Collapsible Portable Sport Goal

Abstract

This disclosure primarily concerns sports goals. In an aspect, some of these sports goals are collapsible and/or portable. In some novel configurations, a sports goal might be collapsible into an easily carried configuration without any need to disassemble its frame. In another configuration, a sports goal might have frame members that fold using a novel hinge mechanism that enables the plurality of frame members to collapse compactly. In another configuration, a sports goal might have a novel hinging extension mechanism to allow for larger goals to be more compactly collapsed for easier transport and storage or for alternate goal configurations to collapse down more compactly. In yet another configuration, a sports goal might have frame members that fold using a novel hinge mechanism that holds in its current configuration—open or collapsed—resulting in higher stability for both more rigorous play and easier transport and storage.

1 . A collapsible, portable sport goal, comprising: first and second frame members that are attached at both ends of the first and second frame members to hinging elbow connectors that allow the first and second frame members to remain generally perpendicular to the other frame members connected to the same hinging elbow connectors in an open configuration and then fold in and remain generally parallel and disposed of closely adjacent to the other frame members connected to the same hinging elbow connectors in a collapsed configuration; and including third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members that are attached at one end of each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members to hinging elbow connectors that allow the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members to remain generally perpendicular to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector in an open configuration and then fold in and remain generally parallel and disposed of closely adjacent to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector in a collapsed configuration, and that are attached at the other end of each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members respectively to hinging elbow connectors that allow the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members to remain generally perpendicular to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector in an open configuration and then fold in and remain generally parallel and disposed of offset and separated from the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector to allow the first and second frame members that are being folded and collapsed in from the opposite end of the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow to occupy the space closely adjacent to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow in a collapsed configuration; wherein the internal mechanisms of the hinging elbow connectors have pivot points which are offset from the elbow as described above to accommodate frame members that would otherwise be having to occupy the same space (as in the case of longer uprights and back members) thereby allowing a more parallel orientation with the other frame members when in a collapsed orientation; wherein the internal mechanisms of the hinging elbow connectors have a cylindrical male insert which fits into a complimentary cylindrical female cavity so that axis holes within both the insert and cavity align allowing a bolt and nut inserted through the axis holes to create the pivot axis of the joint, spring washers are used between the outer surface of the cylindrical insert and cavity and the inner surfaces of the nut and bolt head respectively to apply inward force on the joint, from the “top” and adjacent but flush to the cylindrical cavity on the surface where the two complimentary sides of the hinge come together four semi-circular discs (<180° arc) that follow the arc of the circle forming the cylindrical cavity protrude above the surface with each successive semi-circular disc centered at 90° intervals from each adjacent semi-circular disc around the circle with two of the semi-circular discs being centered at those points on the circle that are on the axis of the goalpost upon which it rests and the other two semi-circular discs being centered on those points that are perpendicular to the axis of the goalpost upon which it rests, mirroring those semi-circular discs at the base of the cylindrical insert are four semi-circular cavities for the semi-circular discs to rest in when aligned in an open or collapsed configuration, when the cylindrical male insert is engaged with complimentary cylindrical female cavity with the axis holes aligned, the goalposts are either in the open or collapsed configuration of the collapsible portable sport goal, the four semi-circular discs align with and are inserted into the four semi-circular cavities, thereby causing the goal and goalposts to tend to remain in an open or collapsed position, as the case may be when the spring washers are engaged and applying inward force; wherein the collapsible portable sport goal has an open configuration in which the frame members define a goal mouth that rests generally upright upon the ground to receive a ball or puck into the net and a collapsed configuration in which all of the frame members are generally parallel and disposed adjacently; and wherein the collapsible portable sport goal is adapted to be folded from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration, and unfolded from the collapsed configuration to the open configuration, while the plurality of frame members remain connected and intact. 
     
