Patent Publication Number: US-8523715-B2

Title: Basketball backboard and rim mounting system

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application No. 13/490,561, filed Jun. 7, 2012. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/490,561 is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 8,206,247, issued Jun. 26, 2012, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention deals with basketball goals, and specifically deals with an arrangement to mount a basketball backboard and a rim to a support arrangement. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the rise in popularity of the sport of basketball and the frequency of larger players, it has become a well-known and sensational shot to “slam dunk” or dunk the ball. When a player dunks the ball, the player jumps to a position adjacent to and preferably above the basketball rim, stuffs the ball through the net, and may impact, hold or hang from the basketball rim. In such a situation, the sudden impact force combined with a rigid rim structure can lead to injury of the player or damage to the rim and/or backboard. As a result, resilient breakaway basketball rims have become popular. 
     A typical breakaway basketball goal includes a rim assembly including a rim and an attachment bracket. The attachment bracket is attached to the backboard. Frequent impacts and/or sudden shear pressures can wear on the bracket, leading to breakage of the bracket and/or backboard. Accordingly, there is a need for a safer backboard and basketball rim mounting system. The present invention addresses these needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain embodiments of the present system deal with a basketball goal assembly which adjustably supports a backboard assembly and a rim assembly to enable players to play the game of basketball. In certain preferred aspects, the rim assembly is connected directly to the support arrangement so that force applied to the rim assembly is transmitted directly to the support assembly and is not transferred to the backboard assembly. In one embodiment a basketball goal system, includes a support having a base end and an upper end, a backboard assembly including a backboard panel and a basketball rim assembly. The backboard panel defines a rim assembly opening. A parallelogram structure has at least one upper arm with a rearward end pivotally connected to the support and at least one lower arm with a rearward end pivotally connected to the support. The parallelogram structure includes at least one forward arm having a lower end pivotally connected to a forward end of the lower arm, a central pivot point pivotally connected to a forward end of the upper arm and an upper end connected to the backboard assembly. A brace extends forward from the forward parallelogram arm and is connected to the basketball rim assembly through the rim assembly opening. 
     In another embodiment, a basketball goal system includes a support supported at a vertical relationship to a support surface and defining a vertical axis substantially perpendicular to the support surface and a backboard assembly. A parallelogram structure mounts the backboard assembly to a forward side of the support. The parallelogram structure includes at least one upper arm pivotally connected to the support at a point offset forward from the vertical axis and at least one lower arm pivotally connected to the support at a point offset rearward from the vertical axis. 
     It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide an improved basketball goal assembly. 
     Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent from the detailed drawings and descriptions provided herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective side view of a basketball assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the support assembly, backboard assembly and rim assembly according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective front view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  without the rim assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4  without the backboard assembly. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the upper end of the support assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations, modifications, and further applications of the principles of the invention being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
     Certain embodiments of the present system deal with a basketball goal assembly which adjustably supports a backboard assembly and a rim assembly to enable players to play the game of basketball. In certain preferred aspects, the rim assembly is connected directly to the support arrangement so that force applied to the rim assembly and is not transferred to the backboard assembly. 
     Generally, basketball system  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1-7  includes a support element extending upward from a support surface. An adjustable parallelogram structure extends on a forward side of the upright to support and holds the backboard assembly  90  and the rim assembly  100 . A portion of the parallelogram structure extends rearwardly of the support element and can be moved upward or downward, for example with a telescoping cylinder connected to the upright, to adjust the height of the backboard assembly and rim assembly relative to the support surface is transmitted directly to the support 
     In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , assembly  10  includes an upright support  20  typically formed as a vertical tube or pole. In certain preferred embodiments, the support  20  defines a vertical pole axis P-P perpendicular to the support surface, although in certain less preferred embodiments an angled upright may be used. Support  20  has a lower end  22  supported by a support surface, typically through an in-ground installation or on a portable base. Support  20  has an upper end  24  to which the parallelogram assembly  40  is mounted. 
     Parallelogram assembly  40  includes at least one and preferably a pair of upper arms  42  pivotally mounted adjacent their rearward ends  44  to points adjacent upper end  24  of the support, and at least one and preferably a pair of lower arms  52  also pivotally mounted to points adjacent the upper end  24  of the support  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, rear portions  54  of lower arms  52  include an extension portion  58  extending rearwardly of support  20 . Extension end  58  is pivotally mounted to an upper end of a telescopic extension cylinder  30  which extends downward and is linked to a midpoint of support  20 . The lower end of cylinder  30  is connected at a pivot point  25  to a pair of flanges  26  mounted on the rear face of support  20 . A crank member  32  can be controlled by a user to extend or retract telescoping cylinder  30  and to correspondingly raise or lower extension end  58  of the parallelogram structure. Telescoping cylinder may have a round, square or alternate cross-section. Extension end  58  may alternately be a rearward portion of one or both of upper arms  42 . 
