Abstract:
Ball rebounder for rebounding a ball, including a first frame, a resilient member mounted in the first frame, a second frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and provided with a plurality of stops, and a third frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and for engaging different ones of the stops to incline the first frame and resilient member at different angles with respect to the second frame to cause the resilient member to rebound balls thrown thereagainst at different angles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to a ball rebounder and more particularly relates to a baseball rebounder.  
           [0002]    Throwing and catching a ball, particularly a baseball, is a pastime enjoyed by most people, particularly young people. Throwing and catching a baseball is generally referred to as playing catch. Playing catch is particularly useful for a person to develop their skills at throwing and catching a baseball. Playing catch typically requires a playing partner to catch the ball and throw it back. However, there are many times when a single person desiring to play catch does not have a playing partner and yet still desires to develop their ball throwing and catching skills.  
           [0003]    Most prior art baseball rebounders have been designed such that they return a ball without much accuracy. This means that when you throw a ball against the typical prior art baseball rebounder, you may have to step several feet in one direction or the other to catch the rebounding ball. It is believed that since the typical prior art rebounding member is square or rectangular and is mounted in a square or rectangular frame in uneven or unequal tension around its rectangular outer portion, that this uneven tension causes the rebounded ball to be rebounded in an inconsistent and inaccurate manner. It is further believed that were the typical prior art rectangular or square rebounding member to be mounted to a square or rectangular frame in equal tension around its outer portion, the rectangular frame would be most likely to collapse due to the inherent weaker areas of a rectangular structure.  
           [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new and improved device or apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball thrown by a person. There is a still further need in the art for a device or apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball thrown by a single person in an efficient and accurate manner.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Ball rebounder for rebounding a ball, including a first frame, a resilient member mounted in the first frame, a second frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and provided with a plurality of stops, and a third frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and for engaging different ones of the stops to incline the first frame and the resilient member at different angles with respect to the second frame to cause the resilient member to rebound balls thrown thereagainst at different angles. In the preferred embodiment, the resilient member is circular and is mounted in an annular frame in even or equal tension along its outer peripheral portion. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view, taken generally from the front, of a ball rebounder embodying the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is another perspective view, taken generally from the rear, of the ball rebounder of FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical illustration of one of the frames comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical illustration of another frame comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical illustration of still another frame comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is a partial diagrammatical illustration illustrating the manner in which a circular resilient member comprising the present invention may be mounted to an annular frame comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6A is a diagrammatical cross-sectional view taken generally along the line  6 - 6  in FIG. 6 and in the direction of the arrows;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6B is a diagrammatical cross-sectional illustration of a representative point or location of mounting of the annular frame comprising the present invention to a rectangular frame comprising the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial view of a portion of the frame shown in FIG. 4;  
         [0015]    FIGS.  8 - 11  are diagrammatical illustrations illustrating the different angles at which the resilient member of the present invention may be disposed or inclined for ball rebounding;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 12 is a view of a ball rebounder of the present invention shown in the collapsed condition; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 13 is a diagrammatical illustration of the representative pivotal mounting between straight members of certain frames comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a ball rebounder embodying the present invention is shown and indicated by general numerical designation  10 . Ball rebounder  10  may include a rectangular frame indicated by general numerical designation  20 , a U-shaped frame indicated by general numerical designation  30 , a U-shaped frame indicated by general numerical designation  40 , an annular or circular frame  50  and a circular resilient member  60  for rebounding a ball upon a ball being thrown against such resilient member; the circular resilient member  60  may be referred to as a rebound pad or a rebound member. It will be generally understood, and referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, that, as viewed in these FIGS., the forward portion of the U-shaped frame  30  is mounted pivotally to the lower portion of the rectangular frame  20 , the upper portion of the U-shaped frame  40  is mounted pivotally to the upper portion of the rectangular frame  20 , the annular frame  50  is mounted to and in the opening provided by the rectangular frame  20  and the circular resilient member  60  is mounted to the annular frame  50  by a plurality of U-shaped web members  70 .  
         [0019]    Referring particularly to FIG. 2, it will be understood that the rearward portion of the U-shaped frame  30  as viewed in FIG. 2, is provided with a plurality of pairs of spaced apart, upwardly extending and inwardly curved members, or stops,  71  and  72 ,  73  and  74 ,  75  and  76  and  77  and  78 . It will be further generally understood from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the frame  40  is for engaging different pairs of such upwardly extending and inwardly curved members to dispose the frame  20 , and thereby the resilient member  60 , at different angles with respect to the frame  30  and with respect to any surface on which the frame  30  may reside, such as for example, the floor, the ground or a field of grass; such different angular disposition of the resilient member  60  alters the angle at which a ball thrown against such resilient member is rebounded.  
