U.S. patent application number 12/418294 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for foldable baseball equipment rack.
Invention is credited to Min-Ju CHUNG.
Application Number | 20100252514 12/418294 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42825318 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100252514 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHUNG; Min-Ju |
October 7, 2010 |
FOLDABLE BASEBALL EQUIPMENT RACK
Abstract
A foldable baseball equipment rack includes a plate unit having
a plurality of bat-receiving notches, and a supporting frame unit
disposed under the plate unit. The supporting frame unit includes a
first frame member and a second frame member pivoted to the first
frame member in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped
configuration. The first and second frame members are pivotable
relative to each other to change the supporting frame unit to a
folded state, thereby allowing the plate unit to be folded on the
supporting frame unit.
Inventors: |
CHUNG; Min-Ju; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON, P.C.
P.O. BOX 2902
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0902
US
|
Family ID: |
42825318 |
Appl. No.: |
12/418294 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/85.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/0045 20130101;
A63B 2210/50 20130101; A47B 81/005 20130101; A63B 60/60 20151001;
A47B 43/00 20130101; A63B 2102/18 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/85.7 |
International
Class: |
A47F 7/00 20060101
A47F007/00 |
Claims
1. A foldable baseball equipment rack, comprising: a plate unit
having a top surface unit, a bottom surface unit opposite to said
top surface unit, and a plurality of bat-receiving notches
extending through said top surface unit and said bottom surface
unit and being formed along a periphery of said plate unit, and a
supporting frame unit connected to and disposed under said plate
unit for supporting said plate unit, said supporting frame unit
including a first frame member and a second frame member pivoted to
said first frame member in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped
configuration, said first frame member including a pair of first
supporting legs each having an upper end, said second frame member
including a pair of second supporting legs each having an upper
end, said upper ends of said first supporting legs being spaced
respectively apart from said upper ends of said second supporting
legs, said first and second frame members being pivotable relative
to each other to change said supporting frame unit to a folded
state so that said first and second frame members are aligned with
each other, and said upper ends of said first supporting legs are
adjacent respectively to said upper ends of said second supporting
legs, thereby allowing said plate unit to be folded on said
supporting frame unit such that said plate unit is parallel to an
assembly of said first and second frame members.
2. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said plate unit further has a plurality of ball-receiving
cavities formed in said top surface unit of said plate unit.
3. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 2,
wherein said plate unit further has a first plate and a second
plate coplanar with said first plate, each of said first and second
plates having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner side
abutting against the other one of said first and second plates, and
an outer side opposite to said inner side, said top surfaces of
said first and second plates constituting said top surface unit,
said bottom surfaces of said first and second plates constituting
said bottom surface unit, said notches being formed in said outer
sides of said first and second plates, said ball-receiving cavities
being formed in said top surfaces of said first and second plates,
said first and second plates being parallel to each other and
abutting respectively against two opposite sides of said supporting
frame unit when said supporting frame unit is in the folded state
and when said plate unit is folded on said supporting frame
unit.
4. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 3,
wherein said supporting frame unit further includes a pair of first
connecting rods and a pair of second connecting rods parallel to
said first connecting rods, each of said first and second
connecting rods having a pivoting end and a plate-mounting end that
are opposite to each other, each of said pivoting ends of said
first and second connecting rods being pivoted to a respective one
of said upper ends of said first and second frame members, each of
said plate-mounting ends of said first and second connecting rods
being secured on a respective one of said bottom surfaces of said
first and second plates.
5. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 4,
wherein said inner sides of said first and second plates are formed
respectively with at least one positioning pin and one positioning
hole that engage each other to position said first and second
plates relative to each other and that are removed from each other
when said supporting frame unit is in the folded state.
6. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said first frame member further includes a pair of
retaining grooves formed respectively in said first supporting
legs, and said second frame member further includes a pair of stop
pins that are disposed respectively on said second supporting legs
and that engage respectively said retaining grooves in said first
frame member when said supporting frame unit is in the folded
state, thereby maintaining said supporting frame unit in the folded
state.
7. The foldable baseball equipment rack as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a carrying strap disposed on said first frame
member of said supporting frame unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a baseball equipment rack, more
particularly to a foldable baseball equipment rack.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, when a baseball team practices on public grounds,
there are no facilities for positioning baseball equipment.
[0005] As shown in FIG. 1, in Taiwanese Patent Publication No.
283355, a baseball bat mount comprises a supporting post 1, a
telescopic tripod 2 mounted below the supporting post 1, a plate
member 3 disposed on a top end of the supporting post 1, and a
plurality of U-shaped holders 4 for mounting baseball bats 40. The
telescopic tripod 2 and the U-shaped holders 4 are foldable.
However, the plate member 3 is not foldable and is connected
fixedly to the supporting post 1. As a result, the baseball bat
mount in a folded state is still not convenient to transport.
[0006] As shown in FIG. 2, a baseball bat holder 5 disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. D493,056 comprises two hooks 6 attachable to a net
fence, and a plurality of retaining notches 501 for mounting
baseball bats 7. The baseball bat holder 5 is inverted L-shaped.
Although the baseball bat holder 5 has a smaller volume than the
above-mentioned baseball bat mount, the baseball bat holder 5 is
limited for use in an area with a net fence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a foldable baseball equipment rack capable of alleviating the above
drawbacks of the prior art.
[0008] Accordingly, a foldable baseball equipment rack of the
present invention comprises: a plate unit having a top surface
unit, a bottom surface unit opposite to the top surface unit, and a
plurality of bat-receiving notches extending through the top
surface unit and the bottom surface unit and being formed along a
periphery of the plate unit; and a supporting frame unit connected
to and disposed under the plate unit for supporting the plate unit.
