Detachably engageable sports net system

Abstract

A net system comprising a central hub having a main body including exposed upper and lower ends, and a plurality of longitudinal hub connectors in spaced relation to each other. The net system additionally includes a first and second net modules, each including a net having an upper end and a lower end, and a longitudinal net connector connected to the net. The longitudinal net connector includes an upper end adjacent the upper end of the net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the net, with each longitudinal net connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end. The first and second longitudinal net connectors are configured to be detachably engageable to respective ones of the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors to facilitate connection of the first and second net modules to the hub connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A net system comprising:
 a central hub having:
 a main body extending along a longitudinal axis and having an exposed upper end and an opposing exposed lower end; and 
 a plurality of longitudinal hub connectors in spaced relation to each other, each longitudinal hub connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the main body and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the main body, each longitudinal hub connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end; 
   a first net module including a first net having an upper end and a lower end, and a first longitudinal net connector connected to the first net, the first longitudinal net connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the first net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the first net, each first longitudinal net connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end; and   a second net module including a second net having an upper end and a lower end, and a second longitudinal net connector connected to the second net, the second longitudinal net connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the second net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the second net, each second longitudinal net connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end;   the first and second longitudinal net connectors being configured to be detachably engageable to respective ones of the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors to facilitate connection of the first and second net modules to the hub connector.   
     
     
         2 . The net system recited in  claim 1 , wherein each longitudinal hub connector includes a zipper connector. 
     
     
         3 . The net system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first longitudinal net connector includes a zipper connector. 
     
     
         4 . The net system recited in  claim 3 , wherein the second longitudinal net connector includes a zipper connector. 
     
     
         5 . The net system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the main body is cylindrical in shape and defines a central opening extending from the exposed upper end to the exposed lower end. 
     
     
         6 . The net system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the main body and the first net are sized such that when the main body is connected to the first net portion, the upper end of the main body is coplanar with the upper end of the first net and the lower end of the main body is coplanar with the lower end of the first net. 
     
     
         7 . The net system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the main body is configured to be disposable in tension when connected to both the first net and the second net. 
     
     
         8 . The net system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the main body is formed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         9 . A net system comprising:
 a central hub having a plurality of longitudinal hub connectors in spaced relation to each other, each longitudinal hub connector having an upper end and a lower end, each longitudinal hub connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end; and   a plurality of net modules, each net module having a net and a longitudinal net connector connected to the net, each longitudinal net connector being detachably engageable to a respective one of the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors.   
     
     
         10 . The net system recited in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the central hub includes an upper end and an opposing lower end;   each net module includes an upper end and an opposing lower end;   the central hub and the plurality of net modules being configured such that the upper end of each net module is coplanar with the upper end of the central hub when each net module is connected to the central hub, and the lower end of each net module is coplanar with the lower end of the central hub when each net module is connected to the central hub.   
     
     
         11 . The net system recited in  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors includes three longitudinal hub connectors. 
     
     
         12 . The net system recited in  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors includes four longitudinal hub connectors. 
     
     
         13 . The net system recited in  claim 9 , wherein each longitudinal hub connector includes a zipper connector. 
     
     
         14 . A net system comprising:
 a first net module including a first net having an upper end and a lower end, and a hub connector portion integrally connected to the first net, the hub connector portion includes a plurality of longitudinal hub connectors in spaced relation to each other, each longitudinal hub connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the first net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the first net, each longitudinal hub connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end; and   a second net module including a second net having an upper end and a lower end, and a second longitudinal net connector connected to the second net, the second longitudinal net connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the second net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the second net, the second longitudinal net connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end, the second longitudinal net connector being configured to be detachably engageable to a respective one of the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors to facilitate connection of the second net module to the first net module.   
     
     
         15 . The net system recited in  claim 14 , further comprising a third net module including a third net having an upper end and a lower end, and a third longitudinal net connector connected to the third net, the third longitudinal net connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the third net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the third net, the third longitudinal net connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end, the third longitudinal net connector being configured to be detachably engageable to a respective one of the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors to facilitate connection of the third net module to the first net module concurrently with the second net module. 
     
     
         16 . The net system recited in  claim 15 , further comprising a fourth net module including a fourth net having an upper end and a lower end, and a fourth longitudinal net connector connected to the fourth net, the fourth longitudinal net connector having an upper end adjacent the upper end of the fourth net and a lower end adjacent the lower end of the fourth net, the fourth longitudinal net connector extending continuously between its upper end and its lower end, the fourth longitudinal net connector being configured to be detachably engageable to a respective one of the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors to facilitate connection of the fourth net module to the first net module concurrently with the second net module and the third net module. 
     
     
         17 . The net system recited in  claim 14 , wherein each longitudinal hub connector includes a zipper connector. 
     
     
         18 . The net system recited in  claim 14 , wherein the hub connector portion includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors being connected to the first surface. 
     
     
         19 . The net system recited in  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal hub connectors are connected to respective surfaces of the hub connector portion.