It is common for regulation size hockey nets to be large and difficult to maneuver. They are made with a steel frame and usually require two adults to move them when they are not on the ice. Manufacturers have made a variety of hockey nets of lighter materials and various designs to address the needs of people who want to have their own nets for playing or practicing hockey on the street. The compromise with lighter nets, which are usually made of hard plastic, is the short-term durability of these nets, which are unable to withstand the rigors of the game of hockey. These nets are similar in size, because the game of hockey, as it is played today, requires a goalie to protect the large scoring space. Although these nets are usually not as heavy as the regulation professional nets, they are still big and difficult to move around with ease. Some are collapsible and can be reassembled. Storing the nets may pose a problem because of the sheer size of them. Another problem when playing a game of pick-up hockey is finding a goalie for both teams.

During the last number of years the sale of rollerblades throughout this country and the world has increased rapidly. People of all ages are enjoying the freedom of just putting on their rollerblades and going skating. There are no arenas to book or major rules to follow, it's freedom on wheels anytime, anywhere. In the spirit of this phenomena comes the invention of the mini hockey goal net to attract the rollerblader to the new exciting sport of No Fuss Hockey. The mini net is approximately a quarter the size of a regular hockey net but as strong or stronger. It requires no goalie but provides a challenging target to shoot at because of its size. These steel nets can easily be transported by adults or by children by fitting them on a back rack of a bicycle or in the trunk of a standard car and taking them to a favorite blacktop area to rollerblade and play a game of hockey. Gone are the days when two goalies are needed to play a pick-up game of ice hockey or roller hockey. The mini net will solve that problem by doing away with the need for goalies.

With the invention of the mini hockey goal net, hockey as we have come to know it will change, at least for the No Fuss Hockey player. In this version of hockey we'll see people of all ages and backgrounds using the mini net, rollerblades, hockey sticks, a hockey ball, along with the rules of the No Fuss Hockey Game, to socially interact with people in their community.

They will be participating or just watching the no hassle game of No Fuss Hockey in the great outdoors. The No Fuss game is like rollerblading, just put on your skates and head outdoors. In this case, put down your mini nets in a blacktop area, preferably in an area that has natural borders like curbs or fences or anything that can corral a hockey ball. You make up two teams with one to three people per team and you play against each other, trying to score on the mini nets. When one team scores a goal the team scored upon gets replaced with the players that are waiting. It's a game with no body checking, no whistles, no offsides, no referees and no goalies. It's hockey in a no fuss way for everyone to enjoy.

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the mini hockey goal net, Figure 1 is a side view of the vertical U-shaped front opening of the miniature hockey goal net. Figure 2 is a side view of the larger horizontal U-shaped opening placed in a vertical position. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3 there is a back brace, but otherwise the construction is the same as that described for Figure 1. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 there is a back brace, but otherwise the construction is the same as that described for Figure 2. Figure 5 is an enlargement of the center back brace in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 6 is an enlargement of the upper crossbar in Figure 3. Figure 7 is an enlargement of the lower crossbar in Figure 3.

The construction of the first embodiment of the mini net as shown in Figure 1A, is as follows.

All pipes used in the construction are threaded. Assemble the vertical U-shaped piece by hand screwing elbows #2 onto each end of a horizontal piece of pipe #3, which forms the upper crossbar. A pipe wrench can be used to tighten each section. To each elbow #2 connect vertical piece of pipe #1, thus forming the goal posts of the vertical U-shaped piece. Attach each elbow #5 at the base of each of the vertical goal post pipes # 1 and point the elbows toward the back of the net. Attach two pipes #4 to elbows #5 to make the sides of the horizontal U-shaped piece. Add two elbows #6 on each end of these side pieces #4 and point the elbows toward each other. Take two short pieces of pipe #7 and attach one of them to each of elbows #6. Take the union #8, which is a plumbing fitting that unscrews into two pieces, and screw one piece of the union to the end of each short pipe #7. Both halves of the union fitting will meet in the center of the lower cross bar. Screw the two parts of the union #8 back together to complete the lower crossbar of the horizontal U-shaped piece. The frame of the net is now complete. Take a suitable size of hockey net mesh and secure it to the frame. A unique feature of this mini hockey net is that, by tipping it over, either end can be used for the front of the net, (see Figures 1 and 2). This provides two different sized net openings for scoring. The larger scoring area can be used by players requiring a larger target and the smaller scoring area by players requiring a more challenging target.

