GB2336322A

GB2336322A - Collapsible ball game goal

Info

Publication number: GB2336322A
Application number: GB9908121A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stein Alvern
Original assignee: INVEKST AG
Current assignee: INVEKST AG
Priority date: 1998-04-15
Filing date: 1999-04-12
Publication date: 1999-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-12
Also published as: DE19916622A1; GB9908121D0; DE19916622B4; NO991549D0; GB2336322B; NO311833B1; NO991549L

Abstract

A collapsible goal comprises two uprights and a cross bar, the uprights carrying a pair of side members pivotally connected to the two upright members. The crossbar may come in sections and the goal may further have elastic members 14, 15 to suspend netting from and to render the structure more rigid in use. Ground anchoring pins may be provided.

Description

2336322 1

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a collapsible ball game goal. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a collapsible goal having a net, as in the case of hockey, soccer, and lacrosse goals.

io 2. Description of the Related Art.

There are various types of collapsible ball game goals which are commercially available. Conventional collapsible goals are disclosed in several US patents, including 3516666; 4702478; 5080375; 5372368; 5496040; 5580064: 5586768; and 5655774. is The present invention is intended to provide a collapsible ball game goal which is similar in construction to a standard ball game goal that is non-col lapsible, yet, provides substantial advantages in handling due to its collapsible nature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a collapsible ball game goal comprising a substantially inverted U-shaped front opening formed by a crossbar member and two vertical members depending from a respective end of the crossbar. a pair of side members pivotally connected to the two vertical members, respectively. and a net structure attached to the crossbar member, the vertical members and the side members. In accordance with the present invention, the crossbar member preferably includes two crossbar-halves linked or engageable at a first end thereof at a midregion of the crossbar member. A second end of each of the cross-bar halves are connected to a respective one of the vertical members. Preferably the side members are pivotally connected to the respective vertical member by means of a sleeve member surrounding a portion of the vertical member. It is also preferable that the sleeve member is adapted to be releasably locked to the vertical member.

Additional features of the collapsible ball game goal will appear from the attached patent claims as well as from the description below which refers to the attached

2 drawings and provides in a non-limiting way examples of preferred embodiments of the collapsible ball game goal of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS i 1 i The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below. serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a collapsible ball game goal according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a net structure affixed to elements of the collapsible ball game goal of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4. 5 and 6 are first, second, third and fourth embodiments for joining crossbar halves, according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A collapsible ball game goal of the present invention is shown in Fig. 1, and identified generally by reference numeral 1. The collapsible ball game goal 1 has a substantially inverted U-shaped front opening 2 formed by crossbar means 3 and two vertical members 4, 5 depending from a respective end Y, Y' of the crossbar means. Further, there is provided a pair of side members 6, 7 which are pivotally connected to the two vertical members 4, 5, respectively. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the collapsible ball game goal includes a net structure 8. The net structure 8 is attached to the crossbar means 3, the vertical members 4, 5 and said side members 6, 7.

In accordance with the present invention, the crossbar means include interconnected crossbar members which cooperate with vertical members to support the net. As embodied herein and shown together in Figures 1 and 3, the crossbar means includes by two crossbar sections or halves 9, 10 linked or engageable at a first end 9', 10' thereof at a midregion of the crossbar means 3. The second end of the crossbar halves 9, 10, i.e., ends Y, ')", are connected to corresponding ones of said vertical members 4, 5. The side members 6, 7 are pivotally connected to the respective vertical member 4, 5 by means of a sleeve 11 which surrounds a portion of the respective vertical member 4, 5.

As embodied herein, the sleeve 11 is realeasably lockable to the vertical member 4, 5 by having therein a slot 12 into which a small pin 13, which is attached to the vertical member 4, 5, can engage. When the side members 6, 7 are to be turned relative to the respective vertical members 4, 5, the side members 6, 7 are lifted slightly so that the sleeve 11 slides upwardly along the vertical member 4, 5 and disengages with the pin io 13), whereupon the side members can be turned to lie approximately in a plane coinciding with the sleeve of the respective crossbar half 9, 10.

In accordance with the present invention, in order to keep the net structure stretched to avoid portions thereof "hanging down", as in the many standard ball game goals and even collapsible ball game goals, elastic means is provided to extend between the pair of side members 6, 7 to support and suspend the net structure 8. Preferably, the elastic means is located between opposite upper rear regions of the pair of side members 6, 7 and between opposite lower, rear regions of the pair of side members, as indicated on Fig. 1. The elastic means, as indicated generally by reference numerals 14 and 15, may be an elastic string. Accordingly, the string may be made from rubber string elements covered by an outer sheet of woven or non-woven material. Alternatively, a wire string 15 biased by a spring 16, as shown on Fig. 1, may be suitable.

The side members, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention have substantially the configuration of the letter U laying on its side such that its base member 6'; 7' is substantially upright and its branches C, 6...; 7", 7 are substantially horizontal.

From Fig. 1, it is clearly seen that the collapsible ball game goal has a front opening with two pairs of elements, each pair comprising one of said crossbar half 9; 10 and one of said vertical member 4, 5 suitably made as an integral, substantially inverted Lshaped, tubular structure.

If a ball accidentally hits the crossbar of the ball game goal, according to the invention, it may so happen that the goal either moves relative to the ground or overturns. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, it is preferable to provide ground anchoring pins 17, 18 which are located inside a respective vertical member 4, 5 in 4 adjustable. telescopic engagement therewith. The pin 17, 18 may be provided with a locking device 17'; 18' which is adapted to releasably engage the respective vertical member 4. 5. Thus, the respective ground anchoring pin 18, 19 can be moved upwards or downwards by means of the locking device 17', 18' along a longitudinal slot (not shown on Fig. 1) in the vertical member 4, 5 and lockable when engaging a selected transverse notch 19, 20.

