U.S. patent application number 13/753797 was filed with the patent office on 2013-06-06 for miniature door-mounted basketball hoop.
This patent application is currently assigned to Pro Performance Sports. The applicant listed for this patent is Thomas A.M. Quinn. Invention is credited to Thomas A.M. Quinn.
Application Number | 20130143697 13/753797 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43220897 |
Filed Date | 2013-06-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130143697 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Quinn; Thomas A.M. |
June 6, 2013 |
MINIATURE DOOR-MOUNTED BASKETBALL HOOP
Abstract
The miniature basketball hoop of the present: invention includes
a rectangular backboard having front and rear faces, The backboard
is transparent substantially across its entire area. A pair of
spaced apart hooks are provided on the top of the backboard to hook
the backboard over the top of a door. The hoop includes a
break-away rim mounted to the front of the backboard, and sound
dampening material on the rear face of the backboard, so as to
minimize sound when a bail hits the backboard or rim during
use.
Inventors: |
Quinn; Thomas A.M.;
(Carlsbad, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Quinn; Thomas A.M. |
Carlsbad |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Pro Performance Sports
Carlsbad
CA
|
Family ID: |
43220897 |
Appl. No.: |
13/753797 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12786646 |
May 25, 2010 |
8371965 |
|
|
13753797 |
|
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|
61181092 |
May 26, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/482 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/1663 20130101;
A63B 2063/086 20130101; A63B 63/083 20130101; A63B 21/1645
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/482 |
International
Class: |
A63B 63/08 20060101
A63B063/08 |
Claims
1. A miniature basketball hoop, comprising: a substantially
transparent rectangular backboard having front and rear surfaces; a
pair of spaced apart hooks attached to the rear surface of the
backboard at a top of the backboard, with the hooks adapted for
hanging the backboard onto a door; a front mounting plate attached
to the front surface of the backboard; a hinge attached to the
front mounting plate; an upper horizontal plate attached to the
hinge; a rim attached to the upper horizontal plate, with the rim
pivotable relative to the backboard; a lower horizontal plate
attached to the front mounting plate; a spring between the upper
and lower horizontal plates, with the spring urging the upper
horizontal plate away from the lower horizontal plate; a bolt
extending between the upper and lower horizontal plates to limit
movement of the upper horizontal plate away from the lower
horizontal plate; and a perimeter sound dampener on the rear
surface of the backboard extending substantially around a perimeter
of the backboard.
2. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 further comprising a
central sound dampener attached to the rear surface of the
backboard at a central position on the backboard.
3. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 with the sound dampener
comprising a foam material or rubber.
4. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 wherein the hooks do
not extend above the backboard.
5. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 with the spring
concentric with the bolt.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/788,646, field May 25, 2010, and now
pending, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/181,092 filed May 26, 2009. These applications
are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Various forms of miniature basketball hoops are well known
for mounting on bedroom, dorm room, and office doors. Such prior
art miniature hoops normally include a backboard with a rounded top
edge and one or two hooks on the backboard for mounting over the
top edge of the door. The construction of these prior art mini
hoops is generally lightweight, such that the hoops do not
withstand slam dunks or other abuse. For example, such miniature
hoops typically are rigid, such that a slam dunk either breaks the
rim or breaks the hooks which mount the hoop to the door.
[0003] Prior art hoops also tend to be noisy during use, when the
ball hits the backboard or the rim, because there is no padding or
sound dampening material between the backboard and the door.
Typically, the rear face of the backboard typically engages the
surface of the door loosely, and thus rattles when hit by a ball.
The door is also subject to scratches by the direct contact between
the backboard and the door.
[0004] Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is
the provision of an improved miniature basketball hoop for mounting
on a door.
[0005] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of an improved miniature basketball hoop for door mounting which is
durable and safe in USB.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the miniature basketball
backboard and hoop according to the present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the backboard and hoop,
with the net removed for clarity.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the backboard and hoop,
with the net removed for clarity,
[0009] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the backboard and hoop, with
the net removed for clarity.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the backboard and hoop, with
the net removed for clarity.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a left-side elevation view of the backboard and
hoop.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a right-side elevation view of the backboard and
hoop,
[0013] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the backboard and hoop
mounted on a door, with the door shown in broken lines.
[0014] FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG.
3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] A basketball hoop 10 generally includes a polycarbonate,
shatterproof backboard 12 to which a break-away rim 14 is mounted.
The backboard 12 is rectangular and includes front and rear faces.
The backboard 12 is transparent substantially across its full
dimension, except for an outer perimeter strip or band 16 adjacent
the four perimeter edges of the backboard 12, and the bank target
18 above the rim 14. A pair of hooks 20 are mounted on the rear
face of the backboard 12 and extend rearwardly and downwardly from
the upper edge of the backboard 12, Thus, the hooks 20 are
substantially hidden by the door when the hoop 10 is mounted on the
door. Preferably, the hooks 20 are a squared C-shape, with a front
leg 21, a rear leg 23, and a top leg 25. As shown in Fig. 9, the
front leg 21 is secured to the backboard 12 by one or more bolts
27. The lower end 29 of the rear leg 23 may be flared to facilitate
mounting of the hoop 10 on the door.
[0016] The rim assembly 14 includes a pair of mounting plates 22,
24 positioned on opposite sides of the backboard 12 and secured
thereto by a plurality of bolts 28. A horizontal plate 28 is pinned
to the front mounting plate 22 via a hinge 30. A metal rim 32 is
welded to the front edge of the upper horizontal plate 28. The
Hinge 30 includes first and second pairs of hinge tubes or collars
31, 33 welded to the plates 22, 28 respectively, with a hinge pin
35 extending through the aligned collars, so that the horizontal
plate 28, to which the rim 32 is welded, can pivot relative to the
plate 22. A lower horizontal plate 34 is welded to the front
mounting plate 22. A spring 38 extends between the upper and lower
horizontal plates 28, 34 such that the rim 32 is spring biased, so
as to be a break-away rim which pivots resiliently downwardly when
a ball is dunked through the rim 32, The spring 38 normally biases
the rim 32 back to a horizontal position after a dunk is
completed.
[0017] The rim 32 includes a plurality of hooks 38 to which a
basketball net 40 is removably mounted.
[0018] At least one sound dampener 42 is provided on the rear face
of the backboard 12. Preferably,, the sound dampener 42 is in the
form of a resilient, soft rubber or foam strip extending around the
outer perimeter of the rear face of the backboard 12 so as to
engage the door when the hoop 10 is mounted on the door. The sound
dampener 42 also protects the door against scratches from the
backboard 12. A secondary sound dampener 44 may be provided on the
rear face of the backboard 12 immediately behind the target 18. The
first and second sound dampeners 42, 44 form substantially
concentric inner and outer rings, as seen in FIG. 3. A sound damper
46 is also provided on the back of plate 24, Thus, the sound
dampeners 42, 44, 46 are hidden by the perimeter strip 16, the
target 18 on the front face of the backboard 12, and the plate
24.
[0019] A miniature basketball (not shown) is provided for shooting
through the rim 32 and the net 40.
[0020] Preferred embodiments have been shown and described, and it
is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions
may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *