U.S. patent application number 10/667748 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-24 for convertible sport goal.
Invention is credited to Doherty, Thomas M., Hansen, Eric, Oister, Michael J..
Application Number | 20050062231 10/667748 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34313368 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050062231 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oister, Michael J. ; et
al. |
March 24, 2005 |
Convertible sport goal
Abstract
The present invention provides a convertible sport goal
comprised of a plurality of tubular members. The sport goal has a
first arrangement forming a first type of sport goal and a second
arrangement forming a second type of sport goal. Tubular extensions
extend and retract to allow rearranging the sport goal between the
first and second type.
Inventors: |
Oister, Michael J.;
(Superior, CO) ; Doherty, Thomas M.; (Golden,
CO) ; Hansen, Eric; (Littleton, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOLLAND & HART, LLP
555 17TH STREET, SUITE 3200
DENVER
CO
80201
US
|
Family ID: |
34313368 |
Appl. No.: |
10/667748 |
Filed: |
September 22, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/407 ;
473/477; 473/478 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2024/0043 20130101;
A63B 2210/50 20130101; A63B 63/00 20130101; A63B 2024/005 20130101;
A63B 63/004 20130101; A63B 2024/0046 20130101; A63B 2209/10
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/407 ;
473/477; 473/478 |
International
Class: |
A63B 063/00; F41J
001/10 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A convertible sport goal, comprising: a plurality of tubular
members forming a frame; the frame defining at least one goalmouth;
at least one of the tubular members forming the frame is an
extendible tubular member; at least one tubular extension; the at
least one tubular extension slidably connected to the extendible
tubular member, such that the at least one tubular extension
slidably moves from a first un-extended position to a second
extended position; and at least one locking device to lock the at
least one tubular extension in at least the second extended
position, whereby the sport goal is convertible from a first type
of sport goal to a second type of sport goal.
2. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the locking device
comprises: at least one spring-loaded pin on the tubular extension;
and at least one hole on the extendible tubular member.
3. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the locking device
comprises a pushbutton.
4. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the tubular extension
further comprises a lip at one end and the extendible tubular
member comprises a shoulder at a corresponding end to inhibit
removal of the tubular extension from the extendible tubular
member.
5. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the extendible tubular
member comprises at least two vertical extendible tubular members
and the tubular extensions are vertical tubular extensions forming
football field goal posts.
6. The goal according to claim 1, wherein the extendible tubular
member is a horizontal tubular member and the tubular extension is
a horizontal tubular extension to change a goalmouth width.
7. The goal according to claim 5, wherein the extendible tubular
members also include a horizontal tubular member and the tubular
extensions also include a horizontal tubular extension to change a
goalmouth width.
8. The goal according to claim I further comprising at least one
goalmouth block; wherein the at least one goalmouth block comprises
at least one tubular member connected to the frame and at least one
sheet material, such that a portion of the at least one goalmouth
is blocked effectively reducing an area if the at least one
goalmouth.
9. The goal according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one
sheet material extending across the at least one goalmouth; and at
least one target residing in the at least one sheet material.
10. The goal according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sheet
material comprises at least one of a net material and a canvass
material.
11. The goal according to claim 9 further comprising at least one
target block coupled to the at least one sheet material to block at
least one of the at least one target.
12. A sport goal convertible from a first type of sport goal to a
second type of sport goal, comprising: a plurality of tubular
members; the plurality of tubular members having a first
arrangement whereby the plurality of tubular members form a first
type of sport goal and a second arrangement whereby the plurality
of tubular members form a second type of sport goal; and means for
converting the plurality of tubular members from the first
arrangement to the second arrangement.
13. The goal according to claim 12, wherein the means for
converting comprises at least one tubular extension slidably
coupled to at least one of the tubular members.
14. The goal according to claim 13, wherein the at least one
tubular extension comprises at least two vertical tubular
extensions, such that in the first arrangement the first type of
sport goal is a soccer goal and in the second arrangement the
second type of sport goal is a football goal.
