Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Agent Ref: 13353/00001
GOAL POST RETENTION DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the game of ice
hockey, more
particularly to the goal post and net in the game of hockey, and, even more
particularly,
to a goal post retention device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As is well known, hockey is a contact team sport played on ice,
usually in
an ice rink, in which two teams of skaters skate with hockey sticks and
attempt to shoot
a game piece, called a puck, past a goaltender into the opposing team's net to
score a
goal. A hockey team usually consists of four lines of three forwards, three
pairs of
defensennen, and two goaltenders. Normally, except in penalty situations, each
team
has five skaters on the ice in addition to one goaltender during play.
[0003] Hockey rinks in most of the world follow the International Ice
Hockey
Federation (IIHF) specifications and, in North America, most rinks follow the
National
Hockey League (NHL) specifications of 200 feet by 85 feet with a corner radius
of 28
feet. The distance from the end boards to the nearest goal line is 11 feet
with blue lines
64 feet from the goal line and 50 feet apart. At each end of the ice, there is
a goal
consisting of a metal post frame and cloth net in which each team must place
the puck
to score a goal. According to both IIHF and NHL rules, the entire puck must
cross the
entire goal line in order to be counted as a goal. Under NHL rules, the
opening of the
goal is 72 inches wide by 48 inches tall, and the footprint of the goal is 44
inches deep.
The frame of the goal post is usually secured to the ice at two locations,
where the goal
posts attach to pegs that penetrate the ice. These post/peg assemblies are
designed to
"give way" during collisions of a predetermined magnitude and force to prevent
injury
during a game. Unfortunately, this breakaway force point is too low for
effective goalie
training, as described below.
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[0004] Obviously, the goalie is a very important member of a hockey
team, since
it is his responsibility to guard his team's net and prevent the opposing team
from
scoring. This is a specialized position and requires great skill, ability and
training to
perform properly. Goalies typically train, at all levels, by performing a
variety of drills.
For example, the website http://www.usahockeygoaltending.com/ lists a number
of drills
for hockey goalies, categorized as movement drills, fundamental save drills,
team drills,
game situation drills and off-ice drills. Some of the on-ice drills identified
on this website
are commonly known as "post lean", "jam", "wrap around", "middle out butterfly
slide",
"three puck movement butterfly slide", "out, over and back", "out, over, full
recovery and
back", "out, over and butterfly slide back", "out, on ice recovery and back",
"zone work
with butterfly slide", "post to post butterfly slide", "three puck movement on
ice
recovery", "master top of crease", "lateral movement and read", "gloves and
tracking",
"zone work with chest shot", "triggered cross body glove saves", "butterfly
and full
recovery", "butterfly and on ice recovery", "Ayers on-ice recovery", "middle
out 2 puck",
etc. These are only a few representative drills. Many other drills are known
and
practiced by hockey goalies and taught by their coaches, and these many drills
are
known by many different names.
[0005] During many of the goalie drills described above the goalie
comes into
forceful contact with the aforementioned goal posts. If the posts are mounted
as they
would be during a normal game, they break away from the ice often, disrupting
the
training routine. In view of the large variety of drills and dynamics of play,
the forces
exerted upon the goal posts during training vary both in magnitude and
direction from
drill to drill and from player to player. During a live game these forces
could cause injury
to the goalie, which is why the posts are designed to break away easily, but
during
training exercises, this easy break away disrupts the training routine.
[0006] As early as 1976, the problems associated with fixed and
releasable
hockey goal nets have been known. United States Patent No. 3,979,120
(Dietrich)
recognized that the use of a fixed goal net causes severe injuries when
contacted by
players at high velocity. As early as 1988, the problems of unsecured hockey
goal nets
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was recognized in United States Patent No. 4,721,306 (Shewchuk). In this
patent the
inventor addresses the problem to be solved as: "[M]any sports which use a
goal
structure of this type and particularly ice hockey, are high velocity, high
energy games in
which collisions and impacts are an important part of the game and hence
unavoidable.
Collisions with other players do not generally cause serious injury since the
player is
fairly flexible and therefore in the collision both players tend to deform to
some extend
thus avoiding the sort of injury that occurs in contact with a rigid object.
