GB2460438A

GB2460438A - Football goal

Info

Publication number: GB2460438A
Application number: GB0809787A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Timothy Court; Paul Henry Borkowski; Philip Richard Shade
Original assignee: AMPHITRITE Ltd
Current assignee: AMPHITRITE Ltd
Priority date: 2008-05-29
Filing date: 2008-05-29
Publication date: 2009-12-02
Also published as: GB0809787D0

Abstract

A football goal comprises uprights 24, a crossbar 26, a base 34,38 and a diagonal brace 32 attached at one end to the base and at the other end to an upper part of the goal. The diagonal brace attaches to the goal with a bayonet fitting received in a socket 92 such that the diagonal brace and secured firmly in position. Preferably the socket apertures are substantially oval and the bayonet's cross section is substantially oval and mushroom shaped.

Description

FOOTBALL GOAL

The present invention relates to a football goal. The S goal comprises a number of parts that may be put together and taken apart to allow the goal to be transported from venue to venue.

Football training involves varied exercises to develop core skills required for the game. For example, abilities in passing, shooting, control of the football (such as trapping the football and dribbling), tackling and goalkeeping are core skills that training aims to develop.

Training make take the form of a game of football, or it may involve exercises that look to develop specific skills.

While these exercises may involve apparatus designed for a particular purpose, the basic football goal often forms a crucial element of such training.

It will be apparent that hlfootbalUt refers to the game referred to in the UK as football, but that it is sometimes referred to as soccer. Although initially designed for football skills training, it is envisaged that in due course parts of the apparatus can be adapted for integration into aspects of skills training for sports other than football/soccer.

The present invention seeks to provide a football goal that may be used in a variety of locations (e.g. sports halls, fields, playgrounds, car parks, etc.) rather than being restricted to use only on an existing football pitch, and that may be transported from one location to the next.

As a result, the present invention seeks to provide a kit of parts that is readily portable, and both quick and easy to assemble into a football goal.

Against this background, and from a first aspect, the present invention resides in a football goal comprising a pair of uprights, a crossbar connecting upper portions of the upright, a base for supporting the goal on the ground, and a diagonal brace attached at one end to the base and at the other end toan upper part of the goal. The diagonal brace is attached to the remainder of the goal via bayonet fittings each comprising a bayonet received in a socket such that the diagonal brace may be placed into position with the io bayonets inserted into the sockets and the diagonal brace may then be twisted so as to secure the diagonal brace firmly in position. Advantageously, the diagonal brace adds strength to the goal and may provide resilience to the goal in the face of repeated impacts from a football that might otherwise force the goal apart.

The bayonet fitting is secured using an initial push into place followed by a twist to secure, hence the name ascribed to this type of fitting. The actual form of the fitting may take one of several alternatives. For example, the fitting may be akin to those found in bayonet light bulb fittings, i.e. comprising a pair of pins that are received within slots defining an L-shaped path. However, a bayonet fitting having unequal transverse dimensions chosen to complement a socket with a similarly-dimensioned entrance aperture is preferred. Such an arrangement secures the bayonet because the bayonet may only pass through the aperture when correctly aligned to do SO: the bayonet may be inserted through the aperture when the longer dimensions are aligned, and then the bayonet is twisted to bring the longer dimensions out of alignment such that the bayonet can no longer pass back through the entrance aperture.

Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, each socket comprises an aperture having unequal first and second transverse dimensions thereby defining a length and a width, and the socket being sized so as to receive the bayonet, the bayonet presenting a cross-section when being inserted into the aperture, the cross-section having unequal first and second transverse dimensions thereby defining a length and a width, wherein the dimensions decrease in size from largest to smallest as the aperture's length, the bayonet's length, the aperture's width and the bayonet's width, such that the diagonal brace may be placed into position with the bayonets being inserted into the sockets by aligning the respective lengths and wherein the diagonal brace is then twisted into position such that the respective lengths are rotated out of alignment.

Different shapes may be used for the aperture and for the bayonet. For example, both may be substantially oval or race-track shaped, or rectangular or diamond shaped. Other shapes are also possible for the bayonet, for example star shaped such as a four pointed star with unequal arm lengths.

Preferably, the bayonet comprises an enlarged head and is optionally mushroom shaped. Such a bayonet may comprise an underside that undulates to form low points. These low points may coincide with the length of the bayonet.

Advantageously, these low points may act as bearing surfaces. For example, if the bayonet is not quite inserted fully into the socket, twisting the bayonet will cause the undulating underside to contact the edge of the aperture, with the curvature urging the bayonet further into the socket.

Optionally, the bayonet extends from a stem, and wherein the stem is provided with one or more protrusions that provide surfaces facing the low points of the underside of the bayonet head, thereby forming narrowed neck points therebetween. The one or more protrusions may act as a stop to prevent the bayonet from being inserted too far into the socket by making their extent greater than the length of the aperture. The one or more protrusions may comprise a single protrusion such as an enlarged collar around the stem.

Alternatively, a pair of protrusions may be provided on opposed sides of the stem, so as to form shoulders.

Optionally, the surfaces on the one or more protrusions are io rounded so as to form bearing surfaces with high points that face the respective low points of the underside of the bayonet thereby forming the narrowed neck points therebetween. In this way, the bearing surfaces may help to urge the bayonet into the correct position in much the same way as the bearing surfaces provided by the underside of the bayonet. To facilitate correct positioning of the bayonet, the aperture of the socket may be defined by a peripheral wall having a thickness corresponding to the width of the narrowed neck portions.

In order to aid insertion of the bayonet into the socket, the bayonet's head may comprise ribs substantially aligned with the bayonet's length.

Either the bayonets or the sockets may be provided on the diagonal brace. However, it is preferred that the bayonets are provided on the ends of the diagonal brace as its elongate form lends itself better to accommodating the * stem and enlarged head configurations described above. With this arrangement, the location of the sockets may be chosen from a number of choices. For example, the crossbar may have a socket provided therein. Also, the base may comprise a pair of base sides extending from respective lower portions of the uprights at one end and meeting a base back at their other ends, and the base back extending from one base side to the other and having a socket provided therein.

Preferably, the goal comprises a second diagonal brace like the first diagonal brace, one diagonal brace being disposed on each side of the goal. In this configuration and with the bayonets provided on the diagonal braces, the sockets may be provided towards the ends of the crossbar, or may be provided towards the tops of the uprights. Moreover, the crossbar may be joined to each upright with a connector io having a socket provided therein. Optionally, the connectors comprise an elbow with holes at each of its ends sized to receive the end of an upright and the end of the crossbar, and with two sockets provided therein having an aperture on each side of the elbow. In a contemplated embodiment, the base comprises a pair of base sides extending from respective lower portions of the uprights at one end and meeting a base back at their other ends, the base back extending from one base side to the other and being connected to the base sides via connectors having a socket provided therein. Preferably, the connectors are of a common design.

From a second aspect, the present invention resides in a method of assembling a football goal comprising: assembling a basic frame of the goal to form a crossbar extending between a pair of uprights, and a base for supporting the goal on the ground; and attaching a diagonal brace at one end to the base and at the other end to an upper part of the goal using bayonet fittings, each bayonet fitting comprising a bayonet received in a socket, by placing the diagonal brace into position with the bayonets inserted into the sockets and by twisting the diagonal brace so as to secure the diagonal brace firmly in position.

Other optional features are defined by the appended claims.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, preferred embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a goal from the rear; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a bayonet provided on the end of a diagonal brace of the goal of Figure 1 prior to insertion into a socket provided in a connector joining an upright to the crossbar; Figure 3 shows the bayonet of Figure 2 being inserted into the socket; and Figure 4 shows the bayonet fully inserted into the socket and twisted into position within the socket.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a kit of parts is provided that may be assembled to form one or more football goals. The kit of parts may include additional parts that may be assembled to form various apparatus for use in football training exercises, such as is described in our patent application published as WO 2007/104963. The kit is designed to be portable and so may comprise one or more bags in which the other parts may be carried. The kit of parts may also comprise ancillary items such as footballs, coloured bibs for players to wear, flags, whistles, etc. The kit is particularly advantageous as several of the parts fulfil more than one function and are used differently in different apparatus. The kit includes parts that may be assembled to form a pair of goals; coverings of different forms that may attach to the goals in different locations for different functions such as providing targets, obstacles or to cause the football to -7-.

rebound from the goal; measuring tapes that may be used to indicate distances and dummy players that may be used as obstacles such as for dribbling practice.

