GB2615350A - Sports goal wheel assembly and sports goal - Google Patents

Abstract

A sports goal wheel assembly for moving a sports goal, the assembly comprises a housing, a wheel 120 located within the housing and arranged to rotate about a wheel axle 122 at a centre of the wheel, and a powered actuator (130, figure 3) contained within the housing and configured, upon actuation, to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing. Two powered actuators (130) may be provided, one configured to exert a force on each end 124,126 of the wheel axle. The wheel may be driven to cause the when to rotate about the wheel axle. A steering mechanism 160 may also be included to rotate the wheel about a vertical axis. The steering mechanism may include a motor 166 and a gear 162 and rack 164 system to rotate an inner frame 116 relative to an outer frame 114. The assembly may include a cover 112. Also disclosed is a sports goal comprising a goal and the sports goal wheel assembly. Also disclosed in a sports goal transport assembly comprising the sports goal and a control device.

Description

SPORTS GOAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND SPORTS GOAL

Technical Field

The present invention relates to sports goals, for example football goals, and a wheel assembly for moving a sports goal

Background

Goals are an essential element to sports, such as football. Whilst many goals are fixed into the ground and do not require moving, there are also moveable goals that may be moved on to the sports pitch in use, and then moved back into storage afterwards. Some of these moveable goals include wheels to enable the goals to be wheeled into the desired position.

However, a problem with using wheels to transport the goals to the correct position is that the bottom of the goals will be located off the ground due to the clearance required for the wheels to move the goals to the correct position. Thus, the goal may move in use, for example following an impact from a ball, which is undesirable.

Wheels for sports goals that can be raised and lower have been proposed.

Examples include a lever mechanism used to adjust the level of the goal relative to the wheel once the goal has been moved into the position, and a rotatable member used to adjust the level of the goal relative to the wheel once the goal has been moved into the position. It would be desirable to provide an improved way of raising and lowering wheels for sports goals.

Summary

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sports goal wheel assembly for moving a sports goal. The assembly comprises a housing, a wheel located within the housing and arranged to rotate about a wheel axle at a centre of the wheel, and a powered actuator contained within the housing and configured, upon actuation, to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing. In examples, the actuator is electrically powered.

The present invention provides the advantage of enabling automatic raising and lowering of the wheel relative to the housing with little or no manual effort. This may reduce the time taken to raise or lower the wheel and/or reduce any risk of injury to an operator of the goal wheel assembly compared to a manual assembly as known in the art, such as an assembly with a user operable handle or lever for causing the wheel to raise or lower relative to the housing.

A powered actuator is intended to be defined as an actuator that is actuable without the application of manual force.

The powered actuator may be arranged to apply a force to the wheel axle to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing. This may help to ensure that the force is transmitted substantially centrally to the wheel to help smooth movement between the wheel and the housing, which may help to prevent snagging of components of the wheel assembly as the wheel is raised and lowered relative to the housing.

The powered actuator may be a first powered actuator, and the sports goal wheel assembly may comprise a second powered actuator contained within the housing and configured to actuate substantially simultaneously with the first powered actuator to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing. This may allow smaller first and second powered actuators to be used compared to an assembly with one powered actuator, which may in turn provide a more compact assembly.

The first and second powered actuators may be configured to exert a force on respective first and second ends of the wheel axle to raise or lower the wheel relative to the housing, the first and second ends extending from opposing sides of the wheel. This may help to balance the forces applied to the wheel, reducing or eliminating any applied moment to the axle as the wheel is raised and lowered relative to the housing, which may in turn reduce wear on the axle bearings and/or provide smooth movement between the wheel and the housing.

The powered actuator, or the first and second powered actuators, may comprise a lead screw and a slide rail system, wherein the slide rail system is connected to the wheel and, in use, rotation of the lead screw causes the slide rail system to move relative to the housing to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing. For example, the powered actuator, or the first and second powered actuators, may comprise an igus (11TA/1) SHT linear module. This may provide a high-precision and robust assembly. This may reduce a need for lubrication in the assembly, which may increase the lifespan of the assembly and/or reduce maintenance requirements. Alternatively, the powered actuator, or the first and second powered actuators, may comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator. This may provide an efficient, compact assembly.

The powered actuator, or the first powered actuator and the second powered actuator, may be configured to raise and lower the wheel substantially linearly. This may provide a simple, compact mechanism and prevent snagging of components of the wheel assembly as the wheel is raised and lowered relative to the housing.

