Basketball goal with vibration damping

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a basketball goal vibration damping apparatus for attachment to a basketball goal assembly. In some embodiments the vibration damping apparatus is a tuned mass damper mounted or mountable to a basketball goal assembly. The tuned mass damper may use magnetic damping to accelerate damping of the basketball goal assembly to a normal static state after an impact.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A basketball goal assembly, comprising, a basketball backboard and rim assembly and a pole having an upper end and a base end, wherein said pole supports said backboard and rim assembly above a support surface, and a tuned mass damper mounted to said pole, wherein said tuned mass damper dampens vibration of said basketball backboard and rim assembly and said pole relative to the support surface. 
     
     
         3 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said tuned mass damper is mounted adjacent said upper end of said pole. 
     
     
         4 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said tuned mass damper is mounted within said upper end of said pole. 
     
     
         5 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said tuned mass damper is mounted to the exterior of said upper end of said pole. 
     
     
         6 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said basketball backboard defines a planar backboard surface and said tuned mass damper is mounted to be operative along a plane normal to said backboard surface. 
     
     
         7 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said tuned mass damper uses magnetic damping. 
     
     
         8 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said tuned mass damper comprises a moving mass arranged on a pair of flexures. 
     
     
         9 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said tuned mass damper comprises at least one magnet arranged in said moving mass. 
     
     
         10 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said tuned mass damper comprises a conductor plate and a pair of magnets arranged on opposing sides of said conductor plate. 
     
     
         11 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said pair of magnets are laterally offset from each other. 
     
     
         12 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said flexures are leaf springs. 
     
     
         13 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said pair of flexures are arranged on opposing sides of a conductor plate. 
     
     
         14 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said moving mass is comprised of a pair of subassemblies arranged on opposing sides of a conductor plate and connected by a top plate. 
     
     
         15 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said tuned mass damper comprises a conductor plate, and stops arranged on said conductor plate limit the travel of said moving mass. 
     
     
         16 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the height of said moving mass on said flexures is adjustable. 
     
     
         17 . A basketball goal assembly, comprising,
 a basketball backboard and rim assembly mounted to a support, wherein said support supports said backboard and rim assembly relative to a mounting surface; and,   a tuned mass damper operatively mounted to said support to dampen vibration of said basketball backboard and rim assembly and said support relative to the mounting surface;   wherein said tuned mass damper includes
 a conductor plate arranged normal to the plane of said basketball backboard; 
 a pair of flexures arranged on opposing sides of said conductor plate; and 
 a moving mass extending over said conductor plate and mounted to said pair of flexures to form an inverted pendulum. 
   
     
     
         18 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 17  wherein said moving mass comprises a pair of magnets arranged on opposing sides of said conductor plate, wherein the magnets are laterally offset from each other. 
     
     
         19 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said pair of flexures comprise leaf springs. 
     
     
         20 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said moving mass comprises a pair of symmetric subassemblies on opposing sides of said conductor plate, wherein each subassembly includes a magnet block with a magnet and a ballast block. 
     
     
         21 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 17  wherein said support surface is a base in or on the ground. 
     
     
         22 . The basketball goal assembly of  claim 17  wherein said support surface is a wall or ceiling.