Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COLLAPSIBLE GOAL AND NET
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to sports goals and
more especially to a relatively large goal structure which is
readily collapsed for transportation or storage.
There have been numerous attempts to reduce the overall size
of such a goal structure to enable it to be transported or
stored. For example, U.S. Patent 3,501,150 teaches a series of
separable tubular sections assembled to form a hockey goal.
These tubular sections may telescopically connect when assembled.
The object of this patent is to reduce (it does not eliminate)
the amount of lacing of the net to the frame which is required
when the goal is assembled for use. A recent commercial hockey
goal utilizes shockcorded separable tubular sections.
In more conventional goal structures, the net is affixed by
lacing it over tube sections, or by using tie wires or other
lacing material to lace the net to the tubing.
U.S. Patents 3,501,150 and 3,698,715 disclose collapsible
goals, but these arrangements collapse in one dimension only.
For example, a 3'x4'x5' goal may collapse to 4"x4'x5'. While
flat, a 4'x5' structure is quite difficult to get, for example,
into an automobile trunk for transportation. Each of these two
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patented devices requires some preliminary dis-assembly, such as
the removal of diagonal braces or wing nuts.
The collapsible goal of my copending application represents
a significant improvement over these prior goal structures. It
would be desirable to retain the advantages of my improved goal
while reducing the cost and complexity thereof.
Among the several objects of the present invention may be
noted the provision of a collapsible goal structure similar to
that of my copending application, but of reduced cost and
complexity; the provision of a collapsible goal structure which
collapses in two dimensions; the provision of an articulated
tubular collapsible goal structure which collapses in two
dimensions without the requiring any telescoping tubular members;
the provision of a collapsible goal structure which collapses
without dis-assembling or removing any component part; the
provision of an articulated tubular structure suitable, for
example, as a frame for a collapsible goal; and the provision of
a lockable hinge for joining tubular members and useful, for
example, for forming an articulated tubular structure. These as
well as other objects and advantageous features of the present
invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out
hereinafter.
In general, while the prior art collapses a goal structure
in one dimension only, the present invention materially reduces
two of the three dimensions so as to occupy no more space than a
conventional golf bag.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible sports goal
in its fully expanded configuration;
Figure lA is a perspective view of the collapsible sports
goal of Figure 1 with a net in place and ready for use;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the goal of Figure 1 with
collapsing just commencing;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the goal of Figures 1
experiencing further collapsing;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the goal of Figure 1 as
final folding (collapsing in another direction) commences;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the goal of Figure 1 in
its final collapsed condition;
Figure 6 is an exploded isometric view of a lockable hinge
structure for pivotably joining any two tubular members and
illustrated joining an elbow and a straight pipe section;
Figure 7 is an isometric view of the hinge structure of
Figure 6 in its unlocked state with the tubular members
collinear;
Figure 8 is an isometric view of the hinge structure of
Figure 6 with the tubular members relatively pivoted to a
perpendicular position;
Figure 9 is an isometric view of the hinge structure of
Figure 6 in its locked state with the tubular members collinear;
Figure 10 is an exploded isometric view of a lockable hinge
structure for pivotably joining three elongated tubular members
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utilizing two hinge structures of the type shown in Figures 6-9;
Figure 11 is an isometric view of a lockable hinge structure
for pivotably joining three mutually orthogonal elongated tubular
members;
Figure 12 is an isometric view of a lockable hinge structure
for pivotably joining two elongated tubular members utilizing two
hinge structures of the type shown in Figures 6-9;
Figure 13 is an isometric view of a lockable hinge structure
for pivotably joining two straight elongated tubular members; and
Figure 14 is an isometric view of a lockable hinge structure
for pivotably joining an elongated tubular elbow and one straight
elongated tubular member;
Figure 15 is an isometric view of an optional shock-corded
telescoping tubular member;
Figure 16 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper right
front corner portion of the collapsible sports goal of Figure lA
showing the net attachment technique in greater detail;
Figure 17 is a perspective view of a section of hook tape of
known construction as utilized in the present invention;
Figure 17A is an enlargement of a small section of the hook
tape of Figure 17;
Figure 18 is a perspective view of a portion of fabric sheet
joined at two opposite edges and with a section of the hook tape
of Figures 17 and 17A;
Figure 19 shows an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of
a goal tube encircled by a fabric sleeve and coupled to a portion
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of goal net; and
Figure 20 is a schematic flow chart of the net assembly
technique of the present invention.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views of the drawing.