     As seen most clearly in  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  6 , a pair of forward “Y” arms  70  have lower ends  74  connected to the forward ends  56  of lower arms  52 , central points  76  pivotally connected to the forward ends  46  of upper arms  42  and upper ends  72  which are mounted to the backboard assembly  90 . In certain embodiments the upper ends  72  are connected to opposite vertical side edges of backboard assembly  90 . In some embodiments, upper ends  72  are connected to backboard assembly in a non-pivoting fixed angular arrangement. As illustrated, forward arms  70  include central portions  78  between central points  76  and lower ends  74  and offset lengths  79  to offset the upper ends horizontally outward from said central pivot points. In alternate embodiments only one arm or a different arrangement of arms can extend from the parallelogram assembly  40  to support the backboard assembly  90 . 
     Preferably the four pivot points or pairs of pivot points defined by arms  42 ,  52  and  70  and support  20 , namely upper rear pivot points  45 , lower rear pivot points  55 , upper forward pivot points  47  and lower forward pivot points  57  define an adjustable parallelogram structure which causes upper arms  42  and lower arms  52  to remain in parallel during adjustment of the parallelogram. 
     As shown in further detail in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , in the illustrated embodiment a crossbar  79  extends between central portions  78  of forward arms  70 . A brace arm  80  extends forward along axis F-F from a rear end  82  mounted to crossbar  79  to a forward end  84  connected to a forward bracket  86 . 
     Basketball rim assembly  100  includes a rim  102  and a rearward bracket  104 . Basketball rim  102  typically extends forward from bracket  104 . Backboard assembly  90  includes a backboard panel member  92  in a vertical plane along axis B-B. The backboard panel is made of sheet material such as glass, acrylic or wood and is preferably surrounded by a peripheral frame  94 . Frame  94 , for example, can be an aluminum frame. Preferably, panel  92  defines a panel opening  96  in substantially a size and shape, for example a square or rectangle, to allow passage of a connection from rim bracket  104  to forward bracket  86 . An optional spacer pad  110  may be used between rim bracket  104  and forward bracket  86 . Forward bracket  86  may also be secured, for example at its lower edge to the backboard assembly frame  94  to assist in maintaining the backboard assembly stable and in a desired vertical axis B-B. 
     Rim assembly  100  is not connected to backboard panel  92 . In certain embodiments, rim bracket  104  is directly and securely connected to forward bracket  86  through opening  96 , for example with four bolts. As such, force transmitted to the rim assembly  100  is directly transmitted to bracket  86  and brace  80  without applying stress or force to the backboard panel. 
     In certain preferred embodiments, axes of forward arms  70 , brace  80  and backboard assembly  90  form a fixed triangle as seen in  FIG. 6 . Specifically, axes A 2 -A 2 , B-B and F-F are connected at fixed angles θ, α and β which do not pivot or change as the height of backboard assembly  90  is raised and lowered. Further, by maintaining non-vertical axis A 2 -A 2  parallel to non-vertical fixed axis A 1 -A 1  associated with vertical support  20 , the linkage maintains backboard axis B-B is a substantially vertical orientation perpendicular to the support surface regardless of height. 
     Illustrated in detail in  FIG. 7 , lower rear pivot point  55  is preferably mounted to upright  20  at a distance offset rearward from pole axis P-P of support  20 , for example with a bolt or axle through a rear pivot channel  28 . Preferably upper rear pivot point  45  is mounted to upright  20  at a distance offset forward of pole axis P-P, for example using a bolt or axle extending through a forward pivot channel  29 . As example, pivot channels  28  and  29  may be formed by drilled holes in support  20  or by pivot tubes welded to support  20 . Preferably the respective offset distances of lower rear pivot point  55  and upper rear pivot point  45  define a non-vertical angled axis A 1 -A 1  at a fixed angle relative to pole axis P-P and forming one side of the parallelogram arrangement. The longitudinal axis of A 2 -A 2  of forward arms  70  is parallel to axis A 1 -A 1 . In alternate embodiments, the upper rear pivot point can be mounted rearward of axis P-P and the lower pivot point is mounted forward, with a corresponding angular change in the forward arms, brace and fixed triangle mounting of backboard assembly  90 . 
     In operation, crank  32  may be turned by a user to extend or retract cylinder  30  and to correspondingly raise or lower extension end  58  of the parallelogram relative to pivot point  25 . Pivotal movement of the rearward extension end  58  around lower rear pivot point  55  correspondingly lowers or raises the forward end  56  of lower arms  52  and through the linkage arrangement correspondingly raises and lowers upper arms  42  and forward arms  70 . Raising and lowering of forward arms  70  controls the raising and lowering of backboard assembly  90  and correspondingly rim assembly  100  to a desired height. 
     The goal assembly may be made from standard materials such as steel or stainless steel. The pole, support arms and rim assembly may be painted for distinctiveness or decoration and to protect the metal of the goal assembly. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.