Collisions with
the boards surrounding the playing surface can be more damaging since these
are rigid,
but they have no projections and thus serious injuries are uncommon. However,
the
goal posts and goal structure are generally rigid and include projections or
narrow
structures which can cause serious injury. This is overcome in hockey played
by
younger children by merely placing the rigid goal frame and net loosely on the
playing
surface so that whenever it is contacted by a player it simply moves away from
the
original location and no damage is caused. However, this becomes
unsatisfactory as
the players become older and more skilled since the net can be very easily
move[d]
away from its location even when not impacted and thus the game has to come to
a
halt."
[0007] United States Patent No. 5,820,497 (Pena) acknowledges the
problem of
non-secured hockey goal nets easily moving when contacted by players: "[I]n
many
sporting events, such as hockey ... a player may collide with the post and
could be
seriously injured by such a collision. These collisions are prevented by
having
breakaway posts which will reduce the injury to the player. In the past to
overcome
these injuries, the net has been loosely secured on the playing surface by the
posts so
that whenever it is contacted by a player it simply moves away from the
original location
and no damage is caused. However, this becomes unsatisfactory as the players
become older and more skilled, since the net can be very easily moved away
from its
location, even when not impacted, and thus, the game has to come to a halt."
To solve
this problem Pena discloses a releasable anchor for a post at a predetermined
location
on a playing surface. The invention includes an upright hollow post, which
fits over a
frustoconical member fixedly secured to the playing surface via an anchor. The
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frustoconical shape of the member anchored to the playing surface allows for a
quick-
release when forceful contact is made with the upright hollow post.
[0008] United States Patent No. 5,039,100 (Cortese) discloses a goal
post
magnet arrangement having a plurality of spaced goal posts mounting a net
coextensively therebetween each include a lower terminal end securable to a
respective
magnetic mounting arrangement. Cortese further discloses a cylindrical base
having an
annular groove to receive the lower terminal end of each goal post with an
upwardly
extending cylindrical boss directed interiorly of each goal post including a
conical upper
surface to enhance ease of displacement of an associated goal post relative to
the boss
upon impact with the goal post.
[0009] United States Patent No. 4,619,456 (Meggs) discloses a
cylindrical
canister to be used within the bottom of a hockey goal post to retain the post
in place
against a keeper. The invention in this patent utilizes a magnetic arrangement
within the
canister which draws the post downwardly against the keeper. The keeper has a
frustoconical central portion which requires the post to ride up and over it
in order to
overcome the magnetic force between the canister and the keeper. In the
patent, the
inventor specifically addresses the use of "stub posts sticking upwardly out
of the ice at
the positions of the forward side goal posts, and the goal posts are hollow
with open
bottom ends, so that they can fit over the stub posts. When the ice is to be
used for
activities other than hockey games, the goal is removed and the stub posts are
removed
from the ice."
[0010] United States Patent Application Publication No. 20122/0289365
(Boskus)
discloses a goal post retention system comprising a playing surface, a
ferromagnetic
goal post and a magnet disposed under the playing surface attracting the
ferromagnetic
goal post thereby preventing the ferromagnetic goal post from becoming
dislodged
without application of sufficient force. In this patent, the inventor
specifically addresses
the use of a "break away" goal post retention system that employs "some form
of plug or
mounting post which rigidly affixed to the playing surface and projects some
distance
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below the ice. The goal post (normally hollow) is then installed over the plug
or
mounting post ..."
[0011] While
these prior patented and patent pending inventions purport to solve
some problems associated with fixing hockey goal posts to the ice, they don't
solve the
problem of affixing the goal posts to the ice in such a way that increases the
force
necessary to break away from the ice for training and drills. What is needed,
then, is a
goal post retention device that provides a greater attachment force to the ice
for goalie
training purposes than those devices used during game conditions, and that is
resistant
to break away regardless of the angle of the force applied thereto.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The
present invention broadly comprises a goal post retention
device, comprising a body having a first section and a second section, wherein
the first
and second sections are integral with one another, the first section
comprising a first
closed cylinder having a top planar surface, the cylinder having a first outer
diameter,
the second section arranged beneath and concentric with the first section, the
second
section comprising a semi-open cylinder having a second outer diameter which
is larger
than the first outer diameter, the semi-open cylinder having a bottom rim and
a
frustoconical inner surface extending upwardly from the bottom rim, the semi-
open
cylinder having a top annular surface.
