Patent Publication Number: US-2022233932-A1

Title: Hoop Assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a hoop device and assembly and games to play using it. More particularly the present disclosure relates to a hoop assembly having items such as treats, toys, or the like secured to the hoop and facing inward into the hoop. Upon contact, these treats, toys, or the like may be released from the hoop. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Piñatas are common and popular party games where players are blindfolded and try to swing a stick at the piñata which is filled with candy, treats, toys, or other desirable items. These games are satisfactory, but have not been improved on or modified in many many years. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a system which can incorporate the concept of dropping or dispersing candy, treats, toys, or other desirable items in a new manner to create an enjoyable and unique game. 
     SUMMARY 
     The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article. 
     In one aspect, a hoop assembly is provided. The hoop assembly is formed of a basketball hoop defining an inside of the hoop. A plurality of items are connected to the hoop and extend into the area defined by the inside of the hoop. In operation, upon a passing of a ball through the hoop, one of the plurality of items may be disconnected by a force applied to it by the ball, causing the item to fall from the hoop. The item or items can then be gathered by the shooter of the ball, or by other players nearby. 
     In another aspect, a sleeve for connection to a basketball hoop to form a hoop assembly is provided. The sleeve is formed as a full or partial circular shape, which can be connected to a basketball hoop, for example over a top of or around the outside of the basketball hoop. A plurality of items are connected to the sleeve and extend into an area defined by an inside of the sleeve. In operation, upon a passing of a ball through the inside of the sleeve (which is also the inside of the hoop), one of the plurality of items may be disconnected by a force applied to it by the ball, causing the item to fall from the hoop. The item or items can then be gathered by the shooter of the ball, or by other players nearby. 
     In yet another aspect, a method of use of a hoop assembly is provided. The method involves attaching a plurality of items to an inside of a hoop, forming a hoop assembly. A ball may be shot through the hoop. As the ball passes through the inside of the hoop it may contact at least one of the plurality of items, and this contact force may cause the item(s) to be disconnected from the hoop, causing it to fall to the ground. In another embodiment, an item or items may even be disconnected by a direct hit of the ball on the edge or side of the hoop, causing the hoop to shake and potentially disconnecting one or more items. The item or items can then be gathered by the shooter of the ball, or by other players nearby. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  provides a perspective of one embodiment of the hoop in use. 
         FIG. 2  provides a perspective of another embodiment of the hoop in use. 
         FIG. 3  provides a perspective of still another embodiment of the hoop in use. 
         FIG. 4  provides a view of an embodiment of the hoop of the present disclosure operable to connect to an existing basketball hoop. 
         FIG. 5  provides a view of an embodiment of a clip operable to connect to a hoop. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present disclosure may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. 
     Generally, the present disclosure concerns a system for positioning items such as candy, other packaged food, toys, treats or the like on or adjacent to the inside perimeter of a basketball or similar hoop. The items are removable upon the application of a force, such as that of the basketball going through the hoop and contacting the items or by a ball hitting and rattling the hoop. As such, the system allows players to shoot a ball through the hoop to disconnect the items. The items may then fall, allowing them to be picked up by other participants, similar to how candy falls from a piñata. In some commercial embodiments, the invention may be presented as a kit or package containing the required items, including at least one of a hoop or rim, items, connectors, and/or a ball. In other embodiments, the invention may include various implementations and operations, such as the assembly in place on a basketball hoop, connectable to a basketball hoop, connectable to another surface or area to form the hoop assembly, and the like, without straying from the scope of this invention. 
     In system may secure items including, but not limited to candy, other packaged food, toys, and treats, in packages or not, hereinafter referred to as “items.” These items may be secured to the hoop in any manner so that they are held in position against gravity, but upon a sufficient impact like that of the impact of a ball, they will be released. Examples of ways that the item can be connected to the hoop include, but are not limited to, adhesives, clips, clamps, ties, and snaps. 
