Abstract:
A vandal resistant sports goal net clip, or fastener, for attaching nets to the frames of sports goals. The fasteners are difficult to remove by hand and require the use of a separate tool to attach and remove the net from the frame. Sports goal assemblies and methods of securing nets to goal frames are also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/636,573, filed Dec. 16, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to securing nets to sport goal frames, and more particularly to a fastener, a goal assembly, and a method for securing sports nets to goal frames.  
         [0003]     A conventional goal, such as a soccer goal, includes a pair of goal posts connected by a crossbar which together define a goal mouth. Such goals typically include other framework such as back bottom bars, base bars, backstays, back net posts and the like used to hold the net in an upright position a spaced distance behind the goal mouth.  
         [0004]     Goal nets are typically made of braided or twisted polyethylene, polyester, or HTPP rope or the like that forms a mesh and may include a perimeter rope to hold the edges of the net together. The goal net is typically secured to the perimeter of the goal frame with flexible ties or with S-shaped clips having one end engaging the perimeter of the net and the other end attached to the frame.  
         [0005]     A net fastening system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,266 issued to Caruso, which is owned by Kwik Goal Ltd., the assignee of the present application. The system includes a goal frame having a channel extending along the perimeter of the frame. The perimeter rope of the net is secured within the channel of the goal posts using U-shaped clips. The Kwik Lock® Net Channel System has proven to be commercially successful due to the ease with which nets can be secured and removed from goal frames without the use of separate tools.  
         [0006]     Examples of other sports goals and nets are disclosed by U.S. patent Nos.: U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,892 issued to Dennis; U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,595 B1 issued to Monnet; U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,931 B1 issued to Reeves; U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,096 B1 issued to Green; U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,598 issued to Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,891 issued to Neisius; U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,253 B1 issued to Szwalek; U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,878 B1 issued to Munro; U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,415 issued to Gates et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,024 issued to Acuff et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,916 issued to Palm; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,056 issued to Schmutte. Examples of clips in general are disclosed by U.S. patent Nos: U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,166 issued to Makus; U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,879 issued to Stall; U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,524 issued to Fein; U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,395 issued to Romano; U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,684 issued to Haimovitz; U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,286 B1 issued to Simonar; U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,745 B1 issued to Taylor et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,138 issued to Sobel.  
         [0007]     While the clips, goals, and net fastening devices disclosed in the above referenced patents may function in an acceptable manner, there is a need for a clip, goal assembly, and method that enable a sports net to be readily secured to a goal frame in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort and that provides pilfer and tamper resistance. Preferably, the clip should resist removal by hand and should require the use of a removal tool.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to one aspect of the present invention, a sports goal assembly is provided. The assembly includes a goal net, a goal frame defining a goal mouth, and one or more tamper resistant fasteners used to secure the goal net to the goal frame. Removal of the goal net from the goal frame requires use of a separate tool thereby deterring unwanted removal of the goal net and fasteners from the goal frame.  
         [0009]     According to a preferred assembly, the goal net has a peripheral edge, or rope, and the goal frame has an elongate channel in which the peripheral edge of the goal net can be secured. The channel is defined by a pair of spaced-apart longitudinally-extending sidewalls and an elongate opening defined by a pair of inturned flanges. The tamper resistant fastener has a head section and a depending body section. The body section is insertable into the channel and is positionable into a locking position within the channel. When the fastener is rotated into the locking position, an audible snapping sound is produced, and the fastener frictionally engages at least one of the inturned flanges and sidewalls of the channel to capture the peripheral edge of the net within the channel. The head section of the fastener has a substantially purchase-free, or non-manually grippable, upper surface that is difficult to grasp and turn by hand when the fastener is frictionally engaged with the channel. The head section has a tool engaging surface mechanically engagable by a separate tool for use in rotating the fastener from the locking position to an unlocking position permitting removal of the fastener and net from the channel.  
