Polygonal basketball hoop arrangement

Abstract

A basketball hoop arrangement includes three basketball backboards and hoops commonly connected to the upper end of a support structure. The backboards are arranged such that respective top and bottom edges thereof form triangles with respective front surfaces of the three basketball backboards facing outwards and respective rear surfaces of the three basketball backboards facing inwards. Each hoop is connected to a different one of the respective front surfaces and extends outwardly therefrom. A lower end of the support structure is configured to support the support structure and the three basketball backboards on an underlying surface. A basketball game is played by moving a basketball in a playing area extending around all of the at least three backboards, and scoring points by putting the basketball through any one of the at least three hoops.

1 . A basketball hoop arrangement comprising:
 three basketball backboards arranged such that respective top and bottom edges thereof form triangles with respective front surfaces of the three basketball backboards facing outwards and respective rear surfaces of the three basketball backboards facing inwards;   three basketball hoops, each hoop connected to a different one of the respective front surfaces and extending outwardly therefrom; and   a support structure connected to the three basketball backboards for supporting the support structure and the three basketball backboards above an underlying surface.   
     
     
         2 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 21 , wherein the support structure includes three support arms extending outwardly from the upper end of the support structure, each of the support arms connected to a different one of the respective rear surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 21 , wherein the support structure includes a central post extending between the upper end and the lower end. 
     
     
         4 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein the support structure further includes three support arms extending outwardly from the central post at the upper end, each of the support arms connected to a different one of the respective rear surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein the central post includes telescoping upper and lower post sections, such that a distance between the upper end and lower end of the support structure can be changed to alter a height of the three basketball hoops relative to the underlying surface. 
     
     
         6 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 5 , further comprising a drive motor operable to raise and lower the upper post section relative to the lower post section. 
     
     
         7 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 21 , further comprising a padding arrangement arranged around the support structure at the lower end and extending at least part way to the upper end. 
     
     
         8 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 21 , wherein the lower end of the support structure is configured to be fixedly mounted to the underlying surface. 
     
     
         9 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 21 , wherein the lower end of the support structure includes a carriage assembly supported by a plurality of casters. 
     
     
         10 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of casters is a locking caster. 
     
     
         11 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the carriage assembly includes a first vertical stud configured to receive at least one weight plate thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of casters includes three casters arranged in a triangle commonly oriented with the triangles formed by the top and bottom edges of the three basketball backboards. 
     
     
         13 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the first vertical stud is located adjacent to a first of the three casters and the carriage assembly further includes second and third vertical studs arranged, respectively, adjacent to a second and third of the three casters. 
     
     
         14 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the support structure includes a central post extending between the upper end and the lower end. 
     
     
         15 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 14 , further comprising a padding arrangement arranged around the support structure at the lower end and extending at least part way to the upper end, the padding arrangement including a lower padding section covering the carriage assembly and an upper padding section covering at least some of the central post above the carriage assembly, the lower padding section having a greater diameter than the upper padding section. 
     
     
         16 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the central post includes telescoping upper and lower post sections, such that a distance between the upper end and lower end of the support structure can be changed to alter a height of the three basketball hoops relative to the underlying surface. 
     
     
         17 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 16 , further comprising a drive motor operable to raise and lower the upper post section relative to the lower post section. 
     
     
         18 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein the upper padding section ends below a junction of the upper and lower post sections. 
     
     
         19 . A method of playing a basketball game using a basketball hoop arrangement having at least three basketball backboards arranged such that respective top and bottom edges thereof form polygons with respective front surfaces of the at least three backboards facing outwards and respective rear surfaces of the at least three basketball backboards facing inwards, a single basketball hoop extending outwardly from each of the respective front surfaces, and a support structure holding the at least three backboards above an underlying surface, the method comprising:
 moving a basketball in a playing area extending around all of the at least three backboards; and   scoring points by putting the basketball through any one of the at least three hoops.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the basketball hoop arrangement is portable and the method comprises an initial step of placing the basketball hoop arrangement on the underlying surface. 
     
     
         21 . The basketball hoop arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure has an upper end connected to the three basketball backboards and a lower end for supporting the support structure and the three basketball backboards on the underlying surface.