Soccer practice net

Abstract

A net assembly for practicing soccer shooting and foot skills. The net is constructed from an elastomer material so that the ball is returned to or at least toward the user. It has two usable sides and each side has a different purpose. One side has five target holes, one in the center and the other four located toward each of the four corners. The holes are approximately two feet in diameter. When the user hits a target hole the ball remains inside the assembly. The other side of the assembly is a full net with a bulls eye drawn in the center.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application also claims priority from provisional application Ser. No. 61/283,441 filed on Dec. 4, 2009 all of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of practice nets used for soccer players.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Soccer nets are well known in the art. Modified smaller and portable nets are known as well, but no practice net is known to the applicant which comprises the features provided by the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable practice nets are known in the art. These nets are typically smaller versions of regulation sized nets which can be easily dismantled and transported. However, these nets don't contain target areas and are not designed to return the ball to a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A net assembly for practicing soccer shooting and foot skills is provided in the present invention. The net is constructed from elastomer material so that the ball is returned to or at least toward the user. It has two usable sides and each side has a different purpose. One side has five target holes, one in the center and the other four located toward each of the four corners. The holes are approximately two feet in diameter. When the user hits a target hole the ball remains inside the assembly. On the opposite side of the assembly is a full net with a bulls eye drawn in the center.

In keeping with the present invention , there is provided a soccer practice net assembly comprising a first net including a target, the net being composed of elastomer material for the purpose of returning a ball toward a user; a first rectangular frame surrounding and supporting the first net; a second net having formed therein at least one target aperture, the aperture having a diameter which is at least twice as large as a standard soccer ball; and a second rectangular frame surrounding and supporting the second net.

Another preferred embodiment comprises a soccer practice net assembly having a first net including a target, the net being composed of elastomer material for the purpose of returning a ball to ward a user. A first rectangular frame surrounds and supports the first net. A second net has at least one target aperture, the aperture having a diameter which is at least twice as large as a standard soccer ball. A second rectangular frame surrounds and supports the second net. The first frame and the second frame each are canted at an oblique angle with the ground and have their top edges fixed together along their lengths. The practice net can optionally utilize a second net formed having five target apertures, one aperture located in the center of the second net and the remaining four apertures located near the four corners of the second net. The practice net may also include an embodiment wherein the first frame and the second frame are composed of rods and connectors which can be disassembled allowing the entire assembly to be collapsed and stored as a compact unit.

It is an object of this invention to provide a soccer practice net which has a resilient and flexible elastic net which returns the ball when upon impact.

It is an object of this invention to provide a soccer practice net which has two usable practice sides.

It is an object of this invention to provide a soccer practice net which provides one side containing five target holes which are approximately two feet in diameter, one in the center of the net and the other four in each of the four corners of the net.

It is an object of this invention to provide a soccer practice net which provides one side which contains a bull's eye.

It is an object of this invention to provide a soccer practice net which can be easily carried in bag or case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the views wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a side of the practice soccer net containing a bull's eye.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a side of the practice soccer net containing five target holes.

FIG. 3 is a oblique view of practice net with both sides slanting.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a practice net with the bull's eye side being vertical and the five target side being slanted.

FIG. 5 is a isometric view of the net shown in FIG. 2 depicting the base and side support members.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the net shown in FIG. 1 depicting the base and side support members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a soccer net assembly for practicing soccer ball shooting and foot skills. The net is constructed from elastomer material so that the ball is returned to or at least toward the user. It has two usable sides and each side has a different purpose. One side has five target holes, one in the center and the other four located toward each of the four corners. The holes are approximately three feet in diameter. When the user hits a target hole the ball remains inside the assembly. On the opposite side of the assembly is a full net with a bulls eye target in the center.

FIG. 3 shows soccer practice net assembly 75 including a front net assembly 20 and a rear net assembly 40. Practice net 75 provides net assembly 20 and net assembly 40 disposed at oblique angles with the ground and connected at their top edges.

Net assembly 20 includes net 10 and frame 12 to which net 10 is attached. Frame 12 can be one piece as shown in FIG. 2 or can be a composition of rods 13 and connectors 32 and 34 as shown in FIG. 1. Net 10 includes a bull's eye 14 which can be painted on or can be a separate material fixed onto net 10.

Net assembly 40 includes frame 12 and net 46 wherein five target apertures are formed, one in the center and the other four in each of four corners of net 46.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment assembly 100 where net assembly 40 is again at an oblique angle with respect to the ground but net assembly 20 is vertical, that is, it is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the ground. For stability, top portion 50 separates net assembly 20 from net assembly 40 as well. Having net 40 vertical provides a return of the ball without the tendency for the ball to be repelled up into the air.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modification will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made upon departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific exemplification presented herein above. Rather, what is intended to be covered is within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A soccer practice net assembly comprising:

a first net including a target, said net being composed of elastomer material for the purpose of returning a ball to ward a user;

a first rectangular frame surrounding and supporting said first net;

a second net having formed therein at least one target aperture, said aperture having a diameter which is at least twice as large as a standard soccer ball;

a second rectangular frame surrounding and supporting said second net; and

said first frame and said second frame each being canted at an oblique angle with the ground and have their top edges fixed together along their lengths.

2. The practice net assembly of claim 1 wherein said second net has formed therein five target apertures, one aperture located in the center of said second net and the remaining four apertures located near the four corners of said second net.

3. The practice net assembly of claim 2 wherein said first frame and said second frame are composed of rods and connectors which can be disassembled allowing the entire assembly to be collapsed and stored as a compact unit.

4. A soccer practice net assembly comprising:

a first net including a target, said net being composed of elastomer material for the purpose of returning a ball to ward a user;

a first rectangular frame surrounding and supporting said first net;

a second net having formed therein at least one target aperture, said aperture having a diameter which is at least twice as large as a standard soccer ball;

a second rectangular frame surrounding and supporting said second net; and

said first frame forms a right angle with the ground, said second frame forms an oblique angle with the ground, and the top edges are connected to opposing edges of a third net and rectangular frame, said third net and frame forming a level top to said practice net assembly.

5. The practice net assembly of claim 4 wherein said second net has formed therein five target apertures, one aperture located in the center of said second net and the remaining four apertures located near the four corners of said second net.