Abstract:
The apparatus a control box for controlling a plurality of basketball backstops, basketball height adjusters and curtains to separate arena courts. The control box includes a numeric or alphanumeric keypad and additional keys for activating control lines which further activate switch means which, in turn, activate power lines for controlling the basketball backstops, basketball height adjusters, curtains and auxiliary gymnasium equipment.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/413,664 filed on Oct. 6, 1999. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention pertains to a control box for controlling a plurality of basketball backstops, basketball height adjusters, curtains to separate arena courts, and auxiliary gymnasium equipment.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    It is known in the prior art to have basketball arenas which can be configured into a plurality of individual practice courts by curtains between practice courts. It is further known that the basketball backstops can be positioned for play or folded away for storage. Similarly, the height of the basketball backboard may be adjustable for practice purposes or to compensate for different skill levels of different groups. However, the adjustment of these backstops, height adjusters and backboards has typically been done manually and/or on an individual basis. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,296 relates to the adjustment of the height of a single backboard. Moreover, while goal backboards may be raised or lowered and the screens moved by electric motors, each is typically controlled by an individual key-operated switch. The switches for each unit can be centralized on a panel, but still separate keys are needed for each unit and for the operation of the curtain separators. While control of multiple overhead doors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,485, this has not heretofore been shown to be applicable to large basketball arenas.  
         OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for centralized electronic control of the basketball backstops, height adjusters, curtains to separate arena courts and auxiliary gymnasium equipment.  
           [0007]    It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide centralized electronic control of basketball backstops, height adjusters, curtains and auxiliary gymnasium equipment wherein the need for separate mechanical keys for each operation is eliminated.  
           [0008]    It is therefore a still further object of this invention to provide centralized electronic control of basketball backstops, height adjusters, curtains and auxiliary gymnasium equipment wherein the need for a panel with separate keyholes for each operation is eliminated, but where security can be maintained so that unauthorized users cannot make these adjustments, but temporary access may be granted for maintenance workers and temporary workers.  
           [0009]    This object is met by providing a centralized numeric or alphanumeric keypad wherein a security code, the type of operation (up or down), type of equipment (backstop, height adjuster, curtain or auxiliary gymnasium equipment), the number of the item being moved (e.g., backstop number 1, 2 or 3, etc.) can be entered, resulting in electrical control of the various mechanical devices in accordance with the instructions entered. The centralized keypad typically operates and generates relay control signals at a lower voltage, such as 12 volts. The control relays, in turn, control a substantially higher voltage, such as 120 volts, which is used to move the various mechanical devices. This affords for increased safety, allows for reduced cost and complexity of implementing the use of the centralized keypad and further allows for the consolidation of power lines. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the keyboard of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a schematic of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a schematic of some of the various power lines of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a schematic of some of the various control lines as they relate to some of the various power lines of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a schematic of various other circuitry relating to the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a schematic of the circuitry relating to the header generation and the input to the relay box.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the keypad  10  of the present invention. As shown in the various figures, keypad  10  typically operates at a relatively low voltage, such as twelve volts. This allows for reduced cost and complexity of keypad  10 , reduces installation costs, reduces insulation requirements, eliminates the need for a conduit for the cables and provides increased safety.  
         [0018]    Typically, a user would enter a confidential user&#39;s number or customized access code on the numeric (or alphanumeric) keys  12 . This prevents unauthorized use and may be changed when operators leave. Moreover, this can be programmed to provide temporary access for maintenance workers and temporary workers. This is electronically implemented by the ROM  13  and the CPU  15  shown in FIG. 6. The user would then choose whether a backstop, a height adjuster, a curtain or auxiliary device is intended to be moved by choosing corresponding keys  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 , respectively, then would choose the number of the intended backstop, height adjuster or curtain intended to be moved by entering the corresponding number on numeric (or alphanumeric) keys  12 . The user would then press either the “up/on” key  22  or the “down/off” key  24  to command the corresponding operations, corresponding to the “up”, “down” or “neutral” lines shown in FIG. 2, which generate relay control signals  28  which are communicated to FIG. 4. FIG. 2 further illustrates auxiliary latched relays  35  which allow the operation and control of on/off devices (via keypad  10 ) such as lights, scoreboards, public address systems or any other pieces of equipment compatible with the power supply, such as 120 volts, 15 amps.  
         [0019]    Additionally, keypad  10  can have programming capabilities as controlled by the various keys  12 - 20 , and the functions of the various keys can be reprogrammed with various numbers assigned by the customer to various pieces of equipment (allows for customer assigned equipment designators or numbering changes), as implemented by the ROM  13  and the CPU  15  shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0020]    Alternatively, keypad  10  can be implemented as a touch screen with virtual animation and can be customized for a particular application.  
         [0021]    Typically, the output of control unit  26  associated with keypad  10  would be communicated as the various relay control signals  28  as shown in FIG. 3, typically operating at twelve volts. As shown in FIG. 4, these relay control signals  28  activate switches  30  which apply 120 VAC, 15 amp, power supply  32  thereby generating relay power signals  34  which are arranged, as shown in FIG. 2, as the “up” or “down” relay lines, that is, relay power lines (in combination with the illustrated neutral or ground lines). As a single power supply line powers all equipment operated by keypad  10 , the power supply is consolidated thereby reducing the cable, conduit and labor requirements. Similarly, there is no need for individual power feeds from the breaker to each piece of equipment. This reduces installation expenses.  
         [0022]    While it has been envisioned that there would be ten relay sets in a relay box, it has been further envisioned that twenty relay sets in a relay box would offer the advantages of being able to operate more winches with a single relay box and of being able to reduce the overall costs for larger gyms both in the equipment required and the labor required for the associated wiring, etc.  
         [0023]    Additionally, multiple relay boxes may be connected in series and controlled by a single keypad  10 . Dipswitches  27  (see FIG. 3) within the relay boxes are set to establish the addresses of each set of relays within a given box.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a schematic of various other circuitry relating to the present invention while FIG. 6 is a schematic of the circuitry relating to the header generation and the input to the relay box.  
         [0025]    Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a single preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.