         [0010]     According to another aspect of the present application, a method of assembling a net to a sports goal frame is provided such that removal of the goal net from the goal frame requires the use of a separate tool, thereby deterring unwanted removal of the goal net and fasteners from the goal frame. The method includes inserting a peripheral edge of the goal net and a body section of a fastener into a channel of the goal frame. Thereafter, a head section of the fastener is mechanically engaged by a separate tool and is rotated into a locking position within the channel so that the fastener frictionally engages inturned flanges or opposite sidewalls of the channel to secure the fastener to the channel and capture the peripheral edge of the goal net within the channel. The head section of the fastener has a substantially purchase-free upper surface which is difficult to grasp and turn by hand when the fastener is frictionally engaged with the channel. Removal requires use of the separate tool.  
         [0011]     According to a further aspect of the present invention, a fastener or clip is provided for use in securing a sports net to a frame of a sports goal. The fastener has a head section and a narrow body section that depends from the head section. The head section has a substantially purchase-free upper surface and a tool engaging surface mechanically engagable by a separate tool. The body section includes a spaced-apart pair of legs having foot members extending outwardly in opposite directions. Each foot member extends a predetermined spaced distance underneath an underside of the head section. The predetermined spaced distance is of a size enabling the fastener to frictionally engage the inturned flanges of the channel between the foot member and the underside of the head section when the fastener is in a locking position within the channel to secure the net to the frame. The upper surface of the head section is substantially non-manually grippable since it is shaped to be difficult to grasp and turn by hand when the fastener is frictionally engaged with the channel. This deters theft and unwanted removal of the attached net.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a goal frame of a sports goal according to the prior art;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a sports goal and net assembly according to the prior art;  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are perspective views of a section of a goal post and net fastening clip according to the prior art;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a tamper resistant clip, or fastener, according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the clip, or fastener, illustrated in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of the clip, or fastener, illustrated in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the clip, or fastener, illustrated in  FIG. 7  along line  8 - 8 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the clip, or fastener, illustrated in  FIG. 5 ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of a section of a goal frame in which the clip, or fastener, according to the present invention is secured. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     An example of a goal frame  10  for a sports goal is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The goal frame  10  includes a pair of upright goal posts  12  and a crossbar  14  defining a goal mouth  16 . A pair of backstays  18  extend rearwardly from the posts  12 . Although a soccer goal is shown in the illustrated drawings, the present invention can be used in connection with lacrosse goals as well as goals for other sports and goals of various sizes, shapes and designs.  
         [0023]     An example of an assembled sports goal  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The goal  20  includes a goal net  22  secured to a goal frame  24  formed from front upright posts  26 , a crossbar  28 , backstays  30 , and a rear bottom bar  32 .  
         [0024]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a prior art system of assembling a net to a sports goal frame. The rearwardly facing side  34  of an upright post  26  of a goal frame includes a longitudinally-extending channel  36 . The channel  36  includes a rear wall  38 , a pair of longitudinally-extending sidewalls  40  and  42 , and a pair of inturned flanges  44  and  46  defining an elongate opening  48  of the channel  36 . The side edge  50  of net  22  is connected to the post  26  with a net fastening clip  52 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the clip  52  can be oriented relative to the opening  50  to permit the clip  52  to be partially inserted into the channel  36 . Thereafter, the clip  52  can be rotated 90° so that the clip is captured within the channel  36  thereby securing the net  22  to the post  26 . This system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,266 issued to Caruso, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0025]     The above referenced system enables nets to be quickly, easily, and reliably secured to goal frames manually by hand without the use of tools. Removal can be accomplished just as quickly and easily without the use of tools. In some situations, it is desirable to provide prevention with respect to the tampering and/or theft of nets. The above referenced prior art clips do not provide such a feature.  
