Basketball training aid

Abstract

An improved basketball training aid comprising a barrier over which a basketball shot must be lofted in order to pass through the basketball goal. The basketball training aid is intended for attachment to a basketball backboard and basketball goal. The basketball training aid comprises a shield formed into a substantially semi-circular shape or a substantially semi-elliptical shape with a gripping means affixed to each end of the shield. In use, each of the gripping means is attached to the front surface of the basketball backboard. The shield is held in place by the gripping means slightly above and substantially parallel to the basketball goal solely by the gripping means, with the upper surface of the shield is positioned above the top surface of the basketball goal and outside the front edge of the basketball goal. The basketball training aid is removed from the front surface of the basketball backboard by detaching each gripping means from the front surface of the basketball backboard

I claim:  
     
         1 . A basketball training aid for use with a basketball backboard having a substantially planar front surface and a conventional basketball goal having a circular rim mounted to said front surface of said basketball backboard, the basketball training aid comprising: 
 a shield having a first end and a second end and being formed into a substantially semi-elliptical shape; and    a first gripping means and a second gripping means affixed respectively to said first end and said second end of said shield, each of said gripping means being releaseably attachable to said front surface of said basketball backboard so that said shield is held in place slightly above and substantially parallel to said basketball goal solely by said gripping means, with said semi-elliptical shape of said shield extending away from said front surface of said basketball backboard at least slightly farther than said circular rim of said basketball goal, thereby causing an upper surface of said shield to be positioned above a top surface of said circular rim and outside a front edge of said circular rim.    
     
     
         2 . The basketball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein said shield comprises a flexible strip of polycarbonate material.  
     
     
         3 . The basketball training aid of  claim 2 , wherein said strip of polycarbonate material has a first end and a second end, and a portion of said strip adjacent to each respective end is bent at approximately 90° to said strip to form a first leg and a second leg.  
     
     
         4 . The basketball training aid of  claim 3 , wherein each of said first leg and said second leg is canted to the extent necessary to position said shield substantially parallel to said basketball goal.  
     
     
         5 . The basketball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein said shield comprises an injection molded polycarbonate material molded into a predetermined curved shape.  
     
     
         6 . The basketball training aid of  claim 5 , wherein said injection molded shield has a first end and a second end, and a portion of said shield adjacent to each respective end is curved at approximately 90° to form a first leg and a second leg.  
     
     
         7 . The basketball training aid of  claim 6 , wherein each of said first leg and said second leg is canted to the extent necessary to position said shield substantially parallel to said basketball goal.  
     
     
         8 . The basketball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein each gripping means comprises a vacuum cup.  
     
     
         9 . The basketball training aid of  claim 8 , wherein each vacuum cup comprises: 
 a concave flexible suction cup having a first surface formed so that it is compressible onto said front surface of said basketball backboard, and a second flat surface, said suction cup having a hollow interior portion that communicates on one side through an access opening through the second surface and communicates on another side to the concave first surface through a central vacuum release hole;    a rod having a first end and a second end extending through said access opening into said hollow interior portion;    a sealing plug adapted to seal said vacuum release hole when biased against said vacuum release hole, said sealing plug being engaged on said first end of said rod;    spring bias means normally biasing said sealing plug against said vacuum release hole within said hollow interior portion so that air can pass through said hole as said first surface as pressed against said front surface but seals against said vacuum release hole to cause a vacuum between said first surface and said backboard when pressing ceases, causing said suction cup to grasp the backboard; and    a knob attached to said second end of said rod, said knob graspable to move said rod and said sealing plug against the biasing of said spring bias means to release said vacuum so that said suction cup can be removed from said front surface.    
     
     
         10 . The basketball training aid of  claim 9 , wherein said vacuum cup further comprises a hollow sleeve mounted to an interior surface of said hollow interior, said hollow sleeve having a threaded portion extending outwardly from said second flat surface, and wherein said hollow sleeve is dimensioned to receive said rod within said hollow sleeve; and 
 a threaded nut adapted to engage the threads of said threaded portion so that said sleeve can be mounted said first end and said second end of said shield.    
     
     
         11 . The basketball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein each gripping means comprises a suction cup.  
     
     
         12 . The basketball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein said shield is positioned so that said upper surface thereof is between about 1″ and about 4″ above said top surface of said rim, and between about ½″ and about 4″ outside said front edge of said rim.  
     
     
         13 . The basketball training aid of  claim 1 , further comprising tethering means engaged with said gripping means to prevent said basketball training aid from falling to the ground if said gripping means disengage from said front surface of said backboard.  
     
     
         14 . The basketball training aid of  claim 3 , wherein said first gripping means and said second gripping means are affixed respectively to said first leg and said second leg, and each said gripping means comprises a vacuum cup comprising: 
 a concave flexible suction cup having a first surface formed so that it is compressible onto said front surface of said basketball backboard, and a second flat surface, said suction cup having a hollow interior portion that communicates on one side through an access opening through the second surface and communicates on another side to the concave first surface through a central vacuum release hole;    a rod having a first end and a second end extending through said access opening into said hollow interior portion;    a sealing plug adapted to seal said vacuum release hole when biased against said vacuum release hole, said sealing plug being engaged on said first end of said rod;    spring bias means normally biasing said sealing plug against said vacuum release hole within said hollow interior portion so that air can pass through said hole as said first surface as pressed against said front surface but seals against said vacuum release hole to cause a vacuum between said first surface and said backboard when pressing ceases, causing said suction cup to grasp the backboard; and    a knob attached to said second end of said rod, said knob graspable to move said rod and said sealing plug against the biasing of said spring bias means to release said vacuum so that said suction cup can be removed from said front surface.    
     
     
         15 . The basketball training aid of  claim 14 , wherein said vacuum cup further comprises a hollow sleeve mounted to an interior surface of said hollow interior, said hollow sleeve having a threaded portion extending outwardly from said second flat surface, and wherein said hollow sleeve is dimensioned to receive said rod within said hollow sleeve; and 
 a threaded nut adapted to engage the threads of said threaded portion so that said sleeve can be mounted said first end and said second end of said shield.    
     
     
         16 . The basketball training aid of  claim 15 , wherein each of said first leg and said second leg is canted to the extent necessary to position said shield substantially parallel to said basketball goal.  
     
     
         17 . The basketball training aid of  claim 16 , wherein said shield is positioned so that said upper surface thereof is between about 1″ and about 4″ above said top surface of said rim, and between about ½″ and about 4″ outside said front edge of said rim.