Anti-Bounce Back Protective Safety Screen Systems

Abstract

A protective screen system having a protective screen made up of a protective screen frame and a primary net, and including a protective screen safety apparatus coupled to the protective screen. The protective screen safety apparatus includes spacing connectors adapted to couple a structure such as a protective screen frame, and support and suspend a safety net in front of and spaced from the protective screen frame to minimize bounce back of a ball from the protective screen frame. Methods of protecting a batter with the protective screen safety apparatus are provided. Retrofitting and adjustable protective screen safety apparatus are described, as are other aspects.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective screen system, comprising:
 a protective screen including a protective screen frame including main uprights and main horizontals defining a main portion of the protective screen frame and a primary net supported by the protective screen frame; and   a protective screen safety apparatus coupled to the protective screen frame, the protective screen safety apparatus including:
 spacing connectors, each spacing connector comprising an adapter configured to couple to the protective screen frame and an extending attachment wherein each extending attachment projects off of the protective screen frame at an upward angle, and 
 a safety net supported and suspended in front of the main uprights and main horizontals of the protective screen frame by the extending attachments wherein the safety net hangs wider than the main portion of the protective screen frame. 
   
     
     
         2 . The protective screen system of  claim 1 , wherein each extending attachment comprises a spring member. 
     
     
         3 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each extending attachment projects upwardly at an upward angle of between 10 degrees to 80 degrees from a horizontal. 
     
     
         4 . The protective screen system of  claim 1 , wherein the spacing connectors support the safety net at a distance in front of the protective screen frame of 3 inch or more. 
     
     
         5 . The protective screen system of  claim 4 , wherein the distance in front of the protective screen frame is between 3 inch to 20 inch. 
     
     
         6 . The protective screen system of  claim 1 , wherein the spacing connectors are configured and operable to prevent a ball from ricocheting off from the main portion of the protective screen frame. 
     
     
         7 . The protective screen system of  claim 1 , wherein the spacing connectors are reconfigurable to protect a first side or a second side of the protective screen. 
     
     
         8 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each adapter comprises a recess configured to receive the extending attachment. 
     
     
         9 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each recess is offset from the main uprights in a lateral direction so that the safety net hangs wider than the main portion. 
     
     
         10 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each recess is oriented such that the extending attachments project off from the protective screen frame at an upward angle and a lateral offset angle. 
     
     
         11 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each adapter includes two pieces that fit around and couple to one of the main uprights and each adapter further includes a recess configured to receive the extending attachment. 
     
     
         12 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the extending attachment comprises a coil spring comprising a first end received in a recess of the adapter and a hook attached to the safety net at a second end. 
     
     
         13 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the extending attachment comprises a coil spring comprising a first end received over the adapter, and the adapter comprises a rod or tube. 
     
     
         14 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter is welded to the protective screen frame. 
     
     
         15 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising added mass fastened along both sides of the safety net. 
     
     
         16 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the added mass is fastened along both sides and extends from a top to a bottom of the safety net. 
     
     
         17 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a support rod coupled to the adapter, and a second safety net suspended from the support rod on a side opposite from the safety net. 
     
     
         18 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each spacing connector comprises an adapter configured to couple to the protective screen frame by a multi-piece support frame that is adjustable to fit different sizes of the protective screen frame. 
     
     
         19 . The protective screen safety apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a head safety assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A protective screen system, comprising:
 a protective screen including a protective screen frame having main uprights and main horizontals defining a main portion of the protective screen frame, and a primary net supported by the protective screen frame; and   a protective screen safety apparatus coupled to the protective screen frame, the protective screen safety apparatus including:
 first and second spacing connectors, each of the spacing connectors comprising an adapter configured to interconnect to the protective screen frame and an extending attachment comprising a spring member coupled to each of the adapters wherein each extending attachment projects off of the protective screen frame at an upward angle and at a lateral angle, and 
 a safety net supported and suspended in front of the main uprights and main horizontals of the protective screen frame by respective ones of the extending attachments wherein opposed sides of the safety net are coupled to respective outer ends of the extending attachments so that the safety net hangs wider than the main portion of the protective screen frame.