Figure 1 shows an assembled goal 20, of which the kit s provides two. As will be evident from the Figure, each goal is made from a series of extruded pipes that are joined together by connectors. The pipes and connectors may be made of any suitable material, although a durable but lightweight plastic is preferred. Each goal 20 comprises a io goal face 22 defined at its sides by a pair of uprights 24, at its top by a crossbar 26 and at its base by the ground 28. The uprights 24 are connected to the crossbar 26 by connectors 29.

Stability of the goal 20 is provided by a support structure 30 at the rear of the goal 20. The support structure 30 comprises a base and diagonal braces 32. The diagonal braces 32 have the effect of rigidly joining the base and the crossbar 26, thereby triangulating and stiffening the goal 20. The base is comprised of a pair of base sides 34 that are joined at one end to respective bases of the uprights 24 by connectors 29. The other end of the base sides 34 are connected by a base back 38 that mate together with further connectors 29. The base sides 34 and base back 38 are all of the same extruded-pipe form as the uprights 24 and the crossbar 26. Although of the same general extruded form, the diagonal braces 32 are smaller in diameter than the base sides 34, base back 38, the uprights 24 and the crossbar 26. Accordingly, the goal 20 is stable in that a football striking the uprights 24 or the crossbar 26 will not cause the goal 20 to topple. Moreover, the stiffening provided by the diagonal braces 32 stops the goal from falling apart in the face of repeated impacts from a football. The crossbar 26, diagonal braces 32 and base back 38 together form an angled rear face 42 of the goal 20.

The three-way connectors 29 comprise an elbow connector with a pair of sockets 92. The elbow is provided with holes at each of its ends that are sized to receive the ends of the various pipes as a snug fit. The sockets 92 are located close to the corners of the connector 29 and are oriented, shaped and sized so as to receive an end of a diagonal brace 32. Providing two sockets 92 as shown allows a single io connector 29 to be used for all junctions, thereby obviating the need to provide different forms of connectors 29. Also, providing two sockets 92 allows both left-hand and right-hand forms of the connector 29 to be made. When used to connect the base of the uprights 24 to the base sides 34, the sockets 92 that otherwise receive the diagonal brace 32 are not used.

The diagonal braces 32 both comprise a pole 50 provided with a roughly mushroom-shaped fitting 52 at each end.

Thus, the fitting 52 can be viewed as comprising a stem 54, forming the stalk of the mushroom and a bayonet 56 forming the cap of the mushroom. The stem 54 is hollow with a bore sized to receive the end of the pole 50. A plan view of the bayonet 56 reveals that it is oval in cross section with a minor axis equal to the stem diameter and a major axis greater than the stem diameter. The diagonal braces 32 are joined to the base of the goal 20 by means of inserting each bayonet 56 into one of the sockets 92 provided in the appropriate connectors 29.

The size and shape of the bayonet 56 and socket 92 should match. To this end, the socket 92 consists of an aperture that defines a radial slot. The starting angle and length of the slot is sufficient to accommodate the bayonet 56 at the angle dictated by the overall geometry of the goal 20. In addition, the minor and major axis of the bayonet 56 is sized relative to the socket aperture 92 such that the bayonet 56 may only be inserted into the socket 92 when the major axis of the bayonet 56 is substantially aligned with the length of the aperture as shown in Figure 3. The diagonal brace 32 may then be rotated through 90 degrees such that the major axis of the bayonet 56 aligns with the width across the socket aperture 92: the respective sizes of the aperture 92 and bayonet 56 are such that it is impossible to pull the bayonet 56 from the socket 92 in this orientation. -The underside 58 of the bayonet 56 has an undulating shape with lowest points 60 coincident with the major axis is of the bayonet 56. These low points 60 form two bearing surfaces 60. In addition, the low points 60 of the underside 58 of the bayonet 56 face a pair of shoulders 62 formed in the stem 54. The shoulders 62 have curved upper surfaces to form a pair of complementary bearing surfaces 64, complementary in the sense that the bearing surfaces 60 and 64 converge to form the narrowest point in a neck between the shoulders 62 and the bayonet 56, before diverging once more. The narrowest point between the bearing surfaces 60 and 64 is sized to match the thickness of the edge wall 66 defining the edge of the socket aperture 92. The complementary-curved bearing surfaces 60 and 64 * help guide the fitting 52 into engagement with the socket 92, such that twisting the diagonal brace 32 sees the edge walls 66 of the sockets 92 sandwiched between the shoulders 62 and bayonet 56 of each fitting 52.

