ARENA APPARATUS AND METHODS OF USING AND CONSTRUCTING SAME

Abstract

An arena apparatus for staging a sport is provided. The apparatus includes a floor having a perimeter; and at least one wall coupled to the floor at the perimeter and extending upwardly and outwardly from the floor at an angle relative to an axis perpendicular to the floor, wherein the angle of the wall prevents an athlete from standing on the wall.

Claims

1. An arena apparatus for staging a sport with at least one athlete, the arena apparatus comprising: a floor having a perimeter; and at least one wall coupled to the floor at the perimeter and extending upwardly and outwardly from the floor at an angle relative to an axis perpendicular to the floor, wherein the angle of the wall prevents the athlete from standing on the wall.

2. The arena apparatus of claim 1, wherein the floor includes at least one floor frame and at least one floor covering coupled to the floor frame.

3. The arena apparatus of claim 2, wherein the floor frame includes at least one floor frame primary support and at least one floor frame secondary support.

4. The arena apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wall includes at least one wall frame and at least one wall covering coupled to the wall frame.

5. The arena apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one wall frame includes at least one wall frame primary support and at least one wall frame secondary support.

6. The arena apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one stair.

7. The arena apparatus of claim 1, wherein the floor and the wall are each substantially planar.

8. The arena apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall includes four walls.

9. The arena apparatus of claim 8, wherein the floor is square.

10. The arena apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment structure configured to adjust the angle of the wall.

11. The arena apparatus of claim 10, wherein the wall includes a plurality of connection points and the adjustment structure includes a brace configured to be selectively coupled to one of the connection points and a primary support rod having a proximal end coupled to the wall and a distal end coupled to the brace.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an arena apparatus according to the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the arena apparatus of FIG. 1 including floor and wall coverings, according to the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a wall frame, according to the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates another wall frame, according to the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the wall frame of FIG. 4 including floor and wall coverings, according to the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another arena apparatus, according to the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 7 illustrates an adjustment structure for adjusting the angle of one or more wall frames 110.

[0022] FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate front and top views, respectively, of a set of stairs, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Certain terminology may be used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “lower” and “upper” and “top” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.

[0024] Furthermore, the subject application references certain processes which are presented as series of ordered steps. It should be understood that the steps described with respect to those processes are not to be understood as enumerated consecutive lists but could be performed in various orders while still embodying the invention described herein.

[0025] Where a term is provided in the singular, the inventors also contemplate aspects of the invention described by the plural of that term. As used in this specification and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, e.g., “a support” may include a plurality of supports. Thus, for example, a reference to “a method” includes one or more methods, and/or steps of the type described herein and/or which will become apparent to those persons skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure.

[0026] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods, constructs and materials are now described. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Where there are discrepancies in terms and definitions used in references that are incorporated by reference, the terms used in this application shall have the definitions given herein.

[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is seen an arena apparatus 100 according to the present invention. Arena apparatus 100 is provided for staging a sporting event, such as, but not limited to, a fight. Arena apparatus 100 includes a floor frame 105 having at least one floor frame primary support 140 and at least one floor frame secondary support 145 for supporting at least one floor covering 130. Arena apparatus 100 also includes four wall frames 110, each having at least one wall frame primary support 150 and at least one wall frame secondary support 155 for supporting at least one wall covering 135. The bottom end of each wall frame 110 is located proximal to a perimeter 125 of floor frame 105, with wall frames 110 extending upwardly and outwardly from vertical at an angle of forty-five degrees. Arena apparatus 100 also includes one or more stairs 160 (which may be constructed from any suitable material, such as wood, steel, aluminum, sturdy plastics, etc.) to permit athletes to enter and exit arena apparatus 100. FIGS. 8a and 8b show front and top views, respectively, of another embodiment of stairs 160, which may be positioned to straddle one of wall frames 110 to permit athletes to enter and exit arena apparatus 100. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention contemplates embodiments that do not include stairs, and others which incorporate ramps in addition to or in place of stairs.

[0028] In some embodiments of the invention, such as the one shown in FIG. 2, at least one gap covering 175 (which may be constructed from materials similar to those used for constructing floor and/or wall coverings 130, 135) is positioned between adjacent wall frames 110 to cover a gap in or therebetween. In the depicted embodiment, the corners of arena apparatus 100 include gap coverings 175 that include two gap walls 170, each of which is angled appropriately to mate with a respective wall frame 110. The configuration of gap walls 170 relative to one another and to wall frames 110 assists in facilitating offensive and defensive tactical plays including, without limitation, launch attacks, evasions, and angle attacks.

