Apparatus, System and Method for Playing Hacky Sack Game

Abstract

An apparatus for playing hacky sack game comprising a hoop stand that provides multiple shooting targets for players. The hoop stand includes a base support and a number of netted hoops, which includes a center netted hoop and a plurality of radial netted hoops. The netted hoops are connected to the base support, which is positioned within a target zone of a playing surface. The system of the hacky sack game includes a plurality of footbags, the hoop stand and the playing surface which also comprises an offensive boundary positioned outside the target zone to separate the offensive and defensive zones. The method of the game comprises a process of interactive offensive and defensive plays between a first team of at least two offensive players, a second team of at least two defensive players playing the hack sack using the system. The present invention offers an innovative, challenging, yet simple and fun method for playing the hacky sack game, which has not been achieved before in the past.

Claims

1. An apparatus for playing hacky sack game comprising: a hoop stand; the hoop stand comprising a base support, a center netted hoop, and a plurality of radial netted hoops; and the center netted hoop and the plurality of radial netted hoops being terminally connected to the base support.

2. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: the base support comprising a plurality of support legs and a support pole; the support pole comprising a pole body, a base connector, and a hoop connector; the base connector comprising a base center coupler and a plurality of radial base couplers; the base center coupler being terminally and concentrically connected to the pole body; each of the plurality of support legs of the base support being connected to one of the plurality of radial base couplers of the base connector; the hoop connector being terminally and concentrically connected to the pole body opposite the base connector; the hoop connector comprising a center hoop coupler and a plurality of radial hoop couplers; the center hoop coupler being centrally and terminally positioned on the hoop connector opposite the base connector; the plurality of radial hoop couplers being radially distributed and terminally positioned on the hoop connector; the center netted hoop being connected to the center hoop coupler opposite the pole body; and each of the plurality of radial netted hoops being connected to one of the plurality of radial hoop couplers opposite the pole body.

3. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 2 comprising: each of the plurality of radial hoop couplers of the hoop connector comprising a radial arm and a coupler; the radial arm being terminally connected to the hoop connector opposite the pole body for each of the plurality of radial hoop couplers; and the coupler being terminally and concentrically connected to the radial arm opposite the pole body.

4. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 2 comprising: the base support comprising a plurality of end caps; and each of the plurality of end caps being terminally and concentrically positioned on each of the plurality of support legs opposite the base connector along each of the plurality of support legs.

5. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: the center netted hoop comprising a center hoop, a center net, and a center arm; the center arm being terminally and concentrically connected to the center hoop coupler of the hoop connector opposite the pole body; the center hoop being terminally connected to the center arm; and the center net being terminally and peripherally mounted to the center hoop.

6. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: each of the plurality of radial netted hoops comprising a radial hoop, a radial net, and a radial arm; the radial arm being terminally and concentrically connected to one of the plurality of radial hoop couplers for each of the plurality of radial netted hoops; the radial hoop being terminally connected to the radial arm for each of the plurality of radial netted hoops; and the radial net being terminally and peripherally mounted to the radial hoop for each of the plurality of radial netted hoops.

7. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 1 comprising: wherein a vertical direction is oriented normal to a playing surface; wherein each of the plurality of support legs of the base support is positioned on the playing surface; a first vertical distance between the playing surface and the radial hoop being equal for each of the plurality of radial hoops; and a second vertical distance between the playing surface and a center hoop of the center netted hoop being greater than the first vertical distance.

8. The apparatus for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first diameter of a center hoop of the center netted hoop being smaller than a second diameter of a radial hoop of each of the plurality of radial netted hoops.

9. A system for playing hacky sack game comprising: a plurality of hacky sacks; a playing surface; a hoop stand; each the plurality of hacky sacks being a footbag; the playing surface comprising a hoop boundary, an offensive boundary, a hoop zone, an offensive playing zone, a defensive boundary, and a defensive playing zone; the hoop boundary being centrally positioned within the offensive boundary; the offensive boundary being centrally positioned within the defensive boundary; the hoop zone being positioned within the hoop boundary; the offensive playing zone being positioned between the hoop boundary and the offensive boundary; the defensive playing zone being positioned between the offensive boundary and the defense boundary; the hoop stand comprising a base support, a center netted hoop, and a plurality of radial netted hoops; the base support of the hoop stand being centrally positioned within the hoop zone of the playing surface; and the center netted hoop and the plurality of radial netted hoops being terminally connected to the base support opposite the playing surface along the base support.

