Soccer practice return net

A device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder. The device includes a pair of uprights that extend vertically upwardly from the ground, a net that extends across the pair of upright, and a pair of guy ropes that extend from the pair of uprights and engage the ground. The net has a lower lateral edge that hugs the ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder and a pair of longitudinal ends that replaceably engage, respectively, the pair of uprights. Each upright has a throughbore. Each longitudinal end of the net is formed into a sleeve that replaceably and slidingly receives an associated upright. Each sleeve has a throughbore that is aligned with the throughbore in the associated upright, which allows an associated rope to pass therethrough and engage in the throughbore in the associated upright, with a substantial midpoint of the associated rope disposed in the associated upright and with the associated rope wrapped around an outer half of the associated upright and maintained thereat by a knot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a device for rebounding a soccer ball
 kicked thereupon. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
 device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the
 ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 Numerous innovations for sport net related devices have been provided in
 the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be
 suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address,
 however, they differ from the present invention.
 A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,561 to Daffer, Jr. teaches a soccer
 practice net and goal structure which is particularly useful in the
 training of players for the game of soccer. This soccer practice net can
 be used as a goal structure for games between teams on a large playing
 area or readily converted to a ball-returning practice net for use in a
 limited playing area such as a residential backyard by one or more
 players.
 A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,844 to Haseltine teaches a soccer
 goal practice device having a frame and a net extending within the frame.
 The frame has first and second upstanding side members and a cross member
 extending between, and connected to the top ends of, the side members. The
 net is formed as a lattice having a perimeter corresponding substantially
 in shape and size to the frame. The net includes a rugged perimeter cord
 along the perimeter of the net, and the perimeter cord has a length
 shorter than that of the perimeter of the net. The perimeter cord is
 fastened to the frame such that the net extends between the side members
 and the cross member. Due to the reduced perimeter of the perimeter cord,
 the net will include a slight blouse when extending over the frame. The
 blouse causes ground balls entering the net to be rebounded with an upward
 velocity component, such that rebounded ground balls bounce. This provides
 a more challenging and realistic return of the ball to the user. The frame
 is modular such that the entire device may be easily assembled,
 disassembled and transported.
 A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,533 to Kellams teaches a support stand
 for a volleyball net comprising five separable components including a
 two-part, tubular pole section a three-part, tubular base. The base
 comprises a tubular T-joint having two 45 degree elbows in a common plane
 with the T-joint, and a right angle elbow extending out from the
 intermediate, right angle opening of the T-joint. Removable leg sections
 fit into the outer ends of the 45 degree elbows to orient the base so that
 the outer end of the right angle elbow opens vertically upward to receive
 the lower end of the two-part tubular pole section. The support stand is
 held in place by the volleyball net and a pair of guy lines which attach
 to the top of the pole section and are anchored to the ground.
 A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,083 to Grunfeld et al. teaches a
 portable soccer goal with rebounding net to return a ball struck into the
 net. The frame of the goal is formed by a pair of vertical posts and a
 long horizontal tube and is secured to the ground by a pair of base
 supports. Pivotable struts further support the vertical posts. The net has
 a sleeve that positively joins the net to the frame over the entire
 horizontal length of the frame, and there is a resilient mainstay cord
 threaded into the net near the periphery. The net and mainstay cord are
 secured by hooks at the base supports, and the net is oriented to the
 outside of the struts. When the struts are spread outwards, the tension in
 the net is increased so as to be sufficient to rebound a ball struck into
 the net.
 A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,889 to Long teaches a portable and
 lightweight soccer practice net that can be quickly attached to and
 removed from an existing soccer goal frame by one person. The net consists
 of a generally nonelastic material with webbing straps attached to its
 perimeter to strengthen the edges of the net. By adjusting the tension in
 the webbing straps, the tension of the net may be varied to allow
 different soccer drills to be practiced. The practice net is capable of
 withstanding high tension forces in excess of 350 pounds to rebound soccer
 balls at nearly the same speed with which they strike the practice net.
 It is apparent that numerous innovations for sport net related devices have
 been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore,.
 even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual
 purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for
 the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for
 rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the ground to
 prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder that avoids the
 disadvantages of the prior art.
 ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for
 rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the ground to
 prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder that is simple and
 inexpensive to manufacture.
 STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for
 rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the ground to
 prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder that is simple to use.
 BRIEFLY STATED, YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a
 device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the
 ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder. The device
 includes a pair of uprights that extend vertically upwardly from the
 ground, a net that extends across the pair of upright, and a pair of guy
 ropes that extend from the pair of uprights and engage the ground. The net
 has a lower lateral edge that hugs the ground to prevent the soccer ball
 from rolling thereunder and a pair of longitudinal ends that replaceably
 engage, respectively, the pair of uprights. Each upright has a
 throughbore. Each longitudinal end of the net is formed into a sleeve that
 replaceably and slidingly receives an associated upright. Each sleeve has
 a throughbore that is aligned with the throughbore in the associated
 upright, which allows an associated rope to pass therethrough and engage
 in the throughbore in the associated upright, with a substantial midpoint
 of the associated rope disposed in the associated upright and with the
 associated rope wrapped around an outer half of the associated upright and
 maintained thereat by a knot.
