Visual aid for a basketball hoop

Abstract

A visual aid mounts to a basketball rim for shooting practice to help focus the shooter's eyes on the back of the rim. The visual aid is shock absorbing so as to dissipate forces of impact when the ball hits the device, so as to maintain the device in position inside the net. The device includes straps which are slidably mounted to the body so as to be resilient or elastic during ball impact.

1 . A visual aid for a basketball hoop having a rim and a net, comprising:
 a body sized to fit inside the net adjacent the rim;   a pair of spaced apart straps extending upwardly from the body to extend over the rim, with each strap having an enlarged head and a narrowed neck; and   a pair of slots in the body through which ends of the straps extend to mount the body to the rim so as to absorb impact forces when a ball hits the visual aid.   
     
     
         2 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein each strap includes a free end having a neck and a head, the head having a larger diameter than the neck. 
     
     
         3 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein each strap is formed integrally with the body. 
     
     
         4 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein the head is removably inserted through the slot, so as to reside on one side of the body while the neck substantially resides on an opposite side of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein the straps slide in the slots. 
     
     
         6 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein the straps slide in the slots when a basketball hits the body to retain the body in position inside the net. 
     
     
         7 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein the straps have sufficient length to extend loosely over the rim and thereby provide a spring action to the body when a basketball engages the body. 
     
     
         8 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein the body extends approximately 180 degrees around the rim and has additional straps and slots for mounting to the rim. 
     
     
         9 . The visual aid of  claim 1  wherein the slots are T-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The visual aid of  claim 9  wherein each T-shaped slot has a vertical leg for insertion of the head of the strap and a horizontal top to retain the head of the strap. 
     
     
         11 . The visual aid of  claim 1  further comprising a secondary strap removable connected to the body, with the secondary strap weavable through the net to connect the body to the net. 
     
     
         12 . The visual aid of  claim 11  further comprising a pair of T-shaped slots to receive and retain opposite ends of the secondary strap. 
     
     
         13 . The visual aid of  claim 12  wherein each end of the secondary strap has a narrower neck and a wider head and each T-shaped slot has a horizontal leg and a vertical top such that the secondary strap extends substantially horizontally when the body is mounted to the rim. 
     
     
         14 . A target attachment to a basketball hoop having a rim and a net, comprising:
 a one-piece member adapted to reside within the net adjacent the rim, and   having straps adapted to extend over the rim and slots in the target through which ends of the straps slidably extend for mounting the member in an initial position.   
     
     
         15 . The target attachment of  claim 14  wherein each slot is T-shaped and the end of each strap has an enlarged head which twists to fit through the T-shaped slot and untwists for retention in the T-shaped slot. 
     
     
         16 . The target attachment of  claim 14  wherein the straps each include a narrowed neck and enlarged head for retention in the slot. 
     
     
         17 . The target attachment of  claim 14  wherein the straps form resilient loops extending around the rim. 
     
     
         18 . The target attachment of  claim 14  further comprising a secondary strap removably connected to the member, with the secondary strap weavable through the net to connect the member to the net. 
     
     
         19 . The target attachment of  claim 14  wherein. The member extends no more than 180 degrees around the rim. 
     
     
         20 . The target attachment of  claim 14  wherein the straps slide in the slots when the member is hit by a ball to absorb impact forces of the ball and to return the member to the initial position