U.S. patent application number 14/092578 was filed with the patent office on 2015-05-28 for basketball system with multi-cavity base.
The applicant listed for this patent is Russell Brands, LLC. Invention is credited to Eric Cotton, Wayne M. Hanson, David Haupt, Roy McDaniels, Christina M. Miller, Douglas S. Sims, Lynn Smith.
Application Number | 20150148153 14/092578 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53183106 |
Filed Date | 2015-05-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150148153 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sims; Douglas S. ; et
al. |
May 28, 2015 |
Basketball System with Multi-Cavity Base
Abstract
A basketball backboard system having a multi-cavity base is
disclosed herein. The base has two or more cavities for receiving
ballast. The base may have interior cavities enclosed within the
base or exterior cavities, such as a receptacle or bowl, or
receiving and storing ballast. Both interior and exterior cavities
may be used in the same base.
Inventors: |
Sims; Douglas S.; (Bowling
Green, KY) ; Smith; Lynn; (Bowling Green, KY)
; Cotton; Eric; (Bowling Green, KY) ; Haupt;
David; (Bowling Green, KY) ; Hanson; Wayne M.;
(Madison, WI) ; McDaniels; Roy; (Watertown,
WI) ; Miller; Christina M.; (Madison, WI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Russell Brands, LLC |
Bowling Green |
KY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53183106 |
Appl. No.: |
14/092578 |
Filed: |
November 27, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/481 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/02 20130101;
A63B 71/023 20130101; A63B 2071/026 20130101; A63B 2071/025
20130101; A63B 63/083 20130101; A63B 2210/50 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/481 |
International
Class: |
A63B 63/08 20060101
A63B063/08 |
Claims
1. A basketball backboard system comprising: a pole; a basketball
backboard secured to the top of the pole; and a base attached to
and supporting the pole, wherein the base comprises two cavities
adapted to store ballast.
2. A basketball backboard system comprising: a high-density
polyethylene base having a first cavity fully enclosed within the
base and having walls formed from the exterior of the base, the
first cavity adapted to store liquid ballast; a port opening into
the first cavity and adapted to receive liquid ballast into the
first cavity; a second cavity formed within the top of the base and
having an open top, the second cavity adapted to store solid
ballast; an attachment joint adapted to secure a pole; a container
insertable into the second cavity and adapted to store liquid or
solid ballast; a pole secured to the base at the attachment joint;
and a basketball backboard secured to the top of the pole.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to basketball backboard
systems, and in particular to portable basketball backboards.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] Basketball systems generally include at least a pole with
support frame attached at or near the top of the pole and
supporting basketball backboard for use in playing basketball. For
basketball systems designed for residential use, consumers often
prefer a portable basketball system. Portable systems allow the
consumer to move the system for any of various reasons, such as
putting the system away for the winter or moving from one location
to another. In order to create a portable system, a large base is
used to support and steady the pole. The base typically has wheels
to assist in the moving the base about.
[0003] FIGS. 1A and 1B depict various embodiments of portable
basketball systems. In FIG. 1A, the support frame and basketball
backboard extend forward from the top of the pole, while the base
extends away from the bottom of the pole in the opposite direction.
This is because the area underneath the backboard is typically kept
substantially clear to allow for play under the rim. However, this
also requires the base to have sufficient weight to counterbalance
the support frame and backboard and keep the basketball system
stable during play.
[0004] In FIG. 1B, the pole extends forward at an angle from the
back of the base at an angle and is further supported by a fulcrum
rising from the front of the base to meet the pole some distance up
from the base. This cantilevered design also requires the base to
have sufficient weight to counterbalance the support frame and
basketball backboard at the top of the pole.
[0005] The amount of ballast material (usually water, sand, dirt,
etc.) required to stabilize the system can exceed 100 pounds,
depending on the weight of the backboard and frame, the distance
they extend from the pole, and the nature of the base design.
Accordingly, it is often necessary to remove ballast material when
the system is to be moved. This is time-consuming and potentially
results in large amounts of wasted water or sand after it is
removed from the ballast. Additionally, the base may develop cracks
over time, resulting in ballast (particularly if the ballast is
water) leaking from the base.
[0006] Therefore, a base having improved ballast retaining
structures is needed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] In some aspects, the invention relates to a basketball
backboard system having a pole, a basketball backboard, and a base
attached to and supporting the pole, wherein the base comprises two
cavities adapted to store ballast.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] It should be noted that identical features in different
drawings are shown with the same reference numeral.
[0009] FIGS. 1A and 1B depict typical basketball backboard system
configurations.
[0010] FIG. 2 depicts a basketball backboard system base according
to one embodiment of the disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 3 depicts a cutaway showing an interior cavity in the
base depicted in FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 4 depicts the base of FIG. 2 having a cover, according
to one embodiment of the disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 5 depicts a basketball backboard system base using
containers, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] A multi-cavity base for receiving multiple separate portions
of ballast is herein disclosed. In addition to compartmentalizing
ballast, which may allow for retaining ballast in the location(s)
most needed, the use of multiple cavities allows different types of
ballast to be used to optimize the load distribution and facilitate
movement or storage of a portable basketball system.
