Portable Adjustable Athletic Field Boundary

Abstract

A self-contained portable adjustable boundary marking system capable of use in a variety of athletic settings where a boundary, line, or demarcation is desirable is disclosed. The system is adapted for use indoors or outdoors, on hard surfaces or soft. The system is modifiable and adaptable, and capable of rapid setup and takedown, and the system is thus suited for use in a variety of athletic play and training situations. The system includes boundary markers which contain at least one extensible element such as a tape, string, cord, or cable that may be extended to any desirable length up to the maximum length of the extensible element and attached to other markers of the system or to the playing surface itself to delineate the boundaries of a playing surface or to mark some other meaningful line on the playing surface.

1 . A modular portable adjustable athletic field boundary system comprising: 
 an athletic field marker that marks a position along a boundary of an athletic field comprising: 
 a base;  
 a top;  
 a body; and  
 an attachment point located on at least one of the base, the top, and the body; and  
   an extensible element disposable about at least a portion of the body and contained within the marker in a storage position and adapted to rest along the ground in an extended position, wherein the extensible element is made of a highly-visible material and defines a boundary line of an athletic field in the extended position, comprising: 
 a proximal end connected to the body of the marker; and  
 a distal end adapted to be reversibly connected to the attachment point of the marker;  
   wherein the extended position of the extensible element may extend any length equal to or less than the length of the extensible element; and    wherein a plurality of the markers and extensible elements may be connected to one another around the perimeter of an athletic field to define a boundary and completely enclose an area that is an athletic field.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the marker is low-profile.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the base is provided with a lower surface adapted for frictional contact with an athletic playing surface.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising means for further securing the placement of the marker.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the extensible element is provided with markings showing the extent to which the extensible element is extended from the body.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the extensible element is a boundary marking tape.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the boundary marking tape is provided with markings showing the extent to which the boundary marking tape is extended from the body.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the boundary marking tape is provided with markings indicating the location of additional athletic field elements.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the boundary marking tape is provided with markings taken from the group of decorative markings, advertising markings, personalized markings, personalized logos, luminous markings, and reflective markings.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the body comprises a fixed element fixedly connected to at least one of the top and the base, and a rotatable element rotatably attached to at least one of the fixed element, the top, and the base, and wherein the proximal end of the extensible element is connected to the rotatable element.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a means for providing extension and retraction of the extensible element.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a means for providing extension and retraction of the extensible element.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the means for providing extension and retraction of the extensible element is a tensioning device.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the means for providing extension and retraction of the extensible element is a rotating portion of the body attached to a rotating handle.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a lock to lock an extension of the extendible element.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising means for squaring the boundary.  
     
     
         17 . A method for providing a modular portable adjustable athletic field boundary, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first athletic field marker and a second athletic field marker, each marker comprising: 
 a base;  
 a top;  
 a body attached to the base and to the top so as to be between the base and the top;  
 an attachment point located on at least one of the base, the top, and the body; and  
 an extensible element disposable about at least a portion of the body and containable within the marker in a storage position that lies flat along the ground in an extended position, wherein the extensible element is made of a highly visible material comprising: 
 a proximal end connected to the body of the marker; and  
 a distal end adapted to be reversibly connected to the attachment point;  
 
   extending the extensible element of the first marker to a desired distance equal to or shorter than the total length of the extensible element of the first marker; and    connecting the distal end of the extended extensible element of the first marker to the attachment point on the second marker wherein the first marker, the extensible element of the first marker and the second marker define a boundary line for an athletic field.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the steps of: 
 extending the extensible elements of additional markers to desired distances equal to or shorter than the total length of the respective extensible elements;    connecting the distal ends of the extended extensible elements of each marker to the attachment points on other markers so that the connected markers and extensible elements entirely enclose a substantially two-dimensional athletic field;    disconnecting the distal ends of the extensible elements from the attachment points; and    retracting the extensible elements of the markers to disassemble the athletic field boundary.    
     
     
         19 . A modular portable adjustable athletic field boundary system comprising: 
 an athletic field marker that marks a position along a boundary of an athletic field comprising: 
 a base;  
 a top;  
 a body wherein the body is attached to the base and to the top so as to be between the base and the top and wherein at least one portion of the body has a diameter smaller than that of the base and the top, the body comprising: 
 a fixed element fixedly connected to the base and the top; and  
 a rotating element rotatably connected to at least one of the base, the top, and the fixed element; and  
 
 an attachment point located on at least one of the base, the top, and the body;  
   an extensible element disposable about at least a portion of the body and contained within the marker in a storage position and that lies flat along the ground in an extended position, wherein the extensible element is made of a highly visible material and defines a boundary line of an athletic field in the extended position comprising: 
 a proximal end connected to the rotating element; and  
 a distal end adapted to be reversibly connected to the attachment point of the marker; and  
   means for providing extension and retraction of the extensible element;    wherein the extended position of the extensible element may extend any length equal to or less than the length of the extensible element to provide a boundary line of any said length; and    wherein a plurality of the markers and extensible elements may be connected to one another around the perimeter of an athletic field to define a boundary and completely enclose an area that is an athletic field.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the extensible element comprises a boundary marking tape and wherein the means for providing extension and retraction of the extendable element is a tensioning device.