The sports goal wheel assembly may comprise a drive assembly located within the housing and configured, in use, to cause the wheel to rotate about the wheel axle. This allows a location of the sports goal wheel assembly, and a sports goal to which it is attached, to be changed automatically, without the need of manual force, or with a reduced manual force, compared to a wheel assembly that does not comprise a drive motor. The drive assembly may comprise one or more drive motors.

The one or more drive motors may be switchable between a first mode, in which at least one of the one or more drive motors causes actuation of the powered actuator, or the first and second powered actuator, and a second mode, in which the at least one drive motor causes rotation of the wheel about the wheel axle. By using a drive motor for this dual purpose, the wheel assembly may be more compact.

The sports goal wheel assembly may comprise a steering mechanism configured to rotate the wheel relative to the housing about a substantially vertical axis of the housing, in use. Providing a steering mechanism allows the sports goal wheel assembly to be more manoeuvrable.

The steering mechanism may be configured to rotate the wheel about a substantially vertical axis intersecting a centre of the wheel. This may provide a more compact sports goal wheel.

The steering mechanism may be configured to permit at least 180 degrees of rotation of the wheel about the axis. This may further improve manoeuvrability of a sports goal to which the sports goal wheel assembly is attached. The steering mechanism may be configured to permit at least 360 degrees of rotation of the wheel about the axis.

The housing may comprise an inner frame to which the wheel is mounted and an outer frame surrounding the inner frame, and the steering mechanism may be configured to cause rotation of the inner frame relative to the outer frame to rotate the wheel relative to the outer frame about the axis. This may provide a more compact sports goal wheel assembly and may prevent tangling of components or wires within the housing. This may also provide a more stable sports goal wheel assembly. For example, the actuator, or first and second actuators, and the drive mechanism may be fixed to the inner frame such that they rotate relative to the outer frame with the wheel.

The steering mechanism may comprise one or more rotational members rotatably connected to the inner frame and configured to engage with and roll along the outer frame to rotate the inner frame relative to the outer frame, and a steering drive system configured to cause the one or more rotational members to roll along the outer frame. The rotational members may aid in providing smooth motion of the inner frame relative to the outer frame, for example by reducing friction between the inner and outer frames. Provision of a plurality of rotational members may help to balance forces about the sports goal wheel assembly. For example, the rotational members may be substantially equally spaced around a perimeter of the inner frame.

At least one of the rotational members may comprise a gear, and the steering mechanism may comprise a rack configured to mesh with the gear. The steering drive system may be configured to rotate the gear to move the gear along the rack. This may provide an efficient and simple way to transfer power between the inner and outer frames to rotate the inner and outer frames relative to one another. The rack may extend around the outer frame, for example around at least 180 degrees or around substantially 360 degrees of the outer frame. For example, the outer frame may comprise an annular wall extending around the outer frame, and the rack may extend around at least a portion of an inner or outer surface of the wall.

The outer frame may comprise a channel extending around the outer frame and configured to receive at least one of the one or more rotational members. A channel may help to prevent slippage of the one or more rotational members relative to a desired position, which may in turn help to prevent misalignment between the inner and outer frames. By way of example, the channel may extend around at least a portion of the inner or outer surface of the wall.

The channel may be continuous and may extend around all of the outer frame. This may help to permit 360-degree rotation of the inner frame relative to the outer frame. This may help to permit free rotation of the inner frame relative to the outer frame, for example when a force from a source other than the steering mechanism is applied to the sports goal wheel assembly to rotate the inner frame relative to the outer frame.

The channel may be comprised in the rack, for example may extend through the rack or may be located immediately adjacent to an upper and/or lower extremity of the rack. This may provide a more compact assembly.

The housing may comprise a cover, the cover delimiting an aperture to accommodate the wheel as the wheel is raised or lowered relative to the housing. The cover may be configured to prevent access to an inner chamber of the cover when the wheel is raised relative to the housing and the sports goal wheel assembly is positioned on a surface with the aperture facing towards the surface. This provides a safer assembly and helps to prevent a user or operator of the sports goal wheel assembly from trapping their fingers or other items in the assembly. The cover may also help to keep the components contained within the inner chamber clean, which may reduce the need for maintenance and prolong the life of the assembly.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sports goal and a sports goal wheel assembly mounted to a lower portion of the goal, the sports goal wheel assembly according to the first aspect of the present invention with or without the optional features also described above. Providing a sports goal with a sports goal wheel assembly according to the invention provides a sports goal with powered raising and lowering capability, thus reducing the manual work required to raise and lower a sports goal. Providing a sports goal with a sports goal wheel assembly according to the invention may provide a sports goal that is automatically movable from one location to another, thus reducing the manual work required to move a sports goal from one location to another.

The sports goal may comprise a plurality of sports goal wheel assemblies according to the first aspect of the present invention. For example, the lower portion of the sports goal may comprise three bars forming three sides of a rectangle, and a sports goal wheel assembly may be located at or near each effective corner of the rectangle. This may provide a more stable sports goal when the wheels are lowered and the goal is moved. Other examples may use other numbers of sports goal wheel assemblies.

The plurality of sports goal wheel assemblies may not comprise identical components. For example, the sports goal may comprise two sports goal wheel assemblies comprising a drive assembly and a steering mechanism, and two sports goal wheel assemblies that do not comprise a drive assembly and/or a steering mechanism. This may reduce the cost and complexity of the sports goal whilst maintaining the capability to move and steer the sports goal.

The plurality of sports goal wheel assemblies may be communicatively coupled to one another. This may help to provide simultaneous operation of the sports goal wheel assemblies to provide smoother and/or more reliable motion of the sports goal.

The sports goal may comprise a power supply for supplying power to the one or more sports goal wheel assemblies. This may provide a self-contained sports goal, without the need for the sports goal to be physically connected to a power supply in order to operate the one or more sports goal wheel assemblies. For example, the power supply may comprise one or more removable and/or rechargeable batteries. In some examples, the power supply may comprise an array of solar cells positioned on an outer, upward-facing surface of a frame of the goal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sports goal transport assembly, comprising a sports goal according to the second aspect of the present invention, and a control device communicably connected to the sports goal wheel assembly, or one or more sports goal wheel assemblies, and configured to cause movement of the wheel relative to the housing. This may allow a user to provide a control input to the control device to cause operation of the wheel assembly to move the sports goal relative to the ground. For example, the control device may comprise a touch screen, joystick and/or one or more buttons, switches, or toggles.

The control device may be wirelessly connected to the sports goal wheel assembly, such as through Bluetooth (RTIVI) or WiFi (RTNI). This may allow a user to provide the control input at a distance from the sports goal, reducing the time required for a user to, for example, walk across a sports pitch to the sports goal. Some examples may allow control of a plurality of sports goals by a single control device, so that multiple sports pitches can be set up with goals by a single operator.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an illustrative example of a sports goal transport assembly; Figure 2 shows an isometric view of a sports goal wheel assembly, Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the sports goal wheel assembly of Figure 2 with the wheel assembly in a first position; Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the sports goal wheel assembly of Figure 2 with the wheel assembly in a second position; Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the sports goal wheel assembly of Figure 2 with the wheel assembly in a first position; Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the sports goal wheel assembly of Figure 2 with the wheel assembly in a second position; Figure 7 shows an isometric view of the sports goal wheel assembly of Figure 2 with a cover removed; and Figure 8 shows a bottom view of the sports goal wheel assembly of Figure 2.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a sports goal transport assembly I. The sports goal transport assembly 1 comprises a sports goal 10, shown in an isometric view in Figure 1, which may be used in sports, such as football.

The dimensions of the goal will vary depending on the sport with which the goal is intended for use. In this example, the sports goal 10 is formed from a frame comprising two posts 12, a top bar 13, a bottom frame 14 comprising two or more bars and two net supports 16. In this example, four wheel assemblies 100, as will be described herein, are mounted to the bottom frame 14 of the goal 10. Two of the wheel assemblies 100 are towards the front of the goal 10 and two of the wheel assemblies 100 are towards the rear of the goal ID, but they may be mounted to other parts of the sports goal in other examples. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the goal 10 may comprise a greater or lesser number of wheel assemblies 100. The number of wheel assemblies may be determined based on the weight and/or size of the sports goal. For example, a greater number of wheel assemblies may be provided on heavier and/or larger sports goals.

