Miniature door-mounted basketball hoop

Abstract

The miniature basketball hoop of the present: invention includes a rectangular backboard having front and rear faces, The backboard is transparent substantially across its entire area. A pair of spaced apart hooks are provided on the top of the backboard to hook the backboard over the top of a door. The hoop includes a break-away rim mounted to the front of the backboard, and sound dampening material on the rear face of the backboard, so as to minimize sound when a bail hits the backboard or rim during use.

1 . A miniature basketball hoop, comprising:
 a substantially transparent rectangular backboard having front and rear surfaces;   a pair of spaced apart hooks attached to the rear surface of the backboard at a top of the backboard, with the hooks adapted for hanging the backboard onto a door;   a front mounting plate attached to the front surface of the backboard;   a hinge attached to the front mounting plate;   an upper horizontal plate attached to the hinge;   a rim attached to the upper horizontal plate, with the rim pivotable relative to the backboard;   a lower horizontal plate attached to the front mounting plate;   a spring between the upper and lower horizontal plates, with the spring urging the upper horizontal plate away from the lower horizontal plate;   a bolt extending between the upper and lower horizontal plates to limit movement of the upper horizontal plate away from the lower horizontal plate; and   a perimeter sound dampener on the rear surface of the backboard extending substantially around a perimeter of the backboard.   
     
     
         2 . The miniature basketball hoop of  claim 1  further comprising a central sound dampener attached to the rear surface of the backboard at a central position on the backboard. 
     
     
         3 . The miniature basketball hoop of  claim 1  with the sound dampener comprising a foam material or rubber. 
     
     
         4 . The miniature basketball hoop of  claim 1  wherein the hooks do not extend above the backboard. 
     
     
         5 . The miniature basketball hoop of  claim 1  with the spring concentric with the bolt.