Patent Application
20080277362
1. The Technical Field
The present invention is directed to racks and supports for sports equipment, and in particular, to racks for supporting and organizing baseball equipment, particularly for use in baseball dugouts and areas thereabouts. The rack may also be used for other equipment, such as hockey equipment.
2. The Prior Art
Racks for the support, display and/or storage of sports equipment, in particular baseball equipment, are known. Examples of such racks include the following references:
Benham, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,407 discloses a fixed, single piece rack, for holding a small number of bats in notches that are immediately adjacent a back mounting wall. A shallow, dished upper area serves to hold balls.
Gordon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,563 discloses an elongated equipment storage rack having an elongated trough, immediately in front of which are notches for holding bats. The vertically extending front wall of the trough is positioned close to the inner ends of the notches. Extending upwardly from the rear wall of the trough are angled flat fingers, for holding helmets or gloves.
Halverson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,126 discloses a foldable bat rack, that comprises a single level, in two sections connected by a horizontally extending hinge on a lower side of the joint. No storage space is provided behind the notches for receiving the bat ends.
Keeley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,495 discloses a bat and helmet rack, in two sections that are foldably connected about a vertically extending hinge. Spring clips are mounted to vertical planar members to form each section. When folded the clips face outwardly, to permit the rack to be carried with the equipment still in place. Handles emanate from the top edges of the two planar members, and align with one another when the rack is folded.
Laub, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,710 discloses a rolling cart configured for holding bats (vertically), helmets, and a supply of baseballs.
Schinzing, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,647 discloses a fixed, wall mounted, cantilevered single level bat rack.
Braaten, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,065 discloses a baseball equipment holder, formed from a tubular housing having cutouts defining various hooks (for helmets or gloves) or notches (for bats).
Comeau, U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,402 discloses a baseball equipment holding backpack.
Jankovsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,763 discloses a freestanding baseball bat stand.
Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,456 discloses a fixed rack having notches on opposite ends for holding bats, skis, etc., and racks in between formed by parallel extending rods, for holding balls of various diameters (basketballs vs. baseballs, etc.).
Mroz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,731 discloses a suitcase-shaped baseball equipment carrier in the form of a frame without sidewalls.
Lorie, U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,048 discloses a wheeled baseball equipment cart.
Mercer, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,327 discloses a freestanding sports equipment organizer.
Shaw, U.S. Des. 335,416 discloses a design for an ornamental appearance for a hanging baseball equipment storage and organizer case, having six cells for holding helmets, in two rows of three, and a lower level of notches for holding bats.
McKenzie et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,907 discloses a fabric based holder for beverage bottles, configured to be hung on a chain link fence.
Young, U.S. Des. 373,498 discloses a board-based storage device with fork-shaped projections for holding bats, along the bottom edge thereof.
Martin, U.S. Des. 377,572 discloses a bat and helmet rack that is formed from a number parallel rods connected by flexible straps.
Matzen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,235 discloses a bat hanger in the form of a tube that has cutouts defining notches for holding the ends of bats. Indentations on the top of the tube can hold balls. Hooks are provided for hanging the tube on a fence.
Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,780 discloses a suitcase-style bag for holding athletic equipment.
Whitehead et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,105 discloses a frame-style rack for holding miscellaneous sports equipment having a lowermost solid transverse shelf, and other support areas formed by parallel bars.
Miller, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,085 discloses a helmet carrying and hanger assembly in the form of a single transverse rod, having a number of upwardly extending pegs, and a central T-shaped handle.
Fowler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,293 discloses a suitcase-style bag for holding athletic equipment.
Greaney et al., U.S. Des. 417,113 discloses a design for an ornamental rack in the shape of a baseball diamond, configured to hold two hats or helmets, a bat and a ball.
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,217 B1 discloses a solar powered bat warmer, in the shape of a box having a transparent front and openings in the top, into which bats are inserted.
Healy, U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,159 B1 discloses a bat warmer using a convection thermal heat source. The cabinet is in the form of an upright, wheeled, box having a heat source in the bottom.
Inge, U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,468 B1 discloses a wagon like sports equipment storage device, having a large open box area, and a rack for holding ball bats upright.
It would be desirable to provide a sports equipment rack, particularly one for baseball, which is capable of carrying a large quantity of different pieces of equipment, yet is highly portable and/or reducible to a compact form.
It would also be desirable to provide a sports equipment rack, particularly a baseball equipment rack, which is configured to be suspended from a vertical support, such as a chain-link backstop.
These and other desirable characteristics of the present invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, including claims, and drawings.
The present invention is directed, in part, to a portable equipment rack, for supporting and organizing equipment, particularly sports equipment. The portable equipment rack comprises first and second equipment supporting sections. Each equipment supporting section includes a top wall, a bottom wall vertically spaced from the top wall, a rear wall extending between the top and bottom walls and connected to rear edges of the top and bottom walls, and two end walls extending between the top and bottom walls and along the edges of the rear wall and connected to respective end edges of the top and bottom walls.
At least one bottom wall of the first and second equipment supporting sections preferably has at least one handle receiving structure disposed along a front edge region thereof. The at least one bottom wall further has an equipment receiving surface disposed between the handle receiving structure, and the rear edge of the at least one bottom wall.
A hinge preferably is mounted to adjacent end edge regions of the respective bottom walls of the first and second equipment supporting sections, so that an end wall of each equipment supporting section is disposed proximate the hinge and the other end wall of each supporting section is disposed distal to the hinge.
The hinge further preferably has an axis of pivoting that extends parallel to adjacent end edges of the respective bottom walls of the first and second equipment supporting sections, for enabling the first and second equipment supporting sections to be pivoted between a deployed configuration, in which the first and second equipment supporting sections are disposed end-to-end, and a stowed configuration, in which the first and second equipment supporting sections are pivoted such that the respective bottom walls are juxtaposed parallel and adjacent one another.
The positioning of the hinge preferably is such that when the equipment rack is supported by its ends in the deployed configuration, the weight of the respective first and second equipment supporting sections will tend to prompt the first and second equipment supporting sections toward pivoting upwardly relative to one another, prompting end edge regions of the top walls toward one another, to maintain the equipment rack in its deployed configuration.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one handle receiving structure comprises a baseball bat handle receiving notch formed in a front edge region of the at least one bottom wall of the first and second equipment supporting sections, the equipment receiving surface being disposed between an innermost extremity of the bat handle receiving notch and the rear edge of the at least one bottom wall. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the at least one handle receiving structure comprises at least one resilient biased structure, disposed along the front edge region of the at least one bottom wall of the first and second equipment supporting sections, and operably configured to resistively yield and resiliently, yet releasably retain, a sports equipment handle, when the sports equipment handle is forcibly inserted into the at least one resilient biased structure.
Preferably, the equipment rack further comprises latching structures, disposed on the end walls of the first and second equipment supporting sections distal to the hinge, for releasably maintaining the first and second equipment supporting sections in the stowed configuration, for facilitating transportation of the equipment rack between uses.
The equipment rack may further comprise a handle disposed on an outer surface of one of the top walls of the first and second equipment supporting sections, for facilitating carrying of the equipment rack when in its stowed configuration.
At least one hanging device is preferably provided for enabling the equipment rack to be suspended from a vertical support structure. The at least one hanging device preferably comprises a hook, connected by an elongated flexible member, to an outer surface of each of the end walls of the first and second equipment supporting sections that are disposed distal to the hinge; and at least one second hook, connected substantially directly to an outer surface of one of the rear walls of the first and second equipment supporting sections.
The top wall of one of the first and second equipment supporting sections preferably has a depth at least equal to the depth of the corresponding bottom wall.
The first and second equipment supporting sections are preferably fabricated from at least one of plastic, wood, metal.
The present invention also comprises, in an alternative embodiment, a modular portable equipment rack, for supporting and organizing equipment, particularly sports equipment. The modular portable equipment rack comprises at least two modules releasably assembled to one another. Each module, in turn, comprises a top wall, a bottom wall vertically spaced from the top wall, a rear wall extending between the top and bottom walls and connected to rear edges thereof, and first and second opposed end walls extending between the top and bottom walls, and connected to end edges thereof and to end edges of the rear wall. Cooperating structures are disposed in the first and second opposed end walls, operably configured to engage one another such that a second end wall of a first module may be disposed adjacent to and releasably engaged with, in a mutually supporting manner, a first end wall of a second module, so as to form an integrated equipment rack.
At least one of the modules further has at least one handle receiving structure disposed along a front edge region of the bottom wall thereof, the bottom wall of the at least one module further having an equipment receiving surface disposed between the handle receiving structure, and the rear edge of the bottom wall of the at least one module.
In the modular equipment rack, the cooperating structures disposed in the first and second opposed end walls preferably comprise a tongue structure disposed on each first end wall; and a groove structure disposed in each second end wall and operably configured to slidably and releasably receive a tongue structure from another like module.