The exemplifications set out herein illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the invention in one form thereof and such
exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of
the disclosure or the scope of the invention in any manner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In an illustrative preferred embodiment, a collapsible
hockey goal is shown in Figure 1 in its fully expanded
configuration an oriented in position ready for use. The
collapsible goal assembly includes the articulated elongated
members 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37,
39, 41, 43 and 45. In a preferred form, each of these eighteen
elongated members is a hollow polyvinylchloride (PVC) tube of one
to two inches in diameter. The elongated members are hingedly
interconnected at their respective ends by a number of couplers
47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63 and 65 to facilitate movement
of the assembly between expanded and collapsed configurations.
It will be noted that couplers 51, 57, 59 and 61 each serve to
couple three elongated tubes together. The remaining six
couplers all interconnect exactly two elongated members. Thus,
an even number of couplers (four in this case) interconnect an
odd number (three in this caseJ of members and the remaining
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couplers interconnecting an even number (two) of members.
In Figure lA, a net 111 is suspended on the goal. It will
be understood that the net is implied, but has not been shown, on
many of the other figures only to more clearly illustrate the
goal structure. Fabric sleeves such as 113 and 115 (Figures lA
and 16) encircle certain of the elongated tubular members. Tubes
11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29 receive these fabric
sleeves. The sleeves have sewn into them hooks such as 117 and
119 (Figure 16) which are spaced one to two inches apart and
facilitate the attachment of the flexible mesh net 111. Net 111
s~l~3,
drapes over, but is not attached to, members~35, 37, 39, 41, 43
~' and 45. Fitted in this manner, the fabric sleeves and mesh net
remain in place throughout expansion and collapsing of the goal.
The attachment technique allows replacement of a worn net without
removing the fabric sleeves.
In Figure 15, the elongated member 45 may optionally be made
to expand under certain circumstances. The optional member 45 is
adapted to have two portions 105 and 107 which are movable
telescopically within member 45. Members 105 and 107 abut one
another (or the ends of member 45) in a collapsed condition
whenever the goal structure is fully expanded or fully collapsed.
Members 105 and 107 may be joined by a shock cord 109 allowing
the members to separate, for example, up to about six inches,
while remaining within member 45. These members may be subjected
to tension and move relative to one another during assembly or
collapsing of the goal structure, but return to their abutted
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position when tension is relieved. The optional telescoping
capability of member 45 allows the goal to be expanded or
collapsed by a second technique. Alternatively, member 45 may be
of a fixed length. If a user were expanding the goal at the
stage shown in Figure 4 and attempts to raise the top members 23
and 25, the member 45 will elongate. If at this same stage, the
user continues to separate the members 21 and 27 horizontally, no
such telescoping is needed. Thus, the telescoping nature of this
member is optional.
Turning to Figure 6, a lockable hinge mechanism is shown in
an exploded isometric view and is seen to include a pair of
tubular members 67 and 69 having respective ends pivotably joined
as by fixed or spring loaded pins 87 and 89 for movement between
generally orthogonal (Figure 8) and collinear (Figures 7 and 9)
relative positions. When member 69 is joined to an elbow 93 or
three-way fitting (Figures 11 and 14), the movement relative to
the adjacent portion of the elbow remains between generally
collinear and generally perpendicular positions, but the motion
relative to the remote portion of the elbow and any tubular
member (such as 15, 23 or 41) extending therefrom is between
generally perpendicular and parallel positions. A locking
mechanism including the cuff 71 is selectively operable to the
position shown in Figure 9 to prevent relative movement of the
tubular members from the collinear position to the orthogonal
position. Members 17 and 93 attach by abutting with flanges 73
and 75 and held in position by spring loaded pins such as 121 and
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123. The locking mechanism also includes the flange or abutment
73 on tubular member 69. The cylindrical cuff 71 surrounding the
other tubular member 67 has a semicylindrical extension 77 for
engaging the abutment 73. The other tubular member 67 also has a
semicylindrical end portion 79 for engaging the abutment 73. The
abutment is generally circular and comprises a radially outward
cylindrical enlargement which surrounds tubular member 69.
