REBOUND BALL GAME

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/012,144, filed December 7, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to a recreational game and in particular to a portable rebound ball game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Stepball or stoopball (the terms are used synonymously herein) is a game involving one or more players in which a ball is thrown at an outdoor flight of steps or stairway to strike one of the steps and rebound back toward the players. The object of the game is for a player to catch a ball thrown at the stairway after it has rebounded off one of the steps .

Because a suitable stoop or outdoor stairway may be unavailable or inaccessible for a variety of reasons, several portable stepball apparatus have been proposed by which players may conceivably play stepball in such places as a street, a parking lot, a playground, a park or campground, a back yard, a school yard, a driveway, on the beach or virtually any other outdoor location. Examples of such apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos . 4,133,531; 5,407,210; 5,531,449; 5,967,519 and 6,585,610.

Of these, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,531,449 and 6,585,610 disclose devices comprising front and rear panels joined at an upper edge to form an assembly which, in operation,

assumes the shape of an inverted "V" . The sloped front panel of these devices functions as the game playing surface.

Classic stepball is played against an actual stoop or outdoor stairway consisting of steps having horizontal foot- supporting tread portions and vertical riser portions. In contrast, the sloped front panels U.S. Patent Nos . 5,531,449 and 6,585,610 merely have slightly raised ridges or protrusions provided along sloping "riser" portions of the sloped front panel . The ridges or protrusions are neither structurally nor functionally equivalent in size, shape, depth, orientation or surface area to a tread portion of a step of a conventional stairway. And, the slope of the "riser" portions of the front panel distorts the rebound that would be realized by a conventional vertical step riser. As such, the apparatus taught in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,531,449 and 6,585,610 are in many ways incapable of simulating the rebound characteristics of stepball played on a conventional stairway.

U.S. Patent Nos. 4,133,531; 5,407,210 and 5,967,519 disclose portable stepball apparatus having essentially vertical riser portions and essentially horizontal tread portions. While the apparatus disclosed in these patents more closely simulate the experience of "classic" stepball, they still cannot produce an optimal stepball experience.

In particular, none of these disclosures teach the use of "nosing" on the forward or player- facing edges of the treads which protrude over (i.e., overhang) the risers beneath. The significance of nosing is that, in combination with treads of substantial depth (unlike the mere ridges or protrusions described in Patent Nos. 5,531,449 and 6,585,610) , a ball which strikes the nosing -- in contrast with a simple "noseless" riser/tread edge -- will undergo more complicated and unpredictable bounces, caroms or

rebounds, thereby enhancing the experience and challenge of a stepball game. That is, tread nosing produces an element of rebound unpredictability which is unattainable by the aforementioned patents.

An advantage exists, therefore, for a portable stepball game apparatus including a stairway at least one step having an essentially vertical riser portion and an essentially horizontal tread portion and further including nosing on the forward or player- facing edges of the tread portion (s) which protrudes over the riser portions therebeneath, whereby the apparatus enables players to enjoy a more challenging experience than heretofore offered by portable stepball/stoopball devices heretofore known in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable stepball/stoopball game apparatus including a lightweight, simulated stairway that is collapsible into a portable carrying case or frame which may be easily transported to and erected in virtually any play environment. The stairway comprises at least one step including an essentially vertical riser portion and an essentially horizontal tread portion wherein the tread portion includes nosing on its player- facing edge which protrudes over the riser portion therebeneath .

Preferably, the frame includes a handle for transporting the apparatus. Optionally, the frame or the stairway may include wheels, rollers, casters, skids and/or other means for facilitating pulled transport of the apparatus. The frame further desirably includes a

compartment for storing at least one ball suitable for use in playing stepball .

Other details, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of the presently preferred embodiments and presently preferred methods of practicing the invention proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof shown, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating how a game of stepball/stoopball may be played using a stepball apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a stepball apparatus according to the present invention in an operative play position and an inoperative storage/transport position; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stepball apparatus according to the present invention in an operative play position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings wherein like or similar references indicate like or similar elements throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a schematic depiction of a typical play in a stepball game employing a portable stepball game apparatus according to the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a portable stepball game apparatus, identified generally by reference numeral 10, is shown in side view along with (at least) first and second players 12 and 14. Player 12 plays the role of a pitcher and at least one player 14 plays the role of a fielder. To initiate play, the pitcher 12 tosses a resilient ball 16 toward apparatus 10. The ball rebounds off of any number of surfaces of apparatus 10 that may result in an "out" or a "hit" as generally described below.

As generally described in U.S. Patent No. 5,531,449, typical, although non- limitative, rules of a game played with the apparatus 10, which have a number of similarities with baseball are as follows:

1. Any number of players can play the game;

2. The ball 16 is thrown at a striking face of apparatus 10;

3. The rebounding ball 16 must* stay in bounds;

4. If ball 16 bounces outside of unillustrated foul lines it is an automatic out;

5. All other outs are made by the opposing player (s) 14 catching the ball 16 on the fly;

6. Each player or team gets three outs;

7. Games can be played using a team or having each player keep their own individual scores;

8. The highest score wins,- and

9. The usual length of a game is nine innings.

It will be understood, however, that players may invent any number of rebound games and rules therefor using apparatus 10 to satisfy their needs, desires and imagination.

FIG. 2 (in solid line) and FIG. 3 illustrate a stepball apparatus 10 according to the present invention in an upright, operative position. Apparatus 10 comprises a stairway 18 preferably pivotally connected generally proximate a first end thereof at pivot 20 to carrying frame 22. While a pivoted connection between stairway 18 and frame 22 is preferred, it is not required. For example, stairway 18 and frame 22 may be connected to one another by one or more slots and tabs or other means for enabling placement of the stairway into its operative and inoperative positions as described herein.

Frame 22 preferably has opposed side members 24 and opposed end members 26 affixed substantially transverse to the side members. Frame 22 further includes first support means 28 (FIG. 2) for supporting stairway 18 in a closed, inoperative position. First support means 28 may be a panel. However, to conserve construction materials and carrying weight, first support means 28 may comprise a pair of opposed flanges provided on inner faces of side members 24. Frame 22 and stairway 18 may be fabricated from any suitable rugged material such as wood, plastic, metal, or any combination thereof, that is/are of sufficient strength to sustain the structural integrity of the frame and stairway in both operative and inoperative positions of the stairway. Although not illustrated, frame 22 may also include a cover situated generally opposite first support means 28 for

inhibiting ingress of moisture and debris when the stairway 18 is a collapsed, inoperative position.

Frame 22 desirably includes a carrying handle 30 for easy transport of the apparatus and a compartment 32 for carrying at least one resilient playing ball 34. As most clearly shown in FIG. 2, compartment 32 desirably includes a floor 36 and a wall 38, which in combination with an end member 26, form a receptacle for holding ball (s) 34. Frame 22 is preferably selectively opened and closed by a cover 40 which may be pivoted, snapped, latched, friction-fit , or otherwise connected or connectable to frame 22.

Apparatus 10 also includes second support means 42 for releasably sustaining stairway 18 in an upright, