METALLIC STRUCTURE OR FRAME FOR THE ACTIVATION OF BASKETBALL BACKBOARDS AND THE LIKE

Abstract

 Described is a metal structure or frame (1) for the activation of basketball backboards or the like (17), comprising a base (11), two front wheels (19a) and two rear wheels (19b) connected to a horizontal metal beam (21). The structure (1) includes a hydraulic-electric system (100), comprises an hydraulic pump with electric control unit (30) which is connected, by means of a closed pipe (31), to two hydraulic pistons (14, 20), of which a first piston (14) is designed for opening or lifting and closing or lowering the structure (1) and a second piston (20) is designed for lifting the front and rear wheels (19a, 19b) to position the structure (1) on a playing surface (2). The hydraulic-electric system (100) also includes two end of stroke sensors (32, 33), placed on the closed pipe (31) and designed to control the activities of the hydraulic pistons (14, 20), and an electronic device (40), designed to manage the hydraulic-electric system (100) and to control the vertical stability of the structure (1).

Description

[0001] This invention refers to a metal structure or frame for lifting and/or lowering backboards for basketball or mini-basketball or the like, equipped with an electronic active and passive safety device.

[0002] Structures for lifting and/or lowering basketball backboards or the like are well known, generally comprising an articulated metal frame, suitable for positioning the backboard at regulation heights, so as to allow, for example, the game of basketball or mini-basketball.

[0003] These lifting and/or lowering structures are also equipped with wheels for moving and placing or removing the backboard at the desired point on the court.

[0004] Various construction models are currently known of these metal structures for lifting and/or lowering basketball or mini-basketball backboards, equipped with various systems for activating the various metal frames.

[0005] In particular, lifting and/or lowering systems controlled manually by means of spring systems or other mechanical systems or pneumatic or hydraulic-electric drive systems, such as those described in prior art patent documents IT102003901157567 and IT102005901338485 are well known; however, they do not use electronic components designed to guarantee active and passive safety functions for the operator(s), who operate the lifting and/or lowering of structures and/or metal frames, and/or for other people during the operation of positioning the backboard on the playing court and final fixing to the court.

[0006] These known manual lifting and/or lowering systems, of mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic-electric type, are mainly used to reduce the costs of the personnel employed to operate these metal structures and/or frames.

[0007] Currently, however, the development and increasing use of electronic components makes it possible to validly use them for active and passive safety controls for the operator(s) responsible for operating such structures and/or frames and also for the passive safety control of other people or players when the metal structures and/or frames of basketball or mini-basketball backboards are positioned on the court.

[0008] Likewise, higher levels of active and passive safety are required by law to protect the physical condition of the operator(s) delegated to lift and/or lower said structures and/or metal frames, in order to reduce accidents and injuries at work and also to protect any persons passing in the vicinity of the structures and/or metal frames, when they are positioned, complete with basketball or mini-basketball backboard, on the court, before being permanently and/or firmly fixed to the ground.

[0009] In particular, the structure and/or metal frame complete with basketball or mini-basketball backboard or the like according to the invention is equipped with a hydraulic-electric system for lifting and/or lowering the structure, which is controlled by an electronic device comprising components designed for both active and passive safety controls for the operator(s) who lift and/or lower the structure and/or metal frame, without increasing the costs of the activities of the personnel employed; the passive controls also make it possible to safeguard the condition of the people or players who pass in its vicinity when it is positioned on the court.

[0010] The electronic device thus designed and used also makes it possible to reduce the costs for state welfare systems generated by accidents at work and/or during sports activities.

[0011] The electronic device comprises an electronic circuit, a microprocessor, an electrical transformer, a series of management and control chips for the hydraulic-electric system, a gyroscopic chip, a chip for an acoustic and visual alarm and a battery.

[0012] The hydraulic-electric system mentioned above is managed by means of the electronic device and comprises either an hydraulic pump connected to two hydraulic pistons, equipped with movement (or end of stroke) sensors, which operate in the following way.

[0013] A first piston is placed on a metal lattice or triangle hinged on a beam and/or airlift (in particular with arched geometry and equipped with an end where both a monitor holder structure to display the playing time and a backboard for basketball and/or mini-basketball and/or the like are fixed), whilst a second piston is placed on a horizontal metal beam, placed inside the base of the structure and/or metal frame, to which the front and rear wheels of the structure are connected, allowing the movement of the above-mentioned structure and/or metal frame.

[0014] These two pistons are activated by two separate levers placed on the base of the structure and/or metal frame, by an operator.

