US20230338804A1

US20230338804A1 - Cup And Ball Assembly

Info

Publication number: US20230338804A1
Application number: US17/725,288
Authority: US
Inventors: Eric Lierman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-04-20
Filing date: 2022-04-20
Publication date: 2023-10-26

Abstract

A cup and ball assembly includes a mounting bracket that has a door slot thereby facilitating the mounting bracket to be positioned on a door in a building. A support arm is coupled to the mounting bracket and the support arm extends downwardly along the door and away from the door when the mounting bracket is positioned on the door. A ring is coupled to the support arm and the ring lies on a horizontal plane when the mounting bracket is positioned on the door. A stub arm is coupled to support arm and an extension arm insertably receives the stub arm for removably attaching the extending arm on the stub arm. A tether is disposed on the extension arm and a ball is coupled to the tether thereby facilitating the ball to be thrown toward the ring by a user to test the user's aim and skill.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to cup and ball devices and more particularly pertains to a new cup and ball device for facilitating a user to practice a game of skill involving tossing a ball into a ring. The device includes a mounting bracket that can be positioned on a top of a door and a support arm that extends downwardly from the mounting bracket. A ring is attached to the support arm and a stub arm angles away from the support arm. An extension arm can be slid into the stub arm, a tether is attached to the extension arm and a ball is attached to the tether. In this way a user can repeatedly toss the ball at the ring in the attempt to land the ball on the ring.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to cup and ball devices including game of skill that includes a tower, a ball suspended from the tower and a tic-tac-toe board. The prior art discloses a variety of ball and cup games that each includes a bracket that is attachable to a vertical panel, a cup integrated into the panel and a ball suspended from the panel. The prior art discloses a variety of hook and ring games that each includes a stand, a tower extending upwardly from the stand, a ring suspended from the tower and a hook attached to the stand. The prior art discloses ball and cup game that includes a ball that is suspended from a horizontal surface, a backboard that is mounted to a vertical surface and a cup that that is attached to the backboard. The prior art discloses a ring and hook game that includes a base, a curved stanchion extending upwardly from the base, a ring suspended from the curved stanchion and a hook attached to the curved stanchion.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a mounting bracket that has a door slot thereby facilitating the mounting bracket to be positioned on a door in a building. A support arm is coupled to the mounting bracket and the support arm extends downwardly along the door and away from the door when the mounting bracket is positioned on the door. A ring is coupled to the support arm and the ring lies on a horizontal plane when the mounting bracket is positioned on the door. A stub arm is coupled to support arm and an extension arm insertably receives the stub arm for removably attaching the extending arm on the stub arm. A tether is disposed on the extension arm and a ball is coupled to the tether thereby facilitating the ball to be thrown toward the ring by a user to test the user's aim and skill.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right side phantom view of a cup and ball assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an exploded in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a ball being tossed at a cup.