Construction of the second embodiment of the mini net as shown in Figure 3A, which includes a center brace, illustrated separately in Figure 5, is as follows. All pipes used in the construction are threaded. Assemble the vertical U-shaped piece by hand screwing to each end of center T-fitting # 18, both pipes #3. Add elbows #2 to each end of pipes #3 to form upper crossbar (see Figure 6). A pipe wrench can be used to tighten each section. To each elbow #2 connect vertical piece of pipe #1, thus forming the goal posts of the vertical U-shaped piece.

Attach each elbow #5 at the base of each of the vertical goal post pipes # 1 and point the elbows toward the back of the net. Attach two pipes #4 to elbows #5 to make the sides of the horizontal U-shaped piece. Add two elbows #6 on each end of these side pieces #4 and point the elbows toward each other. Take pipe #7 and screw it into left elbow #6 (see Figure 7). Then add T-fitting #10 to the other end of pipe #7, and attach short piece of pipe # 12 to horizontal end of T-fitting #10. Take the union #8, which is a plumbing fitting that unscrews into two pieces, and screw one piece of the union fitting to the other end of pipe # 12. Attach short pipe #11 to remaining elbow #6. Attach the other half of union fitting #8 to the other end of short pipe # 11. Now connect the two parts of union fitting #8 to complete the lower horizontal crossbar. To connect the center brace (see Figure 5), attach short pipe #14 to T-fitting #10 on lower crossbar, add 45 degree elbow 15 to other end of pipe # 14, then screw 2.5 cm. (1 in.) nipple pipe # 16 into other end of 45 degree elbow. Take half of union fitting # 17 and screw it onto other end of nipple. The bottom part of the center brace is now complete. Take the other half of union fitting #17 and screw it onto pipe #13. Attach other end of pipe #13 to upper T- fitting # 18. Both halves of the union fitting will now meet. Screw the two parts of the union fitting # 17 back together. The frame of the net is now complete. Take a suitable size of hockey net mesh and secure it to the frame.

Embodiment three of the mini hockey goal net will be molded forms of embodiment one and embodiment two.

Other areas and uses for the mini hockey goal net are evident when we take a look at Canadian patent no. 1197531 issued on Dec. 3d 1985 to Ahlgren Goran. It is for a device which makes it possible to rapidly and conveniently divide a regular ice hockey rink into at least two smaller enclosed rinks. A device such as this combined with sets of mini hockey goal nets in each section would be a valuable aid in using the ice surface, thus allowing more children or adults to hone their skills of passing and shooting a puck. In hockey, players are taught to keep their shot down. Children playing with the mini hockey goal nets either on ice or on pavement will notice that the height of the mini net is where they want to be in terms of finding a good range for their shot. The mini hockey goal net can be used in a variety of other ways because its size and ease of transportation allows it to be in places where a regular hockey net would not be convenient. The mini hockey goal net can be used to practice shooting on goal at home or at the office, or in any area deemed suitable. The mini net, along with the philosophy of No Fuss Hockey, can be used in school curriculums as a teaching aid to demonstrate a nonviolent and creative approach to hockey for girls and boys. It could be used by computer software companies and others who are looking for ways to keep their employees creative and productive. The mini hockey goal net, hockey ball and stick have unlimited uses for the creative mind Various modifications and changes can be made to the illustrated construction of the mini hockey goal net without departing from the scope of this invention. As an example only, instead of no back brace, or a single back brace centrally located, there might be two such braces located at the corners of the rear frame members. All such changes and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be part of the present invention.