Racket Sports Rebounder with Side Shields

Abstract

An apparatus for racket sports practice (such as tennis, pickle ball, padel, squash, racquet ball, table tennis and the like) is disclosed. The apparatus being comprised of a tubular frame, lightweight cloth, a swivel bounce board and unique side shields that prevent balls from straying. The curved area of the rebound sheet allows users to hit balls into the apparatus and have them returned at various speeds and angles. The apparatus being of such a size that, when broken down after practice, can be easily transported by a single person. An object of the invention is to provide an affordable means for racket sports enthusiasts to practice independently.

Claims

1. A racket sports practice apparatus comprised of the following parts: a) U-shaped legs; b) transverse supporting rod; c) vertical supporting poles; d) a frame; e) top horizontal bar; f) swivel bounce board; g) rebound sheet; h) bungee cords; and i) side shields.

2. The racket sport practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rebound sheet has a sleeve on distal end.

3. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame is comprised of lower diagonal bars and upper diagonal bars.

4. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the U-shaped legs having anti-skid discs.

5. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transverse supporting rod is connected to the U-shaped legs via spring-loaded detents.

6. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertical supporting poles are interconnected with the lower diagonal bars via spring-loaded detents.

7. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower diagonal bars are connected to the upper diagonal bars via spring-loaded detents.

8. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top horizontal bar passes through a sleeve on a distal end of the rebound sheet.

9. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower diagonal bars are pivotably-affixed to swivel bounce board by means of swivel bounce board adjustment knobs.

10. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rebound sheet having grommets.

11. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rebound sheet being connected to the side bars by means of bungees.

12. The racket sport practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the upper diagonal bars having corner units.

13. The racket sports practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein top ends of the upper diagonal bars having side shields affixed to the top of the upper diagonal bars by hook and loop straps.

14. A method of adjusting ball rebounds to be slow with high returns, comprising the following steps: a) strapping bungees at attachment points C above the frame and securing to attachment pins; b) strapping bungees at attachment points D below the frame and securing to attachment pins; and c) tilting swivel bounce board up away from the longitudinal axis of the lower diagonal bars and tightening swivel bounce board adjustment knobs.

15. A method of adjusting ball rebounds to be slow with low returns, comprising the following steps: a) strapping bungees at attachment points C above the frame and securing to attachment pins; b) strapping bungees at attachment points D below the frame and securing to attachment pins; and c) tilting swivel bounce board down and in line with the longitudinal axis of the lower diagonal bars and tightening swivel bounce board adjustment knobs.

16. A method of adjusting ball rebounds to be fast with high returns, comprising the following steps: a) strapping bungees at attachment points C below the frame and securing to attachment pins; b) strapping bungees at attachment points D above the frame and securing to attachment pins; and c) tilting swivel bounce board up away from the longitudinal axis of the lower diagonal bars and locking swivel bounce board adjustment knobs.

17. A method of adjusting ball rebounds to be fast with low returns, comprising the following steps: a) strapping bungees at attachment points C below the frame and securing to attachment pins; b) strapping bungees at attachment points D above the frame and securing to attachment pins; and c) tilting swivel bounce board down and in line with the longitudinal axis of the lower diagonal bars and tightening swivel bounce board adjustment knobs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features.

[0018] FIG. 1 showing a perspective top view of the racket sports rebounder with side shields.

[0019] FIG. 2 showing a perspective bottom view of the racket sports rebounder with side shields.

[0020] FIG. 3 showing a side view of the racket sports rebounder with side shields.

[0021] FIG. 4 showing close up and section views of the attachment system.

[0022] FIG. 5 showing representative views of the apparatus' method.

[0023] FIG. 6 showing a perspective view of the racket sports rebounder with side shields being utilized.

[0024] Other aspects of the present invention shall be more readily understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0025] In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0026] FIGS. 1-6 showing various perspective views of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus. The apparatus is comprised of a portable rebounder for racket sports having at least two, U-shaped legs 4 fixed on two sides of the bottom of frame 2 with a transverse supporting rod 12 rigidly-connected between said U-shaped legs 4. Distal ends of U-shaped legs 4 having anti-skid discs thereon. Two vertical supporting poles 3 are connected at the top center position of each of the two, U-shaped legs 4. FIG. 1 showing said vertical supporting poles 3, being connected to lower diagonal bars 2A which in turn are connected to the upper diagonal bars 2B, which are connected at each end with L-shaped, corner units 2C which are connected to each other via the upper horizontal bar 2D. FIG. 2 shows the rear view of the entire frame providing support to rebounder sheet 1. Said upper horizontal bar 2D is firstly inserted into the top sleeve on a distal end of the rebound sheet 1 before it is hung. All attachments of frame 2 are rigidly affixed to one another by locking pin attachments including not limited to spring-loaded detents etc. The arcs at the upper ends of 2B have side shields 10 rigidly-affixed along their longitudinal axes by means of hook and loop straps 10A. FIG. 2 Said rebound sheet 1 being rectangular-shaped and made of a flexible, lightweight material including but not limited to: weatherproof polyester coated PVC fabric of 1000 D weave, plastic mesh, nylon, canvas and the like. Rebound sheet 1 also having a plurality of grommets 6 along its perimeter to receive bungees 11 with pull balls that selectively affix it to frame 2 by means of attachment pins 15. FIG. 3 showing distal ends of frame 2 being pivotably-affixed to rectangular-shaped, swivel bounce board 5 by means of swivel bounce board adjustment knobs 8 allowing said swivel bounce 5 board to rotate and be selectively affixed at various angles. When swivel bounce board 5 is turned up, the ball return is projected higher and closer to the rebounder—conversely, when it is turned down the ball return is projected lower and farther from the rebounder. FIG. 3 also showing attachment point identifiers on frame 2 including but not limited to: A on a distal end of lower diagonal bar 2A; B on another end of lower diagonal bar 2A; C on a distal end of upper diagonal bar 2B; D just before the arc on 2B and E on the L shaped corner unit 2C. FIG. 4 showing section views of bungee 11 attachment positions C & D at the top of the upper diagonal bar 2B. In order to achieve a slow rebound the following selective attachments are made: bungee 11 is strapped above the bar at attachment point C and below the bar at attachment point D making the angle of rebound sheet 1 gradual. In order to achieve a fast rebound the following selective attachments are made: bungee 11 is strapped below the bar at attachment point C and above the bar at attachment point D making the angle of rebound sheet 1 steep. The various attachment and bungee strap combinations appropriate for each racket of the sports are outlined in table titled ‘bungee positions’ in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows the various combinations of both the bungee attachments and swivel backboard tilts have on ball returns. FIG. 6 showing a tennis player utilizing the racket sports rebounder with side shields.

[0027] It is additionally noted and anticipated that although the device is shown in its most simple form, various components and aspects of the device may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner. While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.