Mini-stick hockey arena

Abstract

A portable miniature hockey playing arena for children to play hockey on their knees with miniature sticks has an upward facing play surface with markings thereon to indicate regions of a hockey rink. The playing arena also has a cushion material positioned beneath the play surface. The miniature hockey playing arena is rearrangable between a portable condition and a set up condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena for children to play hockey thereon with miniature sticks, the playing arena comprising: 
 an upward facing play surface with markings thereon to indicate regions of a hockey rink;    and a cushion material positioned beneath the play surface, wherein the miniature hockey playing arena is rearrangable between a portable condition and a set up condition.    
     
     
         2 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 1 , wherein the markings include a center line extending transversely across the play surface, a pair of offensive zone marking lines extending transversely across the play surface and spaced apart from one another on opposite sides of the center line, and a pair of goal lines extending transversely across the play surface and positioned one each near opposite ends of the play surface.  
     
     
         3 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 2 , wherein the markings include a center face off dot positioned at the middle of the center line, a pair of offensive zone face off dots positioned laterally spaced apart from one another between each of the respective goal lines and offensive zone lines, and a goal crease positioned centrally extending from each of the goal lines toward a respective one of the offensive zone lines.  
     
     
         4 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 1 , wherein the playing arena is rolled into one or more an elongate rolls of material when in the portable condition.  
     
     
         5 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 4 , wherein the playing arena is folded one or more times prior to being rolled into the portable condition.  
     
     
         6 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 1 , wherein the playing arena is folded one or more times when in the portable condition.  
     
     
         7 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 1 , wherein the play surface further comprises: 
 an upper layer providing the play surface; and    a lower cushioned layer providing the cushion material.    
     
     
         8 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 7 , wherein the upper layer and the lower cushioned layer are permanently affixed or adhered to one another forming a single playing arena structure.  
     
     
         9 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 7 , wherein the upper layer and the lower cushioned layer are separate layers independently rearrangeable from the set up condition to the portable condition.  
     
     
         10 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a fastening device for removably securing the upper layer and lower cushioned layer to one another when in the set up condition.    
     
     
         11 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 1 , wherein the play surface is formed at least in part of a vinyl material.  
     
     
         12 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an edge barrier positionable around the perimeter of the play surface.    
     
     
         13 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 12 , wherein the edge barrier comprises: 
 a plurality of foam wall sections each having a front vertically oriented surface that faces the play surface when in the set up condition and being positionable end to end around at least a portion of the perimeter of the play surface.    
     
     
         14 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 12 , wherein the edge barrier comprises: 
 a plurality of plastic screen structures each having a vertically oriented screen surface and being positionable end to end around at least a portion of the perimeter of the play surface.    
     
     
         15 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 12 , wherein the edge barrier comprises: 
 one or more air inflatable tubes being positionable end to end around at least a portion of the perimeter of the play surface.    
     
     
         16 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 12 , wherein the edge barrier comprises: 
 a netting structure positionable around the entire perimeter of the play surface.    
     
     
         17 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena according to  claim 16 , wherein the netting structure extends over and is spaced upward from the play surface to completely enclose the play surface.  
     
     
         18 . A portable miniature hockey playing arena for children to play hockey thereon with miniature hockey sticks, the playing arena comprising: 
 an upper layer having an upward facing play surface with markings thereon to indicate regions of a hockey rink, wherein the upper layer is rearrangable between a portable condition and a set up condition; and    a lower layer including a cushion material and positionable beneath the upper layer, wherein the lower layer is rearrangable between a portable condition and a set up condition separate from the upper layer.