Foot operated height adjustment mechanism for a basketball system

Abstract

In one example, a basketball system includes a basketball goal, a support structure, a connecting structure connected to the basketball goal and the support structure, and a height adjustment mechanism. The height adjustment mechanism includes a biasing mechanism operably connected to the connecting structure and the basketball goal, and also includes a locking member. An adjustment member of the height adjustment mechanism is engaged with the locking member and is movable relative to the locking member. The adjustment member is also connected to the connecting structure so that the adjustment member and connecting structure are operable to move in unison with each other. Finally, a foot actuator of the height adjustment mechanism is connected to the adjustment member and is operable to releasably engage the locking member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A basketball system comprising:
 a goal;   a support structure;   a connecting structure connected to the goal and the support structure; and   a height adjustment mechanism comprising:
 a locking member; 
 an adjustment member engaged with the locking member and movable relative to the locking member, and the adjustment member connected to the connecting structure so that the adjustment member and the connecting structure are operable to move in unison with each other; and 
 a foot actuator connected to the adjustment member and operable to releasably engage the locking member. 
   
     
     
         2 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an upward movement of the adjustment member corresponds to a downward movement of the goal, and a downward movement of the adjustment member corresponds to an upward movement of the goal. 
     
     
         3 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the foot actuator is located proximate a lower end of the support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the foot actuator includes a foot pedal which, when subjected to a downward force, disengages an engagement element from the locking member. 
     
     
         5 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an engagement element of the foot actuator is biased into engagement with the locking member by one or more springs. 
     
     
         6 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when an engagement element of the foot actuator is disengaged from the locking member, the adjustment member is movable relative to the locking member. 
     
     
         7 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when an engagement element of the foot actuator is engaged with the locking member, the adjustment member is fixed relative to the locking member. 
     
     
         8 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when an engagement element of the foot actuator is disengaged from the locking member, the goal is movable in a vertical direction under the influence of a biasing mechanism that is operably connected to the connecting structure and to the goal. 
     
     
         9 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member is slidingly engaged with the locking member. 
     
     
         10 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the height adjustment mechanism is operable such that a single movement of the foot actuator effects both release of the adjustment member from a fixed position relative to the locking member, and a change to a height of the goal relative to a playing surface. 
     
     
         11 . A basketball system comprising:
 a goal;   a support structure;   a connecting structure including a pair of arms connected to the goal and the support structure; and   a height adjustment mechanism comprising:
 a biasing mechanism connected to one of the arms and to the goal; 
 a locking member; 
 an adjustment member engaged with the locking member and movable relative to the locking member, and the adjustment member connected to the pair of arms so that the adjustment member and the arms are operable to move in unison with each other; and 
 a foot actuator connected to the adjustment member and operable to releasably engage the locking member. 
   
     
     
         12 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein an engagement element of the foot actuator is biased into engagement with the locking member by one or more springs. 
     
     
         13 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein a downward movement of a foot pedal of the foot actuator frees the adjustment member to move relative to the locking member. 
     
     
         14 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the downward movement of the foot pedal causes a change in a height of the goal relative to a playing surface. 
     
     
         15 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the height adjustment mechanism is operable such that a downward movement of the foot actuator effects both release of the adjustment member from a fixed position relative to the locking member, and a downward movement of the adjustment member that increases a height of the goal relative to a playing surface. 
     
     
         16 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein when the biasing mechanism is free to act, the biasing mechanism biases the goal in an upward direction. 
     
     
         17 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the height adjustment mechanism is operable to adjust a height of the goal solely by a foot of a user. 
     
     
         18 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein in operation, the height adjustment mechanism lowers the goal without requiring a user to do more than disengage the foot actuator from the locking member. 
     
     
         19 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the foot actuator is engageable with the locking member at multiple different locations on the locking member. 
     
     
         20 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the locking member is partly received within the adjustment member. 
     
     
         21 . A basketball system comprising:
 a goal;   a support structure;   a connecting structure connected to the goal and the support structure; and   a height adjustment mechanism comprising:
 an adjustment member connected to the connecting structure so that the adjustment member and the connecting structure are operable to move in unison with each other; and 
 a foot actuator connected to the adjustment member and operable by a foot of a user to move the adjustment member so as to change a height of the goal above a reference surface. 
   
     
     
         22 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the foot actuator includes a foot pedal, and a downward movement of the foot pedal corresponds to an upward movement of the goal. 
     
     
         23 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 21 , wherein an upward movement of the adjustment member corresponds to a downward movement of the goal, and a downward movement of the adjustment member corresponds to an upward movement of the goal. 
     
     
         24 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a biasing mechanism connected to the support structure and to the goal; and   a locking member engaged with the adjustment member, the adjustment member being movable relative to the locking member, and the adjustment member connected to the connecting structure so that the adjustment member and the connecting structure are operable to move in unison with each other,   wherein the foot actuator is connected to the adjustment member and is operable to releasably engage the locking member to permit a change to a height of the goal relative to a reference surface.   
     
     
         25 . The basketball system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein when an engagement element of the foot actuator is disengaged from the locking member, the goal is movable in a vertical direction under the influence of a biasing mechanism that is operably connected to the connecting structure and to the goal.