         [0026]     The present invention overcomes the above stated problem with the use of a tamper resistant fastener, or clip,  60  that enables quick, easy and reliable securement of a net to a goal frame while being resistant to unwanted removal. As illustrated in  FIGS. 5-9 , the fastener  60  according to the present invention has a head section  62  and a body section  64  depending therefrom. The head section  62  is substantially dome-shaped having a smooth upper surface  66  that is formed or shaped to be difficult to grasp and turn by hand when the fastener  60  is secured to a goal frame in a locked position. Accordingly, the upper surface  66  is referred to herein as a substantially non-manually grippable, or purchase-free, surface. A depression  68  is centrally disposed on the head section  62  and provides a tool-engaging surface that can be utilized to unlock the fastener from the goal frame. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the walls of the depression  68  are hex-shaped and are adapted to be engaged by a hex wrench or like tool. Other shaped depressions and the like can be used with corresponding shaped special tools or keys.  
         [0027]     The body section  64  of the fastener  60  includes a parallel pair of legs  70  spaced apart by an open slot  72 . Legs  70  have outwardly-extending feet  74  extending in opposite directions and each having an upper surface  76  spaced a predetermined distance “A” from the underside  78  of the head section  62 . The upper surface  76  of the feet  74  and the underside  78  of the head section  62  are substantially flat and parallel to one another. The total length “L” of both feet  74  measured between the distal ends  80  of the feet  74  is approximately equal to the cross-wise dimension, or diameter, “D” of the head section  62 . In addition, the width “W” of each foot  74  is relatively narrow and significantly less than the dimension “D” of the head section  62  and length “L” of the feet  74 .  
         [0028]     The fastener  60  is injection molded of one-piece integral hard durable plastic. As an example, a hard durable plastic such as DELRIN 107 manufactured by E.I. Dupont De Nemours and Company Corporation can be utilized. Alternatively, other plastic materials as well as other materials such as metal, steel and the like may be used to form the fastener  60  provided they have the requisite elastic properties.  
         [0029]     According to the present invention, the goal frame  82  includes an elongate channel  84 , such as a C-shaped channel. For example, the channel is formed by an elongate recess extending longitudinally in all sections of the frame  82  to which the peripheral edge  86  of the net is to be attached to the frame  82 . The channels  84  extend continually along the length thereof and may or may not have interruptions. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the channel  84  includes an inner wall  88 , a pair of longitudinally-extending sidewalls  90 , and a pair of inturned flanges  92  extending from each sidewall  90 . The inturned flanges  92  define the width “B” of the opening  94  of the channel  84 . Channels according to other contemplated embodiments may not include sidewalls and/or an inner wall.  
         [0030]     When the feet  74  of the fastener  60  are oriented parallel to the channel opening  94 , the body section  62  of the fastener can be inserted into the channel  84 . The edge, perimeter rope, tie rope, or the like  86  of the net can be positioned within the slot  72  between the legs  70  of the fastener for insertion into the channel  84  with the fastener  60 . Alternatively, the edge, perimeter rope, tie rope, or the like  86  of the net can be positioned within the channel  84  before the fastener  60  is inserted into the channel  84 . Thereafter, the fastener  60  is rotated about 90° to position the inturned flanges  92  between the feet  74  and head section  62  of the fastener  60  in a so-called locking position (see  FIG. 10 ). Rotation of the fastener  60  to the locking position is preferably accomplished with the use of a hex wrench, tool, key or the like (not shown).  
         [0031]     When the fastener  60  is in the locking position, each inturned flange  92  is wedged between and frictionally engaged by the underside  78  of the head section  62  and the upper surface  76  of one of the feet  74  of the fastener  60 . In this position, it is extremely difficult for the head section  62  to be gripped by hand and turned. Thus, unwanted removal or theft of the net is prevented.  
