Huffy Corporation

David A Allen

James N Fitzsimmons

Randy R Schickert

Ronald A White

Mark E Davis

Joseph K Bohrman

Robert L Diekman

Michael A Niver

Clement F Hying

Jay D Witala

John H Miilu

The ballast system for a portable basketball system is composed of dual ballast fillable tanks, which together form the base for supporting the pole, backboard and goal. The dual tank system includes a primary tank and a secondary tank cooperatively configured such that the secondary tank may be disposed in one position for compact shipping/storage and in another position to ensure stability during play. In particular, the secondary tank is centrally disposed within the dimensions of the primary tank during shipping. During play, the secondary tank is repositioned in a manner that elongates the primary tank to increase the footprint of the portable basketball system and concentrate the ballast of the secondary tank at the rear of the base.

Portable basketball system having dual ballast tanks movable between

A molded frame backboard assembly for supporting a rebound member between separately formed front and rear frames such that the peripheral edge of the rebound member is encapsulated within the frame. The rear frame preferably is formed as one piece of plastic material having sufficient strength and rigidity to support the rebound member and may include an internal reinforcing structure integrally molded therewith. The front frame preferably is molded from plastic and has a large central opening providing substantially unobstructed access to the rebound surface of the rebound member. The rear frame includes a recess that locates the rebound member in a predetermined position within the rear frame. The front and rear frame members include cooperating alignment structures that enable the front frame to be easily located on and attached to the rear frame after the rebound member has been positioned within the rear frame.

Molded frame backboard assembly and method of making same

Method of packing a portable basketball system

A breakaway net attachment system for detachably mounting a basketball net to the rim of a basketball goal with resilient net clips. The net clips include a base portion attachable to the rim and a retainer portion for detachably retaining the net in association with the rim. The rim preferably includes a plurality of studs or apertures located along an undersurface thereof for engaging within apertures or projections provided on the clips, whereby the clips are retained in engagement with the rim. In some embodiments, the clips are provided with flexible fingers for retaining the net wherein the fingers will release the net in response to a predetermined force being applied to the net. In further embodiments, the clips are adapted to be pulled off of the rim when a predetermined force is applied to the net.

Breakaway net attachment system

A portable basketball goal support system having a base, a ballast tank, and an arm for supporting a basketball goal support pole can be assembled in a compact configuration for shipping or storage and an expanded configuration for use. The support pole is mounted at a rear portion of the base and angled forward in the expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the ballast tank extends at least partially behind the support pole, while in the compact configuration, the ballast tank may be nested within portion of the base, thereby occupying less space. The support pole may be formed with a generally 'pear'-shaped cross section defined by large and small curved portions connected by relatively straight sections, such that the large curved portion readily adapts to existing mounting hardware. One or more of the base, ballast tank, and support arm may be formed from plastic with a printed graphics sheet integrally molded therewith.

Portable basketball goal support system with separate ballast tank

A basketball assembly for supporting a backboard comprises, a base having a plurality of generally vertical side walls and a base face extending between said sidewalls. The base face and one of said side walls defining a forward edge. The assembly includes a pole, having spaced apart ends. An elongated opening is provided in the base for supporting one end of said pole on said base with said pole at an angle to the vertical to extend the other end of the pile over and beyond the forward edge of the base.

Basketball backboard support assembly

A breakaway net attachment system for mounting a basketball net to the rim of a basketball goal at predetermined locations along the rim. The system includes clips which are attachable to the rim and which include retainer portions for retaining the net in association with the rim. The rim includes a plurality of small mounting projections, which may be in the form of studs welded along an undersurface thereof for engaging within apertures formed in the clips whereby the clips are retained in engagement with the rim. In one embodiment, the clips are provided with fingers for retaining the net wherein the fingers will release the net in response to a predetermined force being applied to the net. In a further embodiment, the clip is adapted to be pulled off of the rim when a predetermined force is applied to the net.

Basketball goal rim for breakaway net attachment system and method of

A basketball net clip for a breakaway net attachment system that detachably mounts a basketball net to the rim of a basketball goal at predetermined locations along the rim. The net clips are resilient and include a base portion attachable to the rim and a retainer portion for detachably retaining the net in association with the rim. The rim preferably includes a plurality of studs located along an undersurface thereof for engaging within apertures formed in the clips whereby the clips are retained in engagement with the rim. In one embodiment, the clips are provided with fingers for retaining the net wherein the fingers will release the net in response to a predetermined force being applied to the net. In a further embodiment, the clip is adapted to be pulled off of the rim when a predetermined force is applied to the net.

Basketball net clip for breakaway net attachment system

A breakaway net attachment system for mounting a basketball net to the rim of a basketball goal at predetermined locations along the rim. The system includes clips which are attachable to the rim and which include retainer portions for retaining the net in association with the rim. The rim preferably includes a plurality of studs located along an undersurface thereof for engaging within apertures formed in the clips whereby the clips are retained in engagement with the rim. In one embodiment, the clips are provided with fingers for retaining the net wherein the fingers will release the net in response to a predetermined force being applied to the net. In a further embodiment, the clip is adapted to be pulled off of the rim when a predetermined force is applied to the net.

A support assembly for supporting and orienting an elongated pole to extend at an angle to the vertical, wherein the support assembly includes a pole having spaced apart upper and lower ends, an intermediate point and a lower portion between the intermediate point and lower end. The support assembly also includes a base having a pivot axis, a point of pole engagement and an extension generally in the same direction as the angular extension of the pole when assembled on the base such that the pole and the base extension generally form two legs of an angle. The support assembly includes a support arm having spaced apart ends, wherein one of the ends engages the base in spaced relationship from the point of pole engagement on the base, and wherein an extension presents the other of the ends at the intermediate point on the pole when assembled so that the base extension, the support arm extension and the lower portion of the pole form a triangle. A connecting arrangement removably interconnects the one support arm end and the base for pivotal movement of the support arm about the base pivot axis between raised and lowered positions relative to the base. The connecting arrangement includes a first seat on the base and a second seat on the support arm generally complementary to and interacting with the first seat on the base to define the pivot axis upon which the support arm pivots relative to the base.

Portable basketball goal with collapsible base

An elevator system for a basketball backboard comprising, in combination, a parallelogram frame and a backboard connected to the frame. A ratchet and pawl arrangement is connected between one of the arms and one of the vertical surfaces of the parallelogram frame so that a first vertical surface is freely movable upward relative to a second vertical surface and is held in a selected vertical position when the vertical lifting force applied to the first vertical surface is removed. The ratchet includes a plurality of ratchet teeth connected to and movable with one arm relative to the first vertical surface. The pawl is pivotally connected to the first vertical surface and disposed for engagement with the ratchet teeth to hold the first vertical panel in a selected vertical position when the vertical lifting force is removed. Also provided is a structure for biasing the pawl toward selective engagement with the ratchet teeth, the engagement depending upon the vertical position of the first vertical surface relative to the second vertical surface. A bell crank lever is pivotally connected to the first vertical surface and operatively associated with the ratchet and pawl arrangement, with a structure for connecting the bell crank lever to the pawl that is responsive to pivotal movement of the bell crank to move the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth.

Basketball backboard elevator system

A base for a basketball support pole comprising, in combination, a plurality of walls arranged at an angle to each other and forming a polyhedron shaped body, support structure within the body defining an elongated opening extending into the body at an angle to the vertical and for receiving a support pole, structure for securing the pole in the opening against rotation about the elongated axis of the pole and against withdrawal from the opening, structure within the body defining a ballast receiving enclosure, and ballast within the ballast receiving enclosure.

Portable base for basketball backboard support pole

A basketball goal (14) and backboard (2) assembly are provided for shipment in a carton (120) having a girth plus longest dimension less than or equal to 108 inches, for shipment by common carrier. A backboard (2) is provided with reduced outside dimension for saving material cost, particularly fiberglass, yet still affording 92% of the playing surface area of a conventional board. Support bracket hardware (30) is provided with significantly reduced shipping height requirements, yet providing precise 90.degree. mounted orientation of the rim (20) relative to the backboard (2), by slight deformation of interlocking bosses (78, 80) in mating nested relation upon tightening of bolts (62 and 68) through mounting apertures (58, 60, 64, 66) subject to tolerance deviation which may otherwise deviate the position of the rim (20) from horizontal, particularly at the forward edge.

Compact basketball goal and backboard assembly

A tricycle which is capable of being converted either to a traditional high position in which a rider is seated relatively high on the frame, or to a low slung position in which the frame is inverted so that a rider is seated relatively low on the frame. To invert the frame, the a front fork and handlebar are removable from the head tube of the tricycle and invertible relative to the frame and the seat is adjustable between a high and low position corresponding to the high and low slung tricycle positions. A rear deck is attached to a rear portion of the main tube and is tubular in shape so that it fully and protects encloses the rear axle of the tricycle in both the high and the low frame positions. A seat is mounted on the frame and is capable of forward and rearward adjustment as well as upward and downward adjustment. A dumpster is pivotally attachable to the frame adjacent the rear deck and includes notches that form an easily releaseable snap fit with the rear axle of the tricycle, and a channel formed in a front wall shaped to form a releasable snap fit with the rear portion of the main tube. The rear deck and pedals of the tricycle include upwardly extending flanges to prevent the feet of a rider on the tricycle from sliding sidewardly to contact the rear wheels, pedal crank supporting the pedals, or the front wheel.

Convertible tricycle

A packaging and shipping assembly (12) is provided for a basketball rim (4), backboard (6), pole (8) and extension arm (10) all in one relatively flat outer carton (14) having a length and width approximately the same as the backboard (6). The pole is provided in three sections (16, 18 and 20). A first subassembly (40, 42) retains two of the pole sections (16 and 20) side-by-side in parallel along one side of the outer carton (14). A second subassembly retains the third pole section (18) and the extension arm (10) side-by-side in parallel along the opposite side of the outer carton (14). A third subassembly retains the rim (4) and mounting hardware within the outer carton (14) between the other two subassemblies. The backboard (6) lies flat over the subassemblies within the outer carton (14).

Growing community of inventors

Oconomowoc, WI, United States of America

David A Allen