Abstract:
An anchor is installed in an ice surface for securing a hockey net. The anchor device comprises a plate having two different-sized spikes and a protrusion and a rubber peg. A larger diameter end of the hockey net poles is inserted onto the rubber peg and the hockey net is secured to ice but is able to be bent or dislodged when force from impact is applied.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) based on provisional application No. 61/990,123, filed on May 8, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a hockey net anchor and method of use. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    The anchoring of hockey nets is well known. A known method of providing an anchor to secure a hockey net to ice involves a single spike heavy metal peg. This known method of fixing the hockey net has a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the hockey net is easy to move when a force is impacted. Secondly, the heavy and long metal stem keeps the net upright, increasing the risk of player injury. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The invention is an anchor that is installed in an ice surface for securing a hockey net. The anchor device comprises a metal plate, preferably oval shaped, having two different-sized spikes. The plate has on a surface opposite the two different spikes a connector made of a combination of a metal peg and an elastic material such as a rubber peg. A larger diameter end of the hockey net poles is inserted onto the metal-rubber connector. The hockey net is secured to ice but able to be bent or dislodged when force from impact is applied. 
         [0005]    More specifically, the hockey net anchor comprises a metal plate having atop surface and a bottom surface and a protrusion extending from the top surface. A pair of spaced apart metal spikes extend from the bottom surface of the plate. A flexible member extends from the top surface of the metal plate and is attached to the protrusion, the flexible member sized to be inserted into a hollow post of a hockey net. 
         [0006]    The flexible member can be made of solid rubber. For the two spikes extending from the bottom of the plate, one of the spaced apart metal spikes, which can be aligned with the protrusion and flexible member, can be larger than the other one. 
         [0007]    The flexible member is preferably shaped into a cylinder to facilitate inserting into the hollow post of the hockey net. A bottom portion of the flexible member can extend outwardly to increase contact between a top surface of the bottom portion and an end of the post of a hockey net to enhance disengagement between the hockey net post and the flexible member. 
         [0008]    The invention also includes a method of securing a hockey net to ice. The invention is an improvement over the prior art techniques in that a pair of the anchor are used to secure the hockey net to the ice. In the inventive method, the two spaced apart metal spikes of each anchor are pushed into the ice so that the plate rest on the ice surface in the desired location. Then, posts of a hockey net are mounted over the two flexible members of the pair of anchors to set the net in place. If the net is dislodged from the flexible members, the net is reattached to the flexible member. If the flexible member should break, another anchor is employed to set the net. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of one embodiment of the inventor hockey net anchor. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the anchor of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of second embodiment of the anchor of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a third embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic showing a hockey net post mounted to the inventive anchor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    This invention relates to improvements in or relating to the provision of anchoring an ice hockey net to an ice surface. In particular, the invention concerns a method of providing an anchor to the ice surface in a much safer and securer way than prior art techniques for hockey training and playing. 
         [0015]    Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a method of installing a hockey net to the ice surface. The method includes the steps of laying down the anchor in upright position on the ice surface, pushing down the anchor with the two spikes, inserting hockey net poles onto the anchor connector, and arranging the hockey net facing a desired position. The bottom of the net that connects to the post should rest upon the plate in which the two spikes are connected, so that the net post does not invade the playing ice surface. Of course, the anchor could be first attached to the hockey net and then the anchor secured to the ice surface. 
         [0016]    In another aspect, the invention provides an anchor device including a dual spike metal plate, the plate preferably being 4 inches long and 2½ inches in diameter, with two metal spikes on the bottom. An erect rubber peg, preferably 4″ tall and 1½ inch in diameter forms an insert, allowing for attachment of the peg to the hockey net post and for dislodgement of the peg from the post upon impact. 
         [0017]    The rubber peg is preferably molded to the metal protrusion, but the attachment can be done in any known ways, fasteners, adhesives, or a combination of attaching techniques. The additional metal spike is preferably about 2 inches from the spike aligned with the rubber peg. The length of the spikes is such that the spikes engage the ice and hold the plate in place and allow the flexible member to give to release the anchor from the hockey net post. 
