GB2394986A

GB2394986A - Foldable joint for a sports goal

Info

Publication number: GB2394986A
Application number: GB0225513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yuh-Kung Chou
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-23
Filing date: 2002-11-01
Publication date: 2004-05-12
Also published as: US20040036222A1; DE20213142U1; GB0225513D0

Abstract

A foldable joint for a sports goal has an inner connecting rod 11 that is pivotally attached to two bars 2 of the goal by pivot pins 132 extending through holes in the inner rod 11 and holes in adaptors 13 connected to the end of the bars 2 of the goal.. A sleeve 12, surrounding the inner connecting rod, is rotatable between a first position where it allows folding of the bars 2 about the pivot pins 132 and a second position preventing folding. Protrusions 111,114 on the inner rod 11 engage with slots 121 in the sleeve 12 to retain the sleeve 12 in either of its two operating positions.

Description

( FOLDABLE JOINT FOR A SPORTS GOAL

The present invention relates to a foldable joint for a sports goal, more particularly to a foldable joint applied to a rod body of a sports goal; a retainable 5 positioning and releasing structure is disposed through an internally and externally coaxial structure to make the fixedly connected rod body accomplish the folding and extending requirement.

The ball sports requiring goal shooting for scoring includes soccer, handball, 10 hockey, etc. Among them, soccer has become increasingly popular in the whole world. It is known that interest in sport needs to be cultivated from a young age and that this is most effectively achieved through game training. With a goal apparatus convenient for transportation, the game play is not limited by the field site. It is believed that parents

cultivate their child's interest in sport through parent-child interaction.

A conventional goal structure is assembled by sequentially soldering rod bodies, telescopic tubes with small and larger diameters or retaining members. However, the entire structure is not foldable for storage but requires a sequential assembly and takes up considerable space in addition to the problems of transportation or carriage. Therefore, 20 the ball sports requiring the conventional goal structure are usually limited by the field

site. In order to solve the above mentioned problems, the inventor of the present invention has designed a foldable joint to be applied to a rod body of a sports goal 25 thereby providing a portable goal frame which folds for storage and convenient transportation. The primary objective of the present invention of a foldable joint for a sports goal is to provide a foldable joint structure to be applied to a rod body of a goal thereby 30 making the transportation of the goal apparatus more convenient and freeing the user from the limit of a field site.

( 2 The present invention of a foldable joint comprises an inner connecting rod, an outer toggle, two pivot bolts and adapters disposed at the distal ends of the rod body; wherein a slot way is disposed in the inner connecting rod for receiving and connecting 5 with the adapter of the rod body through the pivot bolt; the outer toggle rotates about the external periphery of the inner connecting rod to clamp and release thereby controlling the folding for storage and extendible positioning of the connected rod body.

To enable a further understanding of the structural features and the technical 10 contents of the present invention, the brief description of the drawings below is followed

by the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

Figure 1 is a pictorial drawing of a foldable joint of the present invention.

15 Figure 2 is an exploded drawing of the foldable joint of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a retaining movement of the foldable joint of the present invention.

20 Figure 4A is and schematic drawing of a cross-section A-A of the foldable joint of the present invention.

Figure 4B is a schematic drawing of another movement of the cross-section A-A of the foldable joint of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of a folding movement of the foldable joint of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic drawing of the foldable joint of the present invention 30 applied to a goal rod body.

( 3 Figure 7 is a schematic drawing of the foldable joint of the present invention applied to another goal rod body.

Figure 8A is the first schematic drawing of the movement of implementing the 5 foldable joint of the present invention to another goal rod body.

Figure 8B is the second schematic drawing of the movement of implementing the foldable joint of the present invention to another goal rod body.

10 Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention of a foldable joint (l) comprises an inner connecting rod (11), an outer toggle (12), two pivot bolts (132, 132') and two adapters (13, 13') disposed at two distal ends of a rod body (2). A slot way (112) is I disposed in the interior portion of the inner connecting rod (11) and has an inner stopper (115) formed in the middle. The two sides of the inner stopper (115) and the two ends of 15 the slot way (112) receive the adapters (13, 13') to connect with the rod body (2).

Through holes (131, 131') are disposed respectively in the adapters (13, 13') for the insertion of the pivot bolts (132, 132'). Fastening in the bolt slot (113) completes the connection. Four convex portions (111, 111', 114, 114') are disposed in the corresponding areas at the front and rear ends on the outer ring surface of the inner 20 connecting rod (11) and are correspondingly inserted into four retaining slots (121, 121', 122, 122') on the inner side of the outer toggle (12). The outer toggle (12) is a hollow sleeve with a hollow slot (123) formed at the centre thereof for receiving the inner connecting rod (11). The central position of the hollow slot (123) is disposed with an outer stopper (124) corresponding to the inner stopper (115) of the inner connecting rod 25 (11). However, when the outer toggle (12) rotates around the external periphery of the inner connecting rod (11), the convex portions (111, 111', 114, 114') become positioned within the retaining slots (121, 121', 122, 122'), thereby controlling the folding for storage and extendible positioning of the rod body (2) connected in the slot way (112).

30 As indicated in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the present invention of a foldable joint (1) uses the 180 degree rotation of the outer toggle (12) to turn the outer stopper (124) to

another corresponding area. The retaining slots (121, 121') previously corresponding to the convex portions (114, 114') rotate to the other corresponding convex portions (111, 111'). At the same time, the convex portions (114, 114') correspond to the retaining slots (122, 122') such that the rod body (2) is unable to be folded due to the rotation of 5 the outer toggle (12), thereby limiting the extension of the rod body (2).

Conversely, as indicated in FIG. 5, when it is necessary to fold the rod body (2), the outer toggle (12) is rotated by 180 degrees again to make the inner stopper (115) and the outer stopper (124) correspond. The adapters (13, 13') of the rod body (2) can then 10 be rotated by 90 degrees and the extended rod body (2) can be folded for storage.

Therefore, in summary, when applying the foldable joint (1) to a goal rod body

(2), different goal structures can be designed through the relative connections of the rod body (2). For example, the implementation of the present invention as indicated in 15 FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B is disposed substantially with a foldable joint (1) in the jointed or folding areas according to the connections between the rod bodies (2). The retaining and the release of the foldable joint (1) control the folding for storage and extendible positioning of the connected rod body (2) to further provide a structural design of a foldable joint (1) to be applied onto the goal rod body (2) for having the function of 20 folding for storage and extendible positioning thereby making the portable transportation of the goal apparatus more convenient and allowing the user not to be limited by the field

site. It is of course to be understood that the embodiment described herein is merely 25 illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

( 5 CLAIMS

1. A foldable joint for a sports goal, wherein the foldable joint comprises an inner connecting rod, an outer toggle, two pivot bolts and adapters disposed at distal ends 5 of the rod body, characterized in that: the inner connecting rod has a communicated slot way disposed therein and an inner stopper formed substantially in the middle thereof; the two sides of the inner stopper and the two ends of the slot way receive the adapters that connect with the rod body; four convex portions are disposed in the corresponding areas at the front and rear 10 ends on the outer ring surface of the inner connecting rod and correspondingly inserted into four retaining slots on the inner side of the inserted outer toggle; the outer toggle is a hollow sleeve for receiving the inner connecting rod; wherein the central position of the hollow slot is disposed with an outer stopper corresponding to the inner stopper of the inner connecting rod; 15 the adapters have through holes disposed at the central positions thereof for the insertion of the pivot bolts and fastening in the slot way of the inner connecting rod; when the outer toggle rotates around the external periphery of the inner connecting rod, the convex portions of the rod body retain with and position at the corresponding retaining slots of the outer toggle; the retaining slot previously corresponding to the convex 20 portion is rotated to the other corresponding convex portion; and rotation of the outer toggle makes the outer stopper push against the adapters and the rod body unable to be folded thereby limiting the extension; the inner and outer stoppers controlling the folding for storage and extendible positioning of the rod body connected in the slot way.

25

2. The foldable joint for a sports goal according to Claim 1, wherein the

shapes of the inner stopper of the inner connecting rod and the outer stopper of the outer toggle are the same.

3. The foldable joint for a sports goal according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the 30 positions of the inner stopper of the inner connecting rod and the outer stopper of the outer toggle correspond to each other.

4. The foldable joint for a sports goal according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein correspondence between the convex portion on the external surface and the retaining slot on the outer toggle enables the outer toggle to rotate by 180 degrees.

s

5. The foldable joint for a sports goal according to any of Claims l to 4, wherein the shape of the adapter end portion is circular and spherical in shape for enabling the connected rod body to rotate.

10

6. The foldable joint for a sports goal according to Claim 1, wherein the rod body connected at the adapter rotates around the pivot bolt.

7. A foldable joint for a sports goal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.