Figure 9 shows that relative angular movement of the tubular
members 67 and 69 is precluded when the semicylindrical end and
the semicylindrical extension are misaligned. A radially
inwardly projecting boss or pin 81 selectively engages slot ends
83 or 85 so that the cylindrical cuff 71 and tubular member 67
are relatively coaxially rotatable through a range of about 180
degrees to align or completely misalign the semicylindrical end
and semicylindrical portion. Of course, the boss could be
located on member 67 and the slot located near the end of cuff 71
if desired. Detents or bumps may be provided to hold the cuff in
its extreme positions. A bump is shown in slot 83. Figures 7
and 8 show that the tubular members are relatively movable about
the pivot pins 87 and 89 when the semicylindrical end and the
semicylindrical extension are aligned and positioned adjacent the
same semicircular portion of the abutment as in Figure 7.
Typically, the cuff semicylindrical portion is extends through
slightly more than one hundred eighty degrees and the member 69
may be undercut slightly in the regions 70 to avoid blnding or
flexing of the cuff when folded to the position of Figure 8.
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Tubular members 67 and 69 are locked in a collinear
configuration as in Figure 9 and as illustrated by members 19 and
21 in Figure 1, while locking of the elongated members such as 17
and 15 of Figure 1 must be in the mutually perpendicular
position. Reference to Figures 6, 13 and 14 will resolve this
conflict. Tube 69 may be inserted into a relatively short
tubular portion extending from one end of a ninety degree elbow
93 the other end of which receives an elongated tubular member
such as 15 is attached. Thus, elongated tubular member 15 is a
third tubular member and elbow 93 rigidly connects the one short
tubular member and the third tubular member 15 in an orthogonal
relationship. In Figure 14, the selectively operable cuff
arrangement precludes relative movement of the third tubular
member 15 and other tubular member 17 (which is joined into 67 at
91 of Figure 6) from a relatively orthogonal position as shown to
a relatively parallel position, however, movement between the
member 17 and the adjacent tubular end of the elbow 93 is from a
collinear position as shown to a perpendicular position.
More complex couplings are also possible. Figure 12 shows
two hinges coupling two long members to a short stub as might be
used at 63 or 65 of Figure 1. In Figure 11, a lockable hinge
mechanism, for example, coupling 61 of Figure 1 has three
elongated tubular members 21, 23 and 41 which have their
respective ends pivotably joined for movement between a folded
position with 23 perpendicular to the parallel pair 21 and 41
parallel and the expanded position with all three mutually
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orthogonal as shown. There is a selectively operable cuff 95
associated with one of the elongated tubular members which is
operable as described in conjunction with Figures 6-9 to prevent
relative movement of the elongated tubular members from the
mutually orthogonal position to the parallel position.
Figure 10 shows three elongated tubular members 33, 39 and
43 having respective ends pivotably joined for movement between a
first configuration as shown in which two of the elongated
tubular members 33 and 39 are collinear and the third 43 is
generally perpendicular to the first two. With cuffs 97 and 99
properly positioned in their unlocked condition, tubular members
33 and 39 may be pivoted to a second configuration in which the
three elongated tubular members are generally parallel to one
another. With the cuffs 97 and 99 in the locked position (tubes
33 and 35 in the collinear position), relative movement of the
elongated tubular members from the first configuration to the
second configuration is prevented. The axle formed by joining
members 69 to short tube 101, to which the members 33 and 39 are
pivotably attached, may simply be free to rotate within the T 103
allowing tube 43 to be pivoted to a position parallel with the
other two tubular members in the collapsed condition.
