Basketball System with Multi-Cavity Base
A basketball backboard system having a multi-cavity base is disclosed herein. The base has two or more cavities for receiving ballast. The base may have interior cavities enclosed within the base or exterior cavities, such as a receptacle or bowl, or receiving and storing ballast. Both interior and exterior cavities may be used in the same base.
The invention relates generally to basketball backboard systems, and in particular to portable basketball backboards.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONBasketball systems generally include at least a pole with support frame attached at or near the top of the pole and supporting basketball backboard for use in playing basketball. For basketball systems designed for residential use, consumers often prefer a portable basketball system. Portable systems allow the consumer to move the system for any of various reasons, such as putting the system away for the winter or moving from one location to another. In order to create a portable system, a large base is used to support and steady the pole. The base typically has wheels to assist in the moving the base about.
In
The amount of ballast material (usually water, sand, dirt, etc.) required to stabilize the system can exceed 100 pounds, depending on the weight of the backboard and frame, the distance they extend from the pole, and the nature of the base design. Accordingly, it is often necessary to remove ballast material when the system is to be moved. This is time-consuming and potentially results in large amounts of wasted water or sand after it is removed from the ballast. Additionally, the base may develop cracks over time, resulting in ballast (particularly if the ballast is water) leaking from the base.
Therefore, a base having improved ballast retaining structures is needed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONIn some aspects, the invention relates to a basketball backboard system having a pole, a basketball backboard, and a base attached to and supporting the pole, wherein the base comprises two cavities adapted to store ballast.
It should be noted that identical features in different drawings are shown with the same reference numeral.
A multi-cavity base for receiving multiple separate portions of ballast is herein disclosed. In addition to compartmentalizing ballast, which may allow for retaining ballast in the location(s) most needed, the use of multiple cavities allows different types of ballast to be used to optimize the load distribution and facilitate movement or storage of a portable basketball system.
The base 5 in the embodiment of
Because the interior cavity 25 retains ballast, it preferably is completely enclosed from the outside, except for the port 45, which may be capped off after filling the cavity with ballast. Accordingly, blow-molded or injection-plastics are particularly effective as base materials in order to minimize any joints. Alternatively, if the base 5 is constructed of two or more sections physically connected together the seam or attachment location between the sections should be caulked, welded, cemented, gasketed, or otherwise sealed together to prevent leaking.
The base 5 in the embodiment of
In some uses, the ballast may be placed loose into the exterior cavity 30, such as simply pouring water, loose sand or other loose aggregate material into the cavity 30. Alternatively, and as depicted in
The base 5 disclosed herein has at least two cavities. For example, a base 5 may have two exterior cavities 30, two interior cavities 25, or one exterior cavity 30 and one interior cavity 25, as depicted in
A person of skill in the art may design a base having multiple cavities as described herein to potentially provide a number of benefits to the user. If one cavity develops a crack or leak, the base 5 may resist becoming unstable if ballast leaks out of the cavity. The other cavities remain full of ballast and accordingly continue to counterbalance the basketball backboard and support frame. Additionally, when the user wants to move the portable basketball system, not all of the ballast has to be removed. If a container 55 or bagged sand or aggregate is used in conjunction with the exterior cavity 30, the ballast is not wasted either, as it can be removed during the period of transporting the system and then replaced in the exterior cavity 30.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed here.
Claims
1. A basketball backboard system comprising:
- a pole;
- a basketball backboard secured to the top of the pole;
- and a base attached to and supporting the pole, wherein the base comprises two cavities adapted to store ballast.
2. A basketball backboard system comprising:
- a high-density polyethylene base having a first cavity fully enclosed within the base and having walls formed from the exterior of the base, the first cavity adapted to store liquid ballast; a port opening into the first cavity and adapted to receive liquid ballast into the first cavity; a second cavity formed within the top of the base and having an open top, the second cavity adapted to store solid ballast; an attachment joint adapted to secure a pole;
- a container insertable into the second cavity and adapted to store liquid or solid ballast;
- a pole secured to the base at the attachment joint; and
- a basketball backboard secured to the top of the pole.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 27, 2013
Publication Date: May 28, 2015
Inventors: Douglas S. Sims (Bowling Green, KY), Lynn Smith (Bowling Green, KY), Eric Cotton (Bowling Green, KY), David Haupt (Bowling Green, KY), Wayne M. Hanson (Madison, WI), Roy McDaniels (Watertown, WI), Christina M. Miller (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 14/092,578
International Classification: A63B 63/08 (20060101);