Apparatus for rebounding soccer balls

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for rebounding a soccer ball to a user, in response to the soccer ball engaging the apparatus. The apparatus includes first and second legs for supporting the apparatus on a surface, and a rebounding member coupled to the first and second legs for use in rebounding the soccer ball to the user. The rebounding member is configured to resiliently deform between a receiving position and a rebounding position. In the receiving position, the rebounding member is generally planar in shape for receiving the soccer ball. And, in the rebounding position, the rebounding member is generally arcuate in shape and operates to impart kinetic energy to the soccer ball for rebounding the soccer ball to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for rebounding a soccer ball to a user, in response to the soccer ball engaging the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 first and second legs for supporting the apparatus on a surface, each of the first and second legs defining a lower edge portion configured to engage the surface when supporting the apparatus on the surface; and   a resilient rebounding member defining first and second sleeves, the first sleeve configured to receive at least a portion of the first leg therein and the second sleeve configured to receive at least a portion of the second leg therein to thereby couple the resilient rebounding member to the first and second legs at a location such that the resilient rebounding member is spaced apart from the surface when the first and second legs are supporting the apparatus on the surface;   whereby the resilient rebounding member is configured to resiliently deform, in response to the soccer ball engaging the apparatus, for use in rebounding the soccer ball to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first leg is oriented generally parallel to the second leg. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first leg extends completely through the first sleeve of the resilient rebounding member, and wherein the second leg extends completely through the second sleeve of the resilient rebounding member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the resilient rebounding member comprises elastic webbing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first leg includes an upright and a base, and wherein the upright of the first leg is releasably coupled to the base of the first leg; and
 wherein the second leg includes an upright and a base, and wherein the upright of the second leg is releasably coupled to the base of the second leg.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the upright of the first leg extends completely through the first sleeve of the resilient rebounding member, and wherein the upright of the second leg extends completely through the second sleeve of the resilient rebounding member 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient rebounding member is resiliently deformable between a receiving position, in which the resilient rebounding member defines a generally planar surface for receiving the soccer ball, and a rebounding position, in which the resilient rebounding member defines a generally arcuate shape. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first leg includes an upright and a base, and wherein the upright of the first leg is releasably coupled to the base of the first leg;
 wherein the second leg includes an upright and a base, and wherein the upright of the second leg is releasably coupled to the base of the second leg; and   wherein the resilient rebounding member is oriented generally perpendicular to the upright of the first leg and the upright of the second leg when in the receiving position.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the resilient rebounding member defines the arcuate shape generally between the first and second legs when in the rebounding position. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a brace disposed between the first and second legs. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising stabilizing material coupled to the first and second legs, the stabilizing material configured to inhibit sliding movement of the apparatus in response to the soccer ball engaging the apparatus at the resilient rebounding member when the first and second legs are supporting the apparatus on the surface. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for rebounding a soccer ball, the apparatus comprising:
 a first leg and a second leg positioned generally parallel to each other;   stabilizing material coupled to a bottom portion of each of the first and second legs;   a resiliently deformable rebounding member coupled to each of the first and second legs, the resiliently deformable rebounding member defining first and second sleeves configured to receive at least a portion of the respective first and second legs therein to thereby couple the resiliently deformable rebounding member to the first and second legs; and   a brace disposed generally between the first and second legs and coupled to each of the first and second legs.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the resiliently deformable rebounding member is moveable between a receiving position, in which the resiliently deformable rebounding member defines a generally planar surface for receiving the soccer ball, and a rebounding position, in which the resiliently deformable rebounding member defines a generally arcuate shape. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the resiliently deformable rebounding member is oriented generally parallel to the brace when in the receiving position. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second legs each include an upright; and
 wherein the resiliently deformable rebounding member is oriented generally perpendicular to the uprights of the first and second legs when in the receiving position.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for rebounding a soccer ball to a user, in response to the soccer ball engaging the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 first and second legs for supporting the apparatus on a surface, the first leg including a base and an upright releasably coupled to the base, and the second leg including a base and an upright releasably coupled to the base;   a brace disposed between the bases of the first and second legs; and   a rebounding member coupled to the first and second legs, the rebounding member defining first and second sleeves configured to receive at least a portion of the uprights of the respective first and second legs therein to thereby couple the rebounding member to the first and second legs.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the rebounding member is coupled to the first and second legs so that a lower edge portion of the rebounding member is spaced apart from the surface when the first and second legs support the apparatus on the surface, whereby the rebounding member avoids engaging, or dragging, on the surface when moving between the receiving position and the rebounding position. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the uprights of the first and second legs each define a height dimension; and
 wherein the rebounding member defines a height dimension that is less than the height dimension of either of the uprights of the first and second legs.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising stabilizing material coupled to base of each of the first and second legs, the stabilizing material configured to inhibit sliding movement of the apparatus in response to the soccer ball engaging the apparatus at the rebounding member when the first and second legs are supporting the apparatus on the surface. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the brace is disposed at an elevation generally below the rebounding member.