The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 1991
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1990
Bemanali H Dadbeh, Seal Beach, CA (US);
Harvard Sports, Inc., Compton, CA (US);
Abstract
A collapsible basketball apparatus which includes a backboard and a basketball hoop mounted to the backboard. The hoop is mounted to the backboard to be pivotable, via a release mechanism, about a horizontal axis parallel with the backboard between a first, horizontal position and a second, downwardly displaced position. In a first embodiment, a plurality of curved springs are positioned in the release mechanism and mounted in a manner such that when a predetermined force is applied to the hoop, the compressive (restraining) force of the springs is exceeded and the hoop moves to the second position. When the force is released, the spring moves back to its original or horizontal position. In a second embodiment, a pin inclined slot and spring arrangement is utilized as the release mechanism to move the hoop to the second position when the predetermined force is applied to the hoop and to return the hoop to the horizontal position when the force is removed. In a third embodiment, a pressure loaded clamp joins the hoop to the backboard, application of a downward force of a predetermined amount to the hoop releasing the clamp and urging the hoop to the second position. The clamp is reset to its closed position after the force is removed, thus returning the hoop to the horizontal position.