Basketball net

#The present invention relates generally to basketball nets and more particularly to a basketball net constructed from a durable and resilient compound.

#One purpose of a basketball net is to catch and slow down the path of a ball so the ball falls out in close proximity to the basket. Another purpose of a basketball net is to indicate to the player(s) if the ball went through the rim at all. Historically, basketball nets have been constructed from nylon cord woven or tied into a net-like structure which is generally conical in shape and available in various colors for use in both indoor and outdoor games. Nylon is used mainly because it is a relatively inexpensive material and is easy to manufacture. However, one unresolved issue related to use of nylon as a basketball net building material has always been its lack of durability.

#Not long after a nylon-based basketball net is installed, the net begins to show wear and tear due to the repetitive action of the ball going through it. When the basketball net is used outdoors, the deterioration process increases dramatically due to environmental exposure whereby sunlight, rain, snow, cold, heat, wind and chemical pollutants in the air all contribute to the rapid break down of the nylon net.

#It is to be expressly understood that the following figures are merely examples and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a basketball net attached to a single basketball rim in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a fastener used to attach the basketball net of FIG. 1 to a single basketball rim in accordance with the present invention;

#Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the related drawings of FIGS. 1-10. Additional embodiments, features and/or advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description or may be learned by the practice of the invention. In the figures, the drawings are not to scale and reference numerals indicate the various features of the invention, like numerals referring to like features throughout both the drawings and the description. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention.

#In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a generally conical basketball net 20 manufactured from a durable synthetic rubber compound such as ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), which is highly resistant to wear, aging, cracking, heat, cold and mildew, is shown in FIGS. 1, 9. Specifically, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) is produced using a third monomer and is readily available commercially in the United States and/or abroad. EPDM has heat resistance up to 250° F. (max. 400° F. in water and/or steam), cold flexibility to approximately −70° F., chemical resistance to hot water and steam up to 300° F., as well as to many organic and inorganic acids, silicone oil and grease, many polar solvents (alcohols, ketones, esters), ozone, aging and is also weather resistant. Moreover, EPDM is suitable for injection molding, transfer molding, compression molding, or die cutting.

#To reduce cost and alleviate growing environmental pollution concerns, about 10% re-grind rubber derived, for example, from used shoe outsoles, midsoles and (a certain percentage of) shoe uppers (e.g., from shoes manufactured by NIKE™, Inc.) is, preferably, added to the EPDM “batter” during manufacturing. For example, typical ingredients for NIKE™ shoe outsoles include styrene butadiene (SBR), polybutadiene (PBD), and natural rubber, with all ingredients being crosslinked. Typical ingredients for NIKE™ shoe midsoles include thermoplastic polyurethane (polyester and polyester-based), ethyl vinyl acetate (thermoplastic), both materials being micro-cellular. Typical ingredients for NIKE™ shoe uppers include nylon, synthetic leather (polyester), leather (protein), cotton, polychloroprene (neoprene sleeves). In general, anywhere from 1% to 51% re-grind rubber may be added (with 10% being the preferred percentage), depending on manufacturing needs. The use of re-grind rubber helps reduce the amount of rubber entering our landfills. Furthermore, re-grind rubber has the same abrasion resistance, durability and overall performance as the highest premium rubber, but is available at much lower cost. When re-grind rubber is added to the EPDM “batter”, the resulting material would exhibit small visible colored flecks on the surface. A person skilled in the art would immediately recognize that basketball net 20 may also be manufactured from 100% new EPDM material if cost and/or environmental concerns are not a factor. Alternatively, one of the newer thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) rubber compounds may be used, which not only is more advantageous for recycling than EPDM, but also offers potential advantages of lower cost, lighter weight, greater resistance to UV, lower friction, and a broader range of colors.