Basketball rim locking cover and volleyball trainer

Abstract

A basketball rim cover includes a cover plate to be placed over a basketball rim. A first locking piece extends downward. A support arm is arranged through the locking piece so that ends of the support arm are aligned with opposing points of the basketball rim. A second locking piece engages the first locking piece and is adjusted to clamp the rim between the cover plate and the support arm. A lock bar may be placed through slots in the first and second locking pieces. A fastener may be used to prevent the lock bar from being removed. In an alternate embodiment, a volleyball training aid is based on a basketball rim mounting assembly which can be mounted on a basketball rim. The volleyball training aid further includes a support frame and netting.

1 . A volleyball training aid mountable on a rim of a basketball goal comprising:
 a support frame;   a net mounted over at least a portion of the support frame, wherein the net includes side panels and a bottom panel defining an interior, wherein the net defines an opening adjacent to the bottom panel, and wherein the net is arranged in an open configuration with an open top to receive balls;   wherein a basketball rim mounting assembly is secured to the support frame of the volleyball training aid, wherein the basketball rim mounting assembly includes:
 a cover plate configured to be placed on an upper surface of a rim of a basketball goal, wherein an outer diameter of the cover plate is at least greater than an inner diameter of the rim, and wherein the cover plate defines an opening along a longitudinal axis through a center of the cover plate; 
 a cylindrical locking piece with a top portion and a length, wherein the cylindrical locking piece extends downward along the longitudinal axis and through the opening of the cover plate, wherein the top portion of the cylindrical locking piece is larger than the opening in the cover plate, and wherein the cylindrical locking piece defines a pair of opposing vertical slots; 
 a support arm with a pair of opposing ends, wherein a length of the support arm is longer than the inner diameter of the rim, wherein the support arm extends through the opposing vertical slots of the cylindrical locking piece, and wherein the pair of opposing ends are configured to engage opposing points along a lower surface of the rim; and 
 an annular locking ring secured to the cylindrical locking piece, wherein the annular locking ring is tightenable to clamp the cover plate and support arm to the rim. 
   
     
     
         2 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 1  comprising:
 a return ramp with a length, wherein the return ramp extends downward at an angle from the opening in the net. 
 
     
     
         3 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the net further includes a rear side panel and a front side panel, wherein the side panels are joined to four corner edges of the net, and wherein the opening is defined through the front side panel of the net. 
     
     
         4 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom panel and the side panels are formed of one continuous piece of material. 
     
     
         5 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 3 , wherein the support frame includes a base with a pair of sidebars connected by a pair of parallel cross bars, and wherein a series of support arms extend vertically upward from the base. 
     
     
         6 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 5 , wherein the crossbars are secured to the basketball rim mounting assembly within lateral channels defined in the upper surface of the cover plate. 
     
     
         7 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 5 , wherein the support arms are connected to the sidebars by hinges, wherein the support arms are pivotable downward and parallel to a sidebar for storage. 
     
     
         8 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 5 , wherein the edges each include a sleeve defined by the net, wherein each sleeve receives one of the series of support arms to mount the net to the support frame. 
     
     
         9 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom panel is slanted toward the opening in the net. 
     
     
         10 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the cover plate includes spacing tabs extending vertically downward from the cover plate, wherein the spacing tabs are arranged in a ring with an outer diameter sized to concentrically fit within the inner diameter of the rim. 
     
     
         11 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical locking piece includes outer threads along at least a portion of the length of the cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 11 , the annular locking ring includes a series of inner threads sized to matingly receive and engage the threads of the cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . A volleyball training aid mountable on a rim of a basketball goal comprising:
 a support frame;   a net mounted over at least a portion of the support frame, wherein the net includes side panels and a bottom panel defining an interior, wherein the bottom panel extends across and over a rim of a basketball goal, wherein the net defines an opening adjacent to the bottom panel, wherein the net is arranged in an open configuration with an open top to receive at least one ball, and wherein the opening directs the at least one ball through the opening laterally above the rim; and   a basketball rim mounting assembly secured to the support frame, wherein the basketball rim mounting assembly includes:
 an upper piece configured to engage an upper surface of the rim; and 
 a lower piece configured to engage a lower surface of the rim, wherein the lower piece is secured to the upper piece to clamp the upper piece and the lower piece to the rim. 
   
     
     
         14 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 13 , wherein the upper piece is a cover plate having a diameter at least greater than an inner diameter of the rim, and wherein the lower piece is a support arm, wherein a length of the support arm is longer than the inner diameter of the rim. 
     
     
         15 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 14 , wherein the cover plate defines an opening along a longitudinal axis through a center of the cover plate. 
     
     
         16 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a cylindrical locking piece with a length, wherein the cylindrical locking piece extends downward along the longitudinal axis and through the opening of the cover plate, wherein a top portion of the cylindrical locking piece is larger than the opening in the cover plate, and wherein the cylindrical locking piece defines a pair of opposing vertical slots, wherein one of the opposing ends of the support arm extends through the opposing vertical slots of the cylindrical locking piece; and   an annular locking ring configured to be secured to the cylindrical locking piece, wherein the annular locking ring is tighten to clamp the cover plate and support arm to the rim.   
     
     
         17 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 13 , comprising:
 a return ramp with a length, wherein the return ramp extends downward at an angle from the opening in the net.   
     
     
         18 . The volleyball training aid of  claim 13 , wherein the bottom panel is slanted toward the opening in the net. 
     
     
         19 . A method of mounting a volleyball training aid on a rim of a basketball goal comprising:
 placing a cover over an upper surface of a rim of a basketball goal, wherein the cover includes a diameter at least greater than an inner diameter of the rim, wherein a support frame of a volleyball training aid is secured to the cover, wherein a net is mounted over at least a portion of the support frame, wherein the net includes side panels and a bottom panel defining an interior, wherein the net defines an opening adjacent to the bottom panel, and wherein the net is arranged in a configuration with an open top to receive balls;   arranging a support arm to engage a lower portion of the rim, wherein the support arm includes a length longer than the inner diameter of the rim; and   clamping the support arm to the cover to clamp the cover and the support arm to the rim.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein clamping the support arm to the cover comprises:
 inserting a cylindrical locking piece downward through an opening defined through the cover, wherein a top portion of the cylindrical locking piece is larger than the opening in the cover, and wherein the cylindrical locking piece defines a pair of opposing vertical slots, wherein arranging the support arm includes arranging the support arm to extend through the opposing vertical slots of the cylindrical locking piece; and 
 securing an annular locking ring to the cylindrical locking piece to clamp the cover and support arm to the rim.