Sports safety screen apparatus and methods

Abstract

A protective screen apparatus including a central protective screen, and a free-standing, hinged side wing. Hinged side wing may be configured and capable of being rapidly decoupled from a primary frame of the central protective screen. The hinged side wing may be readily moved from the right to the left side of the primary frame, thereby easily converting the protective screen apparatus to left-handed configuration or right-handed configuration. Some embodiments include spring biasing of the hinged side wing to absorb at least some ball impact when the hinged side wings pivots upon being struck with a ball. Methods of reconfiguring and protecting a batter with the protective screen apparatus, and an attachable/detachable ball basket are provided, as are other aspects.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective screen apparatus, comprising:
 a central protective screen including a primary frame and a primary net; and   a hinged side wing including a side frame and a side net, the hinged side wing being hinged and pivotable on the primary frame in a free-standing orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged side wing is configured to be removed from a first side of the primary frame and reconfigured on a second side of the primary frame. 
     
     
         3 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged side wing includes a spring bias at times relative to the primary frame. 
     
     
         4 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the spring bias is provided after a certain portion of free rotation relative to the primary frame. 
     
     
         5 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the spring bias positions the hinged side wing at a first rotational position, and provides a relatively larger spring bias as the hinged side wing is pivoted to a second rotational position. 
     
     
         6 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the hinged side wing is initially positioned in a first rotational position, and is pivotable to a second rotational position upon being struck by a ball. 
     
     
         7 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the spring bias is provided by a bungee cord. 
     
     
         8 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a first hinge assembly including a first upper hinge component and a first lower hinge component. 
     
     
         9 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 8 , comprising a second hinge assembly including a second upper hinge component and a second lower hinge component. 
     
     
         10 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged side wing includes anti-rotation supports configured and operable to limit an extent of pivoting of the hinged side wing. 
     
     
         11 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a first hinge assembly and second hinge assembly and wherein each assembly includes a vertically oriented pin. 
     
     
         12 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a safety apparatus including:
 one or more spacing connectors adapted to be coupled to the primary frame; and   a safety net supported by the one or more spacing connectors and configured to be positioned adjacent to the central protective screen but spaced therefrom, the safety net configured and adapted to prevent bounce back of a ball from the primary frame.   
     
     
         13 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the central protective screen includes support legs and at least some of the support legs include an anti-bounce back feature comprising an angled end cap that includes an angled planar surface. 
     
     
         14 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the anti-bounce back feature is removable from the support legs. 
     
     
         15 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the primary frame includes removable wheels. 
     
     
         16 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a ball basket configured to receive and hold balls including a rigid frame and a net attached to the rigid frame. 
     
     
         17 . The protective screen apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the ball basket if attachable and detachable from the primary frame. 
     
     
         18 . A method of reconfiguring a protective screen apparatus, comprising:
 providing a central protective screen including a primary frame and a primary net;   providing a hinged side wing that is hinged, free-standing, and pivotable on the primary frame; and   reconfiguring the hinged side wing by removing the hinged side wing from a first side of the primary frame and mounting the hinged side wing on a second side of the primary frame.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the hinged side wing comprises a side frame and a side net. 
     
     
         20 . A protective screen apparatus, comprising:
 a central protective screen including a primary frame and a primary net; and   a ball basket configured to receive and hold balls attached to the primary frame, the ball basket including a rigid frame and a net attached to the rigid frame.