U.S. patent application number 11/766750 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for portable adjustable athletic field boundary.
Invention is credited to Scott Warner, Travis J. Winn.
Application Number | 20070298913 11/766750 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38834417 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070298913 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Winn; Travis J. ; et
al. |
December 27, 2007 |
Portable Adjustable Athletic Field Boundary
Abstract
A self-contained portable adjustable boundary marking system
capable of use in a variety of athletic settings where a boundary,
line, or demarcation is desirable is disclosed. The system is
adapted for use indoors or outdoors, on hard surfaces or soft. The
system is modifiable and adaptable, and capable of rapid setup and
takedown, and the system is thus suited for use in a variety of
athletic play and training situations. The system includes boundary
markers which contain at least one extensible element such as a
tape, string, cord, or cable that may be extended to any desirable
length up to the maximum length of the extensible element and
attached to other markers of the system or to the playing surface
itself to delineate the boundaries of a playing surface or to mark
some other meaningful line on the playing surface.
Inventors: |
Winn; Travis J.; (Provo,
UT) ; Warner; Scott; (Draper, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KIRTON AND MCCONKIE
60 EAST SOUTH TEMPLE,
SUITE 1800
SALT LAKE CITY
UT
84111
US
|
Family ID: |
38834417 |
Appl. No.: |
11/766750 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60816298 |
Jun 23, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/490 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 19/065 20130101;
A63C 19/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/490 |
International
Class: |
A63C 19/06 20060101
A63C019/06 |
Claims
1. A modular portable adjustable athletic field boundary system
comprising: an athletic field marker that marks a position along a
boundary of an athletic field comprising: a base; a top; a body;
and an attachment point located on at least one of the base, the
top, and the body; and an extensible element disposable about at
least a portion of the body and contained within the marker in a
storage position and adapted to rest along the ground in an
extended position, wherein the extensible element is made of a
highly-visible material and defines a boundary line of an athletic
field in the extended position, comprising: a proximal end
connected to the body of the marker; and a distal end adapted to be
reversibly connected to the attachment point of the marker; wherein
the extended position of the extensible element may extend any
length equal to or less than the length of the extensible element;
and wherein a plurality of the markers and extensible elements may
be connected to one another around the perimeter of an athletic
field to define a boundary and completely enclose an area that is
an athletic field.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the marker is low-profile.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the base is provided with a lower
surface adapted for frictional contact with an athletic playing
surface.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for further
securing the placement of the marker.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the extensible element is provided
with markings showing the extent to which the extensible element is
extended from the body.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the extensible element is a
boundary marking tape.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the boundary marking tape is
provided with markings showing the extent to which the boundary
marking tape is extended from the body.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein the boundary marking tape is
provided with markings indicating the location of additional
athletic field elements.
9. The system of claim 6 wherein the boundary marking tape is
provided with markings taken from the group of decorative markings,
advertising markings, personalized markings, personalized logos,
luminous markings, and reflective markings.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a fixed
element fixedly connected to at least one of the top and the base,
and a rotatable element rotatably attached to at least one of the
fixed element, the top, and the base, and wherein the proximal end
of the extensible element is connected to the rotatable
element.
11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a means for providing
extension and retraction of the extensible element.
12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a means for providing
extension and retraction of the extensible element.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for providing
extension and retraction of the extensible element is a tensioning
device.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein the means for providing
extension and retraction of the extensible element is a rotating
portion of the body attached to a rotating handle.
15. The system of claim 1 further comprising a lock to lock an
extension of the extendible element.
16. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for squaring the
boundary.
17. A method for providing a modular portable adjustable athletic
field boundary, the method comprising the steps of: providing a
first athletic field marker and a second athletic field marker,
each marker comprising: a base; a top; a body attached to the base
and to the top so as to be between the base and the top; an
attachment point located on at least one of the base, the top, and
the body; and an extensible element disposable about at least a
portion of the body and containable within the marker in a storage
position that lies flat along the ground in an extended position,
wherein the extensible element is made of a highly visible material
comprising: a proximal end connected to the body of the marker; and
a distal end adapted to be reversibly connected to the attachment
point; extending the extensible element of the first marker to a
desired distance equal to or shorter than the total length of the
extensible element of the first marker; and connecting the distal
end of the extended extensible element of the first marker to the
attachment point on the second marker wherein the first marker, the
extensible element of the first marker and the second marker define
a boundary line for an athletic field.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:
extending the extensible elements of additional markers to desired
distances equal to or shorter than the total length of the
respective extensible elements; connecting the distal ends of the
extended extensible elements of each marker to the attachment
points on other markers so that the connected markers and
extensible elements entirely enclose a substantially
two-dimensional athletic field; disconnecting the distal ends of
the extensible elements from the attachment points; and retracting
the extensible elements of the markers to disassemble the athletic
field boundary.
