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Footbag game apparatus

Footbag game apparatus description/claims

The present invention relates to footbag or hackbag games and, more particularly, to footbag or hackbag games adapted to be played on a court having a net and opposing pair of side walls.

Various games based on footbags have evolved over the years since 1972, the year in which the first footbag (a/k/a hackysack or hackbag) is believed to have been introduced in Oregon City, Oreg., by John Stalberger and Mike Marshall. Two of the more common games are referred to as circle kick and footbag net. According to www.wikipedia.org, for example, circle kick is the most common game played with a footbag. Players stand in a circle and keep the footbag moving around the circle, without the footbag touching the ground or a player's hands. Variations in circle kick arise through different means and manner in scoring or the number of permissible kicks during the time that each player possesses the footbag. In footbag net, players (either alone or with a partner) move a footbag back and forth across a five-foot-high net. Also according to www.wikipedia.org, footbag net combines elements of tennis, badminton and volleyball. Specifically, the court dimensions and layout are similar to those of badminton; the scoring is similar to that used in volleyball, where a player must be serving to score; and serves must be cross-court diagonal, as in tennis. Similar to circle kick, variations in footbag net arise through different means and manner in scoring or the number of permissible kicks during the time that each player (or team) possesses the footbag.

One embodiment of footbag net is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,980 (Trotman). Specifically, Trotman discloses a set of rules and an apparatus. The apparatus includes a court boundary marker and a net dividing the court into two team zones. The net includes pairs of support poles and inflatable conical-shaped bases for receiving the support poles and maintaining them in a vertical orientation for tensioning and supporting the net. Similar embodiments are disclosed in various footbag informational websites, such as, for example, www.efootbag.com and www.footbag.org. While the game of footbag net appears well recognized among the footbag playing community, enhancements or improvements to both the game and apparatuses for playing the game appear non-existent or limited. The disclosure herein, however, provides an enhancement and improvement to the game of footbag net, and results in a game and apparatus that requires a higher level of skill and stamina to play than the more traditional games of footbag net and circle kick, or games of similar import.

More specifically, the disclosure herein provides an apparatus that enables division of a substantially flat playing surface into at least two playing zones separated by a net and having side walls positioned substantially perpendicular to both the net and playing surface. The opposing side walls provide reaction surfaces that players may use to outwit players on the opposing team. More specifically, the footbag may be directed at and angled off one of the first and second side walls into the court of the opposing team. This mode of play is in contrast to the more conventional style of play that requires the footbag be maintained inside an imaginary boundary running perpendicular to both the net and playing surface.

An apparatus for playing a game of footbag is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a playing surface that is essentially rectangular is shape. A net divides the playing surface into a pair of open ended playing zones. Opposing first and second side walls are positioned adjacent first and second ends of the net, and provide a pair of reaction surfaces that players may use in getting the footbag from one playing zone to the other. The net, together with the first and second sidewalls, divides the playing surface into first and second square or rectangular playing zones. A court boundary provides the rear-most ends of the first and second playing zones. The net is supported in substantially vertical position by a first support post and a second support post. The first and second support posts, together with the first and second sidewalls, are held in place by a series of support brackets and counterweights that are spaced along opposing first and second sides of the court.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the court apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an overhead view of one embodiment of the court apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of one embodiment of the net and supporting structure of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a frontal view of a side-wall panel of the present invention;

FIG. 5A illustrates a frontal view of a first tie plate of the present invention;

FIG. 5B illustrates a frontal view of a second tie plate of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a further views of one embodiment of the net and supporting structure of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of an eye-bolt fastener of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of a net support post of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates side and overhead views of one embodiment of a first support bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates side and overhead views of one embodiment of a second support bracket of the present invention; and

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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