Abstract: A portable basketball rim rebound testing device 10 is illustrated in two preferred embodiments for testing the rebound or energy absorption characteristics of a basketball rim 12 and its accompanying support to determine likely rebound or energy absorption charcteristics of the system. The apparatus 10 includes a depending frame 28 having a C-clamp 36 for releasably rigidly connecting the frame to the basketball rim 12. A glide weight 60 is mounted on a guide rod 52 permitting the weight 60 to be dropped against a calibrated spring 56 held on an abutment surface on the rod to generate for deflecting the basketball rim and then rebounding the weight upwardly. A photosensor 66 is mounted on the depending frame 28 to sense passage of reflective surfaces 75 on the weight to thereby obtain sufficient data to enable a processing means 26 to calculate the rebound velocity and relate it to an energy absorption percentage rate of the rim system 12. A readout is provided to display the energy absorption percentage.

Abstract: A detector system for sensing the progress of an ISV process along an expected path comprises multiple sensors each having an input port. The input ports are distributed along the expected path of the ISV process between a starting location and an expected ending location. Each sensor generates an electrical signal representative of the temperature in the vicinity of its input port. A signal processor is coupled to the sensors to receive an electrical signal generated by a sensor, and generate a signal which is encoded with information which identifies the sensor and whether the ISV process has reached the sensor's input port. A transmitter propagates the encoded signal. The signal processor and the transmitter are below ground at a location beyond the expected ending location of the ISV process in the direction from the starting location to the expected ending location.