Ball activity area and activity centers therefore

Abstract

An enclosed play area comprises a front wall, a back wall, side walls, and a ceiling which define an enclosed area. The front, back, and side walls, and the ceiling are formed from intersecting frame members which define an area having a geometric shape. One or more activity stations are mounted to the frame members in the enclosure. Each activity station comprises at least one tub in which one or more hoops are mounted, the hoops being sized to allow a ball to be thrown through the hoops. The tub has a rim defining a mouth, wall surfaces extending rearwardly from the rim, and a back. The rim has a geometric shape corresponding to the geometric shape of the area defined by the frame members. The tub is mounted to the frame members such that the mouth of the tub does not protrude substantially into the play area. Preferably, the front, back, and side walls, and the ceiling are covered by a transparent or see-through material.

1 . An enclosed play area comprising: 
 a front wall, a back wall, side walls, and a ceiling which define an enclosed area; the front, back, and side walls, and the ceiling being formed from intersecting frame members; the intersecting frame members defining an area having a geometric shape;    one or more activity stations mounted in the enclosure; each activity station comprising at least one tub in which one or more hoops are mounted, the hoops being sized to allow a ball to be thrown through the hoops; the tub having a rim defining a mouth, and wall surfaces extending rearwardly from the rim, and a back; the rim having a geometric shape corresponding to the geometric shape of the area defined by the frame members; the tub being mounted to the frame members such that the mouth of the tub does not extend substantially into the play area.    
     
     
         2 . The enclosed play area of  claim 1  wherein the front, back, and side walls are covered with a see-through material.  
     
     
         3 . The enclosed play area of  claim 2  wherein the ceiling is covered.  
     
     
         4 . The enclosed play area of  claim 1  wherein an activity station comprises two tubs mounted separately from each other; each said tub including a port in at least one of the tub wall surfaces; and a tube having one end mounted to the port of one tub and a second end mounted to the port of the other tube to place the two tubs of the activity station in communication with each other.  
     
     
         5 . The enclosed play area of  claim 4  wherein at least one of said tubs has a hoop.  
     
     
         6 . The enclosed play area of  claim 5  wherein said hoop is mounted to a wall of said tub opposite a port in said hoop; said tube being oriented, and said hoop being positioned, such that a ball exiting said tube will can pass through said hoop.  
     
     
         7 . The enclosed play area of  claim 1  wherein said hoop is a multi-hoop; said multi-hoop comprising a horizontal hoop and a plurality of diagonal hoops extending from said horizontal hoop; said diagonal hoops being spaced about said horizontal hoop and connected to adjacent diagonal hoops.  
     
     
         8 . The enclosed play area of  claim 7  wherein said diagonal hoops extend upwardly from said horizontal hoop.  
     
     
         9 . The enclosed play area of  claim 7  wherein said diagonal hoops extend downwardly from said horizontal hoop.  
     
     
         10 . The enclosed play area of  claim 1  wherein said activity station includes an upper panel positioned above said tub and a lower panel positioned below said tub; said upper and lower panels each including at least one port; said activity station including a tube extending between the ports of the upper and lower panels to place said ports in communication with each other, said tube being sized to allow a ball to pass through said tube.  
     
     
         11 . The enclosed play area of  claim 1  wherein said hoop is a multi-rim hoop; said hoop including a horizontal rim and a vertical rim extending from said horizontal rim and being generally perpendicular to said horizontal rim.  
     
     
         12 . The enclosed play area of  claim 11  wherein said vertical rim is positioned at a front of said horizontal rim.  
     
     
         13 . The enclosed play area of  claim 1  wherein said tub includes two or more separate hoops mounted in said tub said hoops being spaced vertically and/or horizontally from each other.  
     
     
         14 . The enclosed play area of  claim 13  wherein said hoops are spaced vertically and horizontally from each other.  
     
     
         15 . The enclosed play area of  claim 14  wherein said top wall of said tub is stepped to define a forward portion and a rear portion of said top wall; said top wall rear portion being lower than said top wall upper portion; there being a first hoop mounted to said top wall forward portion and a second hoop mounted to said top wall rear portion; said hoops being generally parallel to each other.  
     
     
         16 . The enclosed play area of  claim 15  wherein said activity station includes a third hoop mounted to said tub back wall; said third hoop being spaced rearwardly of and below said second hoop.  
     
     
         17 . The enclosed play area of  claim 16  wherein said third hoop is a multi-rim hoop and comprises a horizontal rim and a vertical rim.  
     
     
         18 . A modular activity station mountable on a wall of a play area; the activity station comprising: 
 a tub having a rim defining a mouth, a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls extending rearwardly from the rim, and a back extending between said top, bottom and side walls;    two or more separate hoops mounted in said tub said hoops being spaced vertically and/or horizontally from each other.    
     