The sports goal transport assembly 1 also comprises a control device 2 communicatively connected to at least one of the wheel assemblies 100 and configured, as will be described hereinafter, to cause movement of the sports goal via the wheel assemblies 100. In this example, the control device 2 is a remote-control device and is wirelessly communicably connected to the four wheel assemblies 100 as denoted by the dashed arrows in Figure 1, but in other examples the control device 2 may be physically coupled to the wheel assemblies 100. The remote-control device 2 comprises a touchscreen via which a user may input a desired motion of the sports goal. in other examples, the remote-control device 2 may comprise a joystick or one or more buttons, switches, or toggles, for example.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a wheel assembly 100 for moving a sports goal 10. The wheel assembly 100 comprises a housing 110 that substantially surrounds moving parts within the assembly 100, which may reduce the risk of injury of a user coming in to contact with one of the moving parts. The housing comprises a cover 112, an outer frame 114 and an inner frame (not shown in Figure 2). In this example, cover 1 1 2 and the outer frame 114 define a substantially cylindrical inner chamber (not shown in Figure 2), but other examples may define an inner chamber of any shape for housing the moving parts of the assembly 100.

The housing 110, specifically the outer frame 114 in this example, is connected to two supports 102 for the sports goal. The supports 102 are arranged to rigidly engage with the bottom frame 14 of the sports goal 10. In this example, the supports 102 are diametrically opposed relative to the housing 110, but in other examples the supports could be at another angle relative to one another, for example 90 degrees when the wheel assembly 100 is located at a rear corner of the bottom frame 14. In other examples the housing 110 may be connected to one support 102 or more than two supports 102. Figures 3 and 4 show a cross-sectional view of the sports goal wheel assembly 100 of Figure 2. The cross-section is taken in a plane transverse to the supports 102 and through a centre of the wheel assembly 100. Figures 5 and 6 show a cross-sectional view of the sports goal wheel assembly 100 of Figure 2. The cross-section is taken in a place parallel to the longitudinal direction in which the supports 102 extend from the wheel assembly 100 and through a centre of the wheel assembly 100. Figures 3 and 5 show the wheel assembly 100 in a first position and Figures 4 and 6 show the wheel assembly 100 in a second position, as will be described herein after.

The wheel assembly 100 comprises a wheel 120 located within the housing 110 and arranged to rotate about a wheel axle 122 at a centre of the wheel 120. The wheel 120 is movably mounted to the inner frame 116 of the housing. The wheel assembly further comprises first and second linear actuators 130 fixedly contained within the inner frame 116 of the housing and configured, upon actuation, to raise and lower the wheel 120 relative to the outer frame 114. Thus, actuation of the first and second actuators 130 causes movement of the wheel 120 relative to the bottom frame 14 of the sports goal 10 to, in turn, raise and lower the bottom frame 14 relative to the ground. The actuators 130 are configured to actuate substantially simultaneously.

The actuators 130 are each configured to exert a force of respective first and second ends 124, 126 of the wheel axle 122. The first and second ends 124, 126 protrude from opposing sides of the wheel UO. In this example, the actuators 130 comprise a lead screw 131 and a slide rail system 132, the slide rail system 132 rigidly connected to the respective first and second ends of the wheel axle 122. In use, rotation of the lead screw causes the slide rail system 132 to move along a longitudinal axis of the lead screw 132 and relative to the housing 110 to raise and lower the wheel 120 relative to the housing 110. In other examples the first and second actuators 130 may not be linear. It will be appreciated that any other suitable actuator may be employed. In other examples, one of the actuators 130 may be omitted.

With the wheel assembly 100 in the first position, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the actuators 130 are retracted and the wheel 120 is fully located within the housing 110 such that, in use, the bottom frame 14 of the sports goal 10 is in contact with the ground.

With the wheel assembly 100 in the second position, as shown in Figures 4 arid 6, the actuators 130 are extended and the wheel 120 is protrudes from an aperture 118 in a lower surface of the housing 110 such that, in use, the bottom frame 14 of the sports goal 10 is not in contact with the ground. With regard to the sports goal 10 shown in Figure 1, when the wheel assemblies 100 are in the first position, a lowest point of the wheel is horizontally aligned with or above a lowest point of the goal, and when the wheel assemblies 100 are in the second position the lowest point of the wheel is below the lowest point of the goal.