10. The system for playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 9 comprising: the defensive boundary of the playing surface being a circle; the offensive boundary of the playing surface being a circle; the hoop boundary being a circle; the hoop boundary being concentrically positioned within the offensive; and the offensive boundary being concentrically positioned within the defensive boundary of the playing surface.

11. A method of playing hacky sack game comprising: (A) providing a plurality of hacky sacks, wherein each of the plurality of hacky sacks is a footbag; (B) providing a playing surface comprising a hoop boundary, an offensive boundary, a hoop zone, an offensive playing zone, and a defensive playing zone; (C) providing a hoop stand comprising a base support, a center netted hoop, and a plurality of radial netted hoops; (D) providing a first team and a second team, wherein each team comprises at least two players, and wherein the first team is decided to play offensive; (E) distributing a predetermined number of hacky sacks to each player of the first and second team; (F) arranging teams in the designated playing zones of the playing surface, wherein the first team plays offensive inside the offensive playing zone, and wherein the second team plays defensive inside the defensive playing zone; (G) starting the game through serving by the first team, wherein a first player of the first team throwing a first hacky sack of the first player to a second player of the first team; (H) playing the first hacky sack, wherein the at least two players of the first team pass the first hacky sack to each other by kicking only and/or attempt to kick the first hacky sack into the center netted loop or one of the plurality of radial netted loops to score, and wherein each of the at least two players of the second team throws a hacky sack to intercept the first hacky sack; (I) awarding a score to a specific team, wherein the first team earns three points if the first hacky sack falls into the center netted hoop, or wherein the first team earns one point if the first hacky sack falls into one of the plurality of radial netted hoops; (J) continuing to play the game by repeating step (G) to step (I), wherein each player of the first team takes turn to serve; (K) switching the offensive/defensive teams and resuming the game by repeating step (E) to step (J), if the at least two players of the first team have played all hacky sacks and no team reaches a predetermined winning score; and; (L) ending the hacky sack game if any team reaches the predetermined winning score.

12. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: setting up the defensive boundary on the playing surface; setting up the offensive boundary centrally within the defense boundary; and setting up the hoop boundary centrally within the offensive boundary in step (B).

13. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: setting up the base support of the hoop stand centrally within the hoop zone of the playing surface; and connecting the center netted hoop and the plurality of radial netted hoops terminally to the base support opposite the playing surface along the base support in step (C).

14. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11, wherein neither body contact nor any player going out of the designated playing zone is allowed in step (F).

15. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: serving by the first player of the first team until the first player has served all hacky sacks; switching to the second player of the first team to serve if the first player has served all hacky sacks; and wherein the second team is not allowed to intercept the hacky sack during serving by the first team in step (G).

16. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: playing the first hacky sack after serving by the first player of the first team; wherein the at least two players of the first team pass the first hacky sack to each other by kicking; and wherein only kicking by foot is allowed for each player of the first team in step (H).

17. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: stalling the first hacky sack by an arbitrary player on any foot of the arbitrary player of the first team; and throwing a hacky sack to intercept the first hacky sack stalled on the foot of the arbitrary player of the first team by any of the at least two players of the second team in step (H).

18. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: playing the hacky sack game using the distributed hacky sacks to each player; wherein no hacky sack in any of the netted hoops of the hoop stand or on the playing surface is allowed to be picked up and reused in the play until the offensive team is switched in step (H).

19. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: throwing a hacky sack to intercept the first hacky sack by an arbitrary player of the second team; wherein the hacky sack of arbitrary player of the second team is allowed to be reused for intercepting; and if a player of the second team catches the hacky sack of the arbitrary player of the second team in step (H).

20. The method of playing hacky sack game as claimed in claim 11 comprising: awarding a score to the second team; wherein the second team earns one point; and if the first hacky sack is falls onto the offensive playing zone of the playing surface after being intercepted in step (I).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the system of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the apparatus of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the playing surface of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of the overall process of the method for the playing the hacky sack game of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for setting up the playing surface of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for setting up the hoop stand in the playing surface of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for the serving during the hacky sack game of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for passing the hacky sack between the at least two players of the first team of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for stalling the hacky sack on the foot of one of the at least two players of the first team of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for switching offensive team of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for defensive play of the second team of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of a subprocess for awarding the second team of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0021] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0022] The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method to competitive and noncompetitive (recreational) players for playing the game hacky sack. More specifically, the present invention comprises an apparatus that comprises a scoring target for the players. The apparatus is set up in the system that defines the playing boundaries on a playing ground. Further the method offers the players and playing teams the detailed process including rules for playing the hacky sack game using the system of the present invention. Thus, the present invention offers an innovative, challenging, yet simple and fun system and method for playing the hacky sack game, which has not been achieved before in the past.

[0023] As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the present invention includes the apparatus which comprises a hoop stand 10. The hoop stand 10 comprises a base support 20, a center netted hoop 40, and a plurality of radial netted hoops 50. The center netted hoop 40 and the plurality of radial netted hoops 50 of the hoop stand 10 are terminally connected to the base support 20. Thus, the center netted hoop 40 and the plurality of radial netted hoops 50 are firmly supported by the base support 20 during a hacky sack game and provide the players challenging shooting targets. Due to the modular design of the hoop stand 10 of the present invention, the assembly and disassembly are efficient and convenient, thus, making this game portable and easy to set up and play.

[0024] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the base stand hoop stand 10 of the present invention comprises a plurality of support legs 21 and a support pole 30. The support pole 30 of the hoop stand 10 comprises a pole body 31, a base connector 32, and a hoop connector 33. The pole body 31 of the support pole 30 is a longitudinal pole including, but not limited to a pipe, a tube, a solid rod, etc. The pole body 31 comprise a first end 311 and a second end 312. The base connector 32 comprises a plurality of radial base couplers 321 and a base center coupler 322. Each of the plurality of the support legs 20 is connected to one of the plurality of radial base couplers 321 of the base connector 32. In some embodiments of the present invention, the base support legs 20 comprises a plurality of end caps 211. Each of the end caps 211 is terminally and concentrically positioned on each of the plurality of support legs 21 opposite the base connector 32 along each of the plurality of support legs 21. Additionally, the base center coupler 322 is terminally and concentrically connected to the pole body 31 at the first end 311. The hoop connector 33 is terminally and concentrically connected to the pole body 31 at the second end 312, opposite the base connector 32. Further, the hoop connector 33 comprises a center hoop coupler 34 and a plurality of radial hoop couplers 331. The center hoop coupler 34 is centrally and terminally positioned on the hoop connector 33 opposite the base connector 32. The plurality of radial hoop couplers 331 is radially distributed and terminally positioned on the hoop connector 33. Additionally, the center netted hoop 40 is connected to the center hoop coupler 34 opposite the pole body 32 and each of the plurality of radial netted hoops 50 is connected to one of the plurality of radial hoop couplers 331 opposite the pole body 31.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of radial hoop couplers 331 of the hoop connector 33 comprises a radial arm 332 and a coupler 333, as seen in FIG. 3. More specifically, the radial arm 332 is terminally connected to the hoop connector 33 opposite the pole body 31 for each of the plurality of radial hoop couplers 331. Additionally, the coupler 333 is terminally and concentrically connected to the radial arm 332 opposite the pole body 31.

[0026] In another embodiment of the present invention, the center netted hoop 40 comprises a center hoop 41, a center net 42, and a center arm 43, as seen in FIG. 3. More specifically, the center arm 43 is terminally and concentrically connected to the center hoop coupler 34 of the hoop connector 33 opposite the pole body 31. Additionally, the center hoop 41 is terminally connected to the center arm 43 and the center net 42 is terminally and peripherally mounted to the center hoop 41.

