Patent ID: 6186911
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
A consumer assembleable resilient basketball goal comprising:a substantially unshaped back plate, having side elements, an inside back surface, and an outside back surface adapted to attach to a vertical surface, with the side elements extending outwardly perpendicular to the vertical surface and terminating in a front edge;a top plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, a front edge, a back edge, and downwardly extending sidewalls pivotally connected to the back plate such that in a resting position, the top surface of said top plate is essentially even with a top edge of said back plate and is substantially perpendicular to the vertical surface;a pivot point proximate the front edge of the side elements of said back plate;an annular connecting member fixedly connected between a basketball hoop and the front edge of said top plate;an angle bracket coupled to the inside back surface of said back plate such that a portion of said angle bracket extends inwardly perpendicular from said back plate and is parallel to said top plate in the resting position;a carriage bolt extending from the top surface of said top plate, proximate said back plate, through the inwardly extending portion of said angle bracket;a retention nut threadedly engaging the carriage bolt and abutting the bottom surface of said top plate;an elasticity accelerating member disposed beneath the inwardly extending portion of said angle bracket and adapted to receive the carriage bolt;a first adjustment element disposed above the inwardly extending portion of said angle bracket and threadedly engaged with the carriage bolt; anda second adjustment element disposed below said elasticity accelerating member and threadedly engaged with the carriage bolt for adjusting the spring rate of the elasticity accelerating member and the position of the basketball hoop relative to a playing surface;wherein said basketball goal is configured to allow compact shipment of the disassembled basketball goal and to be readily assembled by a consumer.