19. A modular portable adjustable athletic field boundary system
comprising: an athletic field marker that marks a position along a
boundary of an athletic field comprising: a base; a top; a body
wherein the body is attached to the base and to the top so as to be
between the base and the top and wherein at least one portion of
the body has a diameter smaller than that of the base and the top,
the body comprising: a fixed element fixedly connected to the base
and the top; and a rotating element rotatably connected to at least
one of the base, the top, and the fixed element; and an attachment
point located on at least one of the base, the top, and the body;
an extensible element disposable about at least a portion of the
body and contained within the marker in a storage position and that
lies flat along the ground in an extended position, wherein the
extensible element is made of a highly visible material and defines
a boundary line of an athletic field in the extended position
comprising: a proximal end connected to the rotating element; and a
distal end adapted to be reversibly connected to the attachment
point of the marker; and means for providing extension and
retraction of the extensible element; wherein the extended position
of the extensible element may extend any length equal to or less
than the length of the extensible element to provide a boundary
line of any said length; and wherein a plurality of the markers and
extensible elements may be connected to one another around the
perimeter of an athletic field to define a boundary and completely
enclose an area that is an athletic field.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the extensible element comprises
a boundary marking tape and wherein the means for providing
extension and retraction of the extendable element is a tensioning
device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/816,298, filed Jun. 23, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to athletic field boundaries,
and more particularly to a portable and adjustable field boundary
that includes markers and retractable boundary marking tape or cord
and that allows almost infinite adjustment and configuration of the
adjustable field boundary.
[0004] 2. Background and Related Art
[0005] Many sports use a playing field or surface on which a large
part of the action of the sport occurs. Often, the field or surface
has defined boundaries, where certain events must take place within
the boundaries, or certain events that take place outside the
boundaries require certain effects. For example, in basketball and
soccer, the ball must stay within the boundaries of the court or
field, or if the ball crosses outside the court or field control of
the ball is turned over to the team which was not the last team to
touch the ball. In volleyball, the server must strike the ball from
behind the back boundary, while whether a point is earned or the
serve changes is usually determined by whether the ball touches the
ground inside or outside the boundary in conjunction with which
team last touched the ball.
[0006] Unfortunately, while many people enjoy playing sports, many
sports are often limited in where they can conveniently be played.
For example, in the United States, soccer is most often played by
large teams on large dedicated fields of grass with defined
boundaries painted or cut into the grass. If a smaller group of
players desires to play, they often find themselves using a large
field without a properly-defined boundary, or they just play in an
area without boundaries at all. Similarly, people often go to the
beach and set up a volleyball, badminton, or similar net, but just
dig marks in the sand for boundaries that are quickly obliterated
during the game, or the people do not even try to establish clear
boundaries of what is out and in. This kind of informal play can
lead to tension between the players such as when a dispute occurs
as to whether a ball was in or out.
[0007] Furthermore, even if people have some sort of boundary
system that they can take with them to set up a smaller field for
soccer or to more clearly define the boundaries of their playing
surface, different sports often use fields of different sizes and
shapes; the boundary that works for one sport typically does not
work for another. Thus the recreational sport player, the one who
tends to have the least amount of money to spend on properly
defining boundaries, is forced into buying multiple costly setups
for each of the sports in which he or she desires to participate.
Even assuming the player has the means to purchase multiple
different boundary systems, the player must also have the space to
store all the different systems, which can quickly grow
burdensome.
[0008] Coaches of teams have related problems. For example, in
football, a coach often desires a defined area or delineated space
in which the players in training should run their routes, a
so-called football lane. Also, in soccer, it is not uncommon for a
coach to divide the team up into several mini games in areas
smaller than the whole field so that several players at once can
practice their skills. In such cases, a coach might instruct a set
of players to go make a twenty yard by twenty yard box and practice
passing or shooting in that defined area. Confused players do their
best but don't often end up with a well-defined area that satisfies
the coach's intended wishes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The following description is provided so that the features
and advantages of the invention may be readily understood. The
description should not be deemed limiting of the scope of the
invention, but the scope should be determined by reference solely
to the appended claims.
[0010] The embodiments of the present invention provide a modular
portable adjustable boundary system. A low-profile and portable
marker contains a flexible extendible boundary marking tape or cord
that may be extended whatever distance is desired, up to the end of
the tape or cord, and attached to another marker or even to the
ground. If attached to another marker, the tape or cord of that
marker may then be extended as desired and attached to another
marker, and so on, until the tape or cord of a subsequent marker
returns and is attached to the first marker, thus enclosing and
defining the boundary of an athletic field or surface. As used
herein, the word "field" means an athletic field, court, surface,
or other athletic area where it is advantageous to have a boundary
or other line marked.
[0011] The marker may be designed so that the tape or cord rests
close to the ground so as not to interfere with the playing of a
sport in the bounded area. Also, the marker may be designed to
provide frictional attachment to the ground or surface of the area
bounded and to be played upon, or may be staked into the surface if
the surface allows. If staking is not possible and/or additional
friction is desired to hold the marker in place, a skirt may be
attached to provide additional support.
