Patent ID: 12186641

The drawings, described above, are provided for purposes of illustration, and not of limitation, of the aspects and features of various examples of embodiments of the invention described herein. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention in any aspect. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale and the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description is disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. Preferred embodiments are provided in the following description only as examples and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The general principles defined in the following description would be applied to other embodiments, alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Further, this description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein in any way, but rather as merely describing implementation of the one or more embodiments described herein.

Referring toFIGS.1A to2F, a foldable football holder according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The foldable football holder comprises an elongated holding arm10, at least two elongated supporting arms21,22and a holder joint30. The holding arm10has a holding end portion11and a mounting end portion12. Each of the two elongated supporting arms21,22has a support end portion211,221and a pivot end portion212,222.

Referring toFIG.2A, the holder joint30, having a general V-shaped configuration, is an integral body configured to have two pivot wing portions31,32and a secure portion33, wherein the two pivot wing portions31,32are integrally extended from two opposing sides of the secure portion33respectively with a predetermined unfolding angle A therebetween. The mounting end portion12of the holding arm10is securely coupled with the secure portion33of the holder joint30while the holding end portion11of the holding arm10is extended away from the holder joint30in a first direction B and the pivot end portions212,222of the two supporting arm20are rotatably coupled with the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30about two pivot axes C1, C2respectively in such a manner that the two supporting arms20are capable of selectively rotating about the two pivot axes C1, C2to a folded condition that the support end portions212,222of the two supporting arms21,22are extended towards the first direction B and to a unfolded condition that the support end portions211,221of the two supporting arms21,22are extended towards a second direction D while having the unfolding angle A between the two supporting arms21,22.

Referring toFIGS.2A to2E, each of the two pivot wing portions31,32has a stopper element311,321protruded from an inner surface312,322thereof such that the two stopper elements311,321of the two pivot wing portions31,32are respectively extended towards each other from the inner surfaces312,322of the two pivot wing portions31,32, wherein the two stopper elements311,321are arranged to form two stopping walls3111,3211respectively (as shown inFIG.2E) that selectively limit unfolding rotation of the two supporting arms21,22about two pivot axes C1, C2respectively and retain the two supporting arms21,22in the unfolded condition in the second direction D, that is perpendicular to the holding arm10respectively, while having the predetermined unfolding angle A between the two supporting arms21,22.

According to the first preferred embodiment, the holder joint30is made of a metal material, for example formed by press molding, stamping die and etc., wherein a single piece of generally triangular shape metal body having a predetermined thickness is bent for the predetermined unfolding angle A (for example 60˜90 degrees) to form the secure portion33at a bending corner portion and the two pivot wing portions31,32by two halve portions of the metal body respectively. Further, the stopper elements311,321are formed by cutting and bending corresponding central portions of the metal material of the two pivot wing portions31,32inwardly, as shown inFIGS.2A-2E, to form the two stopper elements311,321being perpendicular to the two inner surfaces312,322of the two pivot wing portions31,32respectively, such that the two bent stopper elements31,32311,321not only form the two stopping walls3111,32113121for limiting the pivotally rotation of the two supporting arms21,22about the pivot axes C1, C2respectively, but also reinforcing the strength of the holder joint30. It is worth mentioning that the holding arm10is preferred to be made of a metal round rod or other rigid material having a circular cross section and a curvature of the secure portion33is configured to match with the diameter of the holding arm10so that the mounting end portion12of the holding arm10is fittingly extended and affixed to an inner curved surface of the secure portion33by welding, adhering and etc., until an end surface of the holding arm10is biasing against the two stopper elements311,321, as shown inFIGS.2D and2E. In other words, the two stopper elements311,321not only provide the stopping and limiting function for the pivotal rotation movement of the two supporting arms22,22during folding and unfolding of the football holder, but also provide the stopping and limiting function for a mounting configuration of the holding arm10and the secure portion33of the holder joint30that further reinforces and strengthens the overall configuration of the foldable football holder of the present invention, especially during the unfolding condition when use.

In particular, each of the stopping walls3111,31213211of the two stopper elements311,321has a stopper surface, a first length extended from the inner surface312,322of the pivot wing portion31,32to a distal end thereof, and a second length extended between two sides of the stopper element311,321, such that the two supporting arms21,22are capable of rotating about the pivot axis C1, C2between the folded condition and the unfolded condition with respect to the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30respectively, wherein when the two supporting arms21,22are unfolded to the unfolded condition, a first side of each of the two supporting arms21,22is stopped and biased against the stopping wall3111,3211of the corresponding stopper element311,321.

Further, as shown inFIG.2F, the second length of each of the stopper elements311,321is predetermined to a distance between the holding arm10and the two supporting arms21,22in the folded condition where the two supporting arms21,22are rotated and folded to be parallel with the holding arm10, so that when the two supporting arms21,22are folded to the folded condition, one side of the stopper element311,321substantially limits the rotation of the corresponding supporting arm21,22about the pivot axis C1, C2and retains the corresponding supporting arm21,22in parallel with the holding arm10.

In other words, referring toFIGS.1B and2F, the two stopper elements311,321of the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30are arranged in such a manner that when the supporting arms are folded about the two pivot axes C1, C2by rotating towards the holding arm10, the two stopper elements311,312form two stoppers to stop the rotation of the two supporting arms21,22that prevents the two supporting arms from over rotation to contact with the holding arm10and to retain the two supporting arms21,22in the folded condition, illustrated in dotted lines inFIG.2F, that are generally parallel with the holding arm10.

Specifically, according to the first preferred embodiment, the formation of the two stopper elements311,321is an ingenious arrangement that one surface of each of two stopper elements311,321of the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30forms a stopping wall3111,3211to limit folding rotation of the corresponding supporting arm21,22and retain the corresponding supporting arm21,22in the folded condition along the first direction D as shown inFIG.2E, and another surface of each of the two stopper elements311,321of the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30forms an affixing wall3112,3212for the secure portion33of the holder joint30that limits the mounting of the holding arm10in position as shown inFIG.2D.

According to the first preferred embodiment, it is appreciated that the two stopper elements311,321of the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30are arranged in such a manner that when the two unfolded supporting arms21,22are placed on a playground and the holding arm10is extended transversely for holding a football between the holder end portion11thereof and the playground, a downward reaction force applied to the holding arm10substantially exerts a pressing pressure against the two supporting arms21,22that secures the unfolded condition of the two supporting arms21,22to be retained by the two stopper elements311,321. The more downward pressure applied to the holding arm10, the more secure and rigid is the unfolding configuration of the two supporting arms21,22and the holding arm10.

Referring toFIGS.2C and2E, the two pivot end portions211,221of the two supporting arms21,22are pivotally coupled with the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30respectively in a detachable manner so that the users may assemble, disassemble and replace the supporting arms21,22by themselves. According to the first preferred embodiment, the two supporting arms21,22are coupled with the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30respectively by means of a coupling means40comprising a bolt41and a nut42configuration, wherein each of the pivot end portions211,221of the two supporting arms21,22and each of the pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30has a coupling hole, which center axis forms the pivot axis C1, C2, such that the bolt41penetrates the aligned coupling holes of the corresponding pivot wing portion31,32and the pivot end portion211,221and then the nut42can be fastened with the bolt41to couple the supporting arms21,22with the holder joint30. In order to allow the coupling of the two supporting arms21,22with the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30, each of the coupling means40further comprises a pair of washers43, made of elastic material such as plastic or silicon, being positioned at two sides of the pivot end portions211,221of the two supporting arms21,22respectively and being fastened by the bolt41and the nut42so as to enable the two supporting arms21,22being smoothly rotating about the pivot axes C1, C2with respect to the two pivot wing portions31,32respectively. Accordingly, the user may simply unscrew the bolt41and the nut42to disassemble the coupling means40for replacing the corresponding supporting arm21,22or fasten the bolt41and the nut42to pivotally assemble the corresponding supporting arm21,22with the holder joint30in a rotatable manner.

In view of above, the holder joint30of the foldable football holder of the present invention does not require any complicated structure and additional component but is able to provide the stopping and limiting effects to the two supporting arms21,22and the affixing effect to the holding arm10so as to provide a rigid and strengthened configuration for the foldable football holder which simplifies the manufacturing process and minimizes the manufacturing cost thereof.

Referring toFIGS.3A to4B, a foldable football holder according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which holder joint31′ is modified from the first preferred embodiment as shown inFIGS.1A to3Fto have a secure portion33′ that is configured to allow the holding arm11to be simply inserted and mounted in position. The secure portion33′ of the holder joint30′ according to the second preferred embodiment is integrally configured to have a semi-circular cross section having a radius equals to or slightly less than a radius of the holding arm10. A middle segment of the secure portion33′ is cutted and depressed downwardly to form a C-shape bottom member331′, for example by stamping die, pressing mold or etc., defining a secure opening332′ while a front segment and a rear segment before and after the secure opening332′ form a C-shape front member333′ and a C-shape rear member334′ protruding upwards respectively, such that a circular securing channel330′ is defined by the front member333′ the bottom member331′ and the rear member334coaxially, wherein the securing channel330′ is preferred to have a diameter equal to or slight smaller than an outer diameter of the holding arm10. The rear member334′ further has an end portion33413341′ forming a bottom wall of the securing channel330′. Therefore, the mounting end portion12of the holding arm10can be simply inserted into the secure channel330′ as shown inFIGS.4A and4Bso as to securely assemble the holding arm10with the holder joint20′ according to the second preferred embodiment. It is worth mentioning that the stopper elements311,321of the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30′ and the pivotally coupling of the two supporting arms21,22with the two pivot wing portions31,32of the holder joint30′ are the same as the respective disclosure of the above first preferred embodiment.

According to the second preferred embodiment, the mounting end portion12of the holding arm10is securely coupled with the secure portion33′ of the holder joint30′ in a detachable manner so that the users may assemble, disassemble and replace the holding arm by themselves.

Referring toFIGS.5to6D, a foldable football holder according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which is a modification of the above second preferred embodiment that having the same configuration of second preferred embodiment except that the rear member334′ of the secure portion33′ does not have the end portion3341′ so that the holding arm10inserted into the secure channel330′ can be extended therethrough to control the length of the holding arm10extended from the holder joint30′. Therefore, the user may use a longer holding arm10and is free to control the distance between the holding end portion11thereof and the holder joint30′ by allowing the mounting end portion12of the holding arm10extended rearwardly out of the rear member334′, as shown inFIG.6C.

It should be noted that the disclosure of the above embodiments is exemplary to illustrated the inventive concept of the present invention but not for limiting the scope of the invention, wherein it is appreciated that, beside making of metal, each of the holder joint30,30′, the supporting arms21,22and the holding arm10can be also made of other rigid materials such as alloy, plastic, fiber plastic, wood, and etc. The holder joint30,30′ is made of plastic by injection molding, wherein holder joint30,30′ can be made in other shapes and the stopper elements311,321can be molded directly protruded from the inner surface312,322of the pivot wing portions31,32and thus no hole is formed in the pivot wing portions31,32as illustrated in the above embodiments.

Based on the foldable football holder as disclosed in the above embodiments as shown inFIGS.1A to6D, the foldable football holder can be operated to fold and unfold in the following steps:

(i) pivotally moving the two supporting arms21,22, which are folded in the first direction B generally parallel to the holding arm10securely coupled to the holder joint30,30′, away from the holding arm10to unfold the two supporting arms21,22until two pivot end portions211,221of the two supporting arms21,22pivotally, until the pivot end portions211,221of the two supporting arms21,22are limited and stopped the two stopping elements311,321respectively, to an unfolded position that the two supporting arms21,22are extended in the second direction D, generally perpendicular to the holding arm10with the predetermined unfolding angle A defined between the two supporting arms21,22, such that the two supporting arms21,22are in an inverted V-shape and adapted to place on a playground while the holding arm10is transversely extended parallel to the playground for holding a football between the holding end portion11of the holding arm10and the playground, wherein a downward reaction force applied to the holding arm10substantially exerts a pressing pressure against the two supporting arms21,22that secures the unfolded condition of the two supporting arms21,22to be retained by the two stopper elements311,321; and

(ii) pivotally moving the two supporting arms21,22from the unfolded condition towards the holding arm10until the two supporting arms21,22are in the first direction B, generally parallel to the holding arm10, so as to folded the two supporting arms21,22back to the folded condition for ease of storage and carrying.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.