[0027] In another embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of radial netted hoops 50 comprises a radial hoop 51, a radial net 52, and a radial arm 53, as seen in FIG. 3. More specifically, the radial arm 53 is terminally and concentrically connected to one of the plurality of radial hoop couplers 331 for each of the plurality of radial netted hoops 50. Additionally, the radial hoop 51 is terminally connected to the radial arm 53 for each of the plurality of radial netted hoops 50 and the radial net 52 is terminally and peripherally mounted to the radial hoop 51 for each of the plurality of radial netted hoops 50.

[0028] In another embodiment of the present invention, a vertical direction is oriented normal to a playing surface 70, on which each of the plurality of support legs 21 of the base support 20 is positioned as seen in FIG. 1. Along this direction, a first vertical distance between the playing surface 70 and the radial hoop 51 is defined and equal for each of the plurality of radial hoops 50. Additionally, a second vertical distance between the playing surface 70 and the center hoop 41 of the center netted hoop 40 is greater than the first vertical distance. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a first diameter of the center hoop 41 of the center netted hoop 40 is smaller than a second diameter of the radial hoop 51 of each of the plurality of radial netted hoops 50.

[0029] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system for playing hacky sack game comprises the playing surface 70 and the hoop stand 10. The system of the present invention includes a plurality of hacky sacks, which can be any suitable footbag used in existing hacky sack and/or footbag game. The playing surface 70 can include, but is not limited to, any suitable indoor or outdoor playing ground, playing court, playing floor, etc. More specifically, the playing surface 70 comprises a hoop boundary 71, a hoop zone 72, an offensive boundary 73, an offensive playing zone 74, a defensive boundary 75, and a defensive playing zone 76. The hoop boundary 71 is centrally positioned within the offensive boundary 73 of the playing surface 70 and the offensive boundary 73 is centrally position within the defense boundary 75. The hoop zone 72 is positioned within the hoop boundary 71. The offensive playing zone 74 is positioned between the hoop boundary 71 and the offensive boundary 73 while the defensive playing zone 76 is positioned between the offensive boundary 73 and the defensive boundary 75 of the playing surface 70. These boundaries and zones can include, but are not limited to markers, taped lines, colored tapes, chalk lines, letters, words, colored illustrations, etc. Additionally, the base support 20 of the hoop stand 10 is centrally positioned within the hoop zone 72 of the playing surface 70. The system of the present invention for playing hacky sack game is a highly portable and efficient system for setting up to play, wrapping up when done, and easy to learn to attract various players.

[0030] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, each of the hoop boundary 71, offensive boundary 73, and defensive boundary 75 of the playing surface 70 is a circle. More specifically, the hoop boundary 71 is concentrically positioned within the offensive boundary 73 and the offensive boundary is also concentrically positioned within the defensive boundary 75, as seen in FIG. 4.

[0031] As can be seen in FIG. 5, the method of the present invention provides the players with a process that can efficiently and conveniently play the hacky sack game. More specifically, the overall process of the method for playing the hacky sack game starts by providing a plurality of hacky sacks, wherein each of the plurality of hacky sacks is a footbag (Step A). Additionally, the method provides a playing surface comprising a hoop boundary, an offensive boundary, a hoop zone, an offensive playing zone, and a defensive playing zone (Step B), and provides a hoop stand comprising a base support, a center netted hoop, and a plurality of radial netted hoops (Step C). With Step A, Step B, and Step C, the system of playing the hacky sack game is set up. Then the method provides a first team and a second team, wherein each team comprises at least two players, and wherein the first team is decided to play offensive (Step D). The total number of players for the first team may or may not be the same as the total number of the players for the second team in Step D. Subsequently, the method distributes a predetermined number of hacky sacks to each player of the first and second team (Step E). Each player in Step E is distributed with the same number of hacky sacks. Then the method arranges teams in the designated playing zones of the playing surface, wherein the first team plays offensive inside the offensive playing zone, and wherein the second team plays defensive inside the defensive playing zone (Step F). With the teams are arranged in the corresponding zones, the game starts through serving by the first team, wherein a first player of the first team throwing a first hacky sack of the first player to a second player of the first team (Step G). The first team plays the first hacky sack, wherein the at least two players of the first team pass the first hacky sack to each other by kicking only and/or attempt to kick the first hacky sack into the center netted loop or one of the plurality of radial netted loops to score, and wherein each of the at least two players of the second team is allowed to throw a hacky sack to intercept the first hacky sack (Step H). Based on each play, the method awards a score to a specific team, wherein the first team earns three points if the first hacky sack falls into the center netted hoop, or wherein the first team earns one point if the first hacky sack falls into one of the plurality of radial netted hoops (Step I). Once the first hacky sack is played, the game continues to be played in the method by repeating Step G to Step I, wherein each player of the first team takes turn to serve (Step J). Further, the method switches the offensive/defensive teams and resumes the game by repeating Step E to Step J, if the at least two players of the first team have played all hacky sacks and no team reaches a predetermined winning score (Step K). Finally, the method ends the hacky sack game if any team reaches the predetermined winning score (Step K).

