Volleyball net pretensioned with rigid side strips

Abstract

A volleyball game net or the like includes an elongate and rectangular net having rigid side marginal strips attached to its opposed sides. Each rigid side marginal strip includes a closed hollow body having a closed hollow cross-sectional configuration at an outer side thereof for reinforcing the structure, and an open hollow cross-sectional configuration at an inner side thereof for receiving one side of the net. The side of the net is secured to the hollow body by a lock member, a plurality of pins or a side band enclosing a rod, in a manner such that the net can be substantially evenly tensioned while being supported in a tensioned condition. The rigid side marginal strip can be easily and conveniently attached to the net and provides an aesthetically pleasing presentation to the net assembly.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A net adapted to be supported in a tensioned condition for sports games comprising: 
 a flexible upper edging and a flexible lower edging, both extending in a substantially horizontal direction;    opposed rigid side marginal strips, both extending in a substantially vertical direction;    a plurality of equally spaced horizontal strands extending between the opposed rigid side marginal strips, and a plurality of equally spaced vertical strands extending between the upper and lower edges, thereby defining a plurality of mesh openings of the net; and    each of the rigid side marginal strips including: 
 an elongate, substantially flat and rigid hollow body, the body including a side opening, and  
 a rod secured to one side edge of the net, the rod being received in the hollow body and a section of the net extending through the side opening of the body when the net is supported in the tensioned condition.  
   
     
     
         2 . A net as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the body comprises open upper and lower ends, and two spaced-apart major walls extending between the upper and lower ends, and thereby defining a closed hollow cross-sectional configuration at an external side thereof for reinforcing the body, and an open hollow cross-sectional configuration at an inner side thereof including the side open extending between the upper and lower ends.  
     
     
         3 . A net as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the rigid side marginal strip comprises means for securing net cables which are attached to the respective upper and lower edges of the net.  
     
     
         4 . A net as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the rigid side marginal strip comprises a pair of covers for closing the respective open upper and lower ends.  
     
     
         5 . A net as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a pair of side bands made of a flexible material, each of the side bands being folded to enclose the rod therein and being secured to one side edge of the net.  
     
     
         6 . A net as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the side bands are made of flexible vinyl.  
     
     
         7 . A net as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the side bands are made of fabrics.  
     
     
         8 . A net as claimed in  claim 5  wherein each of the side bands is stitched together with an out-most vertical strand and the horizontal strands.  
     
     
         9 . A net as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the side opening comprises a width smaller than a diameter of the rod.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for attaching to one of opposed side edges of a rectangular game net adapted to be supported in a tensioned condition, thereby forming a rigid side marginal strip of the net, the apparatus comprising: 
 an elongate, substantially flat and rigid hollow body including 
 open upper and lower ends,  
 two spaced-apart major walls extending between the upper and lower ends, and  
 thereby defining a closed hollow cross-sectional configuration at an external side thereof for reinforcing the body and an open hollow cross-sectional configuration at an inner side thereof having a side opening extending along the entire length of the body between the upper and lower ends, the open hollow cross-sectional configuration being adapted for receiving an elongate element attached to one side edge of the net in a manner of tensioning the net between upper and lower edges thereof.  
   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the body is made of extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the body is made of molded plastics.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the open hollow configuration of the body comprises a pair of stop members extending from the respective major walls towards each other in a spaced-apart relationship.