Apparatus and method for collecting projectile game pieces

Abstract

A projectile sports game piece collector provides for receipt of game pieces into a housing through an inlet aperture and an inclined conduit leading to a game piece repository. A compliant impact surface dissipates the kinetic energy of received game pieces before receipt into the repository.

1 . A projectile sports game piece collector comprising:
 a housing having a lower end for resting on a playing surface, and defining at a front portion an inlet aperture proximate the lower end and sized to receive a projectile game piece directed into the inlet aperture with an entrance momentum:   the housing further defining an internal game piece repository for accumulating received projectile game pieces; and   a conduit disposed between the inlet aperture and the repository and configured to redirect the momentum of received projectile game pieces towards the repository.   
   
   
       2 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein a front portion of the housing comprises a compliant foam material. 
   
   
       3 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , further comprising a compliant impact surface arranged within the housing to dissipate the kinetic energy of received projectile game pieces. 
   
   
       4 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit defines an upward incline. 
   
   
       5 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit is configured to at least partially reverse the direction of projectile game pieces between the inlet aperture and the repository. 
   
   
       6 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 4 , wherein the conduit is configured to redirect the momentum of received projectile game pieces rearward towards the repository. 
   
   
       7 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 4 , wherein the conduit is configured to redirect the momentum of received projectile game pieces forward towards the repository above the inlet aperture. 
   
   
       8 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 7 , wherein the conduit defines a reverse curved path to redirect projectile game pieces into the repository above the inlet aperture and towards the front portion of the housing. 
   
   
       9 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , further comprising a skid stop positioned on a lower portion of the housing for preventing movement of the housing on the support surface during receipt of the projectile game piece. 
   
   
       10 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet aperture, conduit and repository are sized to receive a hockey puck as a projectile game piece. 
   
   
       11 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet aperture, conduit and repository are sized to receive a golf ball as a projectile game piece. 
   
   
       12 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein a game piece basket is removably received within the repository. 
   
   
       13 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 12 , further comprising an access closure moveable to permit removal of projectile game pieces or removal of the game piece basket from the repository. 
   
   
       14 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 12 , further comprising a pair of wheels and a telescoping handle connected to the housing. 
   
   
       15 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism configured to vary a height of the aperture relative to the lower end of the housing. 
   
   
       16 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , wherein a lower edge of the inlet aperture is positioned to be within 3 mm of a playing surface when the lower end of the housing is resting on the playing surface. 
   
   
       17 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , further comprising an inlet ramp extending downward from the inlet aperture. 
   
   
       18 . The projectile sports game piece collector of  claim 1 , further comprising an accessory rack for retaining at least one of a water bottle, hockey stick, and golf club. 
   
   
       19 . A portable game piece collector comprising:
 a housing having a front surface defining an inlet aperture for receiving game pieces with an inlet momentum;   a game piece repository disposed above the inlet aperture adjacent the front surface;   a conduit extending into the housing from the inlet aperture and configured to redirect the momentum of a game piece received at the inlet aperture towards the repository; and   a compliant impact surface configured to dissipate the kinetic energy of a received game piece such that the game piece falls into the game piece repository.   
   
   
       20 . A method of collecting projectile game pieces, the method comprising:
 positioning a portable game piece collector on a playing surface, the collector comprising a housing defining an inlet aperture in a front surface of the housing for receiving projectile game pieces, a repository for retaining received projectile game pieces and a conduit for redirecting the momentum of received game pieces into the repository;   receiving a projectile game piece at the inlet aperture;   redirecting the momentum of a received game piece towards the repository; and   receiving the game piece into the repository.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the momentum of the projectile game piece is redirected towards the front surface of the housing. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein redirecting the momentum of the received game piece comprises impacting an energy impact surface positioned above the repository.