Basketball hoop visual guide

A visual guide for improving accuracy of shooting a basketball into a basketball hoop is shown which consists of an annular member which extends below the rim of the basketball hoop. The annular member provides a visual guide as to the location of the rim and the opening for shooting the basketball. The annular member may be mounted by any one of a variety of devices onto the hoop so that the annular member extends below the rim. Such mounting devices may include, for example, a plurality of holes throughout the annular member and a rope looped through those holes and the net holding device, a tab with a snap looped over the net holding device, a hook extending upwardly from the annular member to be engaged with the rim of the basketball hoop, or a series of loops attached to the interior of the annular member with a mounting rope threaded through the net holding device and through the loop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A conventional basketball hoop which is mounted with a backboard in an 
elevated position on a pole consists of a rim attached to the backboard 
and netting which extends downwardly and inwardly from the rim. The rim is 
narrow and horizontally positioned. When shooting basketballs, it is 
somewhat difficult to coordinate view of the thin, raised rim and movement 
of the arms and hands to propel the basketball into the opening in the 
rim. This invention relates to a device designed to aid in improving 
shooting accuracy by providing an enhanced visual guide as to the location 
and orientation of the rim and the opening. It provides a target area for 
which the player may shoot in order to improve shooting accuracy. 
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide for a device 
which provides a visual guide for shooting basketballs into a basketball 
hoop. 
A further object of the invention is to provide for a visual guide in 
improving accuracy of shooting basketballs into a basketball hoop. 
Another object of the invention is to provide for a visual guide for 
improving shooting accuracy of basketballs into a basketball hoop which is 
distinctive and easy to see. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide for a device for 
improving accuracy of shooting basketballs into a basketball hoop which is 
easily mounted onto the basketball hoop. 
Still further objects of the invention will become apparent in the 
following disclosure. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a visual guide which consists of an annular member 
capable of being mounted below the rim of the basketball hoop and 
extending downwardly from the rim outside the netting. The device enhances 
visual identification of the rim and opening in the rim. The device may be 
mounted on the basketball hoop by any one of a variety of means or 
methods. These include providing holes within the annular member for 
threading a rope, providing a snap on the annular member to loop over the 
rim of the hoop, providing a hook extending upward from the annular member 
to hook onto the rim, and providing a loop fastened to the inside of the 
annular member for threading a rope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The visual guide device, according to the present invention, is an annular 
member represented as 10. It is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 mounted on a 
basketball hoop 12. Annular member 10 has an interior surface 11 and 
exterior surface 13. The basketball hoop 12 consists of a rim 14 which 
provides an opening 16 for shooting basketballs into. Descending 
downwardly from the rim 14 and sloping inward is netting 18. The hoop 12 
is attached by any one of a variety of means to a backboard 20, which is 
then typically mounted on a vertical pole (not shown) to elevate hoop 12 
and backboard 20 (typically to approximately 10 feet above the ground or 
floor). 
The annular member 10 provides a visual guide by extending downwardly from 
the bottom of rim 14. The exact length that the annular member 10 extends 
downward from the rim 14 is not critical, as long as it forms a sufficient 
visual guide as to the location of the rim 14 and consequently the opening 
16. The circumference of annular member 10 is such that it is greater than 
the maximum circumference of netting 18 so that the annular member 10 may 
surround the upper portion of netting 18. As can also be seen in FIGS. 4 
through 10, for all embodiments shown, the annular member 10 is of thin 
cross-section. For ornamental purposes, it is possible to provide that the 
annular member 10 descends from the rim 14, and then slopes inwardly 
toward netting 18. This provides for an attractive configuration in 
combination with basketball hoop 12. Member 10 is shown more particularly 
in FIG. 2 as including an upper portion 22 which extends downward from the 
rim 14 and a lower portion 24 which then slopes inwardly. It is clear that 
a number of variations upon the exact configuration and shape of the 
annular member 10 are possible so that it provides a visual guide. The 
annular member 10 may be made of any of a variety of materials suitable 
for purposes of use in basketball and for the environment in which 
basketball hoops are placed, both indoors and outdoors, and, for example, 
may be made of rigid material, such as stiff plastic to provide for an 
inexpensive and durable annular member 10. It also may be made of rubber 
or rubberlike material, for example, such as polyvinylchloride. 
Annular member 10 is mounted to the basketball hoop 12 by any one of a 
variety of different means, so that the annular member 10 extends downward 
from rim 14 and outside of netting 18. 
Several different embodiments are shown in the drawings for mounting the 
annular member 10 onto the basketball hoop 12. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 demonstrate one embodiment of the mounting means. In FIG. 3, 
it can be seen that the netting 18 is held in place on the basketball hoop 
12 by a plurality of net holding means here shown as eyelets 26. These 
eyelets 26 are attached to the underside of rim 14 at spaced apart 
positions around the rim. Each eyelet 26 loops back onto itself so that 
the netting rope 28 may be slipped into eyelet 26 and held in place 
thereby. In this embodiment, a plurality of holes 30 are provided 
throughout the annular member 10. A mounting rope 32, which may be similar 
to the netting rope 28, is then looped throuqh these holes 30 and the 
mounting rope 32 is guided through the eyelet 26. This would allow an 
existing device, the eyelet 26, to be used for mounting annular member 10 
below rim 14. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 demonstrate a second embodiment of a mounting means of the 
invention. A flexible elongated tab 34 is shown having a first end 36 and 
a second end 38. First end 36 is fixedly mounted to the interior side 11 
of annular member 10. Second end 38 of tab 34 has thereon a snap 40. It is 
capable of engaging a mating member on the interior surface of first end 
36 (not shown). In this manner, the tabs 34, at spaced apart locations 
around member 10 coincident with means 26 around rim 14 may be looped over 
eyelet 26 and snaps 40 engaged in order to hold the annular member 10 
below rim 14. 
A third embodiment of the mounting means is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. A 
plurality of hooks 42 are fixedly mounted at spaced apart locations around 
annular member 10. Hooks 42 may be mounted to either the exterior 12 or 
interior 11 of annular member 10. In the embodiment shown, hooks 42 are 
mounted by means of rivets 44 to the exterior side 12 of annular member 
10. The hooks 42 are attached such that the arch portion 46 faces the 
interior side 11 of annular member 10. Hooks 42 are then attached to the 
rim 14 by mounting arched portion 46 on top of rim 14. This then allows 
the annular member 10 to extend below rim 14. It also allows annular 
member 10 to be mounted to rim 14 independent of eyelets 26. The hooks 42 
can be hooked onto rim 14 at locations intermediate of eyelets 26. 
Yet another embodiment of a mounting means is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This 
also employs a plurality of tabs 34 forming loops attached at spaced apart 
positions to the interior side 11 of annular member 10. However, instead 
of being provided with snaps, both first end 36 and second end 38 of tabs 
34 are rigidly attached to the interior of annular member 10 by means of a 
rivet 44 to form a loop. A mounting rope 32 is then threaded through the 
plurality of eyelets 26 and openings 48 provided by tabs 34. By placing 
the tabs 34 on the interior surface 11, the appearance of the annular 
member 10 while on the hoop 12 is enhanced. 
Still another mounting means could include mounting Velcro.RTM. strips to 
the annular member to pass over rim 114 or eyelets 26. 
To further enhance the visual impact of the annular member 10, the interior 
surface 11 may be a different color than exterior surface 12 of the member 
10. The contrast may be enhanced in other ways, as by contrasting surfaces 
interior and exterior, or varying thickness of annular member 10 with the 
forward half 50 shorter than rearward half 52. This embodiment may be seen 
in FIGS. 11 and 12. Here it can be seen that the forward portion 50 is 
thinner from the top 54 of annular member 10 to the bottom 56 of the 
annular member, than is the rearward portion 52. Yet another embodiment is 
shown in FIGS. 13 through 15. Here, a member 58 is shown which forms a 
partial circle. This is best seen in FIG. 15. Of course, this member may 
be an annular member 10 which has been cut, or may be a preformed 
partially circular member. It also may be shorter in the front portion as 
compared to the rearward portion, as shown. 
Variations and modifications upon the invention, including the means of 
mounting the annular member to the basketball hoop may be used without 
departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 
Thus, it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its 
objectives.