Hockey Net and Rebound Screen

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of hockey nets. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved hockey mininet and GoalScreen. The mininet is comprised of a mininet structure, a GoalScreen, a puck, a ball, and a simulated ice surface. The GoalScreen can further removably and magnetically attach to the mininet structure via a magnetic frame and is comprised of framed mininet netting that returns a puck or ball to the user once the puck/ball has been shot at the screen. Further, the mininet may be comprised of a removably or fixedly attached simulated ice surface that mimics the feel of real ice. The mininet attaches to the simulated ice surface structure via a magnetic means or other means. The simulated ice surface may be comprised of a plurality of attachable sections to allow for easy transport and storage.

Claims

1. A miniature, ¼ size hockey net comprising: a hockey mininet; and a GoalScreen assembly.

2. The hockey mininet and GoalScreen assembly of claim 1 is sized, not too large and not too small for practicing low shots in that 70% of goals scored in hockey games are low shots.

3. The hockey mininet and GoalScreen assembly of claim 1 is a minimalistic design using a minimum number of parts, simple assembly and affording simple maintenance.

4. The hockey mininet and GoalScreen assembly of claim 1, is designed for shooting pucks and hockey balls in a limited or confined space yet providing a vigorous workout.

5. The hockey mininet of claim 1 gives the hockey player an actual game time shooting experience using a mini hockey net and hockey pucks and using real hockey skills and effort for the shots.

6. The hockey mininet and GoalScreen assembly of claim 1 is of industrial grade design and configuration and its members are repairable or replaceable.

7. The hockey mininet comprises: a metal mininet structure comprised of a top crossbar, a pair of parallel sidebars, a pair of bottom sidebars, a bottom crossbar, a rear support bar and a mininet netting.

8. The hockey mininet of claim 7, wherein the hockey mininet netting is knotless netting.

9. A mini hockey net of claim 7 comprising of sand, or other material, filled (loose or solid) structure members to provide mass to keep the MiniNet from moving, on ice or simulated ice, from hard shots.

10. The GoalScreen assembly is a nylon framed rectangular piece of netting that is attached to the hockey mininet top cross bar and when struck by a hockey puck or smart ball will recoil and toss the hockey puck or smart ball back toward the shooter.

11. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the magnetic or otherly attachment of the GoalScreen assembly removably attaches to the metal hockey mininet structure.

12. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the GoalScreen assembly magnetically attaches to a bottom surface of the top crossbar.

13. A GoalScreen assembly of claim 10 that is comprised of a magnetic attachment to fasten to the magnetic frame of the mininet and allows the GoalScreen to swing freely when struck by a puck or ball.

14. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the GoalScreen netting is nylon netting.

15. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10 wherein the netting can be put in tension.

16. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10 wherein the netting mesh is of specific size for best performance.

17. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the bottom of the GoalScreen has an active member lead rope of specific size that enables the GoalScreen to work properly and efficiently.

18. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the hockey puck or smart ball will recoil off the nylon netting and be tossed back towards the user who shot the puck or ball.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention with a mininet structure and without a GoalScreen and a mininet netting in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention with a mininet netting and without a GoalScreen in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention without a mininet netting and with a GoalScreen in accordance with the disclosed architecture; and

[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention with a mininet structure, and a GoalScreen, wherein the mininet is placed on an artificial ice surface in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

[0017] As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved hockey net that is smaller in size than existing hockey nets, such that the goal can be used in a confined space enabling the shooter to shoot pucks or balls as much as they want and such that the goal can be easily transported or stored. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a hockey net that is further comprised of a puck/ball return feature that does not require a user to retrieve a puck from the net after every made shot. Further, there exists in the art a long-felt need for a hockey mininet and puck/ball return feature that allows that feature to be easily and removed from the face of the net as necessary.

[0018] The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen. The mininet is comprised of a mininet structure, a GoalScreen, a puck or a ball, and utilizing a simulated ice surface. The mininet structure may be made of a magnetic metal and is preferably smaller than a traditional hockey net, wherein the mininet further receives a GoalScreen. The GoalScreen is comprised of a magnetic strip that attaches to the face of the mininet structure in a removable manner. The GoalScreen is comprised of mininet netting that returns a puck or ball back into the direction from which the puck/ball was shot. In this manner, the puck/ball does not have to be retrieved from inside the mininet structure after each shot. In differing embodiments, the GoalScreen may be attached to the mininet structure via a plurality of clips or other fasteners.

[0019] The mininet may also utilize a simulated ice surface. The simulated ice surface mimics the feel of real ice and can be of any dimension to allow a shooting area of appropriate size to be formed. The simulated ice surface may further have a magnetic connection or other connection to allow the mininet to be attached to it to keep the mininet from moving upon the receipt of hard shots. The top surface of the simulated ice may also be comprised of a plurality of indicia and/or traditional hockey rink markings/lines. In addition, the mininet utilize a digital timer that can be removably-attached to the simulated ice surface or mininet structure offering a metric of shooting a number of pucks or balls with respect to time.

[0020] Accordingly, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved hockey mininet that does not require a user to retrieve their shot from within the net after each made shot. Further, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen utilizes a simulated ice surface that can be used to simulate the feel of a real ice surface. Further, the GoalScreen is easily removable to allow the mininet to be used as a miniature hockey net as necessary.

[0021] Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention with a mininet structure 105 and without a GoalScreen 130 and a mininet netting 120 in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The mininet 100 is preferably comprised of a mininet structure 105, and a GoalScreen assembly 130. The mininet structure 105 is preferably comprised of a top crossbar 110 that is connected to two parallel sidebars 112 via two rounded upper corners 119. The sidebars 112 then connect to two parallel bottom sidebars 116 via two rounded lower corners 117. The bottom sidebars 116 then connect to a bottom crossbar 114 via two rounded bottom corners 115. The mininet structure 105 may be any suitable dimension in the art that is smaller or larger than an existing hockey net, but is preferably of dimensions smaller than a traditional hockey net, such that it can be used for shooting practice in a confined space and easily stored, transported elsewhere for shooting practice and small sided hockey games using pucks or road hockey balls; or knee hockey games using small soft balls. Further, all components of the mininet structure 105 may be made from hollow ABS plumbing pipe that can be filled with sand or other weighted material to increase the weight of the mininet structure 105 to allow the structure 105 to withstand fast shots and remain immovable. The structure 105 may further have at least one fill plug 122 that allows the structure 105 to be sealed after being filled with sand or other weighted material.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention with a mininet netting 120 and without a GoalScreen 130 in accordance with the disclosed architecture. In any embodiment, all components of the mininet structure 105 may be fixedly or removably-attached to one other using any fastening means known in the art such as but not limited to: nuts, bolts, screws, spring-tensioned fasteners, etc. Further, all components of the mininet structure 105 unless otherwise indicated are preferably comprised of a durable metal such as steel or aluminum, or a rigid plastic. etc. The mininet structure 105 may also be comprised of a mininet netting 120 that attaches to the top crossbar 110, sidebars 112, bottom crossbar 114, bottom corners 115, bottom sidebars 116, lower corners 117 and upper corners 119 via a plurality of removable or fixedly-attached means such as a plurality of clips or zip ties 144 or any other fastener or fastening system known in the art. The mininet netting 120 is preferably made from a nylon netting, but may be a plurality of colors (such as but not limited to white) or net types, and may have a plurality of net spacings in differing embodiments of the mininet 100. The preferred net 120 spacing is one inch squares with 3 or 4 millimeter string.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention without a mininet netting 120 and with a GoalScreen 130 in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The mininet 100 is also comprised of a GoalScreen assembly 130 that may be any appropriate dimension such that is covers the mininet structure 105 adequately. In one embodiment, the GoalScreen assembly 130 may have a magnetic member 134 that may be comprised of magnetic adhesive enabling it to attach to the top crossbar 110. Further, the Goalscreen 130 can be removed from the mininet structure 105 or folded over the back of the mininet structure 105 when not being used for shooting practice.

[0024] In one embodiment, the GoalScreen 130 may be only comprised of a loose netting and no border 131 such that the GoalScreen mininet netting 130 is secured to the top crossbar 110 via zip ties 144 or other removable fasteners such that it can hang and swing freely to allow the puck or ball to be elegantly tossed back towards the user. In addition, the GoalScreen 130 may have a border 131 made of rope, nylon, or other material. The border 131 may be present on all sides of the GoalScreen 130, with only the bottom side being leaded rope to provide a resistive force to allow a puck or ball to recoil appropriately off of the GoalScreen 130. The GoalScreen 130 may also have a nylon banding weighted rope 150.

[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention with a mininet structure 105, and a GoalScreen 130, wherein the mininet 105 is placed on an artificial ice surface 170 in accordance with the disclosed architecture. In one embodiment, the net 100 is comprised of an artificial ice surface 170 that can be removably or fixedly attached to the net 100 via any known fastening means in the art such as but not limited to: nuts, bolts, screws, hook and loop, etc. The ice surface 170 is a synthetic ice surface made of a polyethylene plastic or other plastic such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, thermoplastic, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polylactic acid, acetal, nylon, fiberglass, etc.

[0026] The mininet and GoalScreen 100 are meant to be used with a standard hockey puck weighing 6 ounces and being 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. The mininet and Goal Screen are also meant to be used with a commercial Smartball made by Smarthockey. The Smart ball(s) weigh the same as a puck.

[0027] Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “hockey net with the GoalScreen”, “mininet and GoalScreen”, “device” and “net”, are interchangeable and refer to the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention.

[0028] Notwithstanding the forgoing, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the hockey mininet and GoalScreen100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 may be of any size, shape and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

[0029] Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

[0030] What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.