[0032] As can be seen in FIG. 6, the method of playing hacky sack game comprises a subprocess for setting up the playing surface. More specifically, the method sets up the defensive boundary on the playing surface, the offensive boundary centrally within the defense boundary, and the hoop boundary centrally within the offensive boundary in Step B of the overall process of the method. The shape of the hoop boundary, offensive boundary, and the defense boundary includes, but is not limited to, circle, square, rectangle, oval, etc.

[0033] As can be seen in FIG. 7, the method of playing hacky sack game comprises a subprocess for setting up the hoop stand in the playing surface. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises setting up the base support of the hoop stand centrally within the hoop zone of the playing surface, and connecting the center netted hoop and the plurality of radial netted hoops terminally to the base support opposite the playing surface along the base support in Step C.

[0034] The method comprises a subprocess for playing the hacky sack game. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises playing the hacky sack where neither body contact nor any player going out of the designated playing zone is allowed in Step F.

[0035] As can be seen in FIG. 8, the method comprises a subprocess for serving during the hacky sack game. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises serving by the first player of the first team until the first player has served all hacky sacks. Then the subprocess switches to the second player of the first team to serve if the first player has served all hacky sacks, wherein the second team is not allowed to intercept the hacky sack during serving by the first team in Step G.

[0036] As can be seen in FIG. 9, the method comprises a subprocess for passing the hacky sack between the at least two players of the first team. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises playing the first hacky sack after serving by the first player of the first team and the at least two players of the first team pass the first hacky sack to each other by kicking, wherein only kicking by foot is allowed for each player of the first team in Step H.

[0037] As can be seen in FIG. 10, the method comprises a subprocess for stalling the hacky sack on the foot of one of the at least two players of the first team. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises stalling the first hacky sack by an arbitrary player on any foot of the arbitrary player of the first team while any of the at least two players of the second team can throw a hacky sack to intercept the first hacky sack stalled on the foot of the arbitrary player of the first team in Step H.

[0038] As can be seen in FIG. 11, the method comprises a subprocess for switching offensive team. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises playing the hacky sack game using the distributed hacky sacks to each player, wherein no hacky sack in any of the netted hoops of the hoop stand or on the playing surface is allowed to be picked up and reused in the play until the offensive team is switched in Step H.

[0039] As can be seen in FIG. 12, the method comprises a subprocess for defensive play of the second team. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises throwing a hacky sack to intercept the first hacky sack by an arbitrary player of the second team, wherein the hacky sack of arbitrary player of the second team is allowed to be reused for intercepting, if a player of the second team catches the hacky sack of the arbitrary player of the second team in Step H.

[0040] As can be seen in FIG. 13, the method comprises a subprocess for awarding the second team. More specifically, the subprocess of the method comprises awarding a score to the second team, wherein the second team earns one point if the first hacky sack is falls onto the offensive playing zone of the playing surface after being intercepted in Step I.

[0041] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.