[0012] The tape or cord may be automatically retractable or may be
manually wound and unwound as desired, and a means for locking the
position of the tape or cord may be provided. The tape or cord may
also be provided with markings showing the distance the tape or
cord has been extended or showing the location of placement of
additional game elements, such as a soccer goal, midline, net, or
basketball standard.
[0013] The marker is self-contained, inexpensive to produce and
own, and almost infinitely expandable. The marker is small and
light enough that several may be carried by a single person in a
bag or backpack, providing ready portability. Additionally, the
marker may be manufactured in a stackable format and multiple
markers carried in a dedicated carrier. Setup and takedown of an
athletic boundary using the marker system is rapid and simple,
lending itself to use in a variety of situations, such as training
situations, informal spontaneous games, and formal team sports.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The objects and features of the present invention will
become more fully apparent from the following description and
appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical
embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be
considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described
and explained with additional specificity and detail through the
use of the accompanying drawings in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a
portable field marker;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a sample bounded athletic field
layout bounded by an adjustable boundary;
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a different sample bounded
athletic field layout bounded by an adjustable boundary;
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a sample athletic field layout
bounded on two sides by an adjustable boundary;
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of another sample bounded athletic
field layout bounded by an adjustable boundary;
[0020] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a base of one embodiment
of a portable field marker;
[0021] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a base of another
embodiment of a portable field marker;
[0022] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a
portable field marker;
[0023] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a
portable field marker with a skirt extension;
[0024] FIGS. 10-13 show perspective views of an alternate
embodiment of a portable field marker;
[0025] FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the stacking of four
examples of the embodiment of the portable field marker depicted in
FIGS. 10-13;
[0026] FIGS. 15-17 show perspective views of a case for use with
the embodiment of the portable field marker depicted in FIGS. 10-13
with four examples of the embodiment; and
[0027] FIGS. 18-29 show perspective views of an alternate
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] A description of the embodiments of the present invention
will be given with reference to the Figures. It is expected that
the present invention may take many other forms and shapes, hence
the following disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not
limiting, and the scope of the invention should be determined by
reference to the appended claims.
[0029] Referring now to FIG. 1, the Figure shows a perspective view
of one embodiment of the inventive portable boundary marker system.
As shown, this embodiment of the marker has three main components,
an upper cone 40 portion or top affixed atop a central body 42 and
a base 44 attached to the bottom of the central body 42. The upper
cone 40 or top may be flat or may be designed to be of a similar
shape to low-profile cones commonly used in sports such as soccer,
and this shape provides many of the same benefits of those cones.
The base 44 may be designed so that its lower surface provides
optimal frictional contact with a particular surface on which the
marker will be placed, such as asphalt, concrete, grass, dirt, or
wood, or it may be designed so that its lower surface will provide
a reasonably secure contact with a large number of such surfaces,
such as by providing rubber gripping studs or micro spikes (not
shown) on the bottom surface to provide traction on smooth surfaces
and nestle into irregularities of rough surfaces. Similarly, when
desired to be used on a suitable smooth surface, the bottom of the
marker or base 44 may be provided with a suction cup or group of
suction cups or other such devices to removably adhere to the
surface.
[0030] Disposed or wound about the body 42 of the illustrated
embodiment of the marker is a boundary marking tape 46 that may be
unwound or extended from the marker to delineate a boundary for an
athletic field. Thus the body 42 may be of any size or shape that
allows for disposing the boundary marking tape 46 around the body
42 in a storage position, and the top and base 44 may similarly be
of any sizes or shapes that serve to contain the boundary marking
tape 46 on the marker when in the storage position. Exemplary
fields and courts for which the boundary marking tape 46 and marker
may mark a boundary include a soccer field, football field,
badminton court, basketball court, volleyball court, rugby field,
or any number of other fields or courts where a visible boundary
line is desirable. Other sports for which the inventive portable
adjustable marker and boundary system might be desirable include
baseball, softball, kickball, ultimate Frisbee, and any other
number of formal and informal sports, as one skilled in the art can
readily recognize.
[0031] One informal sport with which the marker and boundary
marking tape 46 may be useful is street soccer, where small groups
of people get together and, often spontaneously, decide to play a
game of soccer in a small area, sometimes a parking lot or street.
In such situations, the informal and spontaneous nature of the game
dictates that the time necessary to locate a suitable grassy area
with marked boundaries on which to play is not available. In such
situations, the various embodiments of the present invention
advantageously allow the players to rapidly set up a marked field
on which to play. While children and adults worldwide engage in
such games, until now they have not had the ability to rapidly set
up proper boundaries for their games, and they have often been
forced to play without well-defined boundaries. Embodiments of the
present invention provide the ability to quickly and easily define
boundaries for such games and also provides easy portability as
several of the marker/tape systems can easily be thrown in a bag,
backpack, or car and thus be available at any time and place.