[0013] A
primary example feature of the invention is to provide a goal post
retention device for a hockey goal that secures the goal posts to the ice more
securely
than similar devices employed during game conditions, and yet releasably
secures the
goal to the ice.
[0014]
Another example feature of the invention is to provide a goal post
retention device for a hockey goal that secures the goal posts to the ice and
is resistant
to forces applied to the goal post from any direction during training and yet
maintains
the goal securely to the ice.
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[0015] These
and other features and advantages of the present invention will
become readily present to those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading
the
following detailed description of the invention in view of the drawings and
appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention is depicted in the following drawings,
wherein:
Figure 1A is a perspective view of a typical goal assembly releasably secured
to
the ice using the present invention, and also showing a goalie in position in
front of the
goal assembly;
Figure 1B is a top view of the goal assembly shown in Figure 1;
Figure 2A is a view similar to that of Figure 1A where the goalie is
performing a
drill that causes his left leg pad to impart a force to the left goal post;
Figure 2B is an enlarged view of the left goal post and left leg pad shown in
Figure 2A;
Figure 3 is a front top perspective view of the goal post retention device of
the
present invention, shown affixed to the ice;
Figure 4 is a top view of the goal post retention device shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view of the goal post retention device shown in
Figures 3 and 4, taken generally along line 5A-5A in Figure 4;
Figure 5B is a view similar to that of Figure 5A, except showing side post 110
in
place atop goal post retention device 300;
Figure 6A is a front bottom perspective view of the goal post retention device
shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6B is yet another front top perspective view of the goal post retention
device, similar to the view of Figure 3, except shown without the ice;
Figure 7 is a front view of the goal post retention device of the present
invention;
Figure 8 is a top view of the goal post retention device of the present
invention;
Figure 9 is a bottom view of the goal post retention device of the present
invention; and,
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Figure 10 is a cross-sectional front view of the goal post retention device of
the
present invention, taken generally along line 10-10 in Figure 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Adverting now to the drawings, Figure 1A is a perspective view of a
typical
goal assembly 100 releasably secured to the ice (not shown) using the present
invention, and also showing a goalie 200 in position in front of the goal
assembly.
Goalie 200 is seen to be wearing typical goalie equipment, including helmet
205,
blocker pad 210, glove 240, and leg pad 230, and is holding hockey stick 220.
The
goalie is guarding goal assembly 100, which broadly comprises goal post 120,
including
side post 110, net 130 affixed to the goal post and net skirting 140. As is
well known,
the goalie's job is to protect the goal and prevent the opposing team from
shooting a
puck into the net. This highly specialized position requires extensive
training. As
described previously, goalies typically train by practicing a wide variety of
drills. But
hockey is a contact sport, especially during live games. The forces exerted by
the goalie
and other players alike, in proximity to the goal, could cause considerable
injury should
the goal post be fixedly secured to the ice. Thus, goal post assemblies are
releasably
secured to the ice using a variety of pegs. These pegs are specially designed
to
withstand the normal forces associated with play, but "break away" the goal
post when
excessive force is exerted to prevent injury. Unfortunately, the forces
exerted by the
goalie during training exercises often exceeds those forces exerted during
normal play,
causing the goal assembly to become dislodged from the ice and disrupting the
training
exercises.
[0018] Figure 1B is a top view of the goal post assembly and goalie shown
in
Figure 1, illustrating the goalie during a training exercise, where he is
exerting both a
lateral force FL and a rearward force FR on left side post 110. The object of
the present
invention is to secure the goal post and goal assembly to the ice during these
routine
drills. The goalie has pivoted a full 90 degrees from his starting position in
Figure 2A
and is exerting a force on side post 110 with his left leg pad 230, as shown
more clearly
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in Figure 2B. Of course, the goalie also exerts similar forces on the right
goal post as
well during training.
[0019] A preferred embodiment of the goal post retention device of the
present
invention is illustrated in front top perspective view in Figure 3. In this
view, device 300
is shown secured to ice 303. The device is shown to comprise two members
which, in a
preferred embodiment, are integral with one another. Second member 302 mounts
in
the ice. Emanating upwardly from second member 302 is first member 301. First
member 301 includes outer cylindrical surface 304, inner cylindrical surface
305, top
annular surface 314, and aperture 306. The outer diameter of first member 301
is sized
to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of side post 110.