     
         19 . The modular activity station of  claim 18  wherein said hoops are spaced vertically and horizontally from each other.  
     
     
         20 . The modular activity station of  claim 18  wherein said top wall of said tub is stepped to define a forward portion and a rear portion of said top wall; said top wall rear portion being lower than said top wall upper portion; there being a first hoop mounted to said top wall forward portion and a second hoop mounted to said top wall rear portion; said hoops being generally parallel to each other.  
     
     
         21 . The modular activity station of  claim 20  wherein said activity station includes a third hoop mounted to said tub back wall; said third hoop being spaced rearwardly of and below said second hoop.  
     
     
         22 . The modular activity station of  claim 21  wherein said third hoop is a multi-rim hoop and comprises a horizontal rim and a vertical rim.  
     
     
         23 . A modular activity station mountable on a wall of a play area; the activity station comprising: 
 a tub having a rim defining a mouth, a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls extending diagonally rearwardly from the rim, and a back extending between said top, bottom and side walls; said tub being generally in the shape of a truncated pyramid; and    at least one opening in said tub; said opening being sized to allow a ball to pass therethrough.    
     
     
         24 . The modular activity station of  claim 23  including a hoop mounted in said tub; said opening comprising said hoop; said hoop being mounted so that a ball thrown into said tub can pass through said hoop.  
     
     
         25 . The modular activity station of  claim 24  wherein said hoop is a multi-hoop; said multi-hoop comprising a horizontal hoop and a plurality of diagonal hoops extending from said horizontal hoop; said diagonal hoops being spaced about said horizontal hoop and connected to adjacent diagonal hoops.  
     
     
         26 . The modular activity station of  claim 25  wherein said diagonal hoops extend upwardly from said horizontal hoop.  
     
     
         27 . The modular activity station of  claim 25  wherein said diagonal hoops extend downwardly from said horizontal hoop.  
     
     
         28 . The modular activity station of  claim 24  wherein said hoop is a multi-rim hoop; said hoop including a horizontal rim and a vertical rim extending from said horizontal rim and being generally perpendicular to said horizontal rim.  
     
     
         29 . The modular activity station of  claim 28  wherein said vertical rim is positioned at a front of said horizontal rim.  
     
     
         30 . The modular activity station of  claim 23  including a panel mounted to the front of the tub; the panel comprising a bottom edge spaced from a bottom of the tub rim and at least one opening in the panel; the tub opening comprising said at least one panel opening; the distance between the panel bottom and the tub bottom defining a gap sized to allow the ball to pass therethrough.  
     
     
         31 . The play area of  claim 30  wherein said panel includes a plurality of openings through which a ball can pass.  
     
     
         32 . The play area of  claim 31  wherein said panel openings comprise two or more different shaped openings.  
     
     
         33 . A play area comprising: 
 at least one wall formed from intersecting frame members; the intersecting frame members defining an area having a geometric shape;    one or more activity stations mounted to said wall; each activity station comprising at least one tub in which one or more hoops are mounted, the hoops being sized to allow a ball to be thrown through the hoops; the tub having a rim defining a mouth, and wall surfaces extending rearwardly from the rim, and a back; the rim having a geometric shape corresponding to the geometric shape of the area defined by the frame members; the tub being mounted to the frame members such that the mouth of the tub does not extend substantially into the play area.    
     
     
         34 . A play area comprising: 
 at least one wall formed from intersecting frame members; the intersecting frame members defining an area having a geometric shape;    one or more activity stations mounted to said wall; each activity station comprising at least one tub; the tub having a rim defining a mouth, and wall surfaces extending rearwardly from the rim, and a back; the rim having a geometric shape corresponding to the geometric shape of the area defined by the frame members; the tub being mounted to the frame members such that the mouth of the tub does not extend substantially into the play area.    
     
     
         35 . The play area of  claim 34  wherein one or more hoops are mounted in the tube of at least one of the activity stations, the hoops being sized to allow a ball to be thrown through the hoops.  
     
     
         36 . The play area of  claim 34  wherein a panel is mounted to the front of the tub of at least one of the activity stations; the panel comprising a bottom edge spaced from a bottom of the tub rim and at least one opening in the panel; said at least one opening being sized to allow a ball to pass therethrough; the distance between the panel bottom and the tub bottom defining a gap sized to allow the ball to pass therethrough.  
     
     
         37 . The play area of  claim 36  wherein said panel includes a plurality of openings through which a ball can pass.  
     
     
         38 . The play area of  claim 37  wherein said panel openings comprise two or more different shaped openings.