As can be seen best from Figure 2, the bayonet 56 is provided with ribs 68 that extend along the length of the -10 -bayonet 56, i.e. in the same direction and parallel to the major axis. These ribs 68 are provided to help guide the bayonet 56 into the socket 92 as it is inserted through the socket aperture 92.

In this way, the diagonal brace 32 is retained in position. If the diagonal brace 32 is pulled, the underside 58 of the bayonet 56 that is in contact with the inner surface of the edge wall 66 of the socket aperture 92 prevents any movement. Likewise, if the diagonal brace 32 is pushed, the shoulders 62 that are in contact with the outer surface of the edge wall 66 of the socket aperture 92 prevent any movement. Moreover, the position of the fitting 52 within the socket 92 is precisely controlled thereby creating a predetermined length between the socket 92 joined by the diagonal brace 32. This allows the goal 20 as a whole to be tensioned, thereby forming a rigid, triangulated structure, yet that is still easy to assemble and take apart.

The goal 20 may be assembled in the following way, although it will be realised this is but one order of assembling the parts and others may be followed. The base of the goal 20 may be formed by joining the base back 38 to the base sides 34 by simply pushing these parts into a pair of connectors 29. The uprights 24 may then added by pushing them into the free ends of the connectors 29 attached to the base sides 34. The crossbar 26 may then be joined to the uprights 24, again by simple push fit of the uprights 24 and the crossbar 26 into a further pair of connectors 29. In this state, the basic structure of the goal 20 is complete, yet the goal 20 lacks rigidity. To provide the additional rigidity, the diagonal braces 32 are placed into position with bayonets 56 inserted into the connectors 29 joining the -11 -uprights 24 to the crossbar 26 and the connectors 29 joining the base sides 34 to the base back 38. As described above, the diagonal braces 32 are merely twisted to complete assembly of the goal 20. Of course, further fittings such as a net, rebound panel 70 or target panels may be added to the goal.

As will be readily apparent to the person skilled in the art, variation can be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the invention io defined by the appended claims. For example, details of how the various parts other than the diagonal braces 32 fix together may be varied, and may include any of the possibilities mentioned above as well as others not mentioned. Materials and sizes and shapes of the various parts may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

While an arrangement that sees the bayonet 56 provided on the diagonal braces 32 and the sockets 92 provided on the remainder of the goal 20 appears to offer the best utility, their positions could be reversed. For example, the sockets 92 may be formed in fittings provided on the end of the diagonal braces 32 and the bayonets 56 may be provided on the connectors 29 or other frame part of the goal 20 (uprights 24, crossbar 26, base back 38, base sides 34) The precise shape of the bayonet 56 and socket 92 may be varied, within the confines of realisirig the twist and lock mechanism of securing the bayonet 56 within the socket 92. For example, the ribs 68 need not be included, nor the shoulders 62. While the bayonets 56 are formed on fittings 52 attached to the poles 50, this need not be the case. For example, the diagonal braces 32 may be formed as a unitary structure. Where fittings 52 are used, they may -12 -conveniently be of a common design. Their method of attachment to the poles 50 is not crucial, although it is obviously desirable to form a robust connection.

The bayonet 56 may be configured such that twisting the diagonal brace 32 through angles other than 90 degrees cause it to engage with the socket. For example, the minor and major axes may be oriented at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to each other to control the twist required.

While the embodiments described above provide sockets 92 formed in the connectors 29, the sockets 92 could instead be formed in the uprights 24, crossbar 26, base back 38 or base sides 34. Advantageously, the sockets 29 shown in the figures have apertures defined by thickened edge walls 66, although the edge walls 66 need not necessarily be thickened.

Also, the number of diagonal braces 32 may be varied from the two described above. For example, a single brace 32 may be used, and this may be positioned centrally to extend from crossbar 26 to base back 38. Alternatively, more than two diagonal braces 32 may be used.

