Net post with a housing for placing game balls

Abstract

Net post for depositing game balls, which has the particularity of having a housing for depositing game balls without them getting in the way or protruding so as not to affect the rules of the game. Said housing may well be integrated into the post itself or fixed on a removable way on the post, in case of been integrated it will have an upper opening provided with facing recesses in which there are retractable tabs and a platform that can be raised vertically by the action of the force of an elastic means placed under the platform; in case of been a housing fixed in a removably way on a post, it will have a basket provided with fastening means either by tapes or by magnetic means.

Description

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The purpose of the present invention, as indicated by its title, is a net post for depositing game balls, that is, it refers to a post from among those employed to support and tension the net on a padel or tennis court that has the particular characteristic of having a housing into which game balls can be deposited without being a hindrance or protruding so as not to breach the rules of the game.

[0002] The present invention is characterised in that the post has a special design and configuration, and particularly in that it has a housing where balls to be used in the game can be deposited, said housing being fully integrated or as an additional element attached to the post.

[0003] Therefore, the present invention falls within the scope of nets and fastening and tensioning means for the game of padel and tennis or other racket sports wherein beach tennis, badminton, etc. can also be included.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0004] The sport of padel is played on a court with very special characteristics. These are, most importantly, that there is a vertical enclosure formed by glass panels at the ends and others of metal mesh on the sides with a height of between 3 and 4 metres that delimit the playing area, with two entrances located in the centre of both long sides (20 m) through which the court is accessed and also, during the game, through which it is possible to leave quickly in order to hit a ball that is still in play and continue the rally by returning it to the court.

[0005] The dividing net is positioned in the centre of the entrances and separates the two sides of the court, it is supported by two 92-cm-high posts.

[0006] Balls similar to tennis balls are used to play padel. As a rule, a canister with three new balls is always opened for each match. Of these, one is used in the match, another one is usually carried in a player's trouser pocket and the third ball, which is not being used at the time, or even the second ball, which some players do not like to keep in their pocket, is left on the floor of the court next to the net so that it does not get in the way of the play because, given the nature of the enclosure, it is impossible to leave it outside the court because it would be too far away and this would make it tedious to go and get it continuously.

[0007] The balls not in use in a rally are usually and commonly left against the net and near one of the posts to position them so that the player who serves can change the ball at their discretion in order to put one of these balls into play.

[0008] Given the intrinsic conditions of the sport, which is very physical and fast, it is highly likely that these balls left on the ground will move or be stepped on during shots played close to the net, with a high risk of causing an injury or disturbing the course of a rally or the point being played. This circumstance occurs several times during a match and until now there has been no solution to the problem.

[0009] Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to avoid the potential problems that may be caused by the balls that are not in play and that are on the ground, developing a net post with a housing in which to deposit the game balls such as the one described below, the essence of which is contained in the first claim.DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The object of the present invention is essentially contained in the independent claim and the different embodiments are contained in the dependent claims.

[0011] The present invention relates to a net post for games such as tennis or padel, which is provided with a housing for depositing game balls where said housing is arranged either integrally within the post itself or attached to the post fixed to it by means of attachment.

[0012] In the case of a housing integrated into the post, it will preferably be located at the top of the post and there will be access to the interior of the housing through an opening, preferably positioned on the top of the post and through which one or more balls can be placed into said housing or the balls inside can be removed.

[0013] This housing has recesses facing each other in which there are retractable tabs arranged in such a way that, when pressed simultaneously, the balls inside the housing move upwards.

[0014] The vertical displacement of the balls is produced by the thrust produced on a displaceable platform by the action of a spring or similar means.

[0015] The number of balls that can be housed within the housing is not limited, and may be as many as the capacity of the housing.

[0016] In the event that said housing is an element attached to the post, said housing consists of a basket, provided with a bottom and an upper opening, held by removable means, for example by magnetic means, by means of straps or belts, in particular two straps both attached to the basket, one that runs horizontally around the perimeter of the post and one that runs vertically across the top of the post until it meets the first strap, wherein through a pin or rivet it is fixed in a slot made for this purpose on the post.

[0017] The basket outside the pole could also be attached using means consisting of straps, one end of which has a multiplicity of bendable rods, while the other end has a multiplicity of loops onto which the said bendable rods are hooked.

[0018] Unless indicated otherwise, all the technical and scientific elements used in this specification have the meaning usually understood by a person skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. In the practical application of this invention, methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described in the specification can be used.

