Patent Abstract:
A sports net assembly and method of assembling a sports net assembly. The sports net assembly includes a pair of poles spaced a distance apart and positioned substantially vertically. A net having opposing ends is positioned between the spaced apart substantially vertical poles. The top net cord is secured to a cam that is slidably movable along a length of the poles to increase and decrease the tension on the top net cord thereby increasing and decreasing sag in the net between the poles. The bottom net cords and guy-ropes may be releasably secured to the poles with a key lock.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Nets used for backyard or recreational badminton, volleyball and other net-sports can be burdensome and time consuming to initially set up because it typically requires the user to attach eyebolts or brackets with eyelets to the support poles and then tie the top and bottom net cords to the eyes. Additionally, when it comes time to take down the net, many users find it too time consuming and burdensome to untie the knots to remove the net from the poles and so they simply role the whole net assembly up around the poles. By not removing the net from the poles, the net becoming tangled with the guy-ropes other net components or the net will become entangled with other items where the net is stored thereby making it more burdensome and time consuming to set up the net the next time it is desired to be used. 
         [0002]    Accordingly, there is a need for a sports net assembly that simplifies the initial set and subsequent set ups of the net and which makes it just as simple to disassemble the net after game play so as not to discourage users from completely disassembling the net from the support poles for proper storage. Additionally it is desirable to incorporate into the sports net assembly a simple and effective way to adjust and maintain the desired tension on the net during game play. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of an embodiment of a sports net assembly with an embodiment of a net attachment and tensioning system. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the net attachment and tensioning system of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of a pole cap and cam for supporting and tensioning the top net cord. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the net attachment and tensioning system of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of a key lock for releasably securing the bottom net cord to the pole. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of an embodiment of a cam for the net attachment and tensioning system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of one side of a sports net assembly  10 , it being understood that the other side is a mirror image of the side illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0008]    The sports net assembly  10  includes a net  12  operably supported between spaced apart support poles  14  by a top net cord  16  and a bottom net cord  18  utilizing the net attachment and tensioning system  100  (discussed later). Guy-ropes  20  are provided to stabilize and hold the poles  14  so the net remains in place during game play and to resist the tendency of the poles to tip inwardly under the weight of the net  12 . The guy-ropes  20  are secured at one end to the ground by stakes  22 . The other end of the guy-ropes  20  are preferably releasably attached to the poles  14  as described later. Length adjusters  24 , as are well known in the art, may be provided to allow the user to adjust the length of the guy-ropes  20  as desired to adjust and plumb the poles and/or to increase or decrease tension or pull on the net  12  to reduce sag in the net between the poles. 
         [0009]    The poles  14 , may comprise a single pole or a number of pole sections which fit together. The poles  14  are preferably thin-walled tubular members such that the poles are light weight yet sufficiently rigid to adequately support the net without buckling. The cross-section of the tubular members may be round, square or other shape to provide the desired rigidity. In a preferred embodiment, the poles  14  include a ground member  30  having a pointed end  32  that is hammered into the ground as an anchor for the poles. A pole receiving end  34  of the ground member  30  preferably projects a distance above the ground to be telescopically received by the bottom end  36  of the tubular pole member. The ground engaging member  30 , is preferably configured and made of a material that can withstand repeated hammering without the pole receiving end  34  mushrooming or becoming deformed. 
         [0010]    The net attachment and tensioning system  100  preferably includes a pair of pole caps  102 . Each pole cap  102  preferably sits over the top end of each pole  14  or is otherwise secured proximate the top end of each pole. The pole cap  102  has first and second hooks  104 ,  106  through which a length of the top net cord  16  passes as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0011]    The net attachment and tensioning system  100  also preferably includes a cam  110  that is slidably disposed along the pole  14 . The cam  110  includes a slot  112  into which the top net cord  16  is removably receivable. A ball or knot  114  is preferably provided at the end of the top net cord  16  to prevent the top net cord from pulling through the slot  112 . The cam  110  includes an aperture or opening  118  ( FIG. 3 ) that is preferably slightly larger than, but complimentary to, the outer periphery of the pole  14  so that when the cam  110  is positioned so that it is in a plane substantially perpendicular to, or normal to the pole  14 , the cam  110  will freely slide up and down along the pole. However, because the aperture  118  is preferably only slightly larger than the outer periphery of the pole, if the cam is angled or canted, the aperture walls  120  ( FIG. 3 ) will make contact with the pole  14  and the frictional resistance between the aperture walls  120  with the pole  14  will cause the cam  110  to frictionally lock relative to the pole until it is again positioned in the slidable position where it is in a plane substantially perpendicular or normal to the pole. Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the net attachment and tensioning assembly provides a simple and effective way to adjust and maintain the desired tension on the net during game play by simply sliding the cams  110  down relative to the top end of the poles  14 . This downward movement of the cam  110  will result in an increase in tension or pull on the top net cord  16  which will reduce net sag. To easily disassemble the net from the poles, the cam  110  is moved upward along the pole  14  to decrease tension on the net cord  16  so the cord can be easily removed from the slot  112 . The length of the top net cord  16  can then be removed from the hooks  104 ,  106  on the end cap  102  freeing the top net cord  16  from the poles  14 . 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the cam  110  is preferably made of a substantially rigid material so that it will not bend or deform under the pulling force or tension exerted by the top net cord  16  received within the slot  112 . It is also preferred that the aperture walls  120  are made of material with a high friction factor, such as rubber to provide a better frictional lock to resist sliding of the cam relative to the pole. To provide the desired rigidity while at the same time providing the desired high friction rubber material at the aperture walls  120 , the cam  110  is preferably fabricated using a double injection molding process wherein the body of the cam is made of plastic or other suitably rigid material while the aperture walls are made of rubber or other high friction factor material. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the net attachment and tensioning system  100  also preferably includes key locks  130  for securing the bottom net cord  18  and guy-ropes  30  to the poles  14 . The key locks  130  include keys  132  that cooperate with mating pre-drilled key holes  134  in the poles  14 . Each key  132  preferably includes an eyelet  136  to which the bottom net cord  18  is attached. The other end of each key  132  preferably has an elongated shape that is receivable by the mating pre-drilled key hole  134  such that when the key  132  is inserted into the key hole  134  and partially twisted or rotated, the elongated shape of the key  132  will not pull through the key hole  134 . The pre-drilled key holes  134  ensure that the bottom net cord  18  and guy-ropes  20  are attached in the proper position. The net bottom cord  18  and guy-ropes  20  are preferably securely fixed to the eyelets  136  of the keys  132  in a pre-assembled manner at the factory, such as by use of a clamp  138  forming a loop around the eyelet  136 , so that the user does not have to bother with tying the cords  18  or guy-ropes  20  to the keys  132  during the initial set-up of the net. 
         [0014]    It should be appreciated that the foregoing net attachment and tensioning system  100  simplifies the attachment of the net and guy-ropes to the poles during initial set-up and makes the disassembly of the net and guy-ropes from the poles just as easy and efficient so users are not discouraged from completely disassembling the net and guy-ropes from the poles during take-down of the net after game play. As such, each subsequent set-up of the net follows the same simple procedure as the initial set up. Furthermore, the net attachment and tensioning assembly  100  provides a simple and effective way to adjust and maintain the desired tension in the net during game play by simply sliding the cams  110  up and down relative to the poles  14 . 
         [0015]    The foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, and the general principles and features of the system and methods described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments of the apparatus, system and methods described above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0