Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/122,471, filed Dec. 15, 2008, entitled, “GOAL TO GROUND MONITOR”, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for monitoring the present and past ground contact of moveable sport goals. In particular the invention relates a device to monitor the ground contact of soccer goals and to provide a visual indication of ground contact status of the goal. 
     Soccer is one of, and perhaps the most popular sport in the world. In some instances, soccer goals are fixed, or set securely (permanently or semi-permanently) into the ground. In other instances, soccer fields can be shared (e.g., also used as lacrosse fields), and as such the goals are moveable. 
     Typically, the goals are staked or anchored into the ground to secure the goals in place. However, at times, due to various reasons, the goals become un-staked and loose. This can cause a hazardous condition. 
     There is a danger of goals tipping over. Such tipping has resulted in numerous serious injuries, often of young children, with some victims as young as 3 and 4 years of age. Indeed, it is estimated that tipping over of goals results in between 90 and 200 serious injuries annually, and that such injuries can require hospitalization. Many of these injuries are to the brain and spine. 
     By its nature the goal is counter weighted by the base of the goal with most of its weight to the rear of the goal. However with some degree of force the goal can tip over. The force required to overturn a goal can be quite low. There are many reported instances where a goal has been overturned by wind alone. A small child climbing on the net or crossbar may also be sufficient to reduce the stability of the goal. Because of the weight of these soccer goals, averaging between about 150-500 pounds, the results of a goal striking a person can be devastating. 
     Maintaining these goals anchored to the ground would seem a manageable if not straightforward task. However, due to the sheer number of goals and the multi-usage of the fields, as well as other factors including, for example, changing soil conditions due to, for example, excessive rain or drought, this has proven a much more challenging and elusive task. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a monitoring system that monitors change in a resting state of a ground resting goal, such as a soccer goal. Desirably, such a monitoring system is easily installed. More desirably, such a monitoring indicates minor movement of the goal from the safe or resting position and maintains such indication until reset. More desirably still, such a system provides ready visual indication of such an upset condition. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A goal to ground monitor or indicator device indicates a ready and/or upset condition of a ground supported goal, such as a soccer goal, that has at least one bar that lies in contact with the ground. The monitor includes a base plate, a contact arm mounted to the base plate and movable relative to the base plate and an indicator arm mounted to the base plate for cooperation with the contact arm. 
     The contact arm and a portion of the base plate are configured for contact with the bar. That is, the bar overlies portions of the contact arm and base plate. 
     The indicator arm is mounted to the base plate for cooperation with the contact arm. The indicator arm is movable relative to the contact arm between a ready position and an upset position. The indicator arm is positioned such that a portion of the contact arm cooperates with a portion of the indicator arm to temporarily maintain the indicator arm in the ready position. 
     A biasing element, such as a spring, biases the indicator arm to the upset position. 
     The contact arm, resting in the base plate, cooperates with the indicator arm against the biasing element to maintain the indicator arm in the ready position when the bar overlies the contact arm. When the bar is moved from the contact arm, the spring exerts a force to move the indicator arm from the ready position, which moves the contact arm from the base plate to disengage the indicator arm and to continue moving the indicator arm to the upset position. 
     In an exemplary monitor, the contact arm and the indicator arm are pivotally mounted to the base plate. The pivot axis of the contact arm and the pivot axis of the indicator arm can be non-parallel, e.g., generally normal to one another or, alternately, they can be parallel to one another. 
     In one embodiment, the indicator arm includes a movable, biased finger configured to cooperate with the contact arm to maintain the indicator arm in the ready position. The contact arm includes a recess in a lower surface thereof such that in the ready position, the finger resides in the recess. A set lock can be provided on the contact arm that is movable between a first position in which the indicator arm is movable to the ready position with the contact arm resting in the base plate and a second position in which the set lock prevents movement of the indicator arm from the upset position into the ready position. 
     Indicator flag arms can be mounted to the indicator arm. The flag arms include a ready position flag arm and an upset position flag arm. The ready position flag arm can be green and the upset position flag arm can be red to provide readily visually perceptible indication whether an upset condition has occurred. The flag arms can include flags mounted thereto. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the contact arm and indicator arm include interfering portions configured to cooperate with one another. In this embodiment, in the ready position, the contact arm interfering portion overlies the indicator arm interfering portion to maintain the indicator arm in the ready position. After movement to the upset position, the contact arm interfering portion prevents resetting of the indicator arm without upward pivoting of the contact arm. 
     The base plate can be configured with one or more openings for securing the monitor device to the ground, such as by staking A cable and lock can be provided to present movement, vandalism or theft. 
     In still another alternate embodiment, a ground supported goal has an indicator device for indicating a ready and/or upset condition of the goal mounted directly to it. The goal includes at least one ground bar resting on the ground. The contact arm is operably mounted to the goal and is movable relative to the ground bar resting on the ground. 
     The indicator arm is operably mounted to the goal for cooperation with the contact arm. The indicator arm is movable relative to the contact arm between the ready position and the upset position. The indicator arm is positioned such that a portion of the contact arm cooperates with a portion of the indicator arm to temporarily maintain the indicator arm in the ready position. 
     A biasing element biases the indicator arm to the upset position. As such, the contact arm cooperates with the indicator arm against the biasing element to maintain the indicator arm in the ready position when the ground bar is on the ground. When the ground bar is moved off of the ground, the biasing element exerts a force to move the indicator arm from the ready position. This moves the contact arm to disengage the indicator arm and to continue moving the indicator arm to the upset position. 
     In a preferred alternate embodiment, the contact arm is pivotally mounted to the ground bar and the indicator arm is mounted to the ground bar and cooperates with the contact arm to maintain the indicator arm in the ready position. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a goal, such as a soccer goal, having a goal to ground monitor located at the rear ground bar or shoe, embodying the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the goal and the monitor; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial top view of the goal to ground monitor showing the indicator arm in the ready or seated position; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial top view of the goal to ground monitor showing the indicator arm in the upset or unseated position; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial top view similar to  FIG. 4  with the indicator arm pivoting from the ready position to the upset position; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial top view similar to  FIG. 5  with the indicator arm pivoted to the upset position; 
         FIG. 7  is a top rear perspective view illustrating the contact arm pivoted upwardly from the base plate and the indicator arm pivoted to the upset position; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the goal to ground monitor shown with the indicator arm in the upset position for ease of illustration; 
         FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a goal to ground monitor embodying the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of the alternate embodiment with the contact arm pivoted upwardly from the base plate and the indicator arm pivoting from the ready position to the upset position; 
         FIG. 11  is a front perspective view similar to  FIG. 9 , but showing the indicator arm fully pivoted to the upset position; 
         FIG. 12  is a front perspective showing the contact arm pivoted upwardly from the base plate and the indicator arm pivoted to the upset position; 
         FIG. 13  is a partial top view of another alternate embodiment of the goal to ground monitor showing the contact arm having a parallel pivot axis and with the indicator arm in the upset position; and 
         FIG. 14  is an elevational illustration of another alternate embodiment in which the monitor is formed as part of or mounted to the goal. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the figures and photographs and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
     It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein. 
     Referring to the figures and in particular to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an embodiment of a goal to ground monitor  10  embodying the principles of the present invention. The monitor  10  is shown at the rear ground bar or rear ground shoe  12  (collectively, rear ground bar) of a soccer goal  14 . It will be appreciated that the goal to ground monitor  10  can be located along the ground bar or ground shoe  16  (collectively, ground bar), which is the bar that rests on the ground G and extends along the side of the goal  14 , rather than along the rear of the goal. For purposes of the present disclosure, reference to ground bar or rear ground bar is to any bar that forms part of the goal  14  structure, and rests on the ground G, whether such bar is along a side or along the rear of the goal  14 . 
     The monitor device  10  includes a base plate  20  that rests on the ground G, under the ground bar  12 ,  16 . Preferably, the monitoring device  10  is positioned under the rear ground bar  12 . If it is positioned at the ground bar  16  (that is along a side of the goal  14 ), it is preferably located under a rear-most part of the bar  16 . This may be the case in those instances where there may not be a rear bar  12  or when positioning the monitor  10  at the rear bar  12  is not ideal. In that goals will typically tip by rotating about the front corners F of the goal  14 , it is preferable to locate the monitor  10  as far from the pivot point (axis A F ) as is reasonably possible, in that the farthest point moves the greatest distance when the goal  12  is tipped. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-8 , the base plate  20  has mounted to it two pivoting elements  22 ,  24 . The first element, or bar contact arm  22 , is pivotally mounted to the base plate  20  and, along with the plate  20  has a recess  26 ,  28  formed therein, in which the ground bar  12  rests. The bar contact arm  22  pivots about an axis A 22  that is generally parallel to the ground bar  12 . In a present device  10 , the bar contact arm  22  pivots about a hinge pin  30  (see generally  FIG. 7 ) that mounts the arm  22  to the base plate  20 . The contact arm  22  can be chamfered or tapered as at  32  to preclude binding of the arm  22  and to permit the arm  22  to freely pivot out of the resting or ready position (out of the base plate  20 ). 