         [0020]    The components which may comprise the rectangular frame  20  are illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the frame  20  may include straight members  21 ,  22 ,  23  and  24 , elbow connectors  25  and  26  and T-connectors  27  and  28 . As viewed in FIG. 3, the elbow connector  25  interconnects the adjacent portions of the straight members  21  and  22  and the elbow connector  26  connects the adjacent portions of the straight members  21  and  24 . The T-connector  27  interconnects the lower portion of the straight member  22  and the adjacent portion of the straight member  23  and the T-connector  28  interconnects the lower portion of the straight member  24  and the adjacent portion of the straight member  23 . More particularly, the T-connector  27  includes a first hollow cylindrical portion  27 A through which the lower portion of straight member  22  extends and a hollow cylindrical portion  27 B into which the adjacent portion of the straight member  23  extends as viewed in FIG. 3. The T-connector  28  includes a hollow cylindrical portion  28 A through which the lower portion of the straight member  28  extends and a hollow cylindrical portion  28 B into which the adjacent portion of the straight member  23  extends as viewed in FIG. 3.  
         [0021]    The straight members  21 - 24 , maybe for example, straight lengths or sections of aluminum tubing and the elbow connectors  25  and  26  and the T-connectors  27  and  28  may be made of a suitable plastic and such connectors may be made, for example, by injection molding. The elbow connectors  25  and  26  and the T-connectors  27  and  28  may be mounted to the straight members  21 - 24  by suitable bolts and nuts, or self-tapping studs, not shown.  
         [0022]    The upper and lower portions of the straight members  22  and  24 , as shown in FIG. 3 and indicated by the dash lines, may be provided with suitable holes  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D for receiving suitable bolts to facilitate the afore-mentioned pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frames  30  and  40  to the rectangular frame  20 . Further, the lower end portions of the straight members  22  and  24 , as will be noted from FIGS.  1 - 3 , may be provided with suitable and wedgedly engaged plastic end caps  29  and  29 A for covering the ends of the straight members  22  and  24  to prevent possible injury to a person engaging in such ends and for providing members to facilitate the rectangular frame  20  in residing on a suitable support surface such as the above-noted floor, ground or grass field.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 4, the members which may comprise the U-shaped frame  30  are illustrated. The U-shaped member  30  may include a straight cross member  31  having opposed end portions and a pair of parallel straight members  32  and  33  extending outwardly from the opposed end portions of the cross member  31 . The U-shaped frame  30  may further include a pair of elbow connectors  35  and  36  which may be the same as the elbow connectors  25  and  26  shown in FIG. 3 and described above. More particularly, as viewed in FIG. 4, the elbow connectors  35  and  36  respectively interconnect the adjacent portions of the straight member  32  and the straight cross member  31  and the straight member  33  and the straight cross member  31  by either suitable nuts and bolts or self-tapping studs as described above, and not shown. The pairs of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  71  and  72 ,  73  and  74 ,  75  and  76 ,  77  and  78  are shown in greater detail in FIG. 4. The straight members  31 ,  32  and  33  also may be straight lengths or sections of aluminum tubing with their outer ends provided with suitable wedgedly engaged plastic end caps  37  and  38  for protecting against possible injury to a person due to engagement with the blunt or cut ends of the tubular members  32  and  33 . The outer portions of the straight members  32  and  33  may be provided with suitable opposed holes  39  and  39 A for receiving suitable bolts to facilitate the afore-mentioned pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frame  30  to the lower portion of the rectangular frame  20  as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 illustrates the elements which may comprise the U-shaped frame  40 . The U-shaped frame  40  may include a straight cross member  41  having opposed end portions and a pair of straight parallel members  42  and  43  extending outwardly from the opposed end portions of the straight cross member  41 . Elbow connectors  44  and  45  are included for interconnecting, as viewed in FIG. 5, the respective adjacent portions of the straight members  42  and  41  and  41  and  43 . The straight members  41 - 43  may be lengths sections of straight aluminum tubing and the elbow connectors  44  and  45  plastic connectors may be the same as the plastic elbow connectors  25  and  26  shown in FIG. 3 and the plastic elbow connectors  35  and  36  shown in FIG. 4. The elbow connectors  44  and  45  may be mounted to the adjacent end portions of the straight members  41 - 43  by the same suitable nuts and bolts or self-tapping studs as noted above (not shown) with regard to the earlier mentioned elbow connectors. The outer ends of the straight members  42  and  43  may be provided with wedgedly engaged plastic end caps  46  and  47  which serve the same function as the plastic end caps  37  and  38  shown in FIG. 4 and described above. The upper portions of the straight members  42  and  43 , as viewed in FIG. 5, may be suitably provided with opposed holes  48  and  49  for receiving suitable bolts to facilitate the mounting of the U-shaped frame  40  to the rectangular frame  20  as described above.  
