ILLUMINATED BASKETBALL HOOP ACCESSORY

Abstract

An illuminated basketball hoop accessory for removably securing to a basketball hoop mounted at a desired height above a playing surface. An illuminated member forms a hoop approximating a size and shape of the rim. The illuminated member has a plurality of securing members for removably securing the illuminated member to the rim. A securing member engaging tool is provided for engaging the securing members to and disengaging the securing members from the rim. The illuminated member thus illuminates the rim to allow for visual identification of the position of the rim in a dark environment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to basketball hoops.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Basketball is a very popular sport in North America and gaining popularity elsewhere. It is a sport suitable for all ages, and a particularly suitable activity for the young, providing a fun way to exercise and challenging both physically and mentally, but requiring minimal gear and equipment. Basketball is often played as a team sport on a basketball court. Basketball courts can exist either indoor or outdoor there are often many in a typical neighbourhood. Common locations include recreational parks, schoolyards, gymnasiums and other athletic facilities. Both individual practice as well as variations in the traditional game of basketball can be played in a smaller area. For example, games of “one-on-one”, “three-on-three”, “horse” and “twenty-one” which pits a smaller number of players against another utilizing a single basketball hoop.

The only equipment required to practice or play basketball is a basketball hoop mounted over a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt at a desired height, typically 10 feet (3.048 metres) which is “regulation” height, and a ball. This makes the game of basketball ideal for youths and adolescents, many of whom do not have the means to purchase expensive equipment such as protective gear, specially designed footwear like skates and ski boots, and other types of equipment and accessories needed to play many other types of sports.

Basketball hoops are almost universally of a standard size, which by regulation is 18 inches (47 cm) in diameter. The basketball hoop may be mounted to a post, to a wall or to some other structure over a hard surface. Beyond this, the only requirements for playing basketball are a ball (also typically of a regulation size) and the ability to see the basketball hoop.

The lack of visibility of a basketball hoop poses a considerable hurdle to those wishing to play basketball on an unlit outdoor court after dark. Indoor basketball courts such as those at schools and athletic facilities are usually closed and therefore typically inaccessible overnight. Outdoor courts are may not be illuminated, which means that many accessible basketball courts which could otherwise be used by players at night, providing a positive, constructive activity for youths and adolescents that might otherwise be inclined to find mischief or less physically beneficial pursuits such as computer gaming or watching television, cannot be used by would-be basketball players for the sole reason that the basketball hoop is not sufficiently visible to allow players to assess the position of the hoop and score a goal.

To make the basketball hoop more visible, a mesh known as a “basketball net” is mounted on the perimeter of the hoop which allows the basketball to pass through to the ground. In many situations, particularly on an outdoor area, the basketball net is worn out, missing or, through vandalism, removed or destroyed.

It would accordingly be beneficial to provide a means for illuminating a basketball hoop that is inexpensive and easy to use. It would accordingly be beneficial to provide a means for easily affixing any standard type of basketball net to the hoop, to improve the visibility of the hoop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the illuminated basketball hoop accessory affixed to a basketball hoop.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the illuminated basketball hoop accessory and basketball hoop of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a securing member.

FIG. 4A is a side elevation of a securing member engaging tool.

FIG. 4B is a partial side elevation of the securing member engaging tool showing the manner of grasping an actuator on the securing member.