The supporting frame unit includes a first frame member and a
second frame member pivoted to the first frame member in such a
manner to constitute an X-shaped configuration. The first frame
member includes a pair of first supporting legs each having an
upper end. The second frame member includes a pair of second
supporting legs each having an upper end. The upper ends of the
first supporting legs are spaced respectively apart from the upper
ends of the second supporting legs. The first and second frame
members are pivotable relative to each other to change the
supporting frame unit to a folded state so that the first and
second frame members are aligned with each other, and the upper
ends of the first supporting legs are adjacent respectively to the
upper ends of the second supporting legs, thereby allowing the
plate unit to be folded on the supporting frame unit such that the
plate unit is parallel to an assembly of the first and second frame
members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional
baseball bat mount disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No.
283355;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional
baseball bat holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D493,056;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of a foldable baseball equipment rack according to the
invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an schematic perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how first and
second plates are pulled apart from each other to change a
supporting frame unit to a folded state; and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating how a carrying
strap is adjusted on the supporting frame unit so that the folded
rack is convenient to carry.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the preferred embodiment of a
foldable baseball equipment rack according to the present invention
comprises a plate unit 10, a supporting frame unit 20, and a
carrying strap 30 disposed on the supporting frame unit 20.
[0017] The plate unit 10 has a top surface unit and a bottom
surface unit opposite to the top surface unit. The plate unit 10
includes a first plate 12 and a second plate 11 coplanar with the
first plate 12. Each of the first and second plates 12, 11 has a
top surface 121, 111, a bottom surface 122, 112, an inner side 124,
114 abutting against the other one of the first and second palates
12, 11, and an outer side 123, 113 opposite to the inner sides 124,
114. The top surfaces 121, 111 of the first and second plates 12,
11 constitute the top surface unit. The bottom surfaces 122, 112 of
the first and second plates 12, 11 constitute the bottom surface
unit. A plurality of bat-receiving notches 126, 116 for receiving
baseball bats extend through the top surfaces 121, 111 and the
bottom surfaces 122, 112 of the first and second plates 12, 11 and
are formed in the outer sides 123, 113 of the first and second
plates 12, 11. Each of the first and second plates 12, 11 further
has a plurality of ball-receiving cavities 127, 117 formed in the
top surface 121, 111.
[0018] The supporting frame unit 20 is disposed under the plate
unit 10 for supporting the same, and includes a first frame member
21 and a second frame member 22 pivoted to the first frame member
21 in such a manner to constitute an X-shaped configuration. The
first frame member 21 includes a pair of first supporting legs 211
each having an upper end 212. The second frame member 22 includes a
pair of second supporting legs 221 each having an upper end 222.
The upper ends 212, 222 of the first and second supporting legs
211, 221 are connected to the bottom surfaces 122, 111 of the first
and second plates 12, 11 and are spaced apart from each other.
[0019] The supporting frame unit 20 further includes a pair of
first connecting rods 23 and a pair of second connecting rods 24
parallel to the first connecting rods 23. Each of the first and
second connecting rods 23, 24 of the supporting frame unit 20 has a
pivoting end 231, 241 and a plate-mounting end 232, 242 that are
opposite to each other. Each of the pivoting ends 231, 241 of the
first and second connecting rods 23, 24 is pivoted to a respective
one of the upper ends 212, 222 of the first and second frame
members 21, 22. Each of the plate-mounting ends 232, 242 is secured
on a respective one of the bottom surfaces 122, 112 of the first
and second plates 12, 11.
[0020] As further shown in FIG. 5, the first and second frame
members 21, 22 are pivotable relative to each other by pulling the
first and second plates 12, 11 away from each other, to change the
supporting frame unit 20 to a folded state so that the first and
second frame members 21, 22 are aligned with each other, and the
first and second upper ends 212, 222 of the first and second
supporting legs 211, 221 are adjacent to each other, thereby
allowing the first and second plates 12, 11 to be folded on the
supporting frame unit 20 such that the first and second plates 12,
11 are parallel to an assembly of the first and second frame
members 21, 22 (see FIG. 6). The first and second plates 12, 11 are
parallel to each other and abut respectively against two opposite
sides of the supporting frame unit 20 when the supporting frame
unit 20 is in the folded state and when the plate unit 10 is folded
on the supporting frame unit 20.
[0021] In this preferred embodiment, the inner sides 124, 114 of
the first and second plates 12, 11 are formed respectively with a
pair of positioning pins 128 and a pair of positioning holes 118
that engage each other to position the first and second plates 12,
11 relative to each other and that are removed from each other when
the supporting frame unit 20 is in the folded state (see FIGS. 4
and 5). In another embodiment, only one positioning pin 128 is
formed on the first plate 12, and only one positioning hole 128 is
formed in the second plate 11, and engages the positioning pin 128.
The first frame member 21 further includes a pair of retaining
grooves 213 formed respectively in the first supporting legs 211.
The second frame member 22 further includes a pair of stop pins 223
that are disposed respectively on the second supporting legs 221
and that engage respectively the retaining grooves 213 in the first
frame 21 when the supporting frame unit 20 is in the folded state
(see FIGS. 5 and 6), thereby maintaining the supporting frame unit
20 in the folded state.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 6, the carrying strap 30 is disposed on the
first frame member 21 of the supporting frame unit 20.
[0023] Consequently, the present invention provides a foldable
baseball equipment rack that is convenient to carry when folded,
and that permits placement of baseball equipment without facility
restrictions.
[0024] It should be noted that, while this invention is exemplified
using a foldable baseball equipment rack, a foldable softball
equipment rack may be provided in other embodiments of this
invention.
[0025] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
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