[0029] While arena apparatus 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a floor frame 105 having multiple primary and secondary supports 140, 145, in some embodiments, a floor of a room in which arena apparatus 100 is positioned may form some or all of floor frame 105, thereby dispensing with one or more of primary supports 140 and secondary supports 145. In other embodiments, such as the one shown in FIG. 6, scaffolding 165 is provided for raising arena apparatus 100 from the ground, such as may be desirable to provide better viewing for spectators.

[0030] Although FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a square-shaped arena apparatus 100 with four wall frames 110, it should be appreciated that arena apparatus 100 may be any shape and include any number of wall frames 110, and that the present invention is not limited by or to any specific shape or number of wall frames 110. Further, while the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows wall frames 110 positioned at forty-five degrees with respect to vertical, it should be appreciated that that the present invention as a whole is not limited by or to any particular angle. For example, various embodiments of the present invention contemplate any angle greater than or equal to fifteen degrees and less than sixty degrees. Other embodiments contemplate any angle greater than or equal to thirty-three degrees and less than fifty-two degrees, with a specified tolerance, such as, for example, one to three degrees. In still other embodiments, an angle is selected so that wall frames 110 are steep enough to prevent an athlete from standing on them comfortably or at all, but not so steep that the athlete is unable to launch or jump off of them.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, floor frame 105 and wall frames 110 are constructed primarily from wood. However, some or all of floor frame 105 and/or wall frames 110 may be constructed from any other material(s) suitable for supporting floor covering 130 and the weight of various athletes to compete within arena apparatus 100, such as, for example, steel, aluminum (formed, for example, into a trestle—see, e.g., embodiments of wall frames 110 shown respectively in FIGS. 3 through 5), PVC pipe, sturdy plastics, tubing, and the like. In another embodiment, floor frame 105 and wall frames 110 are formed in part from various constituent parts, such as a plurality of hinges, trestle sections (off-the-shelf and custom pieces), bolts, washer plates, and brackets. In yet another embodiment (not shown), wall frames 110 are each manufactured from square and/or rectangular tubing ranging in size from 1¾″ to 4″ and ranging from 11 to 14 gauge.

[0032] Floor and wall coverings 130, 135 are substantially planar (but need not be in other embodiments) and may be constructed from any material suitable for a particular sporting event. For example, where the sporting event is a fight, floor and/or wall coverings 130, 135 may be constructed from a solid and rigid material (such as wood or metal, which may be the case when floor frame 105 and/or wall frames 110 and floor and wall coverings 130, 135, respectively, are formed integrally), or alternatively, from a fabric or padded material, such as a mat or panel. Floor and wall coverings 130, 135 may also be formed together as a single integral piece or in modular fashion, e.g., from multiple mats or panels positioned adjacent to one another. For example, in one embodiment (not shown) floor covering 130 is formed from five adjacent, rectangular mats. In another embodiment (not shown), wall covering 135 for each wall frame 110 includes one or more mats, together forming one surface with angled sides to accommodate an angle at which wall frame 110 meets an adjacent wall frame 110. That is, the mat(s) covering each wall frame 110 is/are formed in the shape of a trapezoid. However, it should be appreciated that alternate shapes and/or quantities of mats may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0033] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is seen an adjustment structure 180 for adjusting the angle of one or more wall frames 110. Adjustment structure 180 includes a primary support rod 185 having a proximal end 190 pivotably coupled to wall frame 110 and a distal end 195 pivotably coupled to brace 205. Locking end 210 of brace 205 may be selectively coupled to one of multiple connection points 215 on wall frame 110, thereby permitting primary support rod 185 to be pivoted into multiple selectable positions. This, in turn, permits the angle of wall frame 110 to be adjusted. It should be appreciated that any number of connection points 215 may be provided for enabling wall frame 110 to be adjusted to any number of selectable angles. It should also be appreciated that the invention contemplates other structures and mechanisms for adjusting the angle of wall frame 110, and that the invention as a whole is not intended to be limited to the structure depicted in FIG. 7 or any other specific structure.

[0034] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.