[0015] These and other aims, which will appear more clearly below, will be more evident from the following description, relating to a preferred, non-limiting, example embodiment of a structure for lifting and/or lowering basketball or mini-basketball backboards or the like, equipped with an active and passive electronic safety device , according to appended claim 1; further detailed technical features are contained in the subsequent dependent claims.

[0016] Other features and advantages of the electronic device, according to the invention, will be more apparent from the description of its preferred, non-limiting, example embodiment and in the accompanying drawings, where:

• Figure 1 is a side view of a lifting and/or lowering structure of basketball or mini-basketball backboards, in a closed position, designed for moving the backboard, as well as a view of the components of the hydraulic-electric system and of the active and passive safety control device, which controls the above-mentioned hydraulic-electric system and which controls the vertical stability of the entire lifting and/or lowering structure, according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a side view of the lifting and/or lowering structure of basketball or mini-basketball backboards, in a position of maximum opening and positioning in the court, as well as a view of the components of the hydraulic-electric system and of the active and passive safety control device, which controls the hydraulic-electric system and which controls the vertical stability of the entire lifting and/or lowering structure, according to the invention.

[0017] With reference to the above-mentioned drawings, the metal structure or frame (1) for lifting and/or lowering basketball or mini-basketball backboards (17), according to the invention, consists of a base(11), where two front wheels (19a) and two rear wheels (19b) connected to a horizontal metal beam (21) operate inside, and a hydraulic-electric system (100), comprising an hydraulic pump with an electric control unit (30), which, by means of a closed pipe (31), is connected to two hydraulic pistons; a first piston (14) is designed for the opening (lifting) and reclosing (lowering) of the metal frame(1) for the positioning of a monitor holder (16) and the basketball or mini-basketball backboard (17), whilst a second piston (20) is designed for the lifting of the wheels (19a, 19b), in order to allow the positioning of the structure on the playing surface (2).

[0018] On the same closed pipe (31) there are two end of stroke sensors (32, 33), which control the activities of the two hydraulic pistons (14, 20), an electronic device (40), designed to manage the hydraulic-electric system (100) and to control the vertical stability of the entire structure or metal frame (1); in particular, the electronic device (40) comprises an electronic circuit (41), a microprocessor (42), an electrical transformer (44), designed to power the electronic device when it is connected to a fixed electric socket, a chip (43) for management and control of the hydraulic pump with an electric control unit (30), a chip (46) for management and control of the two end of stroke sensors (32, 33) which control the two hydraulic pistons (14, 20), a chip complete with gyroscopic sensor (45), a chip (47) for management and control of an acoustic and visual alarm (22) and a battery (48), designed to power the electronic device when it is not connected to a fixed electric socket and which supports the activities of the chip complete with gyroscopic sensor (45) and the acoustic and visual alarm (22).

[0019] The new structure for lifting and/or lowering basketball or mini-basketball backboards (1) is brought onto the court (2) in the closed position and one or two operators (50, 51) will position it at the designated point.

[0020] An operator (50), after connecting the electronic device (40), which manages the hydraulic-electric system 100), to a fixed electric socket, is able to open the metal frame (1) by acting on the lever (34a) to activate the hydraulic-electric pump (30) and on the piston (20) to raise the wheels (19a, 19b).

[0021] This action activates the electronic device (40), which performs the following activities:

• checking the position and vertical stability of the structure (1) by means of the data sent by the chip complete with gyroscopic sensor (45);
• only if the data received confirm the correct position and vertical stability and only if the rest position of the piston (14) is verified by the sensor (33) located on the pipe (31) - meaning that the structure is still totally enclosed
• , the hydraulic-electric pump (30), which acts on the piston (20), is activated in order to lift the wheels (19a, 19b) with respect to the playing surface (2), by means of the horizontal metal beam (21), and then bringing the metal frame (1) into contact with the playing surface (2).

[0022] During these operations the lever (34b) is deactivated to prevent the simultaneous start of the opening step of the structure (1) which would lead to a serious situation of danger.

[0023] The electronic device (40) is also capable of:

• checking the limit switch of the piston (20) by means of the sensor (32), so that the operator can act on the lever (34b) which activates the hydraulic-electric pump (30) to use the piston (14) designed to open the metal frame (1).

[0024] In particular, the piston (14) operates on a front triangle (12), which is hinged to the airlift (15) and itself hinged to another rear triangle (13) used to better maintain the stability of the airlift (15).