15. The goal according to claim 12, further comprising a means for
locking the sport goal in at least one of the first arrangement and
the second arrangement.
16. The goal according to claim 15, wherein the means for locking
includes at least one spring-loaded pin and at least one
corresponding hole.
17. The goal according to claim 16, wherein the means for locking
includes at least one pushbutton.
18. A method of converting a sport goal from a first type of sport
goal configuration to a second type of sport goal configuration,
the method comprising the steps of: providing a convertible sport
goal of a first type of sport goal configuration having a plurality
of tubular members with at least one tubular extension; extending
the at least one tubular extension to form the second type of sport
goal configuration; and locking the tubular extension in place.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of extending
comprises the extending two tubular extensions to form a football
goal.
20. A sport goal, comprising: a plurality of tubular members
forming a frame; the frame defining at least one goalmouth; at
least one sheet material connected to the frame and extending over
the at least one goalmouth; and a plurality of targets residing in
the sheet material.
21. The sport goal according to claim 20, further comprising: at
least one target block coupled to the at least one sheet material
about at least one of the plurality of targets to block the at
least one of the plurality of targets.
22. The sport goal according to claim 20, wherein the tubular
members comprise at least one extendable tubular member whereby the
sport goal is convertible from a first type of sport goal to a
second type of sport goal.
23. The sport goal according to claim 20, further comprising at
least one goalmouth block whereby an area of the goalmouth is
reduced to convert the sport goal from a first type of sport goal
to a second type of sport goal.
24. The sport goal according to claim 22, wherein the at least one
sheet material comprises at least a first sheet material for use
with the first type of sport goal and at least a second sheet
material for use with the second type of sport goal.
25. The sport goal according to claim 22, wherein the at least one
sheet material comprises at least a first sheet material for use
with the first type of sport goal and at least a second sheet
material for use with the second type of sport goal.
26. The sport goal according to claim 20, further comprising: a
plurality of elastic members coupling the sheet material to the
frame, such that when balls rebound off the sheet material back
towards a user.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to sports goals and, more
particularly, to a sport goal that converts from a first type of
goal to a second type of goal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many back yard athletes today play a variety of sports. For
example, soccer may be the sport of choice one day, and football
the next. Frequently, the athletes will switch between sports in
the same day or afternoon (such as at a company picnic). Packing,
storing, and transporting the various sport goals for the different
sports is time consuming, bulky, and difficult. Therefore, it would
be beneficial if a single goal could be converted between two or
more sports.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] To attain the advantages and in accordance with the purpose
of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a
convertible sport goal is provided. The sport goal is formed of
tubular members of which at least one tubular member is extendible.
Extending and retracting the tubular extensions allows a sport goal
to be converted from one type of sport goal to another.
[0004] The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages
of the invention will be apparent from the following more
particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0005] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the present invention, and together with the description, serve to
explain the principles thereof. Like items in the drawings are
referred to using the same numerical reference.
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a sports goal
illustrative of the present invention; and
[0007] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the convertible sport
goal of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] The present invention will be further explained with
reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows a sport goal 100. While
other goals are possible, sport goal 100 will be explained as if
sport goal 100 was a soccer goal convertible to a football goal.
Sport goal 100 is formed of a plurality of tubular members 102
connected by connectors 104. Tubular members 102 define a goalmouth
106. A back of the goal can be covered with netting (not shown).
Construction and assembly of sports goals using tubular members and
connectors is well known in the art and will not be further
explained herein.