     The contact arm  22  includes a set lock  34 . The set lock  34  is positioned on an upper surface  36  of the contact arm  22  and is slidable longitudinally (as indicated by the arrow at  38 ) along the contact arm  22 . The set lock  34  is lockable (or securable) in the extended or retracted position. The set lock  34  can include a shoulder bolt  40  or like fastener to facilitate securing it in the extended position. The contact arm  22  includes a ramped notch  42  that extends into the front face  44  and to the top surface  36  of the contact arm  22 . The set lock  34  is positioned over, e.g., covers, the notch  42  when the set lock  34  is in the extended position and uncovers the notch  42  when in the retracted position. A recess  46  is formed in a lower surface  48  of the contact arm  22 . 
     The second or indicator arm  24  is pivotally mounted to the base plate  20 , about a pivot axis A 24  that is generally normal (or perpendicular) to the contact arm axis A 22  and the ground bar  12 ,  16 . The pivot  50  (the axis of which is indicated at A 24 ) of the indicator arm  24  can be mounted to the base plate  20  slightly offset from the contact arm  22 . The indicator arm  24  includes a finger  52  that extends outwardly to engage the contact arm  22 . The finger  52  is spring  54  biased to extend outwardly. Depressing the finger  52  against the bias moves the end of the finger  52  flush with the arm surface  56 . 
     A biasing element  58  is positioned to bias the indicator arm  24  to the upset position. In a present embodiment, the biasing element  58  is a spring that is positioned about the indicator arm pivot  50 , carried by the base plate  20  or positioned between the arm  24  and the base plate  20 . In a present monitor, the spring  58  is a coil spring and both ends  60 ,  62  of the spring  58  are positioned to urge the indicator arm  24  to the upset position. 
     Two flag arms  64 ,  66  are mounted to the indicator arm  24 . The arms  64 ,  66  can be colored and can include a visual indicator such as a red flag  68  that is oriented upward to indicate the upset position and a green flag  70  that is oriented upward to indicate a ready position. A present monitor  10  includes a red flag  68  having an octagonal shape to indicate the upset condition and a green banner-like flag  70  to indicate the ready condition. In the illustrated monitor  10 , the flag arms  64 ,  66  are formed with spring or resilient base sections  72  and the arms  64 ,  66  themselves are coated  74 , as with a plastic coating, which can also be colored, to enhance durability and visual perception. 
     The base plate  20  can include openings  76  to permit the monitor  10  to be affixed to the ground G. The monitor  10  can be affixed by use of stakes, coil-like augers, corkscrew-like augers/elements or the like (not shown). The monitor  10  can include locks or locking elements so that the monitor  10  can be locked to the goal  14 . As illustrated, one suitable lock is a cable lock  78  that is affixed to the base plate  20  and looped over the ground bar  12 ,  16  to secure the plate  20  to the ground bar  12 ,  16 , to prevent removal, vandalism or theft of the monitor  10 . The cable  78  can be secured to the base pate  20  by a key lock  80 . 
     In use, the contact arm  22  is pivoted up and the indicating arm  24  is pivoted down (to the ready position). The contact arm  22  is then pivoted down into the ready position, with the finger  52  positioned in the recess  46  in the bottom  48  of the contact arm  22 . The monitor  10 , which is now in the ready position, is positioned beneath the ground bar  12 ,  16 . 
     It will be appreciated that setting the monitor  10  can be difficult given that it is located beneath the ground bar  12 ,  16 . Accordingly, the set lock  34  permits the monitor  10  to be set or reset without the need to remove the monitor  10  from under the ground bar  12 ,  16 , or even lift the ground bar  12 ,  16 . In this manner, the set lock  34  can be moved to the refracted position which exposes the ramped notch  42 . As the indicator arm  24  is pivoted to the ready position, the finger  52  engages the ramped notch  42 . In that the finger  52  is biased, as the arm  24  is rotated toward the ready position, the finger  52  is urged inward as it moves along or through the notch  42 , to allow the indicator arm  24  to pivot fully. Once the indicator arm  24  passes the point at which the finger  52  is beyond the contact arm  22 , that is, once the finger  52  enters the recess  46 , the spring  54  bias forces the finger  52  outward and the finger  52  engages the contact arm  22 , setting the indicator arm  24  in the ready position. The set lock  34  can then be moved and secured into the extended position by, for example, tightening down the fastener  40 . 
     It will be understood that when the goal to ground monitor  10  is in place under the ground bar (whether it is the rear ground bar  12  or one of the side bars  16 ), the spring  58  force on the indicator arm  24  induces an upward force on the contact arm  22 . However, the weight of the goal  14  maintains the contact arm  22  down on the indicator arm  24  and base plate  20 . When, for example, the goal  14  lifts off of the ground G, if the goal  14  pivots forwardly, the spring force from the indicator arm  24  forces the contact arm  22  to pivot upwardly (by engagement of the finger  52  with the contact arm recess  46  edge) so that the finger  52  forces the contact arm  22  to pivot up. As the two arms  22 ,  24  pivot upwardly and the finger  52  disengages from the recess  46 . The indicator arm  24  then pivots by force of the spring  58  to the upset position, indicating that some upset has occurred and that the goal requires attention. 
     It will be appreciated that the set lock  34  prevents the indicator arm  24  from being rotated back toward the ready position and being “reset” without purposefully moving the set lock  34  from the extended position to the retracted position. Thus, if the indicator arm  24  signals some upset position, there must be some purposeful action taken to reset the arm  24  to the ready position. 
     An alternate embodiment of the goal to ground monitor  110  is illustrated in  FIGS. 9-12 . In this embodiment, in order to assure that a goal  14  that has moved into an upset position or condition is properly indicated and checked (by an individual), the indicator arm  124 , once moved into the upset position, cannot be rotated back into the resting position without fully resetting the monitor  110 . That is, once the indicator arm  124  has pivoted out from under the contact arm  122 , in order to reset the monitor, the contact arm  122  must be pivoted upwardly, the indicator arm  124  reset to the ready position, and the contact arm  122  brought back onto the indicator arm  124 . 
     Accordingly, the contact arm  122  and indicator arm  124  include interfering portions that overlap. The contact arm interfering portion  146  prevents the indicator arm  124  (interfering portion  152 ) from fully seating in the base plate  120  if not properly reset. The interfering portions  146 ,  152  include curved and/or angle surfaces  148 ,  154  that cooperate to permit the contact and indicating arms  122 ,  124  to readily slide along and move past one another when the arms  122 ,  124  move from the ready to the upset position. The interfering portions  146 ,  152 , however, prevent the indicating arm  124  from merely being pivoted to the ready position, without first lifting (pivoting) the contact arm  122 . 
     Still another alternate embodiment of the monitor  210  is illustrated generally in  FIG. 13 . In this embodiment, the indicator arm  224  pivots as in the prior embodiments (that is about an axis A 224  that is generally parallel to the ground bar). The contact arm  222 , however, also pivots about an axis A 222  that is parallel to the ground bar (more specifically, parallel to the axis A 224  about which the indicator arm  224  pivots). The axes A 222 , A 224  are parallel, but preferably are not collinear; that is, they do not share the same axes. And, the location at which the arms  222 ,  224 , engage one another, as indicated generally at  226 , whether it is by a finger and recess (not shown) or cooperating angled/curved surface (not shown), is preferably spaced from (e.g., not collinear with) the indicator arm and contact arm axes A 222 , A 224 . It will be appreciated that such a configuration provides the desired moment, e.g., distance between the engagement point  226  and the rotational axis A 224 , to establish both force and distance to urge the indicator arm  224  to the upset position. 
     Still another embodiment  310  is illustrated in  FIG. 14  in which the contact arm  322 , when the monitor  310  is in the ready position, remains in contact with the ground G and remains in contact with or closely adjacent to the ground bar  12 ,  16 . In this embodiment, the contact arm  322  is biased away from the ground bar  12 ,  16  by spring  358 . The indicator arm  324  is held in the ready position by engagement with the contact arm  322  when the contact arm  322  is “sandwiched” between the ground bar  12 ,  16  and the ground G. 
     As the goal  14  lifts from the ground G, the spring  358  bias urges the contact arm  322  away from the ground bar  12 ,  16 . This releases or disengages the indicator arm  324  (disengage the indicator arm  324  from the contact arm  322 ). As with the prior embodiments  10 ,  110 ,  210 , in this embodiment  310 , the indicator  324  arm is in the ready (green) position when the indicator arm  324  is secured by the contact arm  322  and moves (pivots) to the upset position as it is released from engagement with the contact arm  322 . The contact arm  322  and indicator arm  324  can both be mounted to the ground bar  12 ,  16  by pivot arrangements  330 ,  350 , respectively. 
     It will be appreciated that the monitor  10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310  is of a fail-safe design. That it, because the indicator arm  24 ,  124 ,  224 ,  324  fails to the upset position, the monitor  10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310  will indicate upset even if a true upset condition may not have occurred. Moreover, the upset position can be indicated even if, for example, the spring  58 ,  158 ,  358  fails, by weighting the indicator arm  24 ,  124 ,  224 ,  324  or flags  68 ,  70 , or by incorporation of an additional (fail-safe) spring element in the monitor  10 ,  110 ,  210 ,  310  (which the two ends  60 ,  62  of the spring  58 ,  158 ,  358  can be used to effectuate). 
     All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure. 
     In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. 
     From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.

Technology Category: 1