Demarcation system

Abstract

A demarcation system for demarcating a playing area for a sport includes a plurality of strips lying on a shared plane and defining a boundary of the playing area. The plurality of strips is configured to rest on a ground surface to define a portion of the ground surface as a playing surface for the sport. The plurality of strips is foldable in an accordion fold fashion for storage.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A demarcation system for demarcating a playing area for a sport, the system comprising a plurality of strips lying on a shared plane and defining a boundary of the playing area, the plurality of strips being configured to rest on a ground surface to define a portion of the ground surface as a playing surface for the sport, the plurality of strips being foldable in an accordion fold fashion for storage. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each strip of the plurality of strips has a frictionally enhanced bottom surface. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom surface is textured such that the bottom surface is frictionally enhanced. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strips bounds within the playing area. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each strip of the plurality of strips is elongated, the plurality of strips including a pair of sets of strips, each set of strips of the plurality of strips corresponding to demarcating an associated one of a pair of halves of the playing area, the strips of each set of strips being interconnected. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each set of strips of the plurality of strips includes:
 a baseline strip; and   a first sideline strip and a second sideline strip being coupled to the baseline strip, the baseline strip extending from the first sideline strip to the second sideline strip, each of the first and second sideline strips extending perpendicularly away from the baseline strip, wherein the first and second sideline strips and the baseline strip bound an associated one of the pair of halves of the playing area.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each set of strips of the plurality of strips further includes:
 a non-volley line strip being coupled to and extending between the first and second sideline strips, the non-volley line strip being spaced away from the baseline strip, wherein the non-volley line strip and the first and second sideline strips bound a non-volley zone of the associated half of the playing area; and   a centerline strip being coupled to and extending between the baseline strip and the non-volley line strip, the centerline strip being centered between the first and second sideline strips, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the first sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a first service zone of the associated half of the playing area, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the second sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a second service zone of the associated half of the playing area.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each set of strips of the plurality of strips further includes a net strip being coupled to and extending between distal ends of the first and second sideline strips with respect to the baseline strip, the net strip indicating a location for a net above the net strip. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a length of the baseline strip is between 19.0 feet and 21.0 feet;   a length of each of the first and second sideline strips being between 21.0 feet and 23.0 feet; and   a length of the centerline strip being between 14.0 feet and 16.0 feet.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein a width of the baseline strip is equal to each of a width of each of the first and second sideline strips, a width of the non-volley line strip, and a width of the centerline strip, a width of the net strip being equal to half the width of the baseline strip. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips is foldable into an intermediate folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a first axis extending along the shared plane, each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips being foldable from the intermediate folded configuration into a final folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips has a plurality of first grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the intermediate folded configuration, each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips having a plurality of second grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips when the associated set of strips is positioned in the intermediate folded configuration to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the final folded configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each first groove of the plurality of first grooves extends parallel to each of the first and second sideline strips, each second groove of the plurality of second grooves extending perpendicularly to each one of the plurality of first grooves. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a storage bag having a cavity positioned therein being shaped to contain the plurality of strips when each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips are positioned in the final folded configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the storage bag comprises:
 a base wall;   a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall, the cavity being bounded by the base wall and the perimeter wall, an upper edge of the perimeter wall defining an opening to the cavity;   a lid being coupled to the upper edge of the perimeter wall, the lid being movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the opening; and   a connector being coupled to the lid and the perimeter wall for releasably securing the lid to the perimeter wall.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the connector comprises a zipper. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the storage bag further comprises a handle being coupled to an exterior surface of the lid. 
     
     
         18 . A demarcation system for demarcating a playing area for a sport, the system comprising:
 a plurality of strips lying on a shared plane and defining a boundary of the playing area, the plurality of strips being configured to rest on a ground surface to define a portion of the ground surface as a playing surface for the sport, each strip of the plurality of strips having a frictionally enhanced bottom surface, the bottom surface being textured such that the bottom surface is frictionally enhanced, the plurality of strips defining a boundary of at least one zone within the playing area, each strip of the plurality of strips being elongated, the plurality of strips including a pair of sets of strips, each set of strips of the plurality of strips corresponding to demarcating an associated one of a pair of halves of the playing area, the strips of each set of strips being interconnected, each set of strips of the plurality of strips including:
 a baseline strip, a length of the baseline strip being between 19.0 feet and 21.0 feet; 
 a first sideline strip and a second sideline strip being coupled to the baseline strip, the baseline strip extending from the first sideline strip to the second sideline strip, each of the first and second sideline strips extending perpendicularly away from the baseline strip, wherein the first and second sideline strips and the baseline strip bound an associated one of the pair of halves of the playing area, a length of each of the first and second sideline strips being between 21.0 feet and 23.0 feet; 
 a non-volley line strip being coupled to and extending between the first and second sideline strips, the non-volley line strip being spaced away from the baseline strip, wherein the non-volley line strip and the first and second sideline strips bound a non-volley zone of the associated half of the playing area; 
 a centerline strip being coupled to and extending between the baseline strip and the non-volley line strip, the centerline strip being centered between the first and second sideline strips, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the first sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a first service zone of the associated half of the playing area, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the second sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a second service zone of the associated half of the playing area, a length of the centerline strip being between 14.0 feet and 16.0 feet; 
 a net strip being coupled to and extending between distal ends of the first and second sideline strips with respect to the baseline strip, the net strip indicating a location for a net above the net strip; and 
 wherein a width of the baseline strip is equal to each of a width of each of the first and second sideline strips, a width of the non-volley line strip, and a width of the centerline strip, a width of the net strip being equal to half the width of the baseline strip; 
   each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips being foldable into an intermediate folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a first axis extending along the shared plane, each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips having a plurality of first grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the intermediate folded configuration, each first groove of the plurality of first grooves extending parallel to each of the first and second sideline strips;   each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips being foldable from the intermediate folded configuration into a final folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips having a plurality of second grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips when the associated set of strips is positioned in the intermediate folded configuration to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the final folded configuration, each second groove of the plurality of second grooves extending perpendicularly to each one of the plurality of first grooves; and   a storage bag having a cavity positioned therein being shaped to contain the plurality of strips when each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips are positioned in the final folded configuration, the storage bag comprising:
 a base wall; 
 a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall, the cavity being bounded by the base wall and the perimeter wall, an upper edge of the perimeter wall defining an opening to the cavity; 
 a lid being coupled to the upper edge of the perimeter wall, the lid being movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the opening; 
 a connector being coupled to the lid and the perimeter wall for releasably securing the lid to the perimeter wall, the connector comprising a zipper; and 
 a handle being coupled to an exterior surface of the lid.