[0032] As can be readily appreciated by reference to FIG. 1, the
function of the illustrated embodiment is intuitive and
straightforward. In use, one marker is set at a location intended
to be a corner of the area to be encompassed by the boundary. The
boundary marking tape 46 is then extended or unwound from the body
42, either fully or to a desired distance, and is then attached to
the ground or to another marker. If the boundary marking tape 46 is
attached to another marker, the next marker to which the first
marker's boundary marking tape 46 is attached also has a boundary
marking tape 46, which is extended in similar fashion to continue
the boundary line or create a new boundary line in a different
direction and is attached to the ground or another marker as
described above. Eventually, if an entirely-enclosed area is
desired, the boundary marking tape 46 of a subsequent marker
returns to and is attached to the first marker at the first corner.
In this fashion, an infinite array of boundary sizes and shapes can
be created by adding additional markers, as illustrated in FIGS.
2-5 (not necessarily to scale). Also in this fashion, the placement
of additional boundary markers provides a modular boundary
system.
[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a simple four-marker setup that might be
used in an informal game of street soccer. Four boundary markers 48
are provided, connected to one another by four extensions of
boundary marking tape 46, one from each boundary marker 48. In this
way a simple rectangle or square could be created as shown.
Although not specifically illustrated in FIG. 2, the boundary
marking tape 46 may be provided with markings representing a
location of a goal or other athletic field feature, as discussed
above and below. FIG. 3 illustrates a situation where a larger
field is desired, such as where one side of the desired field
length is longer than the boundary marking tape 46 provided with a
single marker. In the fashion illustrated in FIG. 3, additional
boundary markers 48 connected by boundary marking tape 46 may be
added to create a field of any size.
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates using the inventive system to provide a
setup for baseball, softball, or the like. In this setup, the three
boundary markers 48 nearest the vertex of the "V" shape may
optionally serve as baseball/softball bases as well as marking the
boundaries. Then only one additional baseball/softball base need be
provided to serve as second base. In this setup, one of the two
boundary markers 48 serving as the tips of the arms of the "V"
would not or need not have its boundary marking tape 46 extended,
or could optionally be replaced by simply attaching the end of the
boundary marking tape 46 to the ground.
[0035] As can be readily appreciated, the inventive boundary
marking system as provided is extremely flexible in use, as can be
seen in FIG. 5. If an irregularly-shaped field is desired, any
desired shape can be set up. For example, a coach who desires an
odd shape to perform a special drill for training could use the
system to set up a non-rectangular drill pattern as in FIG. 5 to
assist those performing the drill in properly visualizing the
lesson(s) desired to be taught. Similarly, because the boundary
marking tape 46 is flexible to allow it to be wound on the body 42,
the boundary marking tape 46 from a single marker may be curved or
bent in different shapes to provide an even more-flexible boundary
position. When a more-complex boundary is desired, the boundary
marking tape 46 may be held in place in the non-linear position by
any number of means of fixing its position, such as by placing a
stone or other weight on the boundary marking tape 46, or using a
wicket to hold the boundary marking tape 46 in place when the
ground is soft enough to allow the use of wickets. Thus the
embodiments of the present invention may be used to establish a
boundary or mark a line of almost infinite shape and size.
[0036] The boundary marking tape 46 used in various embodiments of
the present invention may be of a number of different materials
known in the art or later created, but it is anticipated that the
boundary marking tape 46 should be relatively thin so as to allow a
reasonable length to be wound about the body 42 without requiring a
marker of extremely large width or weight. The boundary marking
tape 46 may be of differing widths so as to suit the needs and
fancies of different customers buying the marker system. The
boundary marking tape 46 may be manufactured of a highly visible
material to aid in demarcating the boundary, and may also be
customizable with printing suited to advertise the manufacturer of
the system, or even to suit the fancy of the purchaser or user.
[0037] It is also anticipated that the boundary marking tape 46
might be manufactured to include a glow-in-the-dark material so
that game play may extend past dusk while the boundary marking tape
46 continues to clearly show the boundaries of the playing field.
Alternatively, the boundary marking tape 46 may incorporate
reflective markers attached to the tape to provide an
easily-visible boundary, even in low-light or oddly-lit situations.
The boundary marking tape 46 might even have woven into it small
LEDs and wires so as to allow the tape to actively glow at night,
allowing a heretofore unknown expansion of games such as soccer
when using a lit ball, for example. The marker itself might also
have battery-powered LEDs placed in it, even if the boundary marker
tape 46 does not have LEDs but just a passive glow system or no
lighting system, to provide lit corners for the system and extend
play. As can be seen from this description, the boundary marking
tape 46 may be widely varied to enhance its particular
functionality as desired.