     The hoop of the assembly may be any circular or semicircular hoop. The hoop may be the basketball hoop itself, or may be a sleeve connectable to an existing basketball hoop. In varying embodiments, the hoop assembly may be implemented as a connector system for use with existing hoops and items. Or, the hoop assembly may be implemented as a stand along hoop with items pre-secured thereto, which can then be mounted as desired. In other embodiments, the hoop assembly may have the items pre-secured, and the hoop can be connectable to an existing basketball hoop. Of course, other implementations and variations may also be employed without straying from the scope of this invention. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the hoop assembly is provided. The hoop  10  has a number of items, shown here as chips  17  and candy  16  attached. The items  16 ,  17 , are connected to the hoop  10  by a clip connector  15 . The items  16 ,  17  are held to the hoop  10  against gravity, but can be released upon the application of force from a ball  13  passing through the inside  14  of the hoop  10 . In operation, when a player shoots the ball  13  through the inside  14  of the hoop  10 , or even in certain instances if the ball hits the inside of the hoop or impacts the hoop, one or more item  16 ,  17 , may be disconnected. These items fall from the hoop  10  by being released from the clip  15  or adhesive  19 , through net  11 , and to the surface below the hoop  10 . Players can then gather these items to be enjoyed such as at a party. It should be understood that the connection between the items  16 ,  17 , and hoop  10  may be by any connection, and need not be limited to clips as noted above. Indeed, connector  15  may be any structure or material capable of removably joining the item to the hoop. In the particular embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the hoop  10  has a base  12  which anchors the hoop  10  to a surface or support. In this view, the hoop system has a sleeve  18  which slips over at least a part of the existing hoop. In the embodiment shown, the sleeve goes around the whole hoop, but in other embodiments, it may only cover part, such as a front half, rear half, rear third, front third, and the like. The sleeve  18  is formed of a rear flange and arms which extend along the sides of the hoop. The sleeve has an open bottom channel which aligns with the hoop so as to fit over it. An adhesive strip  19  extends along at least part of the edge of the sleeve  18  allowing items such as candy  16  or snacks  17  to be attached directly to the sleeve. Connectors, shown here as clips  15 , are also attached to the sleeve  18  directly. Further, standalone clips  15  can be used in addition to the sleeve  18  of this embodiment. The base  12  is shown here as a traditional hoop mount to connect to a backboard is applied to the base  12  allowing the hoop  10  to attach to a surface such as a wall, board, and the like. In other embodiments, of course, other connections for the base may be used, such as adhesive, hook, clamps, connectors such as screws/bolts/nails, and the like, so as to connect the hoop  10  to many different surfaces such as existing basketball hoops, whether toys or official, doors, chairs, walls, furniture, and the like, without straying from the scope of this invention. In use, a player can place the hoop system sleeve  18  and optional clips  15  on the existing hoop, and then play as desired to shoot the ball  13  through the hoop  10  to dislodge items  16  and/or  17 . 
       FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of the hoop assembly in use. Here, a player has shot a ball  13  through the inside  14  of the hoop  10 . This ball  13  has disconnected item  16 , which falls through the net  11  towards the ground to be picked up by the player or other nearby people. The hoop assembly of this embodiment is employed on a traditional basketball hoop having a post  22 , and backboard  21 . The items  16 ,  17 , are connected to the existing basketball hoop  10  by connector  15 , which may be adhesive tape, clips, hooks, and the like. 
       FIG. 3  provides a view of an embodiment of the hoop assembly employed on a pool basketball hoop. Here, pool toys  33  are attached to the inside of the hoop  10  by connector  15 , examples of which are provided herein. The pool hoop assembly has a post  32 , which may be fixed, movable, or may float. The pool hoop assembly also has an optional backboard  31 . In use, a ball passing through the inside of the hoop  10  may knock and disconnect the pool toys  33 , which may sink or float in the pool  34  and be recovered by the person who shot the ball, or nearby players. 
       FIG. 4  provides a view of a hoop assembly which may be attached to an existing basketball hoop. Here, the body is formed as a sleeve  41  which has a partial circular shape to cover part of a basketball hoop. The sleeve  41  may be designed to hook over or otherwise connect to the existing basketball hoop via, for example, hooks  42 . In other embodiments, other structures may be used to connect the sleeve  41  to the hoop, such as a U shaped groove in a bottom of the sleeve  41  to fit over and surround the hoop, clasps, clips, adhesive, and the like. Similar to other embodiments, items  16  are connected to the sleeve  41  via connectors  15  which may vary as described in other examples herein. 
       FIG. 5  provides a view of one embodiment of a connector  15  of the present disclosure. Here, the connector  15  has a body, in this embodiment a flexible strap  52 . The body may be otherwise structured, and may be rigid, long, or short. A clip  51  is at one end of the body and is sized to clip over a standard sized basketball hoop. At another end of the body is a clamp  53  such as an alligator clip. This clamp  53  is biased in a closed position and can be opened. The clamp  53  is connected to item  16 , shown as a bag of candy. As such, the connector of this embodiment can convert a traditional or existing basketball hoop into the hoop assembly of this disclosure. Other connector configurations may be used for other types of hoops such as small scale play-hoops and door or wall mounted hoops. In some cases, the clip  51  may be replaced with a slip knot loop such that the strap  52  may be slip connected to the hoop and then the clamp  53 . In other embodiments, the clip  51  may be replaced with a clamp, adhesive, snap connectors, buttons, or Velcro connectors to wrap about the hoop, and the like. 
     While several variations of the present disclosure have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.