[0009] Also shown by FIG. 1 is an exploded view of tubular members
102s forming the left and right sides of goalmouth 106 (referred to
sometimes as goalmouth side tubular members and sometimes just
tubular members) and associated tubular extensions 102e. During use
of sport goal 100 for soccer, tubular extensions 102e are in a
first position substantially within tubular members 102s. However,
sport goal 100 can be converted to a football type goal by
extending tubular extensions 102e to a second position
substantially external to tubular members 102s. In other words,
tubular extensions 102e are slibably coupled to tubular members
102s so that they can move relative to each other. A locking device
is employed to lock the tubular extensions 102e in the extended
position. As shown, the lock could be a spring loaded pin 106 on
tubular extensions 102e and a corresponding hole 108 on tubular
members 102s (typically referred to in the industry as a
push-button). Alternatively, the locking device could be a clamp, a
friction fitting, or the like. Further, to inhibit over extending
tubular extensions, a retaining device may be used. For example,
one end of tubular extensions 102e may have a lip 110 and one end
of tubular members 102s may have a shoulder 112 to inhibit removal
of tubular extension 102e from tubular member 102s. Alternatively,
shoulder 112 may reside on connectors 104. A lip 110 (not
specifically labeled) may also exist on the other end of tubular
extensions 102e to inhibit extensions 102e from retracting
completely into tubular members 102s.
[0010] Although sport goal 100 has been explained with reference to
converting a goal between a soccer and a football style goal, other
conversions are possible. For example, sport goal 100 has crossbar
tubular members 102c. These members could be extendible tubular
members having tubular extensions 102e (not specifically shown)
allowing the width of sport goal 100 to be increased or decreased,
which would allow for conversion between a soccer and lacrosse
goal, for example. Of course, various combinations are possible
allowing a sport goal to be convertible from a small lacrosse style
goal, to a soccer goal, and to a football goal, or the like. Also,
while explained as a tubular extension, one of ordinary skill in
the art would recognize the tubular extensions both extend and
retract.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a front elevation view of convertible sport
goal 100. FIG. 2 shows sport goal 100 with tubular extensions 102e
extended to make a football goal. Suspended between extensions 102e
is a net 202. Optionally (as shown but not labeled), extensions
102e could be connected along the top by a cross bar tubular member
102c. Net 202 could have one or more targets 204, in which five
targets 204 are shown. Targets 204 could be used for kicking or
throwing accuracy practice. One or more target blocks 206 could be
removably connected to one or more targets 204. Target blocks 206
could be netting as shown, but could also be canvass, plastic, or
other material as a matter of design choice.
[0012] Goalmouth 106 is shown with a canvass 208 suspended over
goalmouth 106. Net 202 and canvass 208 could be many different
materials. For example they could both be nets, they could both be
canvass, one or both could be plastics, one or both could be cloth,
or the like. Canvass 208 has goal targets 204 as well, which also
may have target blocks 206. Target blocks could be many different
materials (the same or different than net 202 and canvass 208).
Canvass 208 could have a representative goalie 210 depicted on the
surface or another type of design, whimsical or not.
[0013] Target blocks 206 can be connected to targets 204 using
various conventional connectors. For example, target blocks could
be connected using snaps or hook and loop material, such as, for
example, VELCRO.RTM. strips. Finally, target blocks 206 could be
connected using a tie, such as, for example, an elastic cord or
twist tie.
[0014] Instead of having crossbar tubular members 102 be extendible
(or retractable) tubular members, goalmouth blocks 212 could be
inserted substantially adjacent side tubular members 102s.
Goalmouth blocks 212 reduce the size of goalmouth 106 and convert
goal 100 from, for example, a soccer goal to a smaller hockey goal
or the like. Goalmouth blocks 212 are formed by vertical tubular
member 214 and, optionally, horizontal tubular member 216. Vertical
tubular member 214 extends downward from crossbar tubular member
102c. Horizontal tubular member 216 connects to goalmouth side
tubular member 102s and extends horizontally to vertical member
214. Horizontal tubular member 216 is not a necessary component but
increases the rigidity of block 212. Blocks 212 could be net or
canvas material, or stiffer material such as plastic or plywood as
desired.
[0015] Net 202 and/or canvass 208 can be attached to tubular
members 102 using a plurality of elastic or spring like members
220. Using elastic or spring like members 220 causes net 202 and/or
canvass 208 to act as a rebounder such that when balls missing
targets 204 (or hitting target blocks 206) will rebound from goal
100 back towards the user.
[0016] While the invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other
changes in the form and details may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *