Patent Publication Number: US-2023139747-A1

Title: Foldable soccer goal

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a soccer goal, and more particularly to a foldable soccer goal. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The origin of the soccer game is traced back to the ancient Chinese ball game “cuju”, which was later spread from China to Europe by the Arabs and gradually evolved into modem soccer. 
     The football game is one of the most influential events in the global sports world, and it is deeply loved by young people. However, playing the soccer game requires a proper field and a soccer goal. Most of conventional soccer goals are made of metal or wood. The frame of the conventional soccer goal is placed on the ground, and the frame of the soccer goal is provided with a net to form a soccer goal. The conventional soccer goal is difficult to move and inconvenient to store. When there is no professional field for the players, a moveable goal is needed. The conventional movable goal still has many defects. For example, some goals are just a simple assembly of rods and a net, which is troublesome to assemble. Some goals are inconvenient to carry. Some goals still take up a lot of space after being folded. 
     Therefore, it is necessary to find a new technical solution to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a foldable soccer goal. The foldable soccer goal has a simple structure, can be produced easily, can be unfolded and folded with ease, occupies less space after being folded, and is convenient for storage and carrying. 
     In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: 
     A foldable soccer goal comprises two arched frames. One frame is placed horizontally, and the other frame is placed vertically. Two ends of the frames are connected through support units, respectively. 
     Each frame includes at least two connecting rods connected in sequence. Every adjacent two of the connecting rods are connected through a connecting unit. The connecting unit includes a pivot member and two coupling members hinged to two ends of the pivot member, respectively. The pivot member has an accommodating space therein. The accommodating space has an outer side opening and two end openings. The outer side opening is arranged along an arched outer side of the frame. The end openings are disposed at the two ends of the pivot member, respectively. The two end openings communicate with the outer side opening to form a U-shaped opening. The pivot member has a limiting portion along an inner arched side of the frame. A first end of each coupling member is hingedly connected in the accommodating space. A second end of the coupling member is connected to a corresponding one of the connecting rods. 
     When the foldable soccer goal is to be unfolded, each coupling member is rotated toward the limiting portion until it is limited by the limiting portion, and the second end of the coupling member extends out from the corresponding end opening, and each connecting rod is bent and deformed to be in an arc shape toward the arched outer side of the frame. 
     When the foldable soccer goal is to be folded, each coupling member is rotated away from the limiting portion, and the second end of the coupling member extends out from the outer side opening, and each connecting rod is restored to become straight. 
     Compared with the prior art, the present invention has obvious advantages and beneficial effects. Specifically, it can be seen from the above technical solutions that the connecting unit of the foldable soccer goal adopts a movable pivotal mode. The coupling members are limited by the pivot member. The coupling members can be pivoted left/right relative to the pivot member, thereby realizing a foldable frame. It is convenient to fold and unfold the soccer goal. Especially, the frame is arched. In an unfolded state, each connecting rod is arched toward the arched outer side of the frame. One end of the coupling member at either end of the connecting rod tends to be outward under the action of the elasticity of the connecting rod, and the other end of the coupling member tends to be inward and limited by the limiting portion, thereby keeping the connecting rod in an arc-shaped unfolded state. The expansion tension is good, which is conducive to the stability of the frame and the overall soccer goal to be unfolded. 
     Secondly, the support unit of the foldable soccer goal also adopts a movable pivotal mode, so that the frames of the foldable soccer goal can be folded. The foldable soccer goal has a simple structure, can be produced easily, can be unfolded and folded with ease, occupies less space after being folded, and is convenient for storage and carrying. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a front perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention (in an unfolded state); 
         FIG.  2    is a rear perspective view according to the embodiment of the present invention (in an unfolded state); 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view according to the embodiment of the present invention (in an unfolded state); 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the connecting unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  5    is an exploded view of the connecting unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  6    is another exploded view of the connecting unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional view of the connecting unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of the support unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  9    is an exploded view of the support unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  10    is a side view according to the embodiment of the present invention (in an unfolded state); and 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view according to the embodiment of the present invention (in a folded state). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    through  FIG.  8   , the present invention discloses a foldable soccer goal, comprising two arched frames. One frame is placed horizontally, and the other frame is placed vertically. Two ends of the frames are connected through support units  30 , respectively. Preferably, a ball net is provided between the two frames. 
       FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2    are perspective views of the foldable soccer goal in an unfolded state. The frame includes at least two connecting rods  10  connected in sequence. Every adjacent two of the connecting rods  10  are connected through a connecting unit  20 . In this embodiment, the frame includes three connecting rods  10 . The connecting rods  10  are connected by connecting units  20 . In this embodiment, the frame is an arc structure. 
       FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of the foldable soccer goal in an unfolded state. When the foldable soccer goal is to be unfolded, the coupling member  22  is rotated toward the limiting portion until it is limited by the limiting portion, and a second end of the coupling member  22  extends out from the corresponding end opening. Each connecting rod  10  is bent and deformed to be in an arc shape toward the arched outer side of the frame. 
       FIGS.  4 - 6    illustrate the connecting unit 2 of the foldable soccer goal. The connecting unit  20  includes a pivot member  21  and two coupling members  22  hinged to two ends of the pivot member  21 , respectively. The pivot member  21  has an accommodating space  211  therein. The accommodating space  221  has an outer side opening A and two end openings B. The outer side opening A is disposed along the arched outer side E of the frame. The end openings B are disposed at the two ends of the pivot member  21 , respectively. The two end openings B communicate with the outer side opening A to form a U-shaped opening. A partition C is provided inside the accommodating space  221  to partition the accommodating space  221  into a left accommodating space and a right accommodating space. A first end of the coupling member  22  is hingedly connected in the corresponding left accommodating space or right accommodating space. 
