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 basketball target system, comprising: a basketball backboard;
 a rim mounted to the backboard;   a net attached to and hanging downwardly from the rim;   a body positioned inside the net adjacent the rim in an initial position;   a plurality of spaced apart straps extending from the body and around the rim, with each strap having an enlarged head and an elongated narrowed neck;   a plurality of slots in the body through which ends of the straps extend to mount the body to the rim with the body curving to follow the curvature of the rim to provide a visual target for a basketball shooter;   the necks moving within the slots to absorb impact forces when a ball hits the visual aid;   the body having a longitudinal axis;   the straps having longitudinal axes extending in the same direction to one another and perpendicular to the body longitudinal axis; and   the body and straps being formed as one piece.   
     
     
         2 . The basketball target system 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. 
     
     
         3 . The basketball target system of  claim 1  wherein the straps slide in the slots. 
     
     
         4 . The basketball target system of  claim 1  wherein the straps slide in the slots and the body moves from the initial position when a basketball hits the body, and then the body resets to the initial position inside the net. 
     
     
         5 . The basketball target system 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. 
     
     
         6 . The basketball target system of  claim 1  wherein the body extends approximately 180 degrees around the rim. 
     
     
         7 . The basketball target system of  claim 1  wherein the slots are T-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The basketball target system of  claim 7  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. 
     
     
         9 . The basketball target system of  claim 1  further comprising a secondary strap, separate from the plurality of straps, removably connected to the body, with the secondary strap weavable through the net to connect the body to the net. 
     
     
         10 . The basketball target system of  claim 9  further comprising a pair of T-shaped slots to receive and retain opposite ends of the secondary strap. 
     
     
         11 . The basketball target system of  claim 10  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. 
     
     
         12 . A basketball target system, comprising:
 a basketball hoop having a rim and a net,   a one-piece member having a body attached to the rim by a plurality of straps so as to be curved inside the net and adjacent the rim, and   the straps extending perpendicularly from the body and over the rim and then downwardly back to the body for connection to the body, and slots in the body through which ends of the straps slidably extend so that the one-piece member is resiliently mounted on the rim to provide visual target to a basketball shooter; and   the straps sliding in the slots when a basketball impacts the target attachment.   
     
     
         13 . The basketball target system of  claim 12  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. 
     
     
         14 . The basketball target system of  claim 12  wherein the straps each include an elongated narrowed neck and enlarged head for retention in the slot. 
     
     
         15 . The basketball target system of  claim 12  wherein the straps form resilient loops extending around the rim. 
     
     
         16 . The basketball target system of  claim 12  further comprising a secondary strap removably connected to the body, with the secondary strap weavable through the net to connect the body to the net. 
     
     
         17 . The basketball target system of  claim 12  wherein the body extends no more than 180 degrees around the rim. 
     
     
         18 . The target attachment of  claim 12  wherein the straps slide in the slots when the body is hit by a ball to absorb impact forces of the ball and to return the body to the initial position. 
     
     
         19 . A method of attaching a target to a basketball rim and net assembly, comprising;
 positioning a target body inside the net and adjacent the rim;   extending a plurality of straps on the target body around the rim;   inserting a head on an end of each strap into a slot on the body, and turning the head to retain the strap to the target body, and thereby mount the target body to the rim in an initial position; and   allowing the straps to slide through the slots when the body is impacted by a basketball to absorb the forces of the impact.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the straps each have a narrowed neck, and the neck slides in a first direction through the slot when a basketball hits the body and slides in an opposite direction through the body when the impact force dissipates to restore the body to the initial position.