The actuators 130 are powered by motors 140 fixedly contained within the inner frame 116 and configured to provide power to actuate the actuators 130. In this example, the motors 140 are configured to rotate the respective lead screws 131. The assembly 100 comprises a drive assembly 150 located within the housing 110 and configured, in use, to cause the wheel to rotate about the wheel axle, as denoted by the arrow A on Figure 6. In this example, the drive assembly is powered by at least one of the motors 140 and the wheel assembly 100 comprises a switching mechanism (not shown) for selectively providing power from the at least one of the motors 140 to the actuators 130 and the drive assembly 150. In this example, the switching mechanism is configured to permit power to be provided to the drive assembly 150 when the wheel assembly 100 is in the second position, as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

The drive assembly 150 comprises a connector engaged with the wheel axle 122 and configured to receive power from the at least one of the motors 140 to rotate the wheel axle U2 about its longitudinal axis and, in turn, rotate the wheel 120 about the longitudinal axis of the wheel axle 122.

It will be appreciated that in some examples, the drive assembly 150 may be omitted and the wheel 120 may be freely rotatable about the wheel axis 122.

Figure 7 shows an isometric view of the wheel assembly 100 of Figure 2, with the cover 112 of the housing 100 removed. The inner frame 116 is positioned inside the outer frame 114 and configured to rotate within the outer frame 114 about a substantially vertical axis of the housing 100. In this example, the axis is a vertical, central axis 104 of the housing that intersects a centre of the wheel 120. In this example, the actuators 130, the motors 140 and the wheel 120 are fixed to the inner frame 116 such rotation of the inner frame 116 relative to the outer frame 114 causes the wheel 120 to rotate relative to the outer frame 114 about the axis 104.

The wheel assembly 100 comprises a steering mechanism 160 configured to rotate the inner frame 116 relative to the cover 112 and the outer frame 1 1 4 about the axis 104 in order to rotate the wheel 120 relative to the outer frame 114. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the steering mechanism may be configured to apply a force directly to the wheel 120 to rotate the wheel about the axis 104 relative to the housing 100.

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the wheel assembly of Figure 2. In this view, the steering mechanism 160 has caused the inner frame 116, and thus the wheel 120, to rotate by around 45 degrees relative to the outer frame 114 and the supports 102, and thus the lower frame 114 of the sports goal 10.

The steering mechanism comprises a rotational member in the form of a toothed gear 162 rotatably connected to the inner frame 116 and a toothed rack 164 on the outer frame 114, as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. The rack extends around the outer frame 114 and is configured to mesh with the gear 162. The steering mechanism 160 further comprises a steering drive system 166, which in this example comprises an electric motor, configured to rotate the gear 162 to cause the gear 162 to roll along the rack 164 and thus rotate the inner frame 116 relative to the outer housing 114.

The steering mechanism comprises a plurality of other rotational members in the form of inner and outer smooth wheels 168, 169 rotatably connected to the inner frame 116. The inner and outer smooth wheels 168 are spaced around a circumference of the inner frame 116 to balance forces between the inner and outer frames 116, 114 more evenly around the wheel 120.

The outer frame 114 comprises a substantially vertical wall 172 extending around a perimeter of the outer frame 114. An inward-facing surface of the wall 172 comprises the rack 164 and a channel 170 for receiving the smooth wheels 168. An outward-facing surface of the wall 172 comprises a channel 171 for receiving the smooth wheels 129. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the rack 164 and the channel 170 may be comprised in the same surface of the wall.

The channels 170, 171 are substantially continuous, extending around a circumference of the outer frame 114. Since the wall 172, the rack 164 and the channels 170, 171 extend around an entirety of the outer frame 114, the steering mechanism 160 permits at least 360 degrees of rotation between the inner and outer frames 116, 114. By fixing the other moving parts of the wheel assembly 100 to the inner frame 116, tangling and/or winding of components is reduced since the moving parts rotate about the vertical axis 104 as one part.

The rotational members 162, 168 of the steering mechanism 160 each rotate about a respective axle having a substantially vertically extending longitudinal axis such that the rotational members 162, 168 roll around the outer frame 114 on a substantially horizontal plane.

It will be appreciated that in other examples, the steering mechanism 160 may be entirely omitted, or the steering drive system 166, gear 162 and rack 164 may be omitted such that the inner frame 116 is freely rotatable about the axis 104 relative to the outer frame 114.

The wheel assembly 100 comprises a control system (not shown) configured to selectively power the motors 140 and the steering drive system 166 in response to an input. It will be appreciated that in other examples, only one wheel assembly 100 of a plurality of wheel assemblies fixed to a sports goal may comprise a control system. That control system may be communicably coupled to the other wheel assemblies 100 of the plurality of wheel assemblies.