         [0032]     Preferably, the distal ends  80  of the feet  74  simultaneously engage the opposite sidewalls  90  of the channel  84 . Thus, as best illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the inturned flanges  92  are wedged between the head section  62  and feet  74  of the fastener  60  and the feet  74  of the fastener  60  are wedged between the sidewalls  90  of the channel  84  to ensure that the fastener  60  is locked to the goal frame. Preferably, the length “L” of the feet  74  is slightly greater than the width “C” of the channel, and the legs  70  of the fastener  60  are substantially resilient. Thus, when the fastener  60  is rotated into the locking position, legs  70  are forced to deflect toward one another by the sidewalls  80  of the channel  84  into in a substantially spring-loaded position. This further ensures a tight connection. In addition, the resilient flexure of the legs and sidewalls causes an audible snap-action sound to be produced, thereby providing a “locked” indicator.  
         [0033]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the perimeter rope  86  of the net is captured within the channel  84  below the level of the channel opening  94  by the fastener  60  when the fastener  60  is locked to the channel  84 . The depth “E” of the channel  84  is greater than the thickness of the feet  74  of the fastener  60 . Thus, the feet  74  of the fastener  60  do not extend to the inner wall  88  of the channel  84  thereby providing a relatively large space defined by the bottom of the fastener  60  and the sidewalls  90  and inner wall  88  of the channel  84  within which the perimeter rope  86  of the net is housed. This ensures that the channel  84  provides ample space for the perimeter rope  86  regardless of the size, or diameter, of the rope  86 . In addition, since the perimeter rope  86  is located entirely within the channel  84 , it is protected from the elements thereby lengthening its useable life.  
         [0034]     When removal of the net from the goal frame is desired, a special tool, such as a hex wrench or like key, is inserted into depression  68  of the head section  62  to rotate the fastener about 90° from the locking position. The fastener  60  and net  86  can then be removed from the channel  84  since the width “W” of the feet  74  is less than the width “B” of the opening  94  of the channel  84 .  
         [0035]     The method of securing a net to a goal frame according to the present invention is as follows. A section of a perimeter rope of a net  86  is placed in slot  72  of the fastener  60 . If the net does not include a perimeter rope, the edges of the net itself may be inserted in the slot. A hex tool or the like is inserted into depression  68  on the head section  62  of the fastener  60 , and the feet  74  of the fastener  60  are aligned parallel to the opening  94  of the channel  84  of the goal frame  82 . The fastener  60  and perimeter rope of the net  86  are inserted, preferably simultaneously, into the channel  84 , and the tool is used to rotate the fastener  60  about 90° into a locking position in which the inturned flanges  92  of the channel  84  are frictionally engaged by the head section  62  and feet  74  of the fastener  60 . The frictional engagement is sufficiently strong to secure the fastener  60  to the goal frame  82  and to prevent manual rotation of the fastener  60  without the tool.  
         [0036]     Preferably, as discussed above, the feet  74  of the fastener  60  are clamped or wedged between the sidewalls  90  of the channel  84 . This frictional engagement is also sufficiently strong to secure the fastener  60  to the goal frame  82  and to prevent manual rotation of the fastener  60  without the tool. The distal ends  80  of the feet  74  can be rounded or chamfered to enable the feet to be more readily brought to a crosswise position in the channel. The legs  70  of the fastener  60  have a some elasticity which allows the feet  74  to engage the sidewalls  90  of the channel  84  in a spring-loaded condition.  
         [0037]     A sufficient number of fasteners  60  are secured to the goal frame at spaced intervals of about eight to sixteen inches so that the net is securely connected to the goal frame with no gaps between the goal frame and net to allow a soccer ball or the like to pass therethrough. When removal is desired, the tool is utilized to rotate and remove the fasteners and net from the channels. The fasteners  60  can be adapted to be turned by any suitable hand tool that is not typically carried by an ordinary passerby, such as a common or Phillips head screwdriver, Allen wrench, or the like.  
         [0038]     While preferred fasteners, assemblies, and methods have been described in detail, various modifications, alterations, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the fasteners, assemblies, and methods according to the present invention as defined in the appended claims.