Basketball Dribble Device

Abstract

A basketball dribble device is provided that has an upright structure, which may be a rigid semicircular device, a rigid circular device or a rigid square device. Support members keep the device in an upright position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/629,069 filed Nov. 14, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to physical education and sports training devices, and in particular, relates to a device for teaching crossover dribbling in basketball.

2. Description of the Related Art

Basketball, like other sports, requires that specific skills be taught and practiced. One such skill is that of dribbling the ball, and one valuable dribbling skill is that of crossover dribbling, in which the skilled player dribbles the ball with the dominant hand, and then quickly switches the ball to the other hand with a quick, low bounce. This is ideally a low quick bounce right in front of the opponent that accompanied by a change in direction. This allows the player to confuse the opponent as to the direction of play and switch directions.

Typically crossover dribbling is taught by using a cone, such as a traffic cone, and having the player approach it and then try the crossover dribble close to the cone. This technique, however, does not force the player to do the crossover dribble in a particular place and does not force the player to do a low dribble at that place.

While there are prior devices that are designed to teach dribbling skills, such as the patent of Bourguet (U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0005939 for a support for the ball to keep it from rolling away), as well as numerous devices designed to teach players to shoot the basketball, the only prior device that allows a player to learn and practice crossover dribbling is disclosed in the patent of Conwright (U.S. Pat. No. 8,075,425).

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a basketball dribble device that can be used by a player to learn and practice crossover dribbling.

Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein is a basketball dribble device that has an upright structure, which may be a rigid semicircular device, a rigid circular device or a rigid square device. Support members keep the device in an upright position. Other objects and features of the inventions will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a basketball dribble device of the first embodiment of the invention having a lower cross-bar.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a basketball dribble device of the first embodiment of the invention without a lower cross-bar.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a basketball dribble device of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a basketball dribble device of the third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a one-piece basketball dribble device of the first embodiment of the invention having a lower cross-bar.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a one-piece basketball dribble device of the second embodiment of the invention having a lower cross-bar.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a one-piece basketball dribble device of the third embodiment of the invention having a lower cross-bar.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of an adjustable portion of the basketball dribble device of the invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded partial perspective view of an adjustable portion of the first embodiment of the dribble device of the invention.

FIG. 10 is an exploded partial perspective view of an adjustable portion of the second embodiment of the dribble device of the invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded partial perspective view of an adjustable portion of the third embodiment of the dribble device of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the basketball dribble device of FIG. 4 without a lower cross-bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

The present invention is a basketball dribble device 10A, 10B and 10C. In each embodiment of the basketball dribble device, there is an upright structure and support members for the upright structure.

In the first embodiment, the basketball dribble device 10A comprises: a semicircular upright structure 12 having two lower ends 14, and a perpendicular support member 16 at each lower end 14 to keep the device 10 from falling over. Preferably there is also a cross-member 18 extending between the lower ends 14 (FIG. 1); however this embodiment may be made without a cross-member (FIG. 2).

In the second embodiment, the basketball dribble device 10B comprises: a circular upright structure 20, two posts 22 pre-attached (for example by being molded together) to the circular upright structure 20, and a support member 24 at the bottom of each post 22.

In the third embodiment (FIG. 4), the basketball dribble device 10C comprises: a rectangular uptight structure 30 having four corners, two of which corners are lower corners 32, and a support member 34 at each lower corner 32. Lower side 36 is removable so that basketball dribble device 10C does not have a lower cross-member (FIG. 12)

The components of the various embodiments, when they are made of multiple components, are attached together as known in the art, for example, by elbow pieces. In the preferred embodiment, the support members 16, 24 and 34, respectively are T-shaped PVC pipe or other similar material fitted to the lower end 14 of semicircular upright structure 12 in the first embodiment of the device 10A (FIGS. 1 and 2), of posts 22 in the second embodiment of the device 10B (FIG. 3) and at the lower corners 32 in the third embodiment of the device 10C (FIG. 4), however, they may be integrally made with the rest of the device as shown in FIGS. 5-7.