FIG. 4C is a partial perspective view of a temporary suspending member for facilitating mounting of the illuminated basketball hoop accessory to a rim.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the temporary suspending member of FIG. 4C mounted to a basketball hoop as an optional first step in a method of mounting the illuminated basketball hoop accessory to a rim.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic views showing steps in an embodiment of the method of mounting the illuminated basketball hoop accessory of FIG. 1 to the rim of a basketball hoop.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a battery compartment portion of the illuminated accessory hoop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an illuminated basketball hoop accessory 20 for removably securing to a basketball hoop 10. The basketball hoop 10 comprises a rim 12 mounted at a desired height above a playing surface 2 so as to be generally parallel to the playing surface 2, which may for example be a concrete or asphalt pad. The rim 12 is typically mounted, for example at the top of a post 4 as shown, to a generally vertical backboard 14 which provides a backstop allowing a shot to deflect into the hoop 10, thereby considerably increasing the types of shots that a player can make in order to score a goal. The rim 12 is often (but not necessarily) provided with a mesh 16, which improves the visibility of the hoop 10 and controls the descent of the basketball 6 for the players' convenience by preventing the basketball 6 from bouncing wildly off the rim 12 after a goal is scored.

The basketball hoop accessory 20, best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5A, comprises an illuminated member 22 formed or capable of being formed into an illuminated hoop approximating a size and shape of the rim 12. The illuminated member 22 may for example be formed from a battery-operated ‘rope light’ comprising a durable and flexible transparent or translucent tube filled with a string of generally evenly-spaced apart lights, for example LEDs. The LEDs may be of a single colour or multiple colours, and any other suitable type of lights may be used such as incandescent ‘flashlight’ bulbs. The LEDs may be augmented or enhanced by fluorescent or phosphor dots, patches or coatings on the translucent tube, or by reflectors, diffusers or any other means of improving the visibility of the illuminated member 22 from the vantage point of the playing surface. The battery (or batteries) may be rechargeable or replaceable. A recharging port, for example a USB port 42 opposite a closed end of the illuminated member 22 as shown in FIG. 7, may be provided for recharging a rechargeable battery (not shown) contained in the battery compartment 40. The battery compartment 40 may be provided with one or more light sensors 46 adapted to switch on the LEDs when the ambient light decreases to a set level. A conventional remote control 45 activating a sensor 43, for example disposed on the battery compartment 40 so as to be visible from the playing surface 2 as shown in FIG. 1, may be provided for switching the illuminated member 22 on and off when the user is standing on the playing surface 2.

The illuminated member 22 may have an opening as shown, for example between the battery compartment 40 and the closed end 44, as best seen in FIG. 7. This allows the mouth of a net 16 to be threaded onto the illuminated member 22 before it is attached to the rim 12. Although the illuminated member can be attached to a hoop 10 that has a net attached to the hoop 10, this is useful in cases where the basketball hoop 10 does not already have a mesh 11 attached to the rim 12. For example, FIG. 2 shows the illuminated member 22 positioned for mounting to a rim 12 that has a net 16 already attached to the hoop 10, while FIG. 1 shows the net 16 attached to the illuminated member 22 suspended from the rim 12 of a hoop 10 that does not have a net 16 attached.

The illuminated member 22 is removably secured to the rim by a plurality of securing members 30. In the embodiment shown the securing members 30 are affixed to the illuminated member 22 by a base 32 through which the illuminated member 22 extends, and may optionally be glued, clinched or otherwise fixed in position to the illuminated member 22 so that the plurality of securing members 30 are retained generally evenly spaced about the illuminated member 22. A pair of opposed securing arms 34 configured to wrap around and/or grasp the rim 12 are preferably biased to a closed position, for example by a torsion spring (not shown), and opened by an actuator, for example as shown a pair of pushbuttons 36 (best seen in FIG. 4B) which when pinched together overcome the biasing force of the spring to open the arms 34 and allow the rim 12 to be inserted between the arms 34 of the securing member 30 as the illuminated member 22 is mounted to the rim 12.

The illuminated member 22 can be mounted manually, but this may require a ladder so that the user can reach the hoop 10. In the embodiment shown mounting may be effected by a securing member engaging tool 50, shown in FIG. 4A, which allows the securing members 30 to be engaged to and disengaging from the rim 12 by a person standing on the playing surface 2. The securing member engaging tool 50 may for example be similar to a conventional ‘pick-up tool’ having a pair of opposed fingers 52 mounted to one end of a pole 54, the fingers 34 being biased to the open position and closed by an actuator such as a handle 56 (pushbutton, lever or other securing member engaging tool actuator) mounted to the other end of the pole 54. As shown in FIG. 4B, the fingers 52 are closed against the buttons 36 to open the securing arms 34, to either mount the securing member 30 to the rim 12 or detach the securing member 30 from the rim 12.