Figures 17 and 17A illustrate a portion of a fabric strip
supporting therealong a series of hooks such as 127 and 129.
This material is commercially available and known as "hook tape."
It is frequently used in conjunction with a second fabric strip
of "eyes" in the garment industry. The hooks on this hook tape
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are metal and the tape should not be confused with VELCR0 which
employs highly flexible fabric hooks and may be used, for
example, at 131 in the present invention.
The method of affixing the net to the goal should be clear
from a comparison of Figures 18, 19 and 20. From a source of
fabric sheets at 131, a sheet is folded at 139 so that a pair of
opposed edges are aligned with one another along the edge 133 of
Figure 18 to form an elongated tubular sleeve. From a source of
elongated strips of hook tape at 135, a strip such as 125 is
interposed between the two sheet edges with the hooks extending
beyond the fabric edges and the two edges and strip are joined as
by sewing along seam 137 as indicated at 141. Of course, the
hook tape could be sewn to a single fabric edge and the fabric
sheet then folded and the opposed edge fastened. The step 143 of
placing the sleeve of Figure 18 with its joined strip of hook
tape over a portion 145 of the goal structure is illustrated in
Figure 19. To accomplish this, a tube of the goal structure must
have a free end. Subsequent to placing the sleeve over a member
such as 145, that sleeve is captured on the goal structure as at
147, for example, by joining (or rejoining) a member such as 17
and a sleeve such as 91 both of Figure 6. Each such closing and
capturing of a sleeve and its joined strip of hook tape on the
goal structure increases by one, the connectivity of the goal. A
sphere has connectivity one while a torus has connectivity two.
It will be noted that the finished goal frame of Figure 1 has
connectivity six. The net 111 from source 151 may now be
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suspended from the joined strip of hook tape at 149 by looping
sections of the edge of the net over individual hooks as shown in
Figure 19 to provide the finished goal at 153 ready for use. It
is contemplated that the consumer will perform step 149. In
Figure 16, the fabric sleeve portions 113 and 115 may be common
long strip with a cut-out region exposing elbow 161, or two
sleeves may be joined as by mating pieces of VELCR0 131 at 155.
The method of setting up and of collapsing the goal
according to the present invention should now also be clear. To
collapse the goal from the configuration of Figure 1, all locking
cuffs are rotated to the unlocked position of Figure 7. Coupler
65 is moved rearward allowing members 43 and 45 to move toward
parallel as shown in Figure 2. This allows members 21 and 27 to
move toward perpendicular relative to members 19 and 29. Figure
3 illustrates the end result of the movements in Figure 2 with
member 43 fully parallel to member 45 and members 21 and 27 fully
perpendicular to members 19 and 29. In Figure 4, members 11, 13,
15, 17, 21, 23, 25, 27, 33 and 39 all move inward and become
parallel to one another as well as parallel to 43 and 45 which
were already parallel. Figure 5 shows the goal completely
collapsed. Comparing Figures 1 and 5, it is clear that in the
collapsed configuration, the elongated members 11, 13, 15, 17,
21, 23, 25, 2~, 33, 39, 43 and 45 are disposed generally parallel
to one another while in the expanded configuration, those members
are generally perpendicular to one another where they meet at a
coupler. In Figure 5, members 21 and 27 are perpendicular to 19
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and 29 while in the expanded position of Figure 1, they are
collinear.
Comparing Figures 1 and 5, it will me noted that in the
expanded configuration, six of the elongated members are disposed
in collinear pairs 43, 45; 19, 21; and 27, 29. When changing
from the expanded to the collapsed configuration, two of said
collinear pairs 19, 21 and 27, 29 move from collinear to
perpendicular while the remaining pair 45, 47 moves from
collinear to parallel.
From the foregoing, it is now apparent that a novel
collapsing goal and net fastening arrangement has been disclosed
meeting the objects and advantageous features set out
hereinbefore as well as others, and that numerous modifications
as to the precise shapes, configurations and details may be made
by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from
the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as set out by
the claims which follow.