[0038] One way in which the boundary marking tape 46 may be
advantageously modified is to provide special markings on the
boundary marking tape 46 corresponding either to the extended
length of the boundary marking tape 46 or the anticipated location
of objects to be placed on the extended boundary marking tape 46,
such as a goal. By marking the boundary marking tape 46 with
distance markings, the system may easily be used to provide varying
field sizes of desired and known side lengths. For example, if a
field or area fifteen yards long and ten yards wide is desired, but
each marker contains twenty yards of boundary marking tape 46, no
special measurements are necessary to get a field of the proper
size. Instead, rather than unwinding or extending the full length
of boundary marking tape 46 for each marker, the boundary marking
tape 46 of two markers may be extended or unwound to the ten yard
mark on the boundary marking tape 46 to form two sides opposite one
another. Meanwhile, the boundary marking tape 46 may be extended or
unwound to the fifteen yard mark on two other markers to form the
two orthogonal sides, and the field may thus be set at the desired
size. Fields or areas of any size can be similarly provided. Marks
such as this (tic marks, for example) may be provided every yard,
every foot, every meter, or at any desirable distance on the
boundary marking tape 46.
[0039] Various features may be added to the marker depicted in FIG.
1 to enhance the use of the marker and provide additional features.
For example, it is sometimes advantageous to be sure that the
angles of the field or area set up are properly squared at ninety
degrees. Thus the marker may optionally be provided with a means
for squaring the boundary. One such commonly-available means that
could be incorporated into the marker is a pair or more of laser
projected lines projected at angles of ninety degrees (or some
other known or adjustable angle) to each other to allow easy
alignment of the boundary marking tape 46 along the laser projected
lines to achieve a square boundary. Another system might use a
laser projector directed in the direction of the extension of the
boundary marking tape 46 from the marker, with each marker provided
with a receiver at ninety degrees from the laser projector that
signals when the marker is placed along another marker's projected
line at ninety degrees. One simple cost-effective means for
squaring the boundary is to provide orthogonal sights on the
marker, such as small tubes, possibly with lenses and/or a cross
hatch or sight line, through which a user looks during setup to see
if either the next marker(s) is/are in the line of the sights and
properly aligned or if the boundary marking tape 46 of the various
markers are aligned with the sights. In each of these systems, the
squaring means might be disposed in or attached to the upper cone
40 or top, the base 44, or as part of the body 42. The squaring
means may also be removable to be used in serial fashion from one
marker to the next.
[0040] Sometimes, it may be desirable to have the boundary marking
tape 46 extend from the marker in the vertical orientation shown in
FIG. 1. However, it is anticipated that in many instances it will
be desired that the boundary marking tape 46 be placed low to the
ground. Several different means might be used to achieve this. FIG.
6 shows a perspective view of one representative embodiment of a
base 44 of a marker showing one simple means to horizontally orient
the boundary marking tape 46 low to the ground. In the figure, the
base 44 is shown, having three attachment points 50 to which the
boundary marking tape 46 of a different marker may be attached as a
boundary is formed. FIG. 6 also shows a hook 52, under which the
extended boundary marking tape 46 may pass to force it to be low to
the ground. The attachment points 50 and the hook 52 are
orthogonally oriented to provide a simple visual means for squaring
the boundary as discussed above.
[0041] In use, the boundary marking tape 46 of the marker may be
extended to a desired length in the vertical orientation shown in
FIG. 1, then the boundary marking tape 46 may be twisted
horizontally and passed under the hook 52, and attached to the
attachment point 50 of another marker, and the combination of the
low-slung horizontal attachment point 50 of the second marker and
the hook 52 of the first marker may maintain the horizontal
low-slung orientation of the boundary marking tape 46 during use.
The method of attaching the distal or extended end of the boundary
marking tape 46 to the attachment point 50 of another marker may be
any known in the art, such as snapping, clipping, a hook-and-loop
or hook-and-pile system, a buckle such as those commonly used for
backpacks and bags, magnets, or any other attachment system known
in the art. In one system shown in FIG. 7, each of attachment
points 50 is a hook similar or identical to hook 52, and the end of
the boundary marking tape 46 may be provided with a loop (not
shown) that may pass over the hook-shaped attachment point 50 to
make the connection. The hook 52 and hook-shaped attachment points
50 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 may optionally be provided with a spring
retaining clip or other similar device (not shown) that would
retain the boundary marking tape under or on the hooks 52 until
depressed or otherwise actively released, thus preventing
accidental release. Such retaining clips and their equivalent are
well known in the attachment art.
[0042] In a manner alternative to the hook 52 of FIG. 6, the base
may be provided with a horizontal slot 54 through which the
boundary marking tape 46 passes as it is extended or unwound, as
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. This provides the low-to-the-ground
horizontal orientation of the boundary marking tape 46 without
requiring an extra step of twisting the boundary marking tape 46
and placing it on a hook 52 after it is extended. Instead, as the
boundary marking tape 46 is extended or unwound it automatically
twists as it leaves the body 42 and passes through the horizontal
slot 54 attached to the base 44. To ensure proper twisting of the
boundary marking tape 46 during winding and unwinding on the body
42 in such a configuration, a second vertical slot 56 may be
proximately provided in a vertical orientation to provide a
controlled twist, as in FIG. 8. In such a configuration, the
boundary marking tape 46 passes through the vertical slot 56, then
twists to pass through the horizontal slot 54 at a position close
to the ground.