     
         2 . A collapsible, portable sport goal, comprising: first and second frame members that are attached at both ends of the first and second frame members to hinging elbow connectors that allow the first and second frame members to remain generally perpendicular to the other frame members connected to the same hinging elbow connectors in an open configuration and then fold in and remain generally parallel and disposed of closely adjacent to the other frame members connected to the same hinging elbow connectors in a collapsed configuration; and including third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members that are attached at one end of each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members to hinging elbow connectors that allow the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members to remain generally perpendicular to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector in an open configuration and then fold in and remain generally parallel and disposed of closely adjacent to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector in a collapsed configuration, and that are attached at the other end of each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members respectively to hinging elbow connectors that allow the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame members to remain generally perpendicular to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector in an open configuration and then fold in and remain generally parallel and disposed of offset and separated from the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow connector to allow the first and second frame members that are being folded and collapsed in from the opposite end of the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow to occupy the space closely adjacent to the other frame member connected to the same hinging elbow in a collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible, portable sport goal of  claim 2 , wherein the internal mechanisms of the hinging elbow connectors have a cylindrical male insert which fits into a complimentary cylindrical female cavity so that axis holes within both the insert and cavity align allowing a bolt and nut inserted through the axis holes to create the pivot axis of the joint, spring washers are used between the outer surface of the cylindrical insert and cavity and the inner surfaces of the nut and bolt head respectively to apply inward force on the joint, from the “top” and adjacent but flush to the cylindrical cavity on the surface where the two complimentary sides of the hinge come together four semi-circular discs (<180° arc) that follow the arc of the circle forming the cylindrical cavity protrude above the surface with each successive semi-circular disc centered at 90° intervals from each adjacent semi-circular disc around the circle with two of the semi-circular discs being centered at those points on the circle that are on the axis of the goalpost upon which it rests and the other two semi-circular discs being centered on those points that are perpendicular to the axis of the goalpost upon which it rests, mirroring those semi-circular discs at the base of the cylindrical insert are four semi-circular cavities for the semi-circular discs to rest in when aligned in an open or collapsed configuration, when the cylindrical male insert is engaged with complimentary cylindrical female cavity with the axis holes aligned, the goalposts are either in the open or collapsed configuration of the collapsible portable sport goal, the four semi-circular discs align with and are inserted into the four semi-circular cavities, thereby causing the goal and goalposts to tend to remain in an open or collapsed position, as the case may be when the spring washers are engaged and applying inward force. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible, portable sport goal of  claim 2 , wherein the internal mechanisms of the hinging elbow connectors have pivot points which are offset from the elbow as described above to accommodate frame members that would otherwise be having to occupy the same space (as in the case of longer uprights and back members) thereby allowing a more parallel orientation with the other frame members when in a collapsed orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible, portable sport goal of  claim 2 , wherein frame members are divided into smaller lengths by the inclusion of a hinging centerpiece which accommodates two parts of the same frame member from each side respectively and acts as a bridge between those two portions to continue the linear orientation and trajectory of the frame member to create one whole frame member (goal post, cross bar or back member) and where that same frame member can be folded and collapsed around the hinging centerpiece which allows for longer frame members of larger goals to be collapsed more compactly for easier transport and storage as well as to allow for collapsion of a goal that has a rectangular or square goal mouth and a different goal base (e.g. a triangular shaped base as in the case of traditional lacrosse goals) while maintaining its shape and withstanding rigorous play when in an open configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible, portable sport goal of  claim 2 , wherein the frame members have a circular cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible, portable sport goal of  claim 2 , wherein the frame members have a rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         8 . A collapsible, portable sport goal, comprising: a plurality of frame members connected by a plurality of hinging elbow connectors; wherein the collapsible portable sport goal has an open configuration in which the frame members are connected by the hinging elbow connectors to define a goal mouth that rests generally upright upon the ground to receive a ball or puck into the goal mouth and a collapsed configuration in which all of the frame members are folded around the hinging elbow connectors and disposed generally parallel; and wherein the collapsible portable sport goal is adapted to be folded from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration, and unfolded from the collapsed configuration to the open configuration, while the plurality of frame members remain connected and intact. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible, portable sport goal of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of frame members comprises one or more longest frame members, and wherein the collapsible, portable sport goal, in the collapsed configuration, is sized to fit completely within a carry bag that has a length not more than about 5% greater than a length of the one or more longest frame members and a cross sectional area of not more than about 80 square inches.