Abstract:
A hockey practice system for improving a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills in an entertaining manner. The hockey practice system includes a panel having a plurality of openings, a first support and a second support pivotally attached to the sides of the panel, and a plurality of targets removably positionable within the openings. The targets are preferably comprised of a resilient material for frictionally engaging within the openings of the panel. A goalie member may be attached to the front of the panel.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable to this application. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable to this application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a hockey shooting skills practice apparatus and more specifically it relates to a hockey practice system for improving a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills in an entertaining manner. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Hockey players typically practice by shooting at an empty hockey goal or against a wall. There has been previously attempted puck shooting ranges (U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,304), target assemblies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,283) and panel silhouettes positionable in front of a hockey goal (U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,062). 
     While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for improving a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills in an entertaining manner. Conventional hockey shooting practice devices do not simultaneously provide entertainment while encouraging the hockey player to aim for specific locations of the goal. 
     In these respects, the hockey practice system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of improving a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills in an entertaining manner. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of hockey shooting practice systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new hockey practice system construction wherein the same can be utilized for improving a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills in an entertaining manner. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new hockey practice system that has many of the advantages of the hockey practice devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new hockey practice system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art hockey practice devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a panel having a plurality of openings, a first support and a second support pivotally attached to the sides of the panel, and a plurality of targets removably positionable within the openings. The targets are preferably comprised of a resilient material for frictionally engaging within the openings of the panel. A goalie member may be attached to the front of the panel. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a hockey practice system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. 
     A second object is to provide a hockey practice system for improving a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills in an entertaining manner. 
     Another object is to provide a hockey practice system that is portable. 
     An additional object is to provide a hockey practice system that is easy to setup, use and store. 
     A further object is to provide a hockey practice system that assists a hockey player in developing their shooting techniques and accuracy (e.g. shot release, shot follow through). 
     Another object is to provide a hockey practice system that creates a fun and entertaining environment for practicing a hockey player&#39;s shooting skills. 
     A further object is to provide a hockey practice system that may be utilized in either an ice rink or a non-ice environment. 
     Another object is to provide a hockey practice system that does not require a second person to serve as a goalie. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the present invention with a target being removed by a puck. 
         FIG. 2  is an upper perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an upper perspective view of the present invention with the targets removed. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the present invention with the support members folded. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of an alternative embodiment illustrating a goalie figure in front of the panel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Overview 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 through 8  illustrate a hockey practice system  10 , which comprises a panel  20  having a plurality of openings  30 , a first support  24  and a second support  26  pivotally attached to the sides of the panel  20 , and a plurality of targets  40  removably positionable within the openings  30 . The targets  40  are preferably comprised of a resilient material for frictionally engaging within the openings  30  of the panel  20 . A goalie member  50  may be attached to the front of the panel  20 . 
     B. Panel 
       FIGS. 1 through 4  best illustrate the panel  20 . The panel  20  is preferably positionable in an upright substantially vertical position as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  7  of the drawings. The panel  20  may be comprised of a any conventional rigid material such as but not limited to plastic, metal, composite, wood or the like. 
     The panel  20  includes a plurality of openings  30  as best shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. The openings  30  may have various shapes, however it is preferable to have the opening comprised of a square shape. The openings  30  are preferably sufficient in size to allow a puck  12 , ball or other object being engaged with a hockey stick to pass through as shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
     The plurality of openings  30  are preferably comprised of at least two vertical rows and/or at least two horizontal rows as shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. Other configurations for the openings  30  may be achieved depending upon the purpose as shown in  FIG. 8  wherein the goalie member  50  covers a portion of the openings  30 .  FIG. 3  illustrates that it is preferable that 16 openings  30  extend through the panel  20  forming a 4×4 structure. 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  5  and  7  illustrate a handle  22  preferably attached to an upper portion of the panel  20 . The handle  22  may be grasped by the user to transport the panel  20  to various locations. The handle  22  may have various structures other than illustrated in the drawings. 
     C. Supports 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  of the drawings, a first support  24  and a second support  26  are preferably pivotally attached to the side portions of the panel  20  for providing support to the panel  20  in a vertical manner. The first support  24  and the second support  26  preferably pivot inwardly substantially parallel to the panel  20  to form a compact storage position as best shown in  FIG. 6  of the drawings. When the first support  24  and the second support  26  are fully extended as shown in  FIG. 5  of the drawings, the supports  24 ,  26  prevent the panel  20  from falling forwardly or rearwardly. 
     D. Targets 
     The plurality of targets  40  each preferably are comprised of a square shape positionable within the plurality of openings  30  as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4  of the drawings. The plurality of targets  40  are preferably comprised of a resilient material such as but not limited to sponge, foam, rubber and the like. The plurality of targets  40  are preferably larger than the plurality of openings  30  to allow for frictional engagement of the targets  40  within the openings  30 . 
     An indicia (e.g. number, letter) is preferably positioned upon each of the plurality of targets  40  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4  of the drawings. The panel  20  also preferably includes a corresponding number of indicia adjacent each of the openings  30  that correspond to the indicia on the targets  40  thereby indicating where the targets  40  are to be positioned within the panel  20 . The targets  40  may also have different colors such as the even numbered targets  40  having a first color and the odd numbered targets  40  having a second color. 
     E. Goalie Member 
     A goalie member  50  may also be attached to a front portion of said panel  20  as shown in  FIG. 8  of the drawings. The goalie member  50  is preferably shaped to represent an actual goalie thereby illustrating the desired targets  40  to shoot at with the puck  12 . 
     F. Operation of Invention 
     In use, the user preferably lays the panel  20  flat on the ground surface. The user then inserts the targets  40  into the corresponding openings  30  within the panel  20  thereby ensuring that the front surface of the targets  40  will be aligned with the front surface of the panel  20  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings. The user then manipulates the panel  20  into an upright position as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4  of the drawings. The hockey player thereafter shoots at the targets  40  with the intention of driving one of the targets  40  from the panel  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
     Various games may be played with the present invention. For example, one of the targets  40  may be identified as the “last target” wherein the player who knocks out this identified target  40  is the winner of the game. Another game that may be played includes each player taking a specific color or even/odd numbered group of targets  40  with the goal of driving out their respective targets  40  within the group. Another game includes each player being dealt a plurality of cards with each card corresponding to one of the targets  40  (e.g. Ace to 1, 2 to 2, 3 to 3) where each player attempts to drive out the targets  40  corresponding to the cards in their hand. Another game includes utilizing two panels  20  instead of goaltenders. It can be appreciated that various other games may be played with the present invention. 
     What has been described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodiment of the invention along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is intended to be defined by the following claims (and their equivalents) in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.