[0043] It is sometimes desirable to provide a means for further
securing the placement of the marker. Such means may include
providing at least one spike to secure the marker to the ground
when the ground is soft, or it may include an increased surface
area to provide further frictional contact with the playing
surface.
[0044] Referring back to FIG. 6, this Figure also shows spike tabs
54 attached to the base 44 to secure the marker to the ground in
areas where the ground is sufficiently soft to permit a spike to
enter the ground. In such cases, it is often desirable to firmly
attach the marker to the ground to prevent it from being kicked or
knocked aside, rather than rely solely on the marker's weight and
friction to keep the marker in place. The spike tabs 54 may be
firmly attached to or may be an integral part of the base and
spikes may pass through the holes in one or more of the spike tabs
54 and into the ground to secure the marker to the ground.
Alternatively, a single larger spike may pass through a center hole
60 in the marker, as seen in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8. This center hole 60
may extend through the entire marker, allowing a spike to pass
through and anchor the marker to the ground. A spike for such use
may optionally have a specially-designed top to match the surface
of the marker when in place. Other methods to fix the marker in
place are also envisioned, such as several pass-through spike holes
similar to the center hole 60 but smaller and placed in at least
one of several possible radial locations on the marker.
[0045] Sometimes, such as in use on an interior floor or on a hard
exterior surface such as asphalt or concrete, it is desirable to
hold the marker in place more securely than may be achieved using
the friction of the bottom surface of the base 44 of the marker. In
such instances, a skirt 62 may be used to provide a larger
frictional surface to interact with the ground and hold the marker
in place. An embodiment showing a skirt 62 is shown in FIG. 9.
Skirt 62 may be of any desirable diameter or width that provides
the desired support and may be of any desired shape, configuration,
or design. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the base 44 of the marker
is provided to be a little wider than the upper cone 40 or top of
the marker so as to allow the skirt 62 to pass over the upper cone
40 or top and interact with the base 44. In the illustration, the
base is shown covering the boundary marking tape 46, thus providing
a means to make the tape leave the marker in a horizontal,
low-to-the-ground fashion.
[0046] In this type of use, it may be desirable to have the skirt
62 designed to be placed over the marker after the boundary marking
tape 46 has been extended, while in other designs it may be
desirable to allow the skirt 62 to be placed before extending the
boundary marking tape 46. In other designs, it may be desirable to
place the skirt 62 on the ground first and to then attach the
marker. Other potential methods of providing an
increased-surface-area skirt 62 to provide more stable contact with
the ground are also encompassed by the embodiments of the present
invention. The skirt 62 may be provided in pieces or may be
foldable to provide for compact transportation and storage, and
then may be assembled or unfolded around the marker when used.
[0047] It is envisioned that the embodiments of the present
invention could bring about a large change in the way some sports
are played in the United States and elsewhere. For example, in the
United States, soccer is generally played with large teams on
grassy surfaces, and teamwork is so emphasized that many players do
not acquire the individual skills often acquired by international
players who start as children playing soccer in the street
one-on-one or in small groups. Using the embodiments of the present
invention, possibly with a skirt 62, a large soccer tournament may
be held in an open parking lot, similar to the street basketball
tournaments commonly held now. Small teams of two to four could
compete, gaining the individual one-on-one skills often had by
international players. This could also help to raise the profile of
soccer in the United States, as such tournaments often occur in
very visible places and attract much attention.
[0048] Turning now to the manner of winding and unwinding, or
extending and retracting, the boundary marking tape 46, it is
envisioned that several different methods and means of providing
this extension and retraction could be provided. For example, one
simple way to provide for an extensible boundary marking tape 46
may be as in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the boundary marking tape 46 may
simply be wrapped around a portion of the central body 42, as on a
spindle, and can be wound and unwound by either turning the whole
marker or by wrapping the boundary marking tape 46 around the body
in one direction or another. This method has the advantage of being
inexpensive, and may be desirable for a model of the marker aimed
at a corresponding market.
[0049] Alternatively, the marker of FIGS. 1 and 6-8 could be
provided with a portion of the central body 42 that is rotatably
connected to the remainder of the marker to allow spooling of the
boundary marking tape 46 relative to the remainder of the marker.
In such an embodiment the boundary marking tape 46 may be connected
to an interior tensioning device, similar to those commonly found
in tape measures, retractable wall maps and movie screens, and
vacuums with automatically-rewinding cords, to provide an amount of
retraction tension to the boundary marking tape 46 so that when the
time comes to disassemble the boundary system, the marker
automatically retracts the boundary marking tape 46 into the body
42 of the marker.