[0020] Figure 4 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 3. Figure
5A is a
cross-sectional view of the device shown in Figure 3, taken generally along
line 5A-5A
in Figure 4. This view shows counter-bore 306 in member 301 as described
above. Also
shown is inner frustoconical surface 309 at the bottom of member 301, forming
the
counter-bore. Member 301 is shown to be generally cylindrical in shape, having
an
outer cylindrical surface 304 and an inner cylindrical surface 305. Second
member 302,
which, in a preferred embodiment, is integral with first member 301, is seen
to include
upper annular surface 310, lower annular surface 316, rim section 307 which
includes
outer cylindrical surface 311 and inner frustoconical surface 312. Center
spike 308 is
seen to be extending downwardly from lower annular surface 316. In a preferred
embodiment, the spike is concentric with respect to both the first and second
members.
Also, in a preferred embodiment, first member 301 is hollow, having a counter-
bore
therein, but it should be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art
that member
301 could be a solid cylinder as well. Also in a preferred embodiment, the
surface of ice
303 is located about 1/8" above top surface 310 of second member 302. This may
be
accomplished by squirting water where the side of the device meets the surface
of the
ice to cause ice to build up about the top of the second member. Figure 5B is
a view
similar to that of Figure 5A, except showing side post 110 in place atop goal
post
retention device 300. In this view it is seen that the inner diameter of side
post 110 is
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larger than the outer diameter of first member 301, such that the post
telescopingly
engages the member.
[0021] Figure 6A illustrates the retention device of the present
invention in front
lower perspective view. This view clearly shows concentric spike 308 extending
downwardly from annular surface 316 of second member 302, and also show
frustoconical inner surface 312 of rim 307. Figure 6B is a view similar to
that of Figure
6A, except showing the device in front upper view. This view clearly shows
aperture 306
of first member 301, arranged to hold side post 110 of the goal post.
[0022] Figure 7 is a front view of device 300. This view is intended
to show that
point 317 of spike 308 extends a distance "d" below rim 315. In a preferred
embodiment
this distance is approximately .040" but other distances would also be
functional,
although the inventor finds that the device (peg) works best if the spike
extends below
the lower rim. Figure 8 is a top view of device 300 and Figure 9 is a bottom
view of
device 300.
[0023] In another example embodiment, although not shown, the
conically
shaped spike 308 extends downwardly a first distance from the inner upper
annular
surface (e.g. the annular surface 316) and the bottom rim 315 extends
downwardly a
second distance from the inner upper annular surface, wherein the first
distance is less
than the second distance.
[0024] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional front view of device 300, taken
generally
along line 10-10 in Figure 9. Although the claims of the present patent are
not intended
to be limited to a device having specific dimensions, approximate
representative
dimensions of a preferred embodiment of the device are provided here to enable
a
person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. These
dimensions
are representative only and may be varied by those having ordinary skill in
the art. It is
preferred however, and claimed, that d1 < d2. In a preferred embodiment d1 is
approximately 38 mm, d2 is approximately 64 mm, d3 is approximately 47 mm, d5
is
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approximately 14 mm, and d4 is approximately 61 mm and distance d is
approximately
.040" as described previously. Also, in a preferred embodiment, angle a is
approximately 18 degrees, angle 13 is approximately 30 degrees, and angle A is
approximately 108 degrees. Again, these specific angles are representative
only, and
other angles are possible without adversely affecting function. It is
important, however
that surfaces 312 and 313 slope away from each other. For example, as best
seen in
Figure 5A, surface 312 slopes downwardly and outwardly, whereas surface 313
slopes
downwardly and inwardly.
[0025] Thus, it is seen that the features of the present invention are
efficiently
obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be
readily
apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are
intended to be
within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood
that the
foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not
be
considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention
are
possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention
as claimed.
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Reference Numbers
100 goal assembly
110 side post
120 goal post
130 net
140 net skirting
200 goalie
205 helmet
210 blocker pad
220 hockey stick
230 leg pad
240 glove
300 goal post retention device
301 first member
302 second member
303 ice
304 outer cylindrical surface
305 inner cylindrical surface
306 counter-bore
307 rim section of second member
308 center spike
309 inner frustoconical surface of first member
310 top annular surface of second member
311 outer cylindrical surface of second member
312 frustoconical inner surface of rim
313 center spike frustoconical surface
314 top annular surface
315 bottom rim
316 bottom annular surface of second member
317 point of spike
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