Claims

-13 -CLAIMS1. A football goal comprising: a pair of uprights; a crossbar connecting upper portions of the upright; a base for supporting the goal on the ground; and a diagonal brace attached at one end to the base and at the other end to an upper part of the goal; wherein the diagonal brace is attached to the remainder of the goal via bayonet fittings each comprising a bayonet received in a socket such that the diagonal brace may be placed into position with the bayonets inserted into the sockets and the diagonal brace may then be twisted so as to secure the diagonal brace firmly in position.
2. The football goal of claim 1, wherein each socket comprises an aperture having unequal first and second transverse dimensions thereby defining a length and a width and the socket being sized so as to receive the bayonet, the bayonet presenting a cross-section when being inserted into the aperture, the bayonet's cross-section having unequal first and second transverse dimensions thereby defining a length and a width, wherein the dimensions decrease in size from largest to smallest as the aperture's length, the bayonet's length, the aperture's width and the bayonet's width, such that the diagonal brace may be placed into position with the bayonets being inserted into the sockets by aligning the respective lengths and wherein the diagonal brace is then twisted into position such that the respective lengths are rotated out of alignment.

-:1.4 -
3. The football goal of claim 2, wherein the apertures are substantially oval.
4. The football goal of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the bayonet's cross-section is substantially oval.
5. The football goal of any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the bayonet comprises an enlarged head.
6. The football goal of claim 5, wherein the bayonet is substantially mushroom shaped.
7. The football goal of claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the bayonet has an underside that undulates to form bearing surfaces at low points, the low points coinciding with the length of the bayonet.
8. The football goal of claim 7, wherein the bayonet extends from a stem, and wherein the stem is provided with one or more protrusions that provide surfaces facing the low points of the underside of the bayonet head, thereby forming narrowed neck points therebetween.
9. The football goal of claim 8, wherein the surfaces on the one or more protrusions are rounded so as to form bearing surfaces with high points that face the respective low points of the underside of the bayonet thereby forming the narrowed neck points therebetween.
10. The football goal of claim 9, wherein the aperture of the socket is defined by a peripheral wall having a -15 -thickness corresponding to the width of the narrowed neck portions.
11. The football goal of any of claims 5 to 10, wherein the bayonet's head comprises ribs substantially aligned with the bayonet's length.
12. The football goal of any preceding claim, wherein the bayonets are provided on the ends of the diagonal brace.
13. The football goal of claim 12, wherein the crossbar has a socket provided therein.
14. The football goal of claim 13, wherein the base comprises a pair of base sides extending from respective lower portions of the uprights at one end and meeting a base back at their other ends, the base back extending from one base side to the other and having a socket provided therein.
15. The football goal of any preceding claim, wherein the goal comprises a second diagonal brace like the first diagonal brace, one diagonal brace being disposed on each side of the goal.
16. The football goal of any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the crossbar is joined to each upright with a connector having a socket provided therein.
17. The football goal of claim 16, wherein the connectors comprise an elbow with holes at each of its ends sized to receive the end of an upright and the end of the crossbar, 16 -and with two sockets provided therein having an aperture on each side of the elbow.
18. The football goal of claim 17, wherein the base comprises a pair of base sides extending from respective lower portions of the uprights at one end and meeting a base back at their other ends, the base back extending from one base side to the other and being connected to the base sides via connectors having a socket provided therein.
19. The football goal of claim 18, wherein the connectors are of a common design.
20. A method of assembling a football goal comprising: assembling a basic frame of the goal to form a crossbar extending between a pair of uprights, and a base for supporting the goal on the ground; and attaching a diagonal brace at one end to the base and at the other end to an upper part of the goal using bayonet fittings, each bayonet fitting comprising a bayonet received in a socket, by placing the diagonal brace into position with the bayonets inserted into the sockets and by twisting the diagonal brace so as to secure the diagonal brace firmly in position.
21. A method of assembling the football goal of any of claims 1 to 19, comprising: assembling a basic frame of the goal to form the crossbar extending between the pair of uprights, and the base supporting the goal on the ground; and attaching a diagonal brace at one end to the base and at the other end to an upper part of the goal using bayonet fittings, each bayonet fitting comprising a bayonet received -17 -in a socket, by placing the diagonal brace into position with the bayonets inserted into the sockets and by twisting the diagonal brace so as to secure the diagonal brace firmly in position.