[0050] In such a system, a lock may be provided to lock rotation of
the rotating portion of the body 42 relative to the rest of the
marker, so as not to retract the boundary marking tape 46 when not
desired. Alternatively, the upper cone 40 or top may be integrally
designed with such a lock so that when the boundary marking tape 46
is extended as desired the upper cone 40 or top is pressed down
and/or turned to lock the boundary marking tape 46. In this
pop-up/press down configuration, the pressing down of the upper
cone 40 provides an additional advantage of putting the marker in a
configuration with a lower profile less likely to be in the way of
game play. Alternatively, the rotating portion of the body 42 may
be provided with a ratcheting system so that the rotating portion
automatically locks when the boundary marking tape 46 is extended,
and then releases under some other stimulus. For example, a release
button may be provided on the top or bottom of the marker, or even
inside the center hole 60, to prevent accidental retraction.
Alternatively, the ratcheting lock may be released by a small
further extension that resets the ratchet lock. Other methods
commonly used to provide for locking and release as known in the
art are also encompassed by the various embodiments of the
invention.
[0051] Another method providing for retraction or winding of the
boundary marking tape 46 could be to provide a handle or crank
attached at the base 44 or upper cone 40 that rotates with the
marker or with the rotating portion of the body 42. A reciprocal
grip that does not rotate may optionally be placed on the base 44
or upper cone 40 so as not to interfere with the rotating of the
handle and may provide a place to grip and provide stability during
winding. The handle may be designed to flip out into a winding
position, and flip back into a recessed position when winding is
completed. Thus, when retraction is desired, the handle may flip
out, the user may then grasp the handle in one hand and the grip in
the other, and the user may then wind the boundary marking tape 46
back into the marker. The handle may then be flipped back into the
recessed position to provide compact storage of the marker.
[0052] While the boundary marking tape 46 described above provides
some advantages in visibility of the demarcated boundary, it is
anticipated that the boundary marking tape 46 may be replaced with
a string, cord, or cable without changing the overall functionality
of the illustrated embodiments of the invention. Thus any of a
variety of extensible elements may be advantageously used. In fact,
a string, cord, or cable provides certain advantages in certain
situations. For example, the issue with twisting from a vertical
storage position to a horizontal use position encountered with a
tape version of the extensible element is eliminated and the main
desire to be satisfied in most circumstances is keeping the string,
cord, or cable close to the ground. As another example, in some
instances it may be possible to wind a longer distance of the
string, cord, or cable about the body 42 of a marker than would be
possible with the boundary marking tape 46 in a package of the same
size since the string, cord, or cable is able to wind up and down
the body 42, potentially even up inside the upper cone 40 or
top.
[0053] The various embodiments of the present invention have the
advantages described above as well as other advantages, and it is
anticipated that one of skill in the art can readily appreciate by
practicing the invention the many advantages to be obtained from
the embodiments of the invention. The described embodiments of the
portable adjustable boundary marking system provide advantages for
use by organized teams and informal get-togethers alike. Coaches
who want drills set up, such as to practice three-on-three soccer
drills, or running in certain football lanes, can use the
embodiments of the present invention to clearly delineate where
their players should go and be. Children at school can easily bring
several markers in a backpack and set up a playing field during
recess with time to spare for actually playing a game. Sports that
were limited in where they could be played before may be played in
almost any environment with only minimal time required for setup
and takedown, by using the embodiments of the present system.
[0054] The present invention may take other forms without departing
from its spirit or essential characteristics. For example, it may
be desirable to provide a flag in conjunction with the marker
described. To do so, a flag may be unitarily provided as a part of
the center hole spike described above, securely anchoring the
marker and flag. Alternatively, a flag may be provided through the
center hole 60 or otherwise attached to the marker without use of a
center hole spike; if the center hole 60 is not being used with a
center hole spike, the center hole may be used as a receptacle to
receive an inserted removable flag, for example. Similarly, if a
skirt 62 is used, the skirt 62 may also be provided with a flag
that passes through the center hole 60 described above. In some
embodiments and situations where a flag is desired, the upper cone
40 may be removed completely, and replaced with a flag that serves
as the top of the marker.
[0055] While the marker has been depicted as being round and of a
low profile, in some instances the marker may desirable take other
shapes, such as square or arbitrarily or decoratively fanciful
shapes for certain situations. In some cases, the marker may be
advantageously designed to take a much larger profile, such as when
a longer boundary marking tape 46 or cord, string or cable than may
be provided in a smaller, low-profile marker is desired.
[0056] It may also be advantageous in some situations to provide
multiple boundary marking tapes 46 in the same marker to allow more
flexibility in boundary design. For example, if two boundary
marking tapes 46 are provided in a marker such as the central
marker in the long boundary side in FIG. 2, one of the two boundary
marking tapes 46 may be used to provide the boundary, while the
other may be used to mark the center line of the area or field
being used.
[0057] While it is anticipated that one of the advantages of the
portable adjustable boundary marking system is its light weight and
compact package, various means might be used to further secure the
boundary marking tape 46 in place. For example, small weights might
be provided with the boundary marking tape 46 to make it resistant
to movement in the wind and help keep it close to the ground if the
ground is somewhat irregular. Alternatively, wickets, securing
spikes, or other anchors could be used when the playing surface is
soft enough to allow their use. Thus it may be seen that the
embodiments of the present invention are readily modifiable to suit
a variety of situations and needs.
