Portable basketball rim testing device

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:868795

Abbott, W Bruce ^[1]; Davis, Karl C ^[2]

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1. 610 Clover St., Cheney, WA 99004
2. Box 722, Richland, WA 99352

A portable basketball rim rebound testing device 10 is illustrated in two preferred embodiments for testing the rebound or energy absorption characteristics of a basketball rim 12 and its accompanying support to determine likely rebound or energy absorption charcteristics of the system. The apparatus 10 includes a depending frame 28 having a C-clamp 36 for releasably rigidly connecting the frame to the basketball rim 12. A glide weight 60 is mounted on a guide rod 52 permitting the weight 60 to be dropped against a calibrated spring 56 held on an abutment surface on the rod to generate for deflecting the basketball rim and then rebounding the weight upwardly. A photosensor 66 is mounted on the depending frame 28 to sense passage of reflective surfaces 75 on the weight to thereby obtain sufficient data to enable a processing means 26 to calculate the rebound velocity and relate it to an energy absorption percentage rate of the rim system 12. A readout is provided to display the energy absorption percentage.

• Research Organization: Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• Assignee: Abbott, W. Bruce (610 Clover St., Cheney, WA 99004);Davis, Karl C. (Box 722, Richland, WA 99352)
• Patent Number(s): US 5214954
• OSTI ID: 868795
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

portable
basketball
rim
testing
device
rebound
10
illustrated
preferred
embodiments
energy
absorption
characteristics
12
accompanying
support
determine
charcteristics
apparatus
depending
frame
28
c-clamp
36
releasably
rigidly
connecting
glide
weight
60
mounted
guide
rod
52
permitting
dropped
calibrated
spring
56
held
abutment
surface
generate
deflecting
rebounding
upwardly
photosensor
66
sense
passage
reflective
surfaces
75
obtain
sufficient
data
enable
processing
means
26
calculate
velocity
relate
percentage
rate
readout
provided
display
absorption characteristics
basketball rim
energy absorption
preferred embodiments
preferred embodiment
reflective surface
reflective surfaces
testing device
processing means
portable basketball
/73/