[0025] This operation is still controlled by the chip complete with gyroscopic sensor (45) and, in case a position of vertical non-stability is determined, an acoustic and visual signal is immediately activated, by means of a flashing light (22), so that the operator(s) (50, 51) can immediately interrupt the opening activities to avoid accidents and/or injuries.

[0026] At the end of this operation, the structure for lifting and/or lowering basketball or mini-basketball backboards or the like (1) is fully open and positioned on the playing surface (2) and both the monitor holder (16) and the backboard (17) supporting the basket (18) are made available.

[0027] The operator (50) can then disconnect the electronic device (40) from the fixed electric socket.

[0028] The structure for lifting and/or lowering basketball or mini-basketball backboards or the like (1) is not fixed to the playing surface (2) by mechanical means, but remains stable thanks to the installation of weights on the frame (1).

[0029] Moreover, during a game it is possible that players or other personnel may strike the structure (1) with the risk, even though limited, that the structure may be overturned; an earthquake event may also occur during a game with possible overturning of the structure (1).

[0030] For these reasons, the electronic device (40) remains active thanks to the presence of the battery and keeps the control of the vertical stability position of the structure (1) active, thanks to the data sent by the chip complete with gyroscopic sensor (45), in such a way that, in case a position of vertical non-stability is determined, the acoustic and visual alarm is immediately activated by means of the flashing light (22) and the players and/or other people present can immediately move away to avoid any accidents and/or injuries.

[0031] The invention described and illustrated may be modified and adapted in several ways without departing from the scope of the inventive concept expressed in the accompanying claims.

[0032] Furthermore, all details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements and the materials used, provided they are compatible with the specific use and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and state of the art.

[0033] Where the characteristics and the techniques mentioned in the following claims are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have been used only with the aim of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and, consequently, the reference signs do not constitute in any way a limitation to the interpretation of each element identified, purely by way of example, by the reference signs.

Claims

1. Metallic structure or frame (1) for the activation of basketball backboards and the like (17), comprising a base (11), two front wheels (19a) and two rear wheels (19b) connected to a horizontal metal beam (21), characterized in that said structure (1) includes a hydraulic-electric system (100) comprising of:

- an oleodynamic pump with electric control unit (30), which is connected, by means of a closed pipe (31), to two hydraulic pistons (14, 20), of which a first piston (14) is suitable for opening or lifting and closing or lowering of said metal frame (1) and a second piston (20) is suitable for raising said front and rear wheels (19a, 19b) to place the structure (1) on a playing surface (2),

- two limit switches (32, 33), placed on said closed pipe (31) and suitable for controlling the activities of said hydraulic pistons (14, 20),

- an electronic device (40), suitable to manage said hydraulic-electric system (100) and to control the vertical stability of the metal frame (1).

2. Metallic structure or frame (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic device (40) comprises an electronic circuit (41), a microprocessor (42), a chip (43) for managing and controlling said oleodynamic pump (30), a management and control chip (46) for said limit switch sensors (32, 33), a chip equipped with a gyroscopic sensor (45), a chip (47) for managing and controlling an acoustic and visual alarm (22) and a battery (48) and/or an electrical transformer (44) for power supply.

3. Metallic structure or frame (1) according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that, in a closed position of said frame (1), said chip equipped with gyroscopic sensor (45) in the electronic device (40) is configured to verify the position and the vertical stability of the structure (1) and to check the rest position of said first piston (14), through a limit switch sensor (33).

4. Metallic structure or frame (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said frame (1) is configured to arrange itself in an open position by actuating a first lever (34a), which activates said oledynamic pump (30), and by actuation of said second piston (20), which commands the lifting of said front and rear wheels (19a, 19b), so that said frame (1) contacts said playing surface (2).

5. Metallic structure or frame (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that a limit switch (32) is configured to check the stroke end of said second piston (20), so that an operator (50, 51) can act on a second lever (34b), which activates said first piston (14), suitable to completely open said frame (1).

6. Metallic structure or frame (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said first piston (14) operates on a first front triangle (12) of the metallic frame (1), which is hinged on an airlift (15) and, in turn, also hinged to a second rear triangle (13) of said metallic frame (1).

7. Metal structure or frame (1) as in claim 4, characterized by the fact that, when said chip complete with gyro sensor (45) detects a position of vertical instability, an acoustic and visual signal is activated by means of a flashing light (22), so that the operators (50, 51) can immediately stop the activities of opening/closing so as not to incur in accidents and/or injuries and/or athletes or other persons present can immediately move away and not incur in accidents and/or injuries.

Drawing