The crossbar halves 9, 10 can engage in many ways. In accordance with the present invention, as shown in Fig. 3, the crossbar halves 9, 10 are interconnectable by means of io a male connecting means 21 which connects with the crossbar half (or section) 10 serving as a female connecting means. The male connecting means 21 may be provided with a hole 2 1', and the crossbar half 10 may be provided with a hole 22 in order that a locking pin 23) can be inserted into hole 22 to engage also hole 2 1, thereby interlocking the female connecting means with the male connecting means.

In an altemative embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the first ends 9', 10' of the crossbar halves 9. 10 are interconnected by means of a hinge means 24. Further, a locking sleeve 25 can be provided to slide over the hinge joint, as indicated by dotted lines and in such position to aid in obtaining a substantially rigid crossbar means.

In a still further altemative shown in Fig. 5, the two crossbar halves 9, 10 are interconnectable by means of a connecting sleeve 26 making use of internal threads on the sleeve 26 and extemal threads T' on the crossbar half 9 and possibly also external threads 10---on the crossbar half 10, although the threads 1 W' may not be entirely necessary.

In the embodiment of Fig. 6, the connecting sleeve 27 has bayonet coupling means 27' coacting with the first ends 9', 10' of the crossbar halves. In order to provide proper engagement. the crossbar halves have at their respective first ends engagement pins 9 30 10.. which engage substantially L-shaped bayonet coupling slots 27'.

There are many ways of attaching the net structure to a goal element of the collapsible ball game goal, according to the invention. In a preferred, but in no way limiting C1 embodiment, the net structure 8 is attachable to a goal element comprising at least one of said crossbar means 3, said vertical members 4,5 and said side members 7 by means of a folded string 28 having hook means 29, 30 at either end. The hook means jointly engaging a hole, e.g. hole 3 1, in side member 7. If such attachment means 28-30 is accidentally damaged, the loop of the string can be cut and the hook means 29, -3 W will disappear into the hollow part of the goal element, whereupon a new attachment means can be installed.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

6

Claims

P a t c n t c 1 a i m s

A collapsible ball game goal comprising:

a crossbar member defining a front opening: vertical members depending from ends of the crossbar member, said crossbar and vertical members defining a first generally vertical plane; side members pivotally connected to each of the vertical members, said side members defining a pair of second generally vertical planes generally perpendicular to the first io generally vertical plane, said side members being pivotal such that each of the second generally vertical planes pivot in the direction of the first generally vertical plane until the second generally vertical planes are substantially parallel with the first generally vertical plane; a net structure attached to said crossbar member, said vertical members and said side members; said crossbar member including two crossbar sections each having first and second ends, each of said crossbar sections being linked at a first end thereof and having one of said vertical members connected to a second end thereof., and a sleeve surrounding a portion of each of the vertical members for pivotally connecting one of said side members to a corresponding vertical member, said sleeve being releasably secured to the vertical member.
2. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, also including elastic means extending between said pair of side members to support and suspend the net structure.
3. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, also including elastically biased string means extending between said pair of side members to support and suspend said 3o net structure.
4. The collapsible ball game goal according to claim 2, wherein said elastic means being located between opposite upper, rear regions of said pair of side members and between 35 opposite lower, rear regions of said pair of side members.

7
5. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 3, wherein said string means is located between opposite upper, rear regions of said pair of side members and between 5 opposite lower, rear regions of said pair of side members.
6. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, wherein a pair comprising of one of said crossbar section and said vertical member is made as an integral, substantially L10 shaped, tubular structure.
7. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, also including an adjustable ground anchoring pin, said pin being arranged in telescopic engagement with one of is said vertical member.
8. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, also including a connecting sleeve, wherein said first ends of the crossbar sections are interconnected by the connecting sleeve.
9. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 8, wherein said connecting sleeve includes bayonet coupling means coacting with said first ends of the crossbar halves.
10. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, wherein said first ends of the crossbar sections are hingedly-connected and axially lockable to form a rigid crossbar when locked.
11. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, also includes a male/female coupler, wherein said first ends of the crossbar sections are interconnectable by said male/female coupler.
12. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, wherein the side members have a substantially U-shaped configuration.
A collapsible ball game goal comprising: a crossbar member defining a front opening; vertical members depending from ends of the crossbar member; io side members pivotally connected to each of the vertical members: and a net structure attached to said crossbar member, vertical member and side members; wherein said net structure is attached to a goal element comprising at least one of said crossbar member, said vertical members and said side members by means of a folded string having a hook at at least one end for engaging a hole in said goal element.
14. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 13, wherein said crossbar member includes two crossbar sections linked together.
15. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 13. further comprising a sleeve pivotally connecting said side member to said vertical member.
16. The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 1, wherein each said sleeve includes a slot defined therein configured to engage with a pin projecting from each said vertical member.
17.

The collapsible ball game goal as defined in claim 16, wherein said side members are configured to lift in order to disengage each pin from each slot, thereby allowing said members to pivot.
18.

A collapsible ball game goal comprising: a crossbar member defining a front opening; 9 vertical members depending from ends of the crossbar member, said crossbar and vertical members defining a first generally vertical plane; side members pivotally connected to each of the vertical members, said side members defining a pair of second generally vertical planes generally perpendicular to the first generally vertical plane, said side members being pivotal such that each of the second generally vertical planes pivot in the direction of the first generally vertical plane until the second generally vertical planes are substantially parallel with the first general vertical plane; a net structure attached to said crossbar member, said vertical members and said side io members; and a sleeve surrounding a portion of each of the vertical members for pivotally connecting one of said side members to a corresponding vertical member, said sleeve being releasably secured to the vertical member.