy to carry. The upper frame arms 112 can be retractable and extendable to adjust the height of the collapsible-extensible netting 102 with respect to the rim of the basketball hoop 152 (as illustrated in
The support frame 160 can be coupled (e.g., attached, connected, or mounted) to the upper frame arms 112. The support frame 160 can be also coupled (e.g., attached, connected, or mounted) to the collapsible-extensible netting 102 such that the shot basketballs can pass though the orifice 120. The support frame 160 can include protrusion portions 162, each coupled (e.g., attached, connected, or mounted) to each upper frame arm, a flat support portion 164 having the orifice 120 and receiving the protrusion portions 162, a vertical support portion 166 coupled (e.g., attached, connected, or mounted) to the connecting component 108, as further illustrated in
The collapsible-extensible netting 102 can rebound shot basketballs back to the orifice 120. The collapsible-extensible netting 102 can be flexible. The collapsible-extensible netting 102 can be coupled (e.g., attached, connected, or mounted) to the upper frame arms 112 to form an upwardly and downwardly opened funnel shaped enclosure that can direct the shot basketballs to the orifice 120.
The orifice 120 can allow the shot basketballs passing through to descend to the bottom support frame assembly 110.
The bottom support frame assembly 110 can be configured to receive the shot basketballs and support the upper frame assembly 106, the connecting component 108, and/or a digital scoreboard 116. The bottom support frame assembly 110 can be coupled (e.g., attached, connected, or mounted) to the connecting component 108. The bottom support frame assembly 110 can include a ball catch basket 104 and a plurality of bottom frame legs 114, and a flat support frame 118.
The ball catch basket 104 can be configured to receive and hold multiple basketballs at the same time. The ball catch basket 104 can extend generally below the orifice 120. The ball catch basket 104 can be solely supported by and detachably connected to the bottom frame legs 114. The ball catch basket 104 can be open from the top and have a distance (e.g., about 32 inches) from the basketball court surface, allowing multiple shooters including those wheelchair seated to manually retrieve basketballs at the same time.
The bottom frame legs 114 can be detachably connected tubular legs, each having adjustable leveling feet. The length of each of the bottom frame legs 114 can be adjustable to adjust the height of the apparatus 100, the height of the ball catch basket 104, and/or the height of other components of the apparatus 100 to satisfy different needs (e.g., shooters on foot, wheelchair seated shooters, or the like). For example, the bottom frame legs 114 can be retractable and extendable to adjust the height.
The flat support frame 118 can receive the bottom frame legs 114 and the connecting component 108.
The connecting component 108 can be a detachable support frame component (e.g., connecting stanchion illustrated in
The digital scoreboard 116 can be detachably connected to the connecting component 108, providing situational awareness to multiple shooters. In some embodiments, the digital scoreboard 116 can present scores of one or more teams. For example, players from multiple teams can shoot the same basket. The digital scoreboard 116 can present scores for each team.
Having thus described the system and device in detail, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit or scope thereof. It will be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make any variations and modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of Utility-Provisional Application No. 63/366,810, entitled “Multi-Shooter Basketball Rebounding Apparatus and System”, filed Jun. 22, 2022, the disclosure and entire content of which are incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63366810 | Jun 2022 | US |
