Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02364170 2001-11-28
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to nets used for goals and more particularly to a net
having
protective strips for protecting the net from damage which results when a
player collides with
the net.
Nets commonly used in the games of soccer, hockey, lacrosse, polo and the like
are
usually made up of a frame composed of tubular steel and an open mesh attached
to the
frame. In such games, there is a risk that the players will collide with the
net and if they do,
they may injure themselves. They may also damage the net by causing the mesh
to separate
from the frame.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have found that a net can be protected from most collisions by providing
protective
strips in the areas of the open mesh most vulnerable to breakage. In addition,
I have found
that a frame constructed of a non-metallic material, specifically a plastic
composite board
sold under the trade mark POLYBOARD is better than a frame constructed of
tubular steel.
Such material is stronger than the steel generally used in nets yet is
flexible and somewhat
flexible so that a player who collides with it is less likely to be injured
than a player who
collides with a frame constructed of tubular steel.
Broadly, the net of my invention comprises a frame having a generally upright
U-
shaped member which defines a mouth of the goal and at least one brace which
maintains
the upright member erect. The net has an open mesh which extends from one end
of the
frame to the other and is fastened to the frame at each of its outer edges. A
protective strip
1
CA 02364170 2001-11-28
is attached to the outer edges and serves to protect the mesh.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the net of the invention are described with reference
to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the net from the front;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the net from the rear;
Figure 3 is an elevation of the net from the side;
Figure 4 is an elevation of the net from the front;
Figure S is an elevation of the net from the rear, in the absence of a
protective strip;
Figure 6 is an elevation of the net from the rear together with a protective
strip; and
Figure 7 is an elevation of a second embodiment of the net.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of
the
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the net of the invention, generally 10,
includes a
frame made up of an upright member 12, a base 14 and a pair of braces l6a,b
which extend
between the upright member and the base.
The upright member defines the mouth of the net into which balls, pucks or
whatever
else is being played with is intended to be propelled. The member is generally
U-shaped and
has a horizontal web 20, and a pair of upstanding legs 22, 24 on opposite ends
of the web.
The legs have bottom walls 26, 28 which rest on the ground. The member has a
front face
2
CA 02364170 2001-11-28
30 and an outer edge 32 which extends from one bottom wall to the other bottom
wall and
defines the outer limit of the member.
The width of the front face, at its narrowest, indicated 36 in Figure 4 is
preferably at
least double the width of the outer edge of the upright, indicated 38 in
Figure 3.
Each brace is generally L-shaped and commences at a lower wall 40 which rests
on
the base. The brace extends horizontally upward, then vertically inward and
terminates at an
upper wall 42 which is connected to the rear face 44 of the upright member.
The brace has
an outer edge 46 which defines the rear limit of the brace.
The base is generally U-shaped and has terminal walls 50, 52 at its ends. An
outer
edge 54 defines the rear limit of the base. The terminal walls are connected
to the legs 22,
24 of the upright member.
An open-meshed fabric 60 of cord, rope, fibre and the like is connected to the
outer
edges of the upright member, base and the braces. The mesh confines the balls
or pucks in
the net in the usual manner. Preferably the mesh is attached by staples and
less preferably by
tacks or nails.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, an elongated length of a protective strip
is attached
to each outer edge. A first length of protective strip 70 is connected to the
outer edge 32 of
the upright member, a second length 72 is connected to outer edge 46 of the
brace while a
third length 74 is connected to outer edge 54 of the base.
The protective strips are preferably pieces of one-half round lengths of non-
metallic
material. The protective strips are attached to the outer edges of the
upright, base and braces
3
CA 02364170 2001-11-28
by nails or staples so that their flat walls rest upon the outer edges and
their rounded walls
extend outwardly from the edges.
Each protective strip extends the entire length of the outer edge so that, for
example,
the first protective strip 70 extends along the entire outer edge of the
upright member from
one bottom wall 26 to the other 28. Similarly the second protective strip 72
extends from the
lower wall 40 to the upper wall 42 of the brace while the third protective
strip 74 extends from
one terminal wall SO to the other 52 of the base.
The mesh is attached to the walls in the space between the walls and the
protective
strips so that the protective strips cover and protect the mesh where it is
attached to the edges.
In Figure 5, the mesh is shown covering the outer edges before the protective
strips are
attached and in Figure 6, the protective strips are shown attached to the
outer edges. The mesh
is thus in the space between the outer edges and the protective strips.
The net of the invention may be portable or stationary. It is intended to be
light in
weight so that it can be moved easily should that be desired. If the net is to
be stationary, the
base can be made widener so that it can be easily anchored to the ground, to a
sheet of ice and
so on.
The frame is composed of material which is strong so that it will not break
when a
player collides with it as is common when it is used in a school-yard or in
such games as
hockey, lacrosse, soccer, polo and the like. The frame should be relatively
resilient and soft
so that a player will not be injured if he collides with it. In addition, the
frame should be light
in weight so that the net can be moved easily. The protective strip likewise
is preferably
4
CA 02364170 2001-11-28
composed of such material.
Preferably, the frame and protective strips are composed of a non-metallic
material
such as a plastic composite board identified by the trade mark POLYBOARD. The
board is
sold by Renew Resources Ltd. of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and by New City
Resources Inc.,
NCR Industrial Centre, of Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
The net of the invention can have various shapes. In Figures 1 to 6 the net is
relatively
high and short while in Figure 7 the net is shorter and longer. The mesh is
attached more
loosely to the frame in the latter Figure while it is more tightly attached in
the remaining
Figures.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the
preferred
embodiment of the net described herein without departing from the scope and
purview of the
invention.