The at least one handle receiving structure preferably comprises a baseball bat handle receiving notch formed in a front edge region of the bottom wall of the at least one module, the equipment receiving surface being disposed between an innermost extremity of the bat handle receiving notch and the rear edges of the bottom wall. Alternatively, the at least one handle receiving structure comprises at least one resilient biased structure, disposed along the front edge region of the bottom wall at least one module, and operably configured to resistively yield and resiliently, yet releasably retain, a sports equipment handle, when the sports equipment handle is forcibly inserted into the at least one resilient biased structure.
In the modular equipment rack, a handle is preferably disposed on an outer surface of at least one module, for facilitating carrying of the modular equipment rack.
The modular equipment rack preferably further comprises at least one hanging device for enabling the modular equipment rack to be suspended from a vertical support structure. A hook may be connected by an elongated flexible member, to an outer surface of at least one end wall of a module; and at least one second hook may be connected substantially directly to an outer surface of a rear wall of a module.
The top wall of at least one module preferably has a depth at least equal to the depth of the corresponding bottom wall. At least one module is fabricated from at least one of plastic, wood, metal.
The present invention also comprises an equipment rack module for forming a portable equipment rack, particularly for sports equipment. The module comprises a top wall, a bottom wall vertically spaced from the top wall, a rear wall extending between the top and bottom walls and connected to rear edges thereof, and first and second opposed end walls extending between the top and bottom walls, and connected to end edges thereof and to end edges of the rear wall. Cooperating structures are disposed in the first and second opposed end walls, operably configured to engage one another such that a second end wall of a first module may be disposed adjacent to and releasably engaged with, in a mutually supporting manner, a first end wall of a second module, so as to form an integrated equipment rack.
The equipment rack module preferably further comprises at least one handle receiving structure disposed along a front edge region of the bottom wall thereof, the bottom wall further having an equipment receiving surface disposed between the handle receiving structure, and the rear edge of the bottom wall.
In the equipment rack module, the cooperating structures disposed in the first and second opposed end walls, comprise a tongue structure disposed on each first end wall; and a groove structure disposed in each second end wall and operably configured to slidably and releasably receive a tongue structure from another like module.
The at least one handle receiving structure in the module comprises a baseball bat handle receiving notch formed in a front edge region of the bottom wall of the at least one module, the equipment receiving surface being disposed between an innermost extremity of the bat handle receiving notch and the rear edges of the bottom wall. Alternatively, the at least one handle receiving structure comprises at least one resilient biased structure, disposed along the front edge region of the bottom wall at least one module, and operably configured to resistively yield and resiliently, yet releasably retain, a sports equipment handle, when the sports equipment handle is forcibly inserted into the at least one resilient biased structure.
The equipment rack module further comprises a handle disposed on an outer surface of at least one module, for facilitating carrying of the modular equipment rack.
The equipment rack module may further comprise at least one hanging device for enabling the equipment rack module to be suspended from a vertical support structure. The at least one hanging device may comprise a hook, connected by an elongated flexible member, to an outer surface of at least one end wall; and at least one second hook, connected substantially directly to an outer surface of the rear wall.
In the equipment rack module, the top wall of the module preferably has a depth at least equal to the depth of the corresponding bottom wall.
The module is preferably fabricated from at least one of plastic, wood, metal.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail several specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
Baseball equipment rack 10 as shown in
Handle 36, which may be of any suitable configuration, is located in the upper surface of top wall 16. Bottom walls 22 and 32 are joined together at their inboard adjacent edges by a hinge 38, which may be a piano-style hinge, or any other suitable hinge device. Although hinge 38 is shown as projecting below the bottom surfaces of bottom walls 22 and 32, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the wings of the hinge may be mortised into the bottom surfaces of bottom walls 22, 32, so that when baseball equipment rack 10 is folded, as shown in
Baseball equipment rack 10 is configured to be suspended from a vertically extending support surface, such as a chain-link backstop 40 (shown in fragments in
Along the front edges of each of bottom walls 22, 32, are formed a series of rearwardly receding notches 54, each of which preferably has a width which is slightly greater than the diameter of the handle of a baseball/softball bat 67, but less than the diameter of a knob on the handle end of a baseball/softball bat, as shown in
Notches 54 preferably extend rearwardly into bottom walls 22, 32 a distance of several bat handle diameters, as shown in
In alternative embodiments of the invention, the rounded interior ends of notches 54 may be surrounded by slight depressions (not shown) to help “seat” the bat handle knobs, to prevent inadvertent or unintended falling out of the handles from rack 10. Likewise, depressions or grooves may be provided in the upper surfaces of top walls 16, 26 and/or bottom walls 22, 32 (not shown) for providing stabilized location of balls, helmets, etc.