 The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present
 invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself,
 however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together
 with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood
 from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and
 understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING
 10 device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the
 ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder of the present
 invention
 12 soccer ball
 14 ground
 16 pair of uprights for extending vertically upwardly from ground 14
 18 net
 20 pair of guy ropes for engaging ground 14
 22 lower end of each upright of pair of uprights 16 for engaging ground 14
 24 upper end of each upright of pair of uprights 16
 25 anchor peg depending from lower end 22 of each upright of pair of
 uprights 16
 26 pair of longitudinal ends of net 18
 30 substantial midpoint of each rope of pair of guy ropes 20
 32 lower ends of each rope of pair of guy ropes 20 for engaging ground 14
 33 anchor pegs of pair of guy ropes 20.
 36 throughbore in upper end 24 of each upright of pair of uprights 16
 38 sleeve formed by each longitudinal end of pair of longitudinal ends 26
 of net 18
 40 upper end of sleeve 38 of net 18
 41 outer half of each upright of plurality of uprights 16
 42 throughbore in upper end 40 of sleeve 38 of net 18
 43 knot at substantial midpoint 30 of each rope of plurality of guy ropes
 20
 46 loops formed by lower ends 32 of pair of guy ropes 20
 48 tension bars
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like part,
 and particularly to FIG. 1, the device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked
 thereupon and for hugging the ground to prevent the soccer ball from
 rolling thereunder of the present invention is shown generally at 10 for
 rebounding a soccer ball 12 kicked thereupon and for hugging the ground 14
 to prevent the soccer ball 12 from rolling thereunder.
 The general configuration of the device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked
 thereupon and for hugging the ground to prevent the soccer ball from
 rolling thereunder 10 can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, and as such, will
 be discussed with reference thereto.
 The device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging
 the ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder 10 comprises
 a pair of uprights 16 being horizontally spaced-apart for extending
 vertically upwardly from the ground 14.
 The device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging
 the ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder 10 further
 comprises a net 18 extending replaceably across the pair of uprights 16.
 The device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging
 the ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder 10 further
 comprises a pair of guy ropes 20 extending from the pair of uprights 16
 for engaging the ground 14.
 The specific configuration of the pair of uprights 16, the net 18, and the
 pair of guy ropes 20 can best be seen in FIGS. 4-9, and as such, will be
 discussed with reference thereto.
 Each upright of the pair of uprights 16 is tubular and has a height, a
 lower end 22 for engaging the ground 14, and an upper end 24 that is free.
 The lower end 22 of each upright of the pair of uprights 16 has an anchor
 peg 25 depending longitudinally therefrom for anchoring an associated
 upright of the pair of uprights 16 in the ground 14.
 The net 18 is generally rectangular-shaped and has a lower lateral edge 28
 for hugging the ground 14 for preventing the soccer ball 12 from rolling
 thereunder, a pair of longitudinal ends 26 that replaceably engage,
 respectively, the pair of uprights 16, with the net 18 taut therebetween
 experiencing a tension that together with the net 18 being of a resilient
 material allows the soccer ball 12 kicked thereupon to rebound therefrom,
 and a height substantially equivalent to the height of each upright of the
 pair of uprights 16.
 Each rope of the pair of guy ropes 20 has a substantial midpoint 30 that
 releasably engages the upper end 24 of an associated upright of the pair
 of uprights 16 and lower ends 32 for engaging the ground 14 with anchor
 pegs 33, with the pair of guy ropes 20 exerting a pulling force
 counteracting the tension of the net 18 to maintain the pair of uprights
 16 vertical.
 The upper end 24 of each upright of the pair of uprights 16 has a
 throughbore 36 that is releasably engaged by the substantial midpoint 30
 of an associated rope 30 of the pair of guy ropes 20.
 Each longitudinal end of the pair of longitudinal ends 26 of the net 18 is
 formed into a sleeve 38 that replaceably and slidingly receives an
 associated upright of the pair of uprights 16, and has an upper end 40.
 The upper end 40 of the sleeve 38 of each longitudinal end of the pair of
 longitudinal ends 26 of the net 18 has a throughbore 42 that is aligned
 with the throughbore 36 in the upper end 24 of an associated upright of
 the pair of uprights 16, which allows an associated rope of the pair of
 guy ropes 20 to pass therethrough and engage in the throughbore 36 in the
 upper end 24 of the associated upright of the pair of uprights 16, with
 the substantial midpoint 30 of the associated rope of the pair of guy
 ropes 20 disposed in the associated upright of the pair of uprights and
 with the associated rope of the pair of guy ropes 20 wrapped around an
 outer half 41 of the associated upright of the pair of uprights 16 and
 maintained thereat by a knot 43.
 The lower ends 32 of each guy rope of the pair of guy ropes 20 are formed
 into loops 46 that receive the anchor pegs 33 for engaging the ground 14,
 with the loops 46 being formed by tension bars 48.
 It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or
 more together, may also find a useful application in other types of
 constructions differing from the types described above.
 While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a
 device for rebounding a soccer ball kicked thereupon and for hugging the
 ground to prevent the soccer ball from rolling thereunder, however, it is
 not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various
 omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and
 details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those
 skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the
 present invention.
 Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of
 the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,
 readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that,
 from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the
 generic or specific aspects of this invention.