US20050275168A1

US20050275168A1 - Size adjustable soccer goal

Info

Publication number: US20050275168A1
Application number: US10/866,363
Authority: US
Inventors: Tomas Kegevic; Eduardo Kegevic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-06-11
Filing date: 2004-06-11
Publication date: 2005-12-15

Abstract

A size adjustable soccer goal. A frame has corners and includes tubular members replaceably attached to each other allowing the frame to be size adjustable and knockdownable. A net operatively and replaceably attaches to the frame allowing the net to be size adjustable to accommodate a size of the frame and be removable from the frame. The corners of the frame are one-piece with associated members of the frame, respectively, eliminating small separate additional corner pieces from getting lost, requiring additional assembly, and compromising structural integrity of the frame.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soccer goal, and more particularly, to a size adjustable soccer goal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Regulation soccer goals are typically constructed of heavy steel pipe anchored into the ground at each of two opposite ends of a playing field so as to provide stable permanent structures upon which to install netting to receive a soccer ball. Playing fields with such goals are scarce, therefore limiting practice and effectively hampering growth of the sport of soccer. In contrast, easily improvised playing areas for basketball, football, and baseball encourage practice of these sports.
Basketball goals of selective height are quite common, so that even quite small children are not dissuaded from playing. Available soccer goal designs, however, are not suitable for use by both children and adults or by smaller than regulation team sizes or even for use on normally available and limited size playing areas.
A number of portable soccer goals have been developed that include a goal which may be folded after partial disassembly. The goal, however, is of regulation size and would be incongruous when installed in an available backyard or a like area. It would in fact be quite impossible to miss such a goal in such a small practice area. Nor do these goals provide the small sizes needed for use by small children.
Clearly, a need exists for a soccer goal which not only can be readily disassembled for transport and storage and has a large range of selective sizes and shapes, but also has less joints which are positioned strategically for increased structural integrity.
Numerous other innovations for soccer goals have been provided in the prior art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure and/or operation and/or purpose from the present invention.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,375 to Moosavi teaches a soccer goal assembly that is adjustable in size and shape to accommodate playing areas of limited to full sizes, indoors or outdoors, full or partial teams, and children or adult players. The goal assembly has a framework covered by a ball stopping net. Individual frame members can be selected or assembled in selective lengths for the desired goal sizes.
Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a size adjustable soccer goal that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a size adjustable soccer goal that is simple to use.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a size adjustable soccer goal that can be readily disassembled for transport and storage.
YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a size adjustable soccer goal that has a large range of selective sizes and shapes.
STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a size adjustable soccer goal that has less joints which are positioned strategically for increased structural integrity.
BRIEFLY STATED, YET STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a size adjustable soccer goal. A frame has corners and includes tubular members replaceably attached to each other allowing the frame to be size adjustable and knockdownable. A net operatively and replaceably attaches to the frame allowing the net to be size adjustable to accommodate a size of the frame and be removable from the frame. The corners of the frame are one-piece with associated members of the frame, respectively, eliminating small separate additional corner pieces from getting lost, requiring additional assembly, and compromising structural integrity of the frame.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the frame of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention identified by ARROW 2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of the frame of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic front elevational view of the area generally enclosed by the dotted curve identified by ARROW 4 in FIG. 1 of the cooperation between the net of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention and the frame of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING

10 size adjustable soccer goal of present invention
12 frame
14 net
16 plurality of members of frame 12
18 corners of frame 12
20 apparatus for affixing adjacent members of plurality of members 16 of frame 12 to each other while allowing adjacent members of plurality of members 16 of frame 12 to be length adjustable.
22 pair of front members of frame 12
24 top member of frame 12
26 pair of bottom members of frame 12
28 back member of frame 12
30 one pair of generally L-shaped members of frame 12
32 other pair of generally L-shaped members of frame 12
34 pair of ends of top member 24 of frame 12
36 upper ends of pair of front members 22 of frame 12
38 ball-entering opening in frame 12
40 lower ends of pair of front members 22 of frame 12
42 forward ends of pair of bottom members 26 of frame 12
44 pair of ends of back member 28 of frame 12
46 rearward ends of pair of bottom members 26 of frame 12
48 one pair of extending members of frame 12
50 another pair of extending members of frame 12
52 upper ends of one pair of extending members 48 of frame 12
54 upper ends of another pair of extending members 50 of frame 12
56 lower ends of one pair of extending members 48 of frame 12
58 lower ends of another pair of extending members 50 of frame 12
60 appropriately located openings in net 14