         [0018]    The invention entails a method of installing a hockey net on ice surface, including the combination of metal peg and a rubber post. The method includes providing means to secure the metal peg to an ice surface. The metal surface that is against the ice uses two spikes to allow the net to remain secured when a skate is pushed against the post during play. This allows for a stronger push from the goaltenders skate, decreasing the risk of dislodging the net from the desired location on the ice. The two-spike system reduces unwanted stoppages in game play, involving the goaltenders normal goal defending movements. 
         [0019]    The method also includes means to attach a hockey goal post to the anchor, this means constituting the rubber peg described above. The attaching means permits the goal to release from the location on the ice from impact above ice level, while increasing the amount of force needed to dislodge the goal with a skate. 
         [0020]    The anchor device for installing hockey net can include the metal plate to have an oval shape and the plate would have two spikes to secure the plate to the ice. The flexible rubber peg on the top of the metal base allows the goal posts to bend the rubber and slide off of the pegs during contact, thus reducing the risk of injury upon player impact. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show one embodiment of the anchor of the invention, which is designated by the reference numeral  10 . The anchor includes a plate  1 , which is shown with an oval shape in  FIG. 2 , but the plate can be made with any shape. 
         [0022]    The plate has a lower surface  3  and an upper surface  5 . Extending from the lower surface are two spikes  7  and  9 . These spikes  7  and  9  are designed in length to engage the ice to assist in holding a hockey net in place. While any length could suffice that engages the ice to hold the net in place, preferably the length is about 0.75 to 1.25 inches and more preferably about an inch. While the spikes are preferably each the same length, the two spikes could have different lengths if so desired. 
         [0023]    Extending from the upper surface  5  of the plate  1  is another protrusion  11 , which acts as a mount for the flexible member  13 . The flexible member  13  can be rubber and is molded to or otherwise secure to the protrusion  11 . 
         [0024]    As described above, the spikes  7  and  9  are driven into ice to secure the plate  1  in place. Then, the hollow post of a hockey net is slid over the flexible member  13  to keep the hockey net  50 , see  FIG. 5 , in place until sufficient force is applied to the net to disengage the flexible member  13  from the hollow post. The flexible member  13  could also break to release the hockey net from the plate. The plate should rest beneath the net so that both spikes are under the net and the footprint of the plate is basically under the net and not into a playing area on the ice. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows an alternative anchor  20 , with a different shaped plate  21 . The plate  21  is in the shape of an arrow to facilitate the placement of the plate  21  on the ice. The other features in terms of the flexible member and spikes are like that found in the anchor of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows yet another alternative anchor with a modified construction for the flexible member, protrusion, and attachment of the flexible member to the protrusion and plate. The anchor of  FIG. 4  is designated by the reference numeral  30  and it contains the two spikes  31  and  33  and a plate  34 . The protrusion  35  is frustum like in shape, with the side wall of the frustum being concave in shape and the flexible member  37  is shown mounted thereon. Of course, the protrusion could take on other shapes as long as the flexible member can be molded or attached to the protrusion. 
         [0027]    The flexible member could be formed with wing portions  39 , which would enlarge the area of contact with bottom edge of a hockey net post to allow the post to be disengaged from the flexible member in an easier fashion. The flexible member, instead of being a solid construction, could include an opening  41  in the area closer to the protrusion than the top end  43  of the flexible member  37 . Since the flexible member tends to bend just above the protrusion  35 , the opening  41 , which is in effect, a hole in the flexible member, can facilitate the bending process and make the disengagement of the post of the hockey net from the flexible member easier. 
         [0028]    The metal plate of the anchor could be galvanized to enhance the attachment of the flexible member to the protrusion and can be made of any material that would be strong enough to allow the spikes to push into an ice surface and secure the flexible member using the protrusion. The plate could even be a non-metallic material if strong enough. The spikes and protrusion can be formed in any known way, for example and if metal, welded to the plate. The protrusion  11  and spike  7  could be the same material such that the plate would have an opening that the combined protrusion and spike would occupy and the combined protrusion and spike is then attached to the plate. The plate, spikes and protrusion could be made as a one piece component by molding, casting or the like as well. 
         [0029]    As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of preferred embodiments thereof which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the present invention as set forth above and provides a new and improved way to secure a hockey net. 
         [0030]    Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations from the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims.