CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSThis application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/692210, filed Aug. 22, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENTNot Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIXNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates generally to basketball and other sports nets and in particular to decorative enhancements for such nets. Nets used in basketball at all levels of competition are generally plain, with the strands or chains being undecorated. At most, the net strands may be presented in a particular color or combination of colors. Similarly, while backboards often present team indicia, the net itself generally represents an unused space for carrying decorations, particularly team indicia or marketing indicia. A system is needed for providing decorations and indicia to the net itself.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the invention is directed to a system of decorations which may be applied to a basketball net to enhance the net's decorative appeal. Coloration of the net strands or links may be placed in any combination with decorative fill material placed between the strands and links, a decorative lattice surrounding the exterior surface of the net, or decorative patches affixed to the exterior of the net. Each type of decorative surface may be printed, embroidered, dyed, or otherwise decorated with any combination of colors, patterns, designs, or indicia.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 shows a front view of the first exemplary embodiment, showing thenet10,rim11,first color material12,second color material13,links14,strands15, andspaces16.
FIG. 2 shows a front view of the second exemplary embodiment, showing the net20,rim21, andflexible lattice22.
FIG. 3 shows a front view of the third exemplary embodiment, showing thenet30,rim31, fillmaterial32,spaces33,strands34, andlinks35.
FIG. 4 shows a front view of the fourth exemplary embodiment, showing the net40,rim41, andpatch42.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONReferring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to a system of decorative enhancements for basketball nets or other net-like structures for use in sports or in other applications.FIGS. 1-4 show several exemplary embodiments, each demonstrating one or more features of the system, which may be applied to a particular basketball net in any combination.
FIG. 1 shows the first exemplary embodiment. In the first exemplary embodiment, a net10 is suspended from arim11. Therim11 may be any regulation or non-regulation size, and is preferably made of a high strength metal material, such as steel or other material as is or may become customary for basketball rims. The net10 is preferably a weave of nylon, cotton, or hemp fibers or metal chain other material as may be suitably flexible and durable. The net10 may be woven in any fashion suitable for creating a generally cylindrical net (many such methods being well-known in the prior art), preferably in a manner customary for basketball nets.
The net10 may be produced in any color or combination or pattern of colors, as distinct from a neutral or un-colored material (e.g. un-dyed fiber or unfinished metal), depending on the color needs of the particular embodiment, such as the display of particular colors associated with the “home team” at the venue where thenet10 is to be installed. Any means of applying color to thenet10 may be employed; for example fiber nets may be dyed according to a suitable dyeing method for the particular fiber (many such methods are known in the prior art). Metal chain nets may be painted, powder coated, or anodized and dyed to apply desired colors.
Referring still to the first exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 1, thenet10 is made up ofstrands15 andlinks14; thestrands15 are lengths of linear material, and thelinks14 are the points of intersection and attachment, whether by interweaving or fixing flexible lines, interlinking chain links, or other attachment means. Thestrands15 andlinks14 of thenet10 define a plurality ofspaces16, which may be filled with a flat, flexible material, such as woven fabric. The fill material may alternate colors, for example between afirst color material12 and asecond color material13. The fill material may also be printed, embroidered, or otherwise decorated with a pattern, design, design, symbol, logo, or other indicia. The fill material may be affixed to thenet10 with stitching, adhesives, or other fasteners between the perimeter of the fill material and the surroundingstrands15 andlinks14.
FIG. 2 shows the second exemplary embodiment. In the second exemplary embodiment, a net20 is suspended from arim21; the net20 andrim21 are similar to the net10 andrim11 of the first exemplary embodiment in all aspects and possible variations. In the second exemplary embodiment, aflexible lattice22 is affixed to the outside surface of the net10. Theflexible lattice22 may be made of a fabric material, and may be affixed to the net20 with stitching, adhesives, or other appropriate fastening means. Theflexible lattice22 preferably matches the external form of the net20 when the net20 is in a neutral hanging position. Theflexible lattice22 may partially cover the exterior surface of thenet20 according to a diamond pattern as shown inFIG. 2, or may follow a different geometric pattern, or may be asymmetric following no pattern at all, or may completely cover the exterior surface of thenet20. Theflexible lattice20 may be printed or otherwise decorated with any combination of colors, designs, patterns, or indicia.
FIG. 3 shows the third exemplary embodiment. In the third exemplary embodiment, a net30 is suspended from arim31; the net30 andrim31 are similar to the net10 andrim11 of the first exemplary embodiment in all aspects and possible variations. In the third exemplary embodiment, some, but not all, of thespaces33 between thestrands34 andlinks35 of thenet30 are filled with a flat,flexible fill material32, which may be printed or otherwise decorated with any combination of colors, patterns, designs, or indicia. Thespaces33 may alternate unfilled spaces and spaces filled by fillmaterial32 as shown, or may follow any pattern or be placed asymmetrically. Each piece offill material32 may be affixed to its surroundingstrands34 and links35 by appropriate fasteners for the material of thenet30; for example aflexible fiber net30 may be sewn to thefill material32, and achain net30 may be affixed to thefill material32 by adhesive.
FIG. 4 shows the fourth exemplary embodiment. In the fourth exemplary embodiment, a net40 is suspended from arim41; the net40 andrim41 are similar to the net10 andrim11 of the first exemplary embodiment in all aspects and possible variations. In the fourth exemplary embodiment, apatch42 of flat flexible material, which may be affixed to the net40 by stitching, adhesives or other appropriate fastening means. Any number ofpatches42 may be applied to the net40. Thepatch42 may be printed, embroidered, or otherwise decorated with any combination of colors, patterns, designs, or indicia.
Thefirst color material12,second color material13,links14,strands15,flexible lattice22,fill material32,strands34,links35, andpatch42 would preferably be manufactured from flexible, durable materials that are easily cleaned, such as plastic, acetate, nylon, cotton fabric, and cotton-polyester blend fabric. Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.