Hinge 38 is advantageously situated between and connecting bottom walls 22, 32, so that the weight of baseball equipment rack 10, together with the combined weight of any articles thereon, tends to push down, causing sections 12 and 14 to be prompted to rotate upwardly toward one another about hinge 38. Preferably, the bottom interior corners of sections 12, 14, are provided with a substantial rounding radius (e.g., on the order of 0.5 inches), which provides a notch 55 (see
Baseball equipment rack 10 is provided with a latching device, including hook 60, and hasp 62, which may be of any suitable conventional construction. When the use of the baseball equipment rack 10 has been completed, the equipment is removed, and hooks 42, 44 and 49 are disconnected from chain-link backstop 40. The fasteners 50, 52 may themselves be separated from end walls 18, 28 if desired (as shown in
Alternative equipment rack 100 as shown in
Handle 136, which may be of any suitable configuration, is located in the upper surface of top wall 116. Bottom walls 122 and 132 are joined together at their inboard adjacent edges by a hinge 138, which may be a piano-style hinge, or any other suitable hinge device. Although hinge 138 is shown as projecting below the bottom surfaces of bottom walls 122 and 132, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the wings of the hinge may be mortised into the bottom surfaces of bottom walls 122, 132, so that when alternative equipment rack 100 is folded, as baseball rack 10 was shown folded in
Alternative equipment rack 100 is likewise configured to be suspended from a vertically extending support surface. To that end, hooks 142, 144 are joined by cables 146, 148, fastened at their other ends, e.g., by eyelet and bolt or screw (or other fastener) combinations, 150, 152, to end walls 118, 128, respectively. Hooks 142, 144 may be of any suitable configuration and as such are illustrated only schematically, as being readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, having the present disclosure before them. Likewise, cables 146, 148 may be of any suitable material and configuration, and may be substituted by rope, string, synthetic line, or chain, etc. In addition, a third hook (not shown) is affixed to one of the rear walls which is, preferably directly affixed, not using any kind of cable or tether, to the vertical support, to prevent alternative equipment rack 100 from pivoting forward under the weight of the baseball bats, and to provide stability generally.
Hinge 138 is advantageously situated between and connecting bottom walls 122, 132, so that the weight of alternative equipment rack 100, together with the combined weight of any articles thereon, tends to push down, causing sections 112 and 114 to be prompted to rotate upwardly toward one another about hinge 138. Preferably, the bottom interior corners of sections 112, 114, are provided with a substantial rounding radius (e.g., on the order of 0.5 inches), which provides a notch (like notch 55 in the embodiment of
Alternative equipment rack 100 may also be provided with a latching mechanism similar in function to that described with respect to the embodiment of
Instead of the notches 54, provided for baseball rack 10, alternative equipment rack 100 is provided with a plurality of spring clips 154, which may be of any suitable configuration, but which may be generally considered to be formed from two joined pieces (or one bent piece) of a resilient spring material (such as a flat strip or strips of metal). For example, a spring clip 154 may be formed so as to have two J-shaped sections placed back to back, so that when an article, such as a hockey stick handle, is thrust into the gap or crevice between the two sections, the spring resilience permits the two adjacent portions to yield sufficient to permit the handle to be pushed some distance between them. The spring force of the metal strips thus exerts a gripping force against the stick, tending to hold it in place and elevated, provided that the strips are fabricated with sufficient spring force.
The end walls 212, 214 may be notched, so as to have inwardly inclining leading edges, as shown in
In order to permit an elongated rack to be formed from a plurality of modules 200, each module 200 may be provided with an elongated groove 230 in end wall 212, and a corresponding elongated tongue 232 in opposite end wall 214. Each tongue 232 and groove 230 may have a dovetail cross-sectional configuration, for enhanced module-to-module interfacing, and preferably, may be inclined downwardly toward rear wall 216, to provide a prompting against relative sliding and separation of adjacent modules. When two modules are assembled together, the half-recesses 210 that are positioned next to one another at the interface of the two modules will form a complete recess for receiving a bat handle.
Although a tongue and groove connection between adjacent modules is disclosed, alternative structures for consecutively connecting adjacent modules may be employed.
Although in one preferred embodiment, an equipment rack is formed from the assembly of two or more modules, it may be readily understood that each module may be employed and hung separately, if desired.
Module 200 may be suitably modified to incorporate handle retaining clips or similar resilient biased structures, as in the embodiment of
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except as those skilled in the art who have the present disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.