Each embodiment preferably has a lower structural feature (a “lower cross-member”) extending between the support members although this is optional in the first and third embodiment. When the cross-member is present, a portion of the upright structure itself serves as a lower cross-member in the second and third embodiments (i.e., a lower portion 26 of the circular upright structure 20 for the second embodiment and the lower side 36 of the rectangular upright structure 30 in the third embodiment), and an additional lower cross-member 38 is provided in the first embodiment.

The components of the invention herein are rigid. As used herein, the term “rigid” means that the particular component does not sag or bend and holds its shape.

In each embodiment of the invention, the height of the basketball dribble device is such that a ball being dribbled through the device is being properly crossover dribbled. Preferably the distance between the surface on which the assembled device 10 is placed and the top of the device is about 12 to 26 inches.

In the preferred embodiment the components are made of lightweight plastic or PVC pipe; however, the basketball dribble device may be integrally made with the rest of the device as shown in FIGS. 5-7.

In order to teach and enable “proper crossover dribbling” defined herein for an adult as a dribble that is low enough to pass beneath the upper portion of the basketball dribble device, the uppermost area 40 of the basketball dribble device 10A,B,C is about 24 inches off the floor in the most preferred embodiments.

This device 10 can be made in different sizes and heights for particular players and skill levels of players without departing from the invention herein. In an alternative version of each embodiment, the height of the device 10A,B,C may be made to be adjustable in height, for example, with a pin 42 in an inner telescoping segment 44 and a plurality of holes 46 in an outer telescoping segment 48 as is known in the art as is shown in FIG. 8, or by any other means. In the first embodiment, the outer telescoping segment 48 is preferably a lower end of the semicircular upright structure 12, and the inner telescoping segment is a separate upright portion 50 attached to the support structure as shown in FIG. 9. In the second embodiment, the outer telescoping segment 48 is preferably the post 22 and the inner telescoping segment 44 is a separate upright portion 50 (FIG. 10). In the third embodiment, the outer telescoping segment 48 is preferably the posts 22 and the inner telescoping segment 44 is separate upright portion 50 (FIG. 11).

In the first and second embodiments, the method of forming the circular forms and the material thereof are as known in the art, such as casting or forming the material into a curved shape.

The preferred material for the device is material that is firm and light, such as PVC, which typically is stiff enough to stay upright and is lightweight. The material with a diameter of about one inch works well for the device.

Optionally, the upright structure of the device can be covered with foam or other soft coating as known in the art (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,075,425,

While the basketball dribble device may be fabricated in one-piece as shown in FIGS. 5-7, most preferably the basketball dribble device 10A,B,C is made in multiple pieces so that it may be assembled for use and then disassembled for storage or transport to another site. The ability to insert the structures in each other makes them easy to assemble and disassemble.

The invention herein may be used by the previously disclosed method of teaching a player to cross-dribble, comprising: a) providing the player with a basketball dribble device as described above; and b) providing the player with a basketball and instructions as known in the art on how to crossover dribble.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous variations, modifications, and embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A basketball dribble device for placement on a ground surface, comprising:

a) an upright structure, having a structure selected from the group consisting of a semicircular structure, a circular structure and a rectangular structure; and

b) two perpendicular support members attached to the upright structure.

2. The basketball dribble device of claim 1, wherein the upright structure is a semicircular structure having two lower ends and the support members are each attached to a lower end.

3. The basketball dribble device of claim 2, further comprising a cross-over member connecting the two lower ends of the semicircular upright structure.

4. The basketball dribble device of claim 1, wherein the upright structure is a circular structure, the basketball dribble device further comprising two posts attached at a lower portion of the circular structure, wherein the support members are each attached to a post.

5. The basketball dribble device of claim 1, wherein the upright structure is a rectangular structure having two lower corners, wherein the support members are each attached to a lower corner of the rectangular structure.

6. The basketball dribble device of claim 5, wherein the rectangular structure has a removable lower side.

7. The basketball dribble device of claim 1, wherein the basketball dribble device is one-piece.

8. The basketball dribble device of claim 1, wherein the upright structure has an uppermost area that is 12-26 inches in height above the ground surface.

9. The basketball dribble device of claim 8, wherein the height of the uppermost area is adjustable.