Patent Publication Number: US-6334822-B1

Title: Deflectable basketball hoop

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a basketball hoop, and more particularly, the invention relates to a deflectable basketball hoop which prevents injury to players and is less likely to break. 
     2. Brief Description of the Related Art 
     Many of the basketball hoops which are currently on the market have rims which are rigidly fixed to the backboard. These rigid rims may break easily or cause injury to players when slam-dunking. One solution to the rigid rim problem is the breakaway rim. Breakaway rims such as those described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,365,802; 4,441,709; and 5,154,414 are provided with a hinge connecting the rim to the backboard which allows the rim to pivot downward upon the application of potentially damaging forces. These breakaway rims operate quite successfully to prevent rim breakage and player injury when the rims are pulled straight downward. However, when forces are applied to the rims in other directions, breakage or injury may occur. 
     For example, a player may approach the basketball hoop from the side and slam dunk grasping a side of the rim and pulling sideways and downward. The sideways force on the rim may result in a broken backboard or injured player if a conventional breakaway rim is used. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a basketball hoop having a breakaway rim which is able to be deflected in multiple directions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a deflectable basketball hoop having a rim which is supported by a joint such as a spring or universal joint with at least two degrees of freedom. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a deflectable basketball hoop includes a rim, a rim support member, and a joint connecting the rim to the rim support member, the joint providing the rim with at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the rim support member. 
     In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, a deflectable basketball hoop includes a rim supported by a joint which allows the rim to be deflected in multiple non-parallel directions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like elements bear like reference numerals, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the basketball hoop; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the basketball hoop of FIG. 1 with the rim in a deflected position; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the basketball hoop of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a basketball hoop; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of further alternative embodiment of a basketball hoop; and 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The basketball hoop according to the present invention is a pivoting breakaway hoop which reduces player injury and hoop breakage. The breakaway rim deflects in multiple directions and returns to its original position. The basketball hoop also may include a counter balance and/or a stop which help to return the hoop to its original position. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the basketball hoop  10  including a base  12 , a backboard  14 , and a rim  16 . The backboard  14  is supported on the base  12  by two backboard supports  22 . The rim  16  is also supported on the base  12  by a vertical tube  24  and a horizontal tube  26  which are connected by a spring element  28 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the rim  16  can be deflected in any direction when a force is applied due to the flexibility of the joint  28 . The joint  28  in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is a spring element, however, other types of joints may also be used. The spring element  28  allows the rim to be deflected and also returns the rim  16  to its initial position after a force has been removed. The spring element  28  returns the rim to its original position quickly so that the rim is back in a proper orientation for the next shot and the game is not interrupted. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-3 the basketball hoop  10  includes a counter balance which is formed from the horizontal tube  26  and a connected vertical tube  34 . The weight of these two tubes  26 ,  34  counter balances the weight of the rim  16  and helps to return the rim to its original position more quickly. 
     The embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 also includes a stopper  38  provided on the lower end of the vertical tube  34 . When the stopper  38  on the bottom of the vertical tube  34  contacts the base  12  the original position of the rim  16  is maintained and oscillation of the rim is prevented. The position of the stop  38  adjacent the base  12  when the rim is horizontal is shown most clearly in the side view of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the counter balance is formed from a disc shaped weight  32  which is positioned on an end of the horizontal tube  26 . The weight of the counter balance disc  32  is selected so that the weight of the horizontal tube  26  and the disc at one side of the spring element  26  is substantially the same as the weight of the rim  16 , net  18 , and portion of the horizontal tube  36  on the other side of the spring element  28 . 
     FIGS. 1-4 illustrate embodiments of the invention in which the basketball hoop  10  is a pool side basketball hoop  10 . With the pool side basketball hoop  10  the base  12  is placed on the ground at a side of the pool with the rim  16  hanging over the edge of the pool. However, it should be understood that the basketball hoop according to the present invention can also be mounted on any conventional pole or other mounting system for basketball hoops. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the basketball hoop in which a spring element  40  is mounted on a backboard  42  and supports a rim  44  in a breakaway arrangement. According to this embodiment, the backboard  42  acts as a support member for the rim  44 . Alternatively, a wall, a pole, or the like can also provide a support for the rim. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the basketball hoop in which the joint  50  between the vertical tube  24  and the horizontal tube  26  is a universal joint or ball joint. The universal joint  50  allows the rim  16  to be deflected in a plurality of directions while spring elements  52  return the rim  60  to an original position. The spring elements  52  are connected to a back end of the horizontal tube  26  and to rear corners of the base  12 . The spring elements  52  may be any known spring element such as stainless steel springs, rubber straps, or the like. 
     The basketball hoop of FIG. 6 preferably includes a stop feature to prevent or reduce oscillations. The stop may be provided within the universal joint, attached to the horizontal tube  26 , or in any other known manner. 
     The rim  16 , backboard  14 , and supports according to the present invention may be formed of conventional materials such as stainless steel, other alloys, plastic, and the like. The spring element  28 ,  44  may be any type of flexible coupling such as a stainless steel spring, a rubber tube, a superelastic band, rod, or tube, or the like. 
     The flexibility of the spring element may be varied from a very stiff spring which is deflected only by the player when slam dunking to a very flexible spring which can be deflected by the ball and thus makes it more difficult to make a basket. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a pool side basketball hoop  10  is formed with a backboard  14  of a flexible plexiglass material. The flexibility of the plexiglass material deadens the bounce of the ball. The amount of deadening may be selected by the choice of plexiglass material. The ball deadening feature may also be provided by using a rigid backboard with a soft deadening washer between the backboard  14  and the supports  22 . Alternatively, the ball deadening feature may be provided by flexible backboard supports of by other know means. 
     Although a single joint or spring element  28 ,  44 ,  50  has been illustrated, it should be recognized that multiple joints or spring elements may also be used and will still provide multiple degrees of freedom. 
     While the invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made and equivalents employed, without departing from the present invention.