[0015] FIGS. 2 and 3 depict a base 5 having multiple cavities for
receiving ballast according to one embodiment of the invention. The
base 5 is a large structure having a pole attachment 40 for
stabilizing and supporting the pole (not shown). Wheels 50 are
located on the opposite end from the pole attachment 40. The base 5
may be formed of any sturdy, preferably non-permeable material,
such as hard plastics, wood, or metal. Preferably, the material is
lightweight in order to not unduly burden a user trying to move the
base 5 and resistant to typical outdoor weathering effects, such as
UV rays or water. For example, high-density polyethylene is used in
order to reduce the weight of the base 5 itself for ease of
shipping or transporting while still retaining shape and strength
for general outdoors use and to contain the ballast material.
[0016] The base 5 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 has an interior
cavity 25 and an exterior cavity 30. The interior cavity 25 (as
depicted in the cutaway shown in FIG. 3) is a cavity that is fully
contained within the material of the base 5. In FIG. 2, the
interior cavity is surrounded by an inner wall 15, an outer wall 20
and top wall 10. A port 45 in the top wall 10 permits the user to
fill the interior cavity 25 with ballast. An interior cavity 25 is
appropriate for holding water or other liquid ballast in order to
enclose and isolate the liquid. Loose sand, gravel, dirt, or other
solid aggregate ballast may also be used in the interior cavity 25,
although this may complicate loading or unloading ballast into the
cavity if the interior cavity 25 is of an elongate or irregular
shape, such that portions of the interior cavity 25 are hard to
reach directly from the port 45. For example, in the embodiment in
FIG. 2, the interior cavity 25 wraps around the perimeter of the
base 5, so portions of the cavity 25 near the wheels 45 would be
difficult to fill with the use of sand or gravel, which cannot flow
throughout the cavity 25 unassisted. However, an interior cavity 25
may be of any size or shape to receive and contain ballast.
Therefore, if the interior cavity 25 is of the shape of a linear
vertical or substantially vertical shape, then sand, gravel, dirt,
or other aggregate material may be more suitable for use in such an
interior cavity 25.
[0017] Because the interior cavity 25 retains ballast, it
preferably is completely enclosed from the outside, except for the
port 45, which may be capped off after filling the cavity with
ballast. Accordingly, blow-molded or injection-plastics are
particularly effective as base materials in order to minimize any
joints. Alternatively, if the base 5 is constructed of two or more
sections physically connected together the seam or attachment
location between the sections should be caulked, welded, cemented,
gasketed, or otherwise sealed together to prevent leaking.
[0018] The base 5 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 also has an exterior
cavity 30. The exterior cavity 30 is separated from the interior
cavity 25 by the inner wall 15. Unlike the interior cavity, 25, the
exterior cavity 30 has no top wall 10. The exterior cavity 30 may
contain various types of ballast, such as water, sand, gravel, or
dirt. In some embodiments, and as depicted in FIG. 4, the exterior
cavity 30 may be covered with a covering 35 to prevent rain water,
insects, leaves, or other materials from falling into the exterior
cavity 30. The covering 35 may also be given an aesthetically
pleasing shape.
[0019] In some uses, the ballast may be placed loose into the
exterior cavity 30, such as simply pouring water, loose sand or
other loose aggregate material into the cavity 30. Alternatively,
and as depicted in FIG. 5, the ballast may be placed in a container
55 and loaded into the cavity 30. For example, sand or gravel may
be bagged and dropped into the cavity. As another example, one or
more containers 55 may be fashioned to fit within the exterior
cavity 30, such that the containers 55 may be removed separately by
the user when desired, such as for transportation, cleaning, or
storage.
[0020] The base 5 disclosed herein has at least two cavities. For
example, a base 5 may have two exterior cavities 30, two interior
cavities 25, or one exterior cavity 30 and one interior cavity 25,
as depicted in FIG. 2. Additional cavities of either type may also
be designed and included. Furthermore, the word "cavity" is used
herein to refer to space or volume within the base for receiving
and holding ballast, including within limitation structures such as
a receptacle, bowl, or hollow shell. Furthermore, the cavity may be
subdivided or have subcomponents for receiving and storing ballast,
wherein a subcomponent may be independently filled with
ballast.
[0021] A person of skill in the art may design a base having
multiple cavities as described herein to potentially provide a
number of benefits to the user. If one cavity develops a crack or
leak, the base 5 may resist becoming unstable if ballast leaks out
of the cavity. The other cavities remain full of ballast and
accordingly continue to counterbalance the basketball backboard and
support frame. Additionally, when the user wants to move the
portable basketball system, not all of the ballast has to be
removed. If a container 55 or bagged sand or aggregate is used in
conjunction with the exterior cavity 30, the ballast is not wasted
either, as it can be removed during the period of transporting the
system and then replaced in the exterior cavity 30.
[0022] While the invention has been described with respect to a
limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having
benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments
can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention
as disclosed here.
* * * * *