[0019] In the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants do not intend to exclude other technical characteristics, additives, components or steps. For persons skilled in the art, other purposes, advantages and characteristics of the invention will be partly inferred from the description and partly from the practical application of the invention.EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] In order to complement the description being made herein, and with the purpose of aiding the better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings where, in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented: Figure 1 shows a post for supporting a padel or tennis net where the interior can be partially seen. Figure 2 shows a general perspective view where there is a basket to house at least one ball and which is fixed to a post. Figure 3 shows a detail of the attached basket fixed to the post. Figure 4 shows the rear face of the padel or tennis net post. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0021] With reference to the figures, a preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is described below.

[0022] Figure 1 shows a post (1) that is cut through a vertical plane, showing the section obtained where a housing (2) can be seen integrated within the post and accessible through the upper part through an upper opening (3) through which the interior is accessed where one or more balls may be housed.

[0023] Said upper opening (3) has two facing recesses (4) from which retractable tabs or retainers (5) emerge so that, when pressed simultaneously, they are concealed, allowing the retained ball (6) to rise up.

[0024] The balls (6) arranged inside the housing (2) experience a continuous lifting force due to the action of a liftable platform (7) arranged at the bottom of the housing (2) which is pushed vertically by an elastic means such as a spring (8), so that in the absence of any ball placed in the housing (2), the liftable platform (7) would be in contact with the retractable flanges (5) and as more balls are placed inside the housing (2) the liftable platform (7) descends against the force of the elastic means, which in the case represented is a spring (8).

[0025] Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which the housing consists of a basket (9) outside the post and attached to it by a fastening means (16) and which has a lower support (10) and an upper opening (11) (figure 3) that allows access to the interior of the basket.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the fastening means (16) consist of two straps, both joined with the basket (9); where a first strap (12) runs horizontally around the perimeter of the post (1) and a second strap (13), which runs vertically starting from the basket (4) running along the top of the post to end on the side opposite to the side on which the basket (9) is placed, that is fixed to the first strap (12) by means of a rivet or similar (14) that is housed in some of the perforations (15) arranged for this purpose in the post on the side opposite to the side on which the basket (9) is mounted.

[0027] In the case of fixing the basket (9) to the post (1) by magnetic means the magnetic material will be placed either on the basket (9) using the ferromagnetic material of the post (1), or on the post (1), the ferromagnetic material being placed on the basket (9).

[0028] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, in addition to the manner in which to put it into practice, it is hereby stated that, in its essence, it may be put into practice in other embodiments that differ in detail from that indicated by way of example, and to which the protection equally applies, provided that its main principle is not altered, changed or modified.

Claims

1. Net post for games such as tennis or padel, which is provided with a housing for depositing game balls where said housing is arranged integrally within the post itself or attached to the post fixed on it by means of fixing means (16).

2. Net post for games such as tennis or padel, according to claim 1 characterised in the case of been an integrated housing (2) into the post (1) that where the housing (2) is accessible through the upper part through an upper opening (3) by means of which the interior is accessed where one or more balls can be housed, characterised in that said upper opening (3) has two facing recesses (4) from which retractable tabs or retainers (5) emerge, in addition inside the housing (2) there is a platform (7) that is lifted vertically by elastic means.

3. Net post for games such as tennis or padel, according to claim 2, characterised in that the elastic means providing vertical thrust to the lifting platform (7) consists of a spring (8).

4. Net post for games such as tennis or paddle tennis, according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing attached to the post consists of a basket (9) outside the post and attached to it by means of fastening means (16) and which has a. lower support (10) an upper opening (11) for access to the interior of the basket.

5. Net post for games such as tennis or paddle tennis, according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means (16) of the housing attached to the post consist of two tapes, both joined to the basket (9); where a first tape (12) runs horizontally surrounding the perimeter of the post (1), and a second tape (13) that runs vertically starting from the basket (9) running along the top of the post to end on the opposite face to that for placing the basket (9) and being fixed on the first tape (12) by means of a rivet or similar (14) that is housed in some of the perforations (15) arranged for this purpose on the post in the opposite side to the one where the basket (9) is placed.

6. Net post for games such as tennis or paddle tennis, according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means (16) of the housing attached to it consist of magnetic means where the magnetic material will be arranged either on the basket (9) serving of the ferromagnetic material of the post (1), or on the post (1), placing the ferromagnetic material on the basket (9).

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