Portable basketball shooting machine

Abstract

A ball return system for returning balls shot at a target to a user of the ball return system includes an ejector adapted to accelerate balls out of the ball return system toward a target destination. The ball return system also includes a mast disposed on a base on which the ejector is disposed. The ball return system further includes a collapsible net support adapted to transition between a collapsed state and an expanded state. The collapsible net support is connected to the mast by a joint that enables the collapsible net support to transition between: a first orientation in which a length of the collapsible net support is aligned with a length of the mast, and a second orientation in which the collapsible support net is stacked on top of the ejector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball return system for returning balls shot at a target to a user of the ball return system, comprising:
 an ejector adapted to accelerate balls out of the ball return system toward a target destination;   a mast disposed on a base on which the ejector is disposed;   a collapsible net support adapted to transition between a collapsed state and an expanded state;   wherein the collapsible net support is connected to the mast by a joint that enables the collapsible net support to transition between:
 a first orientation in which a length of the collapsible net support is aligned with a length of the mast, and 
 a second orientation in which the collapsible support net is stacked on top of the ejector. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ball return system of  claim 1 , wherein the collapsible net support comprises:
 a lower crown directly connected to the joint;   an upper crown;   a crown bar, directly connected to the lower crown and the upper crown, that defines a spacing between the lower crown and the upper crown; and   a collapsible arm directly connected to the lower crown and connected to the upper crown by a linkage bar.   
     
     
         3 . The ball return system of  claim 2 , wherein the crown bar is adapted to change its length which modifies the spacing between the lower crown and the upper crown. 
     
     
         4 . The ball return system of  claim 3 , wherein, when the collapsible net support is in the first orientation, a length of the crown bar is parallel to a length of the mast. 
     
     
         5 . The ball return system of  claim 3 , wherein the collapsible mast support is transitioned from the collapsed state to the expanded state by increasing the length of the crown bar. 
     
     
         6 . The ball return system of  claim 3 , wherein the collapsible mast support is transitioned from the expanded state to the collapsed state by decreasing the length of the crown bar. 
     
     
         7 . The ball return system of  claim 2 , wherein a first end of the linkage bar is directly connected to the upper crown and a second end of the linkage bar is directly connected to a fixed point along a length of the collapsible arm. 
     
     
         8 . The ball return system of  claim 2 , wherein the linkage bar rotatable with respect to the collapsible arm and the upper crown. 
     
     
         9 . The ball return system of  claim 2 , wherein the collapsible arm rotates about a first end of the collapsible arm directly connected to the lower crown when the collapsible net support transitions between the expanded state and the collapsed state. 
     
     
         10 . The ball return system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second collapsible arm directly connected to the lower crown and connected to the upper crown by a second linkage bar.   
     
     
         11 . The ball return system of  claim 10 , wherein the second collapsible arm rotates about a first end of the second collapsible arm directly connected to the lower crown when the collapsible net support transitions between the expanded state and the collapsed state. 
     
     
         12 . The ball return system of  claim 11 , wherein transitioning the collapsible net support from the collapsed state to the expanded state comprises:
 moving a second end of the collapsible arm away from a second end of the second collapsible arm.   
     
     
         13 . The ball return system of  claim 12 , wherein transitioning the collapsible net support from the collapsed state to the expanded state comprises:
 increasing a spacing between the lower crown and the upper crown.   
     
     
         14 . The ball return system of  claim 2 , wherein the lower crown comprises a plurality of rotatory joints connected to the collapsible arm and a plurality of other collapsible arms. 
     
     
         15 . The ball return system of  claim 14 , wherein the upper crown comprises a second plurality of rotatory joints connected to the linkage bar and a plurality of other linkage bars. 
     
     
         16 . The ball return system of  claim 15 , wherein the linkage bar and plurality of other linkage bars connect the upper crown to the collapsible arm and the plurality of other collapsible arms. 
     
     
         17 . The ball return system of  claim 16 , wherein increasing the spacing between the lower crown and the upper crown causes rotation of all of the collapsible arm and the plurality of other collapsible arms with respect to the lower crown. 
     
     
         18 . The ball return system of  claim 17 , wherein the rotation separates a plurality of ends of the collapsible arm and the plurality of other collapsible arms. 
     
     
         19 . The ball return system of  claim 18 , wherein the a plurality of ends are adapted to connect to a net. 
     
     
         20 . The ball return system of  claim 18 , wherein the net is adapted to directly deposit the balls at a predetermined location on the ejector.