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to FIG. 1, which is a diagrammatic perspective view of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention, the goal of the present invention is shown generally at 10.
The size adjustable soccer goal 10 comprises a frame 12 and a net 14. The frame 12 is size adjustable. The net 14 is operatively attached to the frame 12 so as to allow the net 14 to be size adjustable and accommodate a size of the frame 12 and is replaceably attached to the frame 12 so as to allow the net 14 to be removable from the frame 12 for easy storage and transit.
The specific configuration of the frame 12 can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, which are, respectively, an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the frame of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention identified by ARROW 2 in FIG. 1, and, an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of the frame of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.
The frame 12 comprises a plurality of members 16. The plurality of members 16 of the frame 12 are tubular, are attached to each other in such a way so as to allow the frame 12 to be size adjustable, and are replacably attached to each other so as to allow the frame 12 to be knockdownable for easy storage and transit.
The frame 12 has corners 18. The corners 18 of the frame 12 are formed as one-piece with associated members 16 of the frame 12, respectively, so as to eliminate a need for small separate additional corner pieces which could get lost, which require additional assembly, and which compromise structural integrity of the frame 12. The plurality of members 16 of the frame 12 are telescopically attached to each other so as to allow the frame 12 to be size adjustable.
The frame 12 further comprises apparatus 20 for affixing adjacent members 16 of the frame 12 to each other while allowing the adjacent members 16 of the frame 12 to be length adjustable. The apparatus 20 can by any means known in the art to adjustably attach adjacent telescopic members to each other without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
The frame 12 further has a pair of front members 22, a top member 24, a pair of bottom members 26, and a back member 28. The pair of front members 22 of the frame 12 are vertically-oriented and spaced-apart from each other. The top member 24 of the frame 12 is horizontally-oriented and extends from one front member 22 of the frame 12 to the other front member 22 of the frame 12. The pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12 are horizontally-oriented, are spaced-apart from each other, and extend rearwardly from the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12, respectively. The back member 28 of the frame 12 is horizontally-oriented and extends from one bottom member 26 of the frame 12 to the other bottom member 26 of the frame 12.
The frame 12 is formed from two pair of generally L-shaped members 30, 32. One pair of generally L-shaped members 30 of the frame 12 comprise the top member 24 of the frame 12 and integral corners 18 of the frame 12. Each generally L-shaped member of the one pair 30 of the frame 12 comprises a portion of the top member 24 of the frame 12 formed as one-piece with the associated corner 18 of the frame 12. The other pair of generally L-shaped members 32 of the frame 12 comprise the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12, the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12, and integral corners 18 of the frame 12, respectively. Each generally L-shaped member of the other pair 32 of the fame 12 comprises one front member 22 of the frame 12 formed as one-piece with an associated bottom member 26 of the frame 12 and a corner 18 of the frame 12 joining them and formed as one-piece therewith.
The top member 24 of the frame 12 has a pair of ends 34 and the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12 have upper ends 36. The pair of ends 34 of the top member 24 of the frame 12 join the upper ends 36 of the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12, respectively, so as to form a generally inverted U-shape configuration that defines a ball-entering opening 38 in the frame 12.
The pair of front members 22 of the frame 12 have lower ends 40 and the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12 have forward ends 42. The lower ends 40 of the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12 join the forward ends 42 of the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12, respectively, so as to form generally L-shaped configurations.
The back member 28 has a pair of ends 44 and the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12 have rearward ends 46. The pair of ends 44 of the back member 28 of the frame 12 join the rearward ends 46 of the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12, respectively, so as to form a generally U-shaped configuration.
The frame 12 further comprises two pair of extending members 48, 50. The two pair of extending members 48, 50 of the frame 12 allow the frame 12 to be further size adjustable. Each member of a respective pair of extending members 48, 50 of the frame 12 are of a same length while each pair of extending members 48, 50 of the frame 12 are of a different length.
The two pair of extending members 48, 50 of the frame 12 have upper ends 52, 54 and lower ends 56, 58. The upper ends 52, 54 of a respective pair of extending members 48, 50 of the frame 12 join the pair of ends 34 of the top member 24 of the frame 12, respectively, and the lower ends 56, 58 of the respective pair of extending members 48, 50 of the frame 12 join the upper ends 36 of the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 4, which is an enlarged diagrammatic front elevational view of the area generally enclosed by the dotted curve identified by ARROW 4 in FIG. 1 of the cooperation between the net of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention and the frame of the size adjustable soccer goal of the present invention, the net 14 extends from the top member 24 of the frame 12 to the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12 to the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12 to the back member 28 of the frame 12 by virtue of the top member 24 of the frame 12, the pair of front members 22 of the frame 12, the pair of bottom members 26 of the frame 12, and the back member 28 of the frame 12 threading through appropriately located openings 70 in the net 14 so as to replaceably maintain the net 14 thereon while allowing the net 14 to accordion therealong and accommodate the size of the frame 12. The net 14 does not obstruct the ball-entering opening 38 in the frame 12.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
The invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a size adjustable soccer goal, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

Claims

1. A smart and size adjustable soccer goal, comprising:

a) a frame; and

b) a net;

wherein said frame comprises a plurality of members;

wherein said plurality of members of said frame are tubular;

wherein said plurality of members of said frame are attached to each other in such a way so as to allow said frame to be size adjustable;

wherein said plurality of members of said frame are replacably attached to each other so as to allow said frame to be knockdownable for easy storage and transit;

wherein said net is operatively attached to said frame so as to allow said net to be size adjustable and accommodate size of said frame;

wherein said net is replaceably attached to said frame so as to allow said net to be removable from said frame for easy storage and transit;

wherein said frame has corners;

wherein said corners of said frame are formed as one-piece with associated members of said frame, respectively

wherein said frame has a pair of front members;

wherein said frame has a top member;

wherein said top member of said frame extends from one front member of said frame to the other front member of said frame;

wherein said frame is formed from two pairs of generally L-shaped members;

wherein one pair of generally L-shaped members of said frame comprise said top member of said frame and associated corners of said frame; and

wherein each generally L-shaped member of said one pair of generally L-shaped members of said fame comprises a portion of said top member of said frame formed as one-piece with an associated corner of said frame.