The control system is configured to receive commands or input from the control device 2. For example, the control system may receive commands or input indicative of raising the wheels, lowering the wheels, driving the wheels (potentially with speed data) and steering the wheels. In response to the input, the control system may cause the wheel to raise or lower, cause the drive assembly 150 to rotate the wheel 120 about the wheel axle 122, and/or the steering drive system 166 to rotate the inner frame 116 relative to the outer frame 114.

The sports goal wheel assembly 100 comprises a power supply (not shown) for powering at least the motors 140, the drive assembly 150 and/or the steering drive system 166. The power supply comprises a removable, rechargeable battery. It will be appreciated that other suitable power supplies may alternatively or additionally be employed. It will be appreciated that a sports goal to which the wheel assembly 100 is attached may comprise a power source for powering a plurality of wheel assemblies and each wheel assembly may comprise a power inlet configured to receive power from the power source. This may allow more compact sports wheel assemblies, and may assist with weight distribution of the sports goal, for example lowering a centre of gravity by locating the power source in or around the bottom frame 14.

The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. Further embodiments of the invention are envisaged. For example, the wheel assembly 100 may be configured to prevent operation of the steering drive system 166 and/or the drive assembly 150 when the wheel assembly 100 is in the first position. For example, the drive assembly 150 may not receive power from the same motors 140 that drive the actuators 130. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMSI. A sports goal wheel assembly for moving a sports goal, the assembly comprising: a housing a wheel located within the housing and arranged to rotate about a wheel axle at a centre of the wheel; and a powered actuator contained within the housing and configured, upon actuation, to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing.
2. 2 A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the powered actuator is a first powered actuator, and the sports goal wheel assembly comprises a second powered actuator contained within the housing and configured to actuate substantially simultaneously with the first powered actuator to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing.
3. 3. A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first and second powered actuators are each configured to exert a force on respective first and second ends of the wheel axle to raise or lower the wheel relative to the housing, the first and second ends extending from opposing sides of the wheel.
4. 4. A sports goal wheel assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the powered actuator, or the first powered actuator and the second powered actuator, comprise a lead screw and a slide rail system, wherein the slide rail system is connected to the wheel, and, in use, rotation of the lead screw causes the slide rail system to move relative to the housing to raise and lower the wheel relative to the housing.
5. 5. A sports goal wheel assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the powered actuator, or the first powered actuator and the second powered actuator, are configured to raise and lower the wheel substantially linearly.
6. 6. A sports goal wheel assembly according to any preceding claim, comprising a drive assembly located within the housing and configured, in use, to cause the wheel to rotate about the wheel axle
7. 7. A sports goal wheel assembly according to any preceding claim, comprising a steering mechanism configured to rotate the wheel relative to the housing about a substantially vertical axis of the housing.
8. 8. A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 7, wherein the steering mechanism is configured to rotate the wheel about a substantially vertical axis intersecting a centre of the wheel.
9. 9. A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism is configured to permit at least 180 degrees of rotation of the wheel about the axis.
10. 10. A sports goal wheel assembly according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the housing comprises an inner frame to which the wheel is mounted and an outer frame surrounding the inner frame, and the steering mechanism is configured to cause rotation of the inner frame relative to the outer frame to rotate the wheel relative to the outer frame about the axis.
11. 11. A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the steering mechanism comprises: one or more rotational members rotatably connected to the inner frame and configured to engage with and roll along the outer frame to rotate the inner frame relative to the outer frame, and a steering drive system configured to cause the one or more rotational members to roll along the outer frame.
12. 12 A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the rotational members is a gear, the steering mechanism comprises a rack configured to mesh with the gear and extending around the outer frame, and the steering drive system is configured to rotate the gear.
13. 13. A sports goal wheel assembly according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the outer frame comprises a continuous channel extending around the outer frame and configured to receive at least one of the one or more rotational members.
14. 14. A sports goal wheel assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing comprises a cover, the cover delimiting an aperture to accommodate the wheel as the wheel is raised or lowered relative to the housing, wherein the cover is configured to prevent access to an inner chamber of the cover when the wheel is raised relative to the housing and the sports goal wheel assembly is positioned on a surface with the aperture facing towards the surface.
15. 15. A sports goal comprising: a goal; and a sports goal wheel assembly according to any of claims 1 to 14 mounted to a lower portion of the goal.
16. 16. A sports goal transport assembly, comprising a sports goal according to claim 15, and a control device communicably connected to the sports goal wheel assembly and configured to cause movement of the wheel relative to the housing.