Basketball backboard assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052540-B2
Application number	US-201514794218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jul 8, 2015
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure describe a frameless basketball backboard assembly and a method for producing a frameless basketball backboard assembly. A mounting structure is attached to one side of the backboard assembly, and a support assembly mounted to the backboard assembly connects the backboard assembly to a base. A rim may be added to a side of the backboard assembly by attaching to the support assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing a frameless basketball backboard assembly comprising:
providing a pre-formed flat polygonal blank of a thermoplastic material which is bendable when heated;
defining a portion of said blank to be a backboard panel, wherein said backboard panel has a front side and a rear side and defining at least one flat flange portion integral with and planar to said backboard panel and adjacent to an outside edge of said blank wherein a bend line is defined between said backboard panel and said flange portion;
heating a portion of said polygonal blank including the bend line above the thermoplastic material's glass transition temperature yet below its melting point;
after heating, thereafter bending said flat flange portion relative to said backboard panel along the bend line by pivoting said flat flange portion along an axis defined by said bend line so that said at least one flange extends rearward from said backboard panel;
allowing said blank to cool to form a one-piece backboard;
attaching said backboard panel to a support assembly, wherein said support assembly is attached to a base assembly; and
mounting a basketball rim to said support assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:
defining multiple flat flange portions wherein each flange portion is integral with and planar to said backboard panel and each flange portion is adjacent to a respective outside edge of said blank wherein a bend line is defined between said backboard panel and each flange portion;
heating at least portions of said blank including the bend lines above the thermoplastic material's glass transition temperature yet below its melting point, thereafter bending each flat flange portion relative to said backboard panel along a respective bend line by pivoting said flat flange portion along an axis defined by said bend line in a heated portion to form multiple flanges, wherein said flanges are integral with and extend rearward from said backboard panel.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising:
attaching a corner cap to said at least one corner portion of said blank so the front of said corner cap is flush with the front face of said backboard panel, and wherein said corner cap includes at least two channels, wherein each of said two channels is configured to receive a portion of one of a pair of adjacent flanges; and,
wherein said support arm attaches to said corner cap.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising:
attaching a backboard mounting structure to said rear side of said backboard panel wherein said backboard mounting structure is made of a material different from said blank, wherein said backboard mounting structure includes a body portion and at least one support arm extending from said body portion to said corner cap.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said polygonal blank is rectangular and includes four corner portions and wherein said blank defines a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges, wherein each of said corner portions defines a notch, and wherein each bend line intersects two notches.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising:
attaching a corner cap to each of said four corner portions of said blank; and,
attaching a backboard mounting structure to said rear side of said backboard panel, wherein said backboard mounting structure is made of a material different from said blank, wherein said backboard mounting structure includes a body portion and four support arms extending from said body portion;
wherein each of said support arms extends from said body portion to a respective corner cap.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said blank is transparent.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said blank is an acrylic or polycarbonate material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one corner portion of said blank is notched.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said bend line is parallel to said outside edge and wherein said heating a portion of said polygonal blank is done by selectively heating a limited portion of said polygonal blank along said bend line.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein said heating a portion of said polygonal blank is done by selectively heating limited portions of said polygonal blank along said bend lines.

12. A frameless basketball backboard assembly comprising:
a backboard panel made of a blank of an acrylic or polycarbonate material including a front side, a rear side, and an outer perimeter, wherein said backboard panel is rectangular and includes four corners portions;
at least four flanges integral with and extending rearward from said outer perimeter of said backboard panel;
at least four corner caps wherein a front of each corner cap is flush with a front face of said backboard panel, wherein each corner cap includes at least two channels, and wherein said channels are configured to receive portions of a pair of said flanges and wherein one of said corner caps is attached to each of said four corner portions;
a backboard mounting structure of a material different from said backboard panel attached to said rear side of said backboard panel;
four support arms attached to said backboard mounting structure;
wherein each of said four support arms extends to a separate one of said corner caps; and,
wherein said support arms divide said backboard panel into three approximately equal sized zones.

13. The frameless basketball backboard assembly of claim 12 , wherein each flange is integrally attached to said backboard panel by a radiused bend.

Assignees

• Indian Ind Inc

Inventors

• Elpers Philip
• Cornell Robert W

Classifications

• A63B63/083 Primary

  for basketball · CPC title

• Y10T29/49948

  Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut] · CPC title

• Y10T29/49895

  Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"] · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title