Title: Toss-game structure for poolside use
Abstract: A toss-game structure for poolside use includes a target supported at a height from a base and having front and rear portions defining an interior space. The target front portion includes at least one opening for receipt of a tossed object in the interior space. The target portions each have surfaces defining a portion of a substantially prolate sphere for collectively simulating a football shape. A support post includes opposite ends engaging the base and the target rear portion such that a majority of the target is positioned forwardly of a front edge of the base. The structure further includes a backstop having upper and lower portions. The upper portion is curved about a vertical axis to define a concave surface in the form of a partial cylinder. The lower portion is curved about horizontal and vertical axes in the form of a partial bowl.
Patent Number: 6,997,825 Issued on 02/14/2006 to Girard, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Girard; Alan M. (Madison, IN);
Dunne; Robert W. (North Kingsville, OH);
Midili; Ronald C. (Hopatcong, NJ)
|
| Assignee:
|
Meese, Inc. (Saddle Brook, NJ)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
162930 |
| Filed:
|
June 5, 2002 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
473/466; 473/476; 273/398 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
A63B 67/00 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
473/465,466,476
273/400-402,393,357,389,407,3171-3173,317.5,388,385,398
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 768397 | Aug., 1904 | Norton et al.
| |
| 827626 | Jul., 1906 | Gillet.
| |
| 858990 | Jul., 1907 | Kemper.
| |
| 1547171 | Jul., 1925 | Huttlin.
| |
| 3201126 | Aug., 1965 | Nissen.
| |
| 3643950 | Feb., 1972 | Holk.
| |
| 3790174 | Feb., 1974 | Skillern.
| |
| 4215867 | Aug., 1980 | Natwick.
| |
| 4245842 | Jan., 1981 | Kuna et al.
| |
| 4613136 | Sep., 1986 | Raba et al.
| |
| 5112023 | May., 1992 | Sowers.
| |
| 5320360 | Jun., 1994 | St. Pierre.
| |
| 5704612 | Jan., 1998 | Kelly et al.
| |
| 6179295 | Jan., 2001 | Lanza.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 2111824 | Jun., 1995 | CA.
| |
Primary Examiner: Vidovich; Gregory
Assistant Examiner: Chambers; M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A freestanding toss-game structure comprising:
a base having a front edge;
a target having a length and supported on the base in a substantially upstanding
orientation with respect to the length, the target including front and rear portions
defining an interior space therebetween, the front portion of the target located
forwardly of the rear portion, the front portion includes a convex surface and
including communicating with the interior space to provide for receipt of a tossed
object within the interior space; and
a backstop supported by the base such that at least a portion of the backstop
is located rearwardly of the target for contact with an object tossed beyond the
target from a forward location with respect to the structure, the target and backstop
supported such that a space is defined between the backstop and the rear portion
of the target.
2. The toss-game structure according to claim 1, wherein the convex surface of
the target front portion defines a portion of a substantially prolate sphere.
3. The toss-game structure according to claim 2, wherein each of the front and
rear portions of the target includes a surface defining a portion of a substantially
prolate sphere such that the front and rear portions collectively simulate a football shape.
4. The toss-game structure according to claim 1, wherein the base includes an
access hole communicating with a hollow interior of the base to provide for receipt
of a ballast substance by the base.
5. The toss-game structure according to claim 1, further comprising a support
post having opposite ends engaging the base and the target to support the target
at a distance from the base.
6. The toss-game structure according to claim 5, wherein a first end of the support
post is received in a recess formed in the base adjacent the base front edge and
wherein an opposite second end of the support post engages the target rear portion
such that a majority of the target is positioned forwardly of the base front edge.
7. The toss-game structure according to claim 1, wherein the backstop includes
a surface that is concavely curved about a vertical axis.
8. A freestanding toss-game structure comprising:
a base having a front edge;
a target having a length and supported on the base in a substantially upstanding
orientation with respect to the length, the target including front and rear portions
defining an interior space therebetween, the front portion including at least one
opening communicating with the interior space to provide for receipt of a tossed
object within the interior space; and
a backstop supported by the base such that at least a portion of the backstop
is located rearwardly of the target for contact with an object tossed beyond the
target from a forward location with respect to the structure,
wherein the backstop includes upper and lower portions each having a curved surface,
the surface of the upper portion of the backstop being curved about a vertical
axis in the form of a partial cylinder, the surface of the lower portion being
curved about horizontal and vertical axes in the form of a partial bowl.
9. The toss-game structure according to claim 1, wherein the backstop includes
a plurality of legs for supporting the backstop at a distance from the base, at
least one of the legs including a portion received by a recess defined by the base.
10. The toss-game structure according to claim 1, wherein the target includes
a plurality of substantially circular openings and wherein at least one of the
openings has a diameter that differs from that of the other openings.
11. A structure for use in a game of toss, the structure comprising:
a base having a front edge, the base adapted for freestanding support of the
structure with the front edge located adjacent the edge of a playing area;
a target supported on the base, the target defining an interior space and having
at least one opening communicating with the interior space for receipt of a tossed
object in the interior space; and
a backstop supported by the base such that at least a portion of the backstop
is located rearwardly of the target for contact with an object tossed beyond the
target from the playing area, the backstop having upper and lower portions with
the upper portion supported by the lower portion, the upper portion including a
surface curved about a vertical axis in the form of a partial cylinder, the lower
portion including a surface curved about vertical and horizontal axes in the form
of a partial bowl.
12. The toss-game structure according to claim 11, wherein the target includes
front and rear portions having outer surfaces that are curved to define portions
of substantially prolate spheres such that the portions collectively simulate a
football shape.
13. The toss-game structure according to claim 12, wherein a post holder defining
a recess is integrally formed with the rear portion of the target and wherein the
base defines a recess in an upper surface of the base, the structure further comprising
an elongated post for supporting the target at a distance from the base, the post
including opposite first and second ends received by the post holder and the base
recess, respectively.
14. The toss-game structure according to claim 13, wherein the support post defines
a hollow cylinder and wherein each of the recesses in the post holder and the base
includes a central cylindrical portion and opposite slotted portions, the slotted
portions of the recesses adapted for receipt of first and second locking pins extending
through openings in the support post, the first and second locking pins limiting
relative rotation between the target and the support post and between the support
post and the base.
15. A toss-game structure comprising:
a base having a front edge;
a target having opposite front and rear portions defining an interior space therebetween,
the front portion including a plurality of openings to provide for receipt of a
tossed object in the interior space through one of the front portion openings,
each of the front and rear portions having an outer surface defining a portion
of a substantially prolate sphere such that the front and rear portions collectively
simulate a football shape, at least one of the front and rear portions having a
lower end defining an exit opening for gravity discharge of an object from the
interior space;
an elongated support post having a first end received in a recess defined by
the upper surface of the base adjacent a front edge of the base, the post having
an opposite second end engaging the rear portion of the target such that at least
a portion of the target is positioned forwardly of the base front edge; and
a backstop supported by the base such that at least a portion of the backstop
is located rearwardly of the target for contact with an object tossed beyond the
target from a forward location with respect to the structure.
16. The toss-game structure according to claim 15, further comprising front and
rear support buttresses extending from an upper surface of the base adjacent the
base recess, the buttresses adapted for reinforcement of the support post.
17. The toss-game structure according to claim 16, wherein the rear support buttress
extends rearwardly on the base to define a relatively gently sloping surface, the
rear buttress including a depression in the upper surface adapted for storage of
a toss-game object.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to structures used in games of toss, and more particularly
to freestanding structures that provide a target for a tossed object, such as a
ball for example.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In toss-game structures in the general field of the present invention, a target
is provided for receiving a tossed object. In basketball for example, arguably
the best known of such target games, a horizontally oriented hoop is supported
at an elevated height with respect to a playing surface for receiving a tossed
ball. Numerous constructions are known for providing a horizontal hoop for basketball.
In its original form, a bottomless basket was secured to the wall of a structure
adjacent a playing surface. The upper end of the basket formed the horizontal hoop
for receiving a round ball. The wall of the basket provided a useful channeling
function to downwardly direct a received ball. A rim and net construction replaced
the original basket, with the rim providing a horizontal hoop target and the net
providing for downward channeling of a received ball.
A variety of structures are known for supporting a horizontal rim at an elevation
to provide for a game of basketball. The rim is typically secured to a backboard
that includes a vertically oriented, and planar, surface. For indoor play, the
backboard is secured to the wall of a structure, such as a gymnasium for example.