FIG. 7 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a ball having landed in a cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new cup and ball device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 , the cup and ball assembly 10 generally comprises a mounting bracket 12 that has a door slot 14 which is integrated into the mounting bracket 12 thereby facilitating the mounting bracket 12 to be positioned on a door 16 in a building. The door 16 may be an interior door in a house, for example, or other type of man door. The mounting bracket 12 has a central section 18 extending between a rear section 20 and a front section 22, each of the rear section 20 and the front section 22 is perpendicularly oriented with the central section 18 having the rear section and the front section 22 being spaced apart from each other thereby defining the door slot 14 between the rear section 20 and the front section 22. The central section 18 lies on a top edge 24 of the door 16 having each of the rear section 20 and the front section 22 resting against a respective front surface 26 and back surface 28 of the door 16, and the front section 22 has a length that is greater than a length of the rear section 20.
A support arm 30 is provided that has a primary portion 32 which is perpendicularly oriented with a secondary portion 34. The primary portion 32 is coupled to the mounting bracket 12 such that the primary portion 32 extends downwardly along the door 16 and the secondary portion 34 extends away from the door 16 when the mounting bracket 12 is positioned on the door 16. The support arm 30 has a first end 36, a second end 38 and an outer surface 40 extending between the first end 36 and the second end 38, and the outer surface 40 has a front side 42 and a back side 44. The back side 44 is bonded to a forward surface 46 of the front section 22 of the mounting bracket 12 at a connection point 48 located adjacent to the first end 36 of the support arm 30, and the support arm 30 is centrally positioned along a width of the front section 22 of the mounting bracket 12.
The first end 36 is aligned with the central section 18 of the mounting bracket 12 and the first end 36 is angled to slope downwardly from the central section 18. The support arm 30 has a bend 50 that is positioned closer to the second end 38 than the first end 36 to define the primary portion 32 of the support arm 30 and the secondary portion 34 of the support arm 30. The primary portion 32 is associated with the first end 36, the secondary portion 34 is associated with the second end 38 and the secondary portion 34 lies on a horizontal plane when the mounting bracket 12 is positioned on the door 16.
A ring 52 is coupled to the secondary portion 34 of the support arm 30 and the ring 52 lies on a horizontal plane when the mounting bracket 12 is positioned on the door 16. The ring 52 has an outside surface 54 and the outside surface 54 is attached to the second end 38 of the support arm 30. A stub arm 56 is coupled to and angles away from the support arm 30 and the stub arm 56 is oriented to angle upwardly when the mounting bracket 12 is positioned on the door 16. The stub arm 56 is positioned on the front side 42 of the outer surface 40 of the support arm 30 corresponding to the primary portion 32 of the support arm 30. Furthermore, the stub arm 56 is positioned closer to the first end 36 of the support arm 30 than the bend 50, and the stub arm 56 has a distal end 58 with respect to the support arm 30.
An extension arm 60 insertably receives the stub arm 56 for removably attaching the extension arm 60 on the stub arm 56. The extension arm 60 has a primary end 62, a secondary end 64 and a lower surface 66 extending between the primary end 62 and the secondary end 64, and the primary end 62 has a well 68 extending toward the secondary end 64. The well 68 insertably receives the distal end 58 of the stub arm 56 such that the extension arm 60 angles upwardly from the support arm 30. An eyehook 70 is coupled to the extension arm 60, the eyehook 70 is positioned on the lower surface 66 of the extension arm 60 at a point located adjacent to the second end 38 of the extension arm 60 and the eyehook 70 includes a ring 71 that is spaced from the lower surface 66.
A tether 72 is coupled to the eyehook 70, the tether 72 has an upper end 74 and a lower end 76, and the upper end 74 is attached to the ring 71 of the eyehook 70. A ball 78 is coupled to the tether 72 thereby facilitating the ball 78 to be thrown toward the ring 52 by a user 79 such that the ball 78 lands in the ring 52 when the ball 78 is accurately thrown to test the user's 79 aim and skill. The ball 78 has an outside surface 80, a ring 82 is attached to the outside surface 80 and the lower end 76 of the tether 72 is attached to the ring 82 on the outside surface 80 of the ball 78. Furthermore, the tether 72 has a length that is sufficient to facilitate the ball 78 to be suspended at a point located lower than the ring 52 when the mounting bracket 12 is positioned on the door 16. The ball 78 is weighted to a sufficient degree to impart a satisfying mass to the ball 78 when the ball 78 is thrown as well as to reduce the likelihood that the ball 78 will bounce out of the ring 52 in the event that the ball 78 lands in the ring 52.
In use, the mounting bracket 12 is positioned on top of the door 16 such that the support arm 30 extends downwardly along the door 16. The extension arm 60 is positioned on the stub arm 56 for suspending the ball 78 from the tether 72. The user 79 stands a predetermined distance away from the door 16, the user 79 grabs the ball 78 and the user 79 tosses the ball 78 at the ring 52 in the attempt to land the ball 78 on the ring 52. The user 79 continually tosses the ball 78 at the ring 52 until such time that the ball 78 lands and remains on the ring 52. The extension arm 60 is removed from the stub arm 56 for storage. In this way the door 16 can be opened and closed normally without requiring 52 the mounting bracket 12 to be removed from the door 16.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

I claim:

1. A cup and ball assembly for facilitating a game of skill to be played involving tossing a ball in to a cup, said assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket having a door slot being integrated into said mounting bracket thereby facilitating said mounting bracket to be positioned on a door in a building;

a support arm having a primary portion being perpendicularly oriented with a secondary portion, said primary portion being coupled to said mounting bracket such that said primary portion extends downwardly along the door and said secondary portion extends away from the door when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door;

a ring being coupled to said secondary portion of said support arm, said ring lying on a horizontal plane when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door;

a stub arm being coupled to and angling away from said support arm, said stub arm being oriented to angle upwardly when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door;

an extension arm insertably receiving said stub arm for removably attaching said extending arm on said stub arm;

a tether being disposed on said extension arm;

a ball being coupled to said tether thereby facilitating said ball to be thrown toward said ring by a user such that said ball lands in said ring when said ball is accurately thrown wherein said ball is configured to test the user's aim and skill.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket has a central section extending between a rear section and a front section, each of said rear section and said front section being perpendicularly oriented with said central section having said rear section and said front section being spaced apart from each other thereby defining said door slot between said rear section and said front section.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said central section lies on a top edge of the door having each of said rear section and said front section resting against a respective front surface and back surface of the door, said front section having a length being greater than a length of said rear section.

4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said support arm has a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending between said first end and said second end, said outer surface having a front side and a back side, said back side being bonded to a forward surface of said front section of said mounting bracket at a connection point located adjacent to said first end of said support arm, said support arm being centrally positioned along a width of said front section of said mounting bracket, said first end being aligned with said central section of said mounting bracket, said first end being angled to slope downwardly from said central section.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein said support arm has a bend being positioned closer to said second end than said first end to define said primary portion of said support arm and said secondary portion of said support arm, said primary portion being associated with said first end, said secondary portion being associated with said second end, said secondary portion lying on a horizontal plane when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door.

6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein said stub arm is positioned on said front side of said outer surface of said support arm corresponding to said primary portion of said support arm, said stub arm being positioned closer to said first end of said support arm than said bend, said stub arm having a distal end with respect to said support arm.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said extension arm has a primary end, a secondary end and a lower surface extending between said primary end and said secondary end, said primary end having a well extending toward said secondary end, said well insertably receiving said distal end of said stub arm such that said extension arm angles upwardly from said support arm.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, further comprising an eyehook being coupled to said extension arm, said eyehook being positioned on said lower surface of said extension arm at a point located adjacent to said second end of said extension arm, said eyehook including a ring being spaced from said lower surface.

9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein:

said tether has an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said ring of said eyehook; and

said ball has a ring being attached to an outside surface of said ball, said lower end of said tether being attached to said ring on said outside surface of said ball, said tether having a length being sufficient to facilitate said ball to be suspended at a point located lower than said ring when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door.

10. A cup and ball assembly for facilitating a game of skill to be played involving tossing a ball in to a cup, said assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket having a door slot being integrated into said mounting bracket thereby facilitating said mounting bracket to be positioned on a door in a building, said mounting bracket having a central section extending between a rear section and a front section, each of said rear section and said front section being perpendicularly oriented with said central section having said rear section and said front section being spaced apart from each other thereby defining said door slot between said rear section and said front section, said central section lying on a top edge of the door having each of said rear section and said front section resting against a respective front surface and back surface of the door, said front section having a length being greater than a length of said rear section;

a support arm having a primary portion being perpendicularly oriented with a secondary portion, said primary portion being coupled to said mounting bracket such that said primary portion extends downwardly along the door and said secondary portion extends away from the door when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door, said support arm having a first end, a second end and an outer surface extending between said first end and said second end, said outer surface having a front side and a back side, said back side being bonded to a forward surface of said front section of said mounting bracket at a connection point located adjacent to said first end of said support arm, said support arm being centrally positioned along a width of said front section of said mounting bracket, said first end being aligned with said central section of said mounting bracket, said first end being angled to slope downwardly from said central section, said support arm having a bend being positioned closer to said second end than said first end to define said primary portion of said support arm and said secondary portion of said support arm, said primary portion being associated with said first end, said secondary portion being associated with said second end, said secondary portion lying on a horizontal plane when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door;

a ring being coupled to said secondary portion of said support arm, said ring lying on a horizontal plane when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door, said ring having an outside surface, said outside surface being attached to said second end of said support arm;

a stub arm being coupled to and angling away from said support arm, said stub arm being oriented to angle upwardly when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door, said stub arm being positioned on said front side of said outer surface of said support arm corresponding to said primary portion of said support arm, said stub arm being positioned closer to said first end of said support arm than said bend, said stub arm having a distal end with respect to said support arm;

an extension arm insertably receiving said stub arm for removably attaching said extending arm on said stub arm, said extension arm having a primary end, a secondary end and a lower surface extending between said primary end and said secondary end, said primary end having a well extending toward said secondary end, said well insertably receiving said distal end of said stub arm such that said extension arm angles upwardly from said support arm;

an eyehook being coupled to said extension arm, said eyehook being positioned on said lower surface of said extension arm at a point located adjacent to said second end of said extension arm, said eyehook including a ring being spaced from said lower surface;

a tether being coupled to said eyehook, said tether having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to said ring of said eyehook; and

a ball being coupled to said tether thereby facilitating said ball to be thrown toward said ring by a user such that said ball lands in said ring when said ball is accurately thrown wherein said ball is configured to test the user's aim and skill, said ball having an outside surface, said ball having a ring being attached to said outside surface, said lower end of said tether being attached to said ring on said outside surface of said ball, said tether having a length being sufficient to facilitate said ball to be suspended at a point located lower than said ring when said mounting bracket is positioned on the door.