The illuminated basketball hoop accessory 20 may be affixed to the rim 12 before play begins. Optionally a net 16 may be engaged to the illuminated member 22 by threading the illuminated member 22 through the holes about the mouth at one end of the mesh as shown in FIG. 6A.

As in the embodiment shown an optional temporary suspending member may be provided, for example a hook 60 affixed to the illuminated member 22 as best seen in FIG. 4C, which may be pivotally affixed as shown to avoid impinging into the goal area defined by the rim 12 when the illuminated member 22 is mounted, as shown in FIG. 6A, to assist in the mounting of the illuminated basketball hoop accessory 20. In this embodiment the illuminated member 22 is suspended from the rim 12, as shown in FIG. 6B, by using the securing member engaging tool 50 to lift the illuminated member 22 up to the rim 12. FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the subsequent steps in a method of mounting the illuminated basketball hoop accessory 20 to a rim 12, comprising manipulating the securing member engaging tool 50 over the buttons 36 of one of the securing members 30, for example (for ease of mounting) the securing member 30 generally diametrically opposite to the hook 60, to lift the illuminated member 22 up to the rim 12. The securing member engaging tool 50 is positioned in alignment with the buttons 36, and actuated to close the fingers 52 and thereby pinch the actuator buttons 36, which in turn opens the arms 34, and then position the arms 34 over the rim 12 as shown in FIG. 6B. The handle 56 is released to allow the arms 34 to close over and grasp the rim 12. The remaining securing members 34 are engaged to the rim 12 in the same fashion.

In the described embodiment, the illuminated member 22 is activated to illuminate the rim 12 when the light sensor 46 detects the preset lower limit of ambient light to trigger the light sensor 46, using conventional circuitry to close the LED string circuit and power the illuminated member 22. Other embodiments may utilize a manual light switch (not shown), which may be activated before mounting the illuminated member 22 or positioned so as to be accessible to the securing member engaging tool 50 and activated manually during play as darkness falls.

The illuminated member 22 thus allows for the visual assessment of a position of the rim 12 in a dark environment, thereby permitting players to score goals, rendering an otherwise unusable basketball hoop 10 to be used after dark.

Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An illuminated basketball hoop accessory for removably securing to a basketball hoop comprising a rim mounted at a desired height above a playing surface, comprising

an illuminated member formed or capable of being formed into a hoop approximating a size and shape of the rim,

a plurality of securing members for removably securing the illuminated member to the rim, and

a securing member engaging tool for engaging the securing members to and disengaging the securing members from the rim,

whereby the illuminated member illuminates the rim to allow for visual assessment of a position of the rim in a dark environment.

2. A method of removably securing an illuminated basketball hoop accessory comprising an illuminated member formed or capable of being formed into a hoop approximating a size and shape of the rim, a plurality of securing members for removably securing the illuminated member to the rim, and a securing member engaging tool for engaging the securing members to and disengaging the securing members from the rim to a basketball hoop comprising a rim mounted at a desired height above a playing surface, comprising the steps of:

a. engaging the securing member engaging tool to a portion of the illuminated accessory to position the illuminated member adjacent to the rim,

b. engaging the securing member engaging tool to one of the plurality of securing members, to secure the one of the plurality of securing members to the rim,

c. engaging the securing member engaging tool to each of the remaining securing members, to secure each of the remaining securing members to the rim.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising, before step a., the step of suspending the illuminated member from a hook.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising, before the step of suspending the illuminated member from a hook, the step of threading a net over the illuminated member.