[0058] Referring now to FIGS. 10-17, an alternate embodiment of the
present invention is shown. In these Figures, the boundary marking
tape 46 or other extensible element that serves to mark a boundary
has been omitted for convenience in understanding several features
of the alternate embodiment. FIG. 10 highlights the low-profile
nature of this embodiment of the portable boundary marker. The
upper cone 40 has been replaced with a flat top 64 to minimize the
profile of the marker. Thus it can be seen that the top of the
marker may be in any form that adequately serves to contain the
boundary marking tape 46 or other extensible element that serves to
mark a boundary with the portable marker.
[0059] In addition, the base or bottom of the marker has been
provided with several microspikes 66 that enhance the stability of
the marker when placed in contact with the ground, as discussed
above. While the marker shown in these figures has been configured
to accept a relatively broad boundary marking tape 46, one of skill
in the art can readily appreciate that, in some embodiments,
narrowing the boundary marking tape 46 may further enhance the
low-profile nature of the shown embodiment as the corresponding
height of the marker would decrease.
[0060] FIGS. 11-13 highlight an additional feature of the alternate
embodiment shown. The flat top 64 may be provided with recesses 68
corresponding to the microspikes 66 provided on the bottom of the
marker. This enhances the portability and stackability of this
embodiment of the marker, as seen in FIGS. 14-17. When the markers
that have been used or are to be used to define an athletic playing
surface are to be stored or transported, they may be readily
stacked or even locked together by aligning the microspikes 66 of
one marker with the recesses 68 of another marker and stacking the
markers as shown in FIG. 14. As can be appreciated from FIG. 13,
the microspikes 66 and recesses 68 may be provided in such a way as
to allow seating of stacked markers in several rotational
arrangements. Furthermore, to enhance portability of the system, a
case 70 may be provided, as in FIGS. 15-17, in which the markers
may be stacked and carried. While the case 70 shown in FIGS. 15-17
holds four markers, it may be appreciated that a case may be
provided to hold any desired number of markers to be used as a
system to define an athletic playing area or field.
[0061] FIGS. 18-20 illustrate perspective views of another
illustrative embodiment of the boundary marker. In the illustrated
embodiment, as may be seen in FIGS. 18-20, the marker includes an
upper cone 40 or top, a central body 42, and a base 44. As may be
seen, the upper cone 40 or top extends downward to completely cover
the sides of the central body 42. The central body 42 is provided
with a finger hole 72 or indentation to facilitate rotation of the
central body 42 relative to the upper cone 40 or top during
retraction of the boundary marking tape 46 or other extensible
element. As the upper cone 40 or top extends downward to completely
cover the sides of the central body 42, the sides of the upper cone
40 or top are suited for the addition of decorations 74.
Additionally, as the top portion of the central body 42 is visible
from above, the top portion of the central body 42 is also suited
for the addition of decorations 74. Decorations 74 may indicate a
vendor of the marker, an advertisement, a preference of the owner
of the marker, or any other desired or customizable decoration.
[0062] The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 18-20 includes a center
hole 60 for insertion of a center hole spike, as discussed above.
Additionally, the base 44 may be provided with a rounded cavity 76
corresponding to the shape of the upper cone 40 or top to
facilitate stacking of the marker. As discussed above, the base 44
may be provided with a high-friction surface, such as a rubber
bottom 78, as illustrated in FIG. 19, or any other mechanism to
assist in keeping the marker in a desired location.
[0063] FIG. 20 illustrates some additional details of the
embodiment of the marker. Specifically, FIG. 20 illustrates how the
horizontal slot 54 discussed above may be integrated into the upper
cone 40 or top. In this way, the boundary marking tape 46 may
extend from the marker in a horizontal, low-to-the-ground fashion.
Additionally, the embodiment may be provided with a lock 80 to lock
the position of the extended boundary marking tape 46 during use,
as discussed above. Finally, FIG. 20 illustrates one way in which
the boundary marking tape 46 may be provided with embellishments or
markings, such as decorations 74.
[0064] By way of illustration, and not limitation, the boundary
marker illustrated in FIGS. 18-20 may have the following
representative dimensions. The marker may have a diameter of
approximately 6.5 inches and a maximum spindle width of
approximately 5.5 inches (within the upper cone 40 or top. The
length of the boundary marking tape 46 contained within such an
embodiment (and on such a spindle) may be approximately 20 yards.
Such an embodiment provides a portable package with a good length
of boundary marking tape 46. One of skill in the art will readily
recognize that the illustrated and discussed sizes and dimensions
may be varied as desired to provide a smaller or larger marker and
a shorter or longer extensible element or boundary marking tape
46.
[0065] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its spirit or essential
characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in
all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of
the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims,
rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be
embraced within their scope.
* * * * *