         [0025]    The mounting of the circular resilient member  60  to the annular frame  50  by the generally V-shaped straps or webs  70  is illustrated in detail but diagrammatically in FIGS. 6 and 6A; it will be understood that the elements shown in FIG. 6A and shown physically separated from each other for ease and clarity of presentation. As shown in these FIGS., particularly FIG. 6A, the outer portion of the representative U-shaped strap or web  70  encircles the annular frame  50  and the inner ends of the web or strap  70  are positioned between the outer peripheral portion  60 A of circular resilient member  60  and an annular support or backing member  62  and the inner ends of the strap or web  70 , the outer peripheral portion  60 A of circular resilient member  60  and the annular support or backing member  62  are suitably affixed together such as by sewing as indicated by the irregular line  63  illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 6 and 6A. The straps or webs  70  may be made of nylon.  
         [0026]    It will be understood that in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the generally U-shaped straps or webs  70  mount the outer peripheral portion of the resilient member to the annular frame  50  in equal or uniform tension along the outer peripheral portion  60 A, and, that such equal or uniform tension mounting causes a ball thrown against substantially any portion of the circular resilient member  60  to be rebounded directly, or at least substantially directly, back to the person throwing the ball. This permits a person throwing a ball, such as a baseball, against the circular resilient member of the present invention, to throw the ball against it at any speed, and from any distance, and be able to catch the rebounded ball without having to move a step in any direction. It will be further understood in accordance with the teachings of the present invention that it is the annular shape of the frame  50 , in combination with the circular shape of the resilient member  60  and the generally U-shaped straps or webs  70 , that permits the outer peripheral portion, and thereby the circular resilient member  60 , to be mounted in equal or uniform tension to the frame  50 .  
         [0027]    Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be generally understood that the circular or annular frame  50  is mounted to the rectangular frame  20  at four locations indicated generally in FIG. 1 at numerical designations  51 ,  52 ,  53  and  54 . The annular frame  50  may be made of aluminum tubing and suitably shaped annularly. The representative mounting of the annular frame  50  to the rectangular frame  20  at point or location  51  is illustrated diagrammatically, and representatively, of the other points of mounting, in FIG. 6B; it will be understood that the elements shown in FIG. 6B are shown physically separated from each other for ease and clarity of presentation. Referring to FIG. 6B, it will be understood that the annular frame  50  may be mounted to the frame  20 , for example to the straight section  24  (FIG. 3) comprising the frame  20  by a headed bolt  55  and nut  56 ; the bolt  55  is provided with a generally conical head  57 . The bolt  55  extends through suitable holes in the frames  20  and  50  as shown in FIG. 6B. The frame  50  and the straight section  24  comprising the frame  20  may be separated by a suitable annular ring or spacer  57 .  
         [0028]    The temporary or detented engagement of the cross member  31  and the U-shaped frame  40  with the pairs of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  71  and  72 - 77  and  78  is illustrated diagrammatically and in detail in FIG. 7 with regard to representative upwardly extending and inwardly curved member  71 . The member  71  may be a integral part of a positioning member indicated by general numerical designation  80  in FIG. 7. The positioning member  80  may be suitably mounted to the straight member  33  comprising the U-shaped frame  30  by, for example and as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 7, self-tapping studs  81  and  82 ; alternately, the positioning member  80  may be mounted to the straight member  33  by suitable bolts and nuts, not shown. The positioning member  80  may further include an integrally formed generally rectangular detent member  84  spaced from and extending inwardly toward the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member  71 . The positioning member  80  and thereby the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member  71  and the detent member  84  may be made of a suitable plastic having at least some or slight deformability which facilitates the temporary or removable wedged engagement between the cross member  41  (FIGS. 1 and 5) of the U-shaped frame  40  and the members  71  and  84 . This, as will be further understood from FIGS. 1 and 2, temporarily disposes or inclines the U-shaped frame  40  with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  which in turn disposes or inclines the rectangular frame  20 , and thereby the resilient member  60 , at an angle with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface on which the U-shaped frame  30  resides. Since the positioning member  80  (FIG. 7) and the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member  71  and the detent member  84  are plastic, and at least somewhat deformable as noted above, the cross member  41  of the U-shaped frame  40  may be readily dislodged and removed from between the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member  71  and the detent member  84  to reposition the cross member  41  of the U-shaped frame  40  between other pairs of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members and detent members shown particularly in FIGS.  1 - 4  to thereby dispose or incline the circular resilient member  60  at other angles with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface upon which it resides to vary, as noted above, the angle at which a ball thrown against the circular resilient member  60  is rebounded. As will be best understood from FIG. 4, the rearward portion of the straight members  32  and  33  comprising the U-shaped frame  30  may be provided with a plurality of spaced apart pairs of positioning members  80  providing rectangular detent members  84 , each being the same as the representative positioning member  80  and rectangular detent member  84  shown in FIG. 7 and described above.  
         [0029]    The various angles, by way of example and not by way of limitation, at which the circular resilient member  60  may be disposed with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface on which it resides are illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS.  8 - 11 . Upon the cross member  41  (FIG. 5) of the U-shaped frame  40  engaging the pair of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  77  and  78  (FIG. 4), only member  77  being shown in FIG. 8, the circular resilient member  60  may be disposed at an angle of about 65 degrees with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface on which it resides. As illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 9, upon the cross member  41  (FIG. 4) of the U-shaped frame  40  engaging the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  75  and  76 , only member  75  being shown in FIG. 9, the circular resilient member  60  is disposed at an angle of about 55 degrees with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface on which it resides. FIG. 10 illustrates the angle at which the circular resilient member  60  may be disposed with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface on which it resides by the cross member  41  (FIG. 4) engaging the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  73  and  74  (only member  73  being shown in FIG. 10) thereby producing a disposition angle of about 45 degrees. Upon the cross member  41  (FIG. 4) of the U-shaped frame  40  engaging the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  71  and  72  (FIG. 4), only member  71  shown in FIG. 11, the circular resilient member  60  may be disposed at an angle of about 35 degrees with respect to the U-shaped frame  30  and the surface on which it is disposed.  
         [0030]    As will be understood from FIG. 12, due to the pivotal mounting between the frames  20 ,  30  and  40 , and upon the disengagement of the cross member  41  (FIG. 4) of the U-shaped frame  40  from all of the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members  71  and  72 - 77  and  78  provided on the rearward portion of the U-shaped frame  30 , the ball rebounder of the present invention may be collapsed into an essentially flat condition as shown in FIG. 12. This essentially flat collapsed condition facilitates storage of the ball rebounder  10  and the transportation of the ball rebounder  10  in a smaller container or carton that would be required were the ball rebounder  10  not to be not fully collapsible as shown in FIG. 12.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 13 illustrates diagrammatically and representatively the pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frames  30  and  40  to the rectangular frame  10  of FIGS. 1 and 2 and does so with regard to the pivotal mounting of the straight member  33  of the U-shaped frame  30  (FIG. 1) to the straight member  24  (FIG. 1) of the rectangular frame  20 . Such pivotal mounting may be provided, for example, by the bolt  90 , nut  91 , washer  93 , plastic bushing  94  and washer  95 . The bolt  90  extends through the hole  20 D (FIG. 3) provided in the straight member  24  of the rectangular frame  20 , through the washer  93 , the plastic bushing  94 , the washer  95  and the hole  39 A (FIG. 4) provided in the straight member  33  of the U-shaped frame  30  and upon the nut  91  being threadedly fastened to the end of the bolt  90 , the washers  93  and  95  and the plastic bushing  94  provide pivotal movement between the straight member  24  and the straight member  33  and thereby between the frames  20  and  30 . It will be understood that other pivotal connections known to the art also may be used for such pivotal frame mounting.  
         [0032]    It will be further understood that upon the straight sections comprising the frames  20 ,  30  and  40  being made of aluminum tubing as described above, upon the annular frame  30  being made of aluminum tubing, and upon the connectors comprising the frames  20 ,  30  and  40  being made of plastic, the ball rebounder  10  of the present invention will be light weight and that upon the placement or interconnection of the brackets  20 ,  30  and  40  being as described above, the ball rebounder  10  of the present invention will be rigid and provide a stable base for the circular resilient member  60 . Accordingly, the ball rebounder  10  will absorb the force of any ball thrown against the circular resilient member  60 , on any location thereof, and will rebound the ball without allowing the ball rebounder  10  to move or topple over.  
         [0033]    In addition to being used as a ball rebounder, particularly a baseball rebounder, the ball rebounder  10  may be used to play a game with several people. The game, for example, may be that of each player throwing a certain number of balls against the ball rebounder  10 , disposed at different angles, and the person catching the greatest number of rebounded balls is the winner.  
         [0034]    It will be understood that many variations and modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof.