MINIATURE DOOR-MOUNTED BASKETBALL HOOP

Abstract

The miniature basketball hoop of the present: invention includes a rectangular backboard having front and rear faces, The backboard is transparent substantially across its entire area. A pair of spaced apart hooks are provided on the top of the backboard to hook the backboard over the top of a door. The hoop includes a break-away rim mounted to the front of the backboard, and sound dampening material on the rear face of the backboard, so as to minimize sound when a bail hits the backboard or rim during use.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/788,646, field May 25, 2010, and now pending, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/181,092 filed May 26, 2009. These applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various forms of miniature basketball hoops are well known for mounting on bedroom, dorm room, and office doors. Such prior art miniature hoops normally include a backboard with a rounded top edge and one or two hooks on the backboard for mounting over the top edge of the door. The construction of these prior art mini hoops is generally lightweight, such that the hoops do not withstand slam dunks or other abuse. For example, such miniature hoops typically are rigid, such that a slam dunk either breaks the rim or breaks the hooks which mount the hoop to the door.

Prior art hoops also tend to be noisy during use, when the ball hits the backboard or the rim, because there is no padding or sound dampening material between the backboard and the door. Typically, the rear face of the backboard typically engages the surface of the door loosely, and thus rattles when hit by a ball. The door is also subject to scratches by the direct contact between the backboard and the door.

Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved miniature basketball hoop for mounting on a door.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved miniature basketball hoop for door mounting which is durable and safe in USB.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the miniature basketball backboard and hoop according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the backboard and hoop, with the net removed for clarity.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the backboard and hoop, with the net removed for clarity,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the backboard and hoop, with the net removed for clarity.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the backboard and hoop, with the net removed for clarity.

FIG. 6 is a left-side elevation view of the backboard and hoop.

FIG. 7 is a right-side elevation view of the backboard and hoop,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the backboard and hoop mounted on a door, with the door shown in broken lines.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A basketball hoop 10 generally includes a polycarbonate, shatterproof backboard 12 to which a break-away rim 14 is mounted. The backboard 12 is rectangular and includes front and rear faces. The backboard 12 is transparent substantially across its full dimension, except for an outer perimeter strip or band 16 adjacent the four perimeter edges of the backboard 12, and the bank target 18 above the rim 14. A pair of hooks 20 are mounted on the rear face of the backboard 12 and extend rearwardly and downwardly from the upper edge of the backboard 12, Thus, the hooks 20 are substantially hidden by the door when the hoop 10 is mounted on the door. Preferably, the hooks 20 are a squared C-shape, with a front leg 21, a rear leg 23, and a top leg 25. As shown in Fig. 9, the front leg 21 is secured to the backboard 12 by one or more bolts 27. The lower end 29 of the rear leg 23 may be flared to facilitate mounting of the hoop 10 on the door.

The rim assembly 14 includes a pair of mounting plates 22, 24 positioned on opposite sides of the backboard 12 and secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 28. A horizontal plate 28 is pinned to the front mounting plate 22 via a hinge 30. A metal rim 32 is welded to the front edge of the upper horizontal plate 28. The Hinge 30 includes first and second pairs of hinge tubes or collars 31, 33 welded to the plates 22, 28 respectively, with a hinge pin 35 extending through the aligned collars, so that the horizontal plate 28, to which the rim 32 is welded, can pivot relative to the plate 22. A lower horizontal plate 34 is welded to the front mounting plate 22. A spring 38 extends between the upper and lower horizontal plates 28, 34 such that the rim 32 is spring biased, so as to be a break-away rim which pivots resiliently downwardly when a ball is dunked through the rim 32, The spring 38 normally biases the rim 32 back to a horizontal position after a dunk is completed.

The rim 32 includes a plurality of hooks 38 to which a basketball net 40 is removably mounted.

At least one sound dampener 42 is provided on the rear face of the backboard 12. Preferably,, the sound dampener 42 is in the form of a resilient, soft rubber or foam strip extending around the outer perimeter of the rear face of the backboard 12 so as to engage the door when the hoop 10 is mounted on the door. The sound dampener 42 also protects the door against scratches from the backboard 12. A secondary sound dampener 44 may be provided on the rear face of the backboard 12 immediately behind the target 18. The first and second sound dampeners 42, 44 form substantially concentric inner and outer rings, as seen in FIG. 3. A sound damper 46 is also provided on the back of plate 24, Thus, the sound dampeners 42, 44, 46 are hidden by the perimeter strip 16, the target 18 on the front face of the backboard 12, and the plate 24.

A miniature basketball (not shown) is provided for shooting through the rim 32 and the net 40.

Preferred embodiments have been shown and described, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A miniature basketball hoop, comprising:

a substantially transparent rectangular backboard having front and rear surfaces;

a pair of spaced apart hooks attached to the rear surface of the backboard at a top of the backboard, with the hooks adapted for hanging the backboard onto a door;

a front mounting plate attached to the front surface of the backboard;

a hinge attached to the front mounting plate;

an upper horizontal plate attached to the hinge;

a rim attached to the upper horizontal plate, with the rim pivotable relative to the backboard;

a lower horizontal plate attached to the front mounting plate;

a spring between the upper and lower horizontal plates, with the spring urging the upper horizontal plate away from the lower horizontal plate;

a bolt extending between the upper and lower horizontal plates to limit movement of the upper horizontal plate away from the lower horizontal plate; and

a perimeter sound dampener on the rear surface of the backboard extending substantially around a perimeter of the backboard.

2. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 further comprising a central sound dampener attached to the rear surface of the backboard at a central position on the backboard.

3. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 with the sound dampener comprising a foam material or rubber.

4. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 wherein the hooks do not extend above the backboard.

5. The miniature basketball hoop of claim 1 with the spring concentric with the bolt.