     The first end of the coupling member  22  is hingedly connected in the accommodating space  211 . A second end of the coupling member  22  is connected to a corresponding one of the connecting rods  10 . The upper end and the lower end of the pivot member  21  are formed with a first pivot hole  213 , and the coupling member  22  is formed with a second pivot hole  221 . A pivot  214  is provided in the first pivot hole  213  and the second pivot hole  221 , so that the coupling member  22  is movably connected in the pivot member  21  to be pivoted left/right. 
       FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional view of the connecting unit of the foldable soccer goal. The pivot member  21  has a limiting portion disposed along the arched inner side F of the frame. The limiting portion is a limiting protrusion  212 . The coupling member  22  has an arc-shaped convex edge  222  along the arched inner side F of frame. When the coupling member  22  is unfolded to the maximum extent in the pivot member  21  (that is, when the foldable soccer goal is in the unfolded state), the convex edge  222  of the coupling member  22  is pressed against the limiting protrusion  212  of the pivot member  21 , so that the coupling member  22  is stably secured to the pivot member  21 , and the coupling member  22  is limited and positioned by the limiting protrusion  212  of the pivot member  21 . In addition, the coupling member  22  is a tubular structure. The second end of the coupling member  22  is formed with a connecting hole  223  for insertion of the corresponding connecting rod  10 , so that the connecting rod  10  is connected to the coupling member  22 . The coupling member  22  is movably connected to the pivot member  21 , and further the connecting rod  10  is movably connected to the pivot member  21 . Preferably, hot melt glue is provided in the connecting hole  223  for the connecting rod  10  to be connected to the coupling member  22 . 
       FIG.  8    is a perspective view of the support unit of the foldable soccer goal.  FIG.  9    is an exploded view of the support unit of the foldable soccer goal. The support unit  30  includes a connecting plate, a first support tube  33 , and a second support tube  34 . The connecting plate, the first support tube  33  and the second support tube  34  form a triangular configuration to achieve structural stability. 
     The connecting plate includes a first connecting plate  31  and a second connecting plate  32 . One end of the first connecting plate  31  is hingedly connected to a first end of the first support tube  33 . The other end of the first connecting plate  31  is hingedly connected to one end of the second connecting plate  32 . A second end of the first support tube  33  is hingedly connected to a first end of the second support tube  34  in a damping manner. The other end of the second connecting plate  32  is hingedly connected to a second end of the second support tube  34 . The first connecting plate  31  and the second connecting plate  32  are connected by a pivot  214 , so that the first connecting plate  31  and the second connecting plate  32  are rotatably connected. 
       FIG.  10    is a side view of the foldable soccer goal in an unfolded state. When the foldable soccer goal is in the unfolded state, the first connecting plate  31  and the second connecting plate  32  are arranged on the same straight line, the first support tube  33  is placed horizontally, and the second support tube  34  is placed vertically. At this time, the first connecting plate  31 , the second connecting plate  32 , the first support tube  33  and the second support tube  34  are in a triangular configuration, so that the structure of the foldable soccer goal in the unfolded state is stable. 
     In addition, an arch bridge structure D is provided on the first support tube  33  to form a through hole  331 . A pull cord  40  is connected in the through hole  331 . The first support tube  33  is recessed to form an arc-shaped first limiting recess  332 . The first connecting plate  31  is connected to the first support tube  33  through a pivot  214 , and the first connecting plate  31  is limited by the first limiting recess  332 . The end of the first support tube  33  is a circular configuration, and the second end of the first support tube  33  is formed with a circular engaging slot  333 . Furthermore, the second support tube  34  is vertically connected to the second end of the first support tube  33 . The first end of the second support tube  34  is provided with a circular engaging block  341 . The engaging block  341  is inserted in the engaging slot  333 . The engaging block  341  and the engaging slot  333  are rotatably connected by a screw and a nut, so that the engaging block  341  is confined in the engaging slot  333 . The engaging block  341  is rotatably connected in the engaging slot  333  to be pivoted upward and downward. The circular engaging block  341  is recessed with a stop step  342 . When the engaging block  341  is rotated to the maximum angle in the engaging slot  333 , the stop step  342  is configured to limit and position the engaging slot  333 , so as to ensure that the engaging block  341  is rotated to the maximum angle. That is, when the foldable soccer goal is in the unfolded state, the structure of the foldable soccer goal is stable. In this embodiment, the first support tube  33  and the second support tube  34  are arranged at a right angle. The second support tube  34  is recessed to form an arc-shaped second limiting recess  343 . The second connecting plate  32  is connected to the second support tube  34  through a pivot  214 , and the second connecting plate  32  is limited by the second limiting recess  343 . 
       FIG.  11    is a perspective view of the foldable soccer goal in a folded state. When the foldable soccer goal is to be folded, the coupling member  22  is rotated away from the limiting portion, the second end of the coupling member  22  extends out from the outer side opening A, and each connecting rod  10  is restored to become straight. When the foldable soccer goal is to be folded, the pull cord  40  connected to the through hole  331  of the first support tube  33  is removed. The coupling members  22  at both ends of the connecting unit  20  are rotated left/right to fold the connecting rods  10  for storage. The engaging block  341  of the support unit  30  is rotated relative to the engaging slot  333 , and the connecting plates are rotated accordingly to realize the folding of the connecting rods  10  connected to the support unit  30 . It can be seen that the foldable soccer goal in the folded state occupies a small space, realizes the foldable function, and is convenient to store and carry.