For outdoor play, a pole is embedded in the ground to provide for elevated support
of the backboard adjacent to a playing surface. It is also known to provide a wheeled
base suitably weighted for stable support of the backboard and pole. Such freestanding
structures provide the advantage of portability over embedded backboard support poles.
Toss-game structures have also been adapted for use adjacent to swimming
pools. U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,136 to Raba et al., for example, discloses a basketball
structure adapted for use adjacent a swimming pool. The structure includes a horizontal
basketball rim connected to a vertical planar surface of a backboard. Because the
pool bottom is at a lower elevation than the poolside surface, the height at which
the backboard must be supported from the poolside to position the horizontal rim
sufficiently above the game participants is less than for basketball court construction.
The Raba '136 structure includes a hollow base that may be filled with water or
other suitable ballast to provide for a stable freestanding structure.
The backboard of the Raba '136 structure includes "wing" portions of the front
side surface extending along its edges that are angled with respect to the major,
central portion of the front side surface. All of the front side surfaces, including
the wings, however, are planar surfaces. Furthermore, the central portion that
is not angled occupies the majority of the front side surface. This provides for
traditional basketball play in which a round ball is directed to the horizontal
hoop by banking the ball off the backboard in addition to direct arcs of the ball
from the participant to the hoop.
As described above, the poolside toss-game structure disclosed in Raba '136 is
directed to a basketball type of toss-game in which a horizontal hoop is secured
to a planar surface of a backboard for receiving a round ball. Raba '136 does not
disclose or suggest a poolside structure in which the target element is not horizontally
oriented or adapted for receipt of a round ball. Raba '136 also does not disclose
or suggest a construction in which the target element is not secured to the backboard.
As described above, the direct connection between the hoop and backboard in the
manner disclosed in Raba '136 facilitates conventional basketball play in which
the hoop may be targeted by banking shots off of the backboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a structure for use
in a swimming pool game of toss. The structure includes a base providing for freestanding
support of the structure at an edge of a swimming pool. The structure further includes
a target supported on the base in a substantially upstanding orientation with respect
to a length of the target. The target includes front and rear portions defining
an interior space therebetween, the front portion having at least one opening to
provide for receipt of a tossed object within the interior space. The structure
further includes a backstop supported by the base such that at least a portion
of the backstop is located rearwardly of the target for contact with an object
tossed beyond the target from the swimming pool.
The front and rear portions of the target preferably include surfaces defining
portions of a substantially prolate sphere for simulating a football shape. The
target preferably includes front and rear portions defining a hollow interior therebetween.
The structure also preferably includes a support post received in recesses defined
in the base and in the target rear portion for positioning a majority of the target
forwardly of a front edge of the base. The recesses defined by the base and the
target rear portion preferably include a cylindrical central portion for receiving
the support post and opposite slotted portions for receiving locking pins extending
through openings in the support post to limit relative rotation between the post
and the target rear portion and between the post and the base.
The base preferably includes an access hole communicating with an interior of
the base to provide for receipt by the base of a ballast substance. The backstop
of the structure preferably includes upper and lower portions each having a curved
surface. The surface of the backstop upper portion is preferably curved about a
vertical axis in the form of a partial cylinder. The surface of the backstop lower
portion is preferably curved about vertical and horizontal axes in the form of
a partial bowl.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings
a form that is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention
is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a toss-game structure according to the present invention
positioned beside the edge of swimming pool;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the toss-game structure of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the toss-game structure of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the toss-game structure of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the toss-game structure of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the toss-game structure of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the rear portion of the target of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawing figures where like reference numerals refer to
like elements, there is shown a structure
10 according to the present invention
for use in a toss game. The structure
10 is shown in FIG. 1 positioned adjacent
to an edge
14 of a swimming pool
12 for use by persons (not shown)
located in a playing area
16 of the swimming pool
12. Directional
terms used herein, such as "upper", "lower", "vertical" and "horizontal", refer
to the structure
10 when supported in an upstanding orientation, as shown
in FIG. 1. Directional terms such as "front", "rear", "forward", "rearward", refer
to structure
10 with respect a playing area, such as playing area
16
of swimming pool
12, from which objects would be tossed to structure
10.
The structure
10 includes a target
18 forwardly supported with
respect to the structure
10. As will be described in greater detail, the
target
18 is adapted for receiving a tossed object, such as a ball (not
shown), directed at the target
18 from the playing area
16. The target
18 includes front and rear portions
20,
22. As shown in FIG.
6, the front portion
20 of the target
18 includes pegs
24
that are slidably received in cooperatively formed recesses
26 in the rear
portion
22. The front and rear portions
20,
22 of the target
18 are secured together by screws
28 extending through the rear portion
22 and received by the pegs
24 of the front portion
20.
The front and rear portions
20,
22 of target
18 define a
hollow interior
30 therebetween. The front portion
20 includes openings
32,
33,
34,
35 communicating with the interior
30
of the target
18 to provide for passage of a tossed object, such as a miniature
football for example, through the front portion
20 into the interior
30.
As shown in FIG. 2, openings
33,
34 are relatively large compared
to openings
32,
35 with opening
34 being the largest. As a
result, the probability that a tossed object will pass through openings
33,
34 is greater than that for openings
32,
35. Such a construction
could be used in a football-type game, for example, in which three points (a "field
goal") are awarded for passage of a miniature football through openings
33,
34 and six points (a "touchdown") are awarded for openings
32,
35.
The target
18 is supported by the structure
10 such that the front
and rear portions
20,
22, extend in a substantially upstanding fashion.
The upstanding support of the front portion
20 in this manner positions
the openings
32-
35 forwardly, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, providing
for presentation of the openings
32-
35 to users of the structure
10, positioned in playing area
16 of swimming pool
12, for example.
The front and rear portions
20,
22 of the target
18 have
curved walls such that outer surfaces
36,
37 of the front and rear
portions
20,
22, respectively, define portions of a substantially
prolate sphere. As shown, the prolate sphere portions defined by outer surfaces
36,
37 collectively simulate the shape of a football. The football
appearance may be further enhanced, as shown, by including simulated lacing on
outer surface
36 of front portion
20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4,
rear portion
22 has a lower terminal end
38 that defines an exit
opening
40 communicating with the interior
30 of the target
18.
Objects received through the openings
32-
35 in the front portion
20 will be directed downwardly by gravity toward the exit opening
40
in the rear portion
22. The exit opening
40 is sufficiently large
to provide an exit path from the target
18 for objects received in the interior
30 through the openings
32-
35 in the front portion
20.
As shown in FIG. 1, the forward location of the target
18 provides for
positioning of the structure
10 such the exit opening
40 in rear
portion
22 will be located over the playing area
16 of the swimming
pool
12 adjacent the edge
14. Positioned in this manner, objects
that are received in the interior
30 of the target
18 through openings
32-
35 will be directed through the interior
30 for return
to the playing area
16 via exit opening
40.
The structure
10 further includes a base
42 providing for freestanding
support of the structure
10 on a surface, such as adjacent to the edge
14
of swimming pool
12 as shown in FIG. 1. The base
42 includes upper
and lower surfaces
44,
46 and relatively short sides
48. The
base
42 defines a hollow interior (not shown) and includes an access hole
50 (FIG. 5) in one of the sides
48 communicating with the interior
of the base
42. The access hole
50 provides for filling of the interior
of the base
42 with a ballast material, such as water or sand. The structure
10 preferably includes a removable plug to provide for filling and draining
of the base
42. The ballast material adds sufficient weight to the base
42 to limit overturn of the structure
10.
An opposite end of the support post
56 engages the rear portion
22
of target
18 to support target
18 at a distance from the base
42.
The rear portion
22 includes a post holder
59 formed integrally with
the rear portion
22 to form a rearward part thereof. As shown in FIG. 7,
the post holder
59 defines a recess
60 that includes a cylindrical
center portion and opposite slotted portions. The cylindrical center portion of
recess
60 receives post
56 and the opposite slotted portions receives
a locking pin
61 extending through openings
63 on opposite sides
of post
56, in a similar manner to pin
58, to lock the target
18
against rotation with respect to the post
56. Support of the target
18
in this manner positions the exit opening
40 of the rear portion
22
forwardly of the front edge
54 of the base
42 to provide for the
return of objects to the playing area
16 of swimming pool
12, for example.
An opposite end of the support post
56 engages the rear portion
22
of target
18 to support target
18 at a distance from the base
42.
As shown in FIG. 7, the rear portion
22 includes a post holder
59
formed integrally with the rear portion
22 to form a rearward part thereof.
The post holder
59 defines a recess
60 that includes a cylindrical
center portion and opposite slotted portions. The cylindrical center portion of
recess
60 receives post
56 and the opposite slotted portions receives
a locking pin
61 extending through openings
63 on opposite sides
of post
56, in a similar manner to pin
58, to lock the target
18
against rotation with respect to the post
56. Support of the target
18
in this manner positions the exit opening
40 of the rear portion
22
forwardly of the front edge
54 of the base
42 to provide for the
return of objects to the playing area
16 of swimming pool
12, for example.
The structure
10 further includes a backstop
62 located rearwardly
of the target
18 for retaining tossed objects passing beyond the target
18 and returning them to the playing area
16 of a swimming pool
12,
for example. As shown in the exploded perspective of FIG. 6, the backstop
62
includes upper and lower portions
64,
66. The backstop upper portion
64 includes pegs
68 extending from a lower edge for receipt in recesses
70 formed in an upper edge of the backstop lower portion
66. The
backstop upper and lower portions
64,
66 are secured together by
screws
71 received by the pegs
68.
The backstop upper portion
64 is curved such that a forward surface
72
thereof presents a concavely curved surface to participants of a toss game. As
shown in FIG. 3, the forward surface
72 is curved about a vertical axis
such that it is substantially a portion of a cylinder. The inclusion of the cylindrically
curved forward surface
72 in backstop upper portion
64 provides for
a focused return of tossed objects inwardly with respect to the structure
10.
In a similar fashion to the backstop upper portion
64, the backstop lower
portion
66 includes a forward surface
74 that is curved about a vertical
axis to provide for inward direction of tossed object with respect to the structure
10. The forward surface
74 of backstop lower portion
66 is
further curved about horizontal axes, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, such that the
surface
74 is substantially bowl shaped. The bowl shape defined by the backstop
lower portion
66 provides for downward channeling of tossed objects towards
a lower edge
76 of the backstop lower portion
66.
The backstop lower portion
66 includes an opening
75 adjacent the
lower edge
76 to provide for receipt of the support post
56. As shown
in FIG. 4, the backstop
62 is positioned such that the lower edge
76
of the backstop
62 is substantially aligned with the exit opening
40
of the target
18. In this manner, tossed objects will exit from the interior
30 of the target
18 to the playing area
16 of the swimming
pool
12, for example, in substantially the same location as objects returned
from the backstop
62.
The lower portion
66 of backstop
62 includes front and rear legs
78,
80 to provide for support of the backstop
62. The rear
legs
80 are relatively long compared to the front legs
78 to accommodate
the bowl shaped curvature of the lower portion
66. A lower portion
82
of the front legs
78 has a reduced diameter adapted for receipt in recesses
84 formed in the upper surface
44 of the base
42 along the
front edge
54 of base
42. As described above, the base
42
preferably defines a hollow interior that is filled with water or sand to provide
ballast. To facilitate portability and material efficiency, other components such
as the backstop
62 are also preferably formed to include hollow interiors.
In such a case, it may be desirable to provide additional ballast to that provided
by the filled base
42. An access hole could be provided in surface
85
of the backstop lower portion
66 for directing water into the hollow interior.
Because of the relatively large size of the backstop
62, a partial fill
of the backstop lower portion
66, should provide sufficient ballast for
structure
10.
The structure
10 includes front and rear buttresses
86,
88
formed integrally with the base
42 and extending from upper surface
44
adjacent the recess
52 to reinforce the support post
56. As shown
in FIGS. 3 and 6, the rear buttress
88 is elongated rearwardly to define
a relatively gently sloping upper surface
90. A depression
92 formed
in the upper surface
90 of rear buttress
88 provides a convenient
location for placement of a game object, such as a miniature football (not shown),
for example.
The components of the structure
10 are preferably made from linear low-density
polyethylene. The components are further preferably formed in a roto-molding process.
It is not required by the present invention, however, that the components be linear
low-density polyethylene or that they be formed in a roto-molding process. The
components of structure
10 could be made from other materials in other processes
such as thermoplastic materials in an injection molding process, for example. Although
the toss-game structure
10 has been described above for use adjacent a swimming
pool, the present invention is not so limited. The toss-game structure
10
could be used in other settings, such as supported on a table within a carnival
booth, for example
While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred
embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments
may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment
for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom.
Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment,
but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation
of the appended claims.
*