2. The goal as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of members of said frame are telescopically attached to each other so as to allow said frame to be size adjustable.

3. The goal as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame comprises means for affixing adjacent members of said frame to each other, while allowing said adjacent members of said frame to be length adjustable.

4. (canceled)

5. The goal as defined in claim 1, wherein said pair of front members of said frame are vertically-oriented; and

wherein said pair of front members of said frame are spaced-apart from each other.

6. (canceled)

7. The goal as defined in claim 1, wherein said top member of said frame is horizontally-oriented.

8. The goal as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame has a pair of bottom members; and

wherein said pair of bottom members of said frame extend rearwardly from said pair of front members of said frame, respectively.

9. The goal as defined in claim 8, wherein said pair of bottom members of said frame are horizontally-oriented; and

wherein said pair of bottom members of said frame are spaced-apart from each other.

10. The goal as defined in claim 8, wherein said frame has a back member; and

wherein said back member of said frame extends from one bottom member of said frame to the other bottom member of said frame.

11. The goal as defined in claim 10, wherein said back member of said frame is horizontally-oriented.

12-14. (canceled)

15. The goal as defined in claim 1, wherein the other pair of generally L-shaped members of said frame comprise said pair of front members of said frame, said pair of bottom members of said frame, and associated corners of said frame.

16. The goal as defined in claim 15, wherein each generally L-shaped member of said other pair of generally L-shaped members of said fame comprises one front member of said frame formed as one-piece with an associated bottom member of said frame and a corner of said fame joining them and formed as one-piece therewith.

17. The goal as defined in claim 10, wherein said top member of said frame has a pair of end;

wherein said pair of front members of said frame have upper ends;

wherein said pair of ends of said top member of said frame join said upper ends of said pair of front members of said frame, respectively, so as to form a generally inverted U-shape configuration; and

wherein said generally inverted U-shape configuration defines a ball-entering opening.

18. The goal as defined in claim 8, wherein said pair of front members of said frame have lower ends;

wherein said pair of bottom members of said frame have forward ends; and

wherein said lower ends of said pair of front members of said frame join said forward ends of said pair of bottom members of said frame, respectively, so as to form generally L-shaped configurations.

19. The goal as defined in claim 10, wherein said back member has a pair of ends;

wherein said pair of bottom members of said frame have rearward ends; and

wherein said pair of ends of said back member of said frame join said rearward ends of said pair of bottom members of said frame, respectively, so as to form a generally U-shaped configuration.

20. The goal as defined in claim 17, wherein said frame comprises two pairs of extending members so as to allow said frame to be further size adjustable;

wherein each member of a respective pair of extending members of said frame are of a same length; and

wherein each pair of extending members of said frame are of a different length from each other.

21. The goal as defined in claim 20, wherein each of said two pairs of extending members of said frame has an upper end;

wherein each of said two pair pairs of extending members of said frame has a lower end;

wherein each of said upper ends of a respective pair of extending members of said frame joins a corresponding one of said pair of ends of said top member of said frame, respectively; and

wherein each of said lower ends of said respective pair of extending members of said frame joins a corresponding one of said upper ends of said pair of front members of said frame, respectively.

22. The goal as defined in claim 17, wherein said net extends from said top member of said frame to said pair of front members of said frame to said pair of bottom members of said frame to said back member of said frame; and

wherein said net does not obstruct said ball-entering opening in said frame.

23. The goal as defined in claim 17, wherein said top member of said frame, said pair of front members of said frame, said pair of bottom members of said frame, and said back member of said frame thread through appropriately located openings in said net so as to replaceably maintain said net thereon while allowing said net to accordion therealong and accommodate said size of said frame.

24. The goal as defined in claim 1, further comprising a goal sensor;

wherein said goal sensor is operatively connected to said frame; and

wherein said goal sensor automatically activates when a goal is made.

25. The goal as defined in claim 22, further comprising a digital goal counter;

wherein said digital goal counter is operatively connected to said frame;

wherein said digital goal counter is operatively connected to said goal sensor; and

wherein said digital goal counter automatically counts and displays goals when said goal sensor is activated.

26. The goal as defined in claim 22, further comprising a goal announcer;

wherein said goal announcer is operatively connected to said frame;

wherein said goal announcer is operatively connected to said goal sensor; and

wherein said goal announcer automatically announces a goal when said goal sensor is activated.

27. The goal as defined in claim 1, further comprising a clock;

wherein said clock is operatively connected to said frame; and

wherein said clock automatically displays time left to play.

28. The goal as defined in claim 1, further comprising a radio;

wherein said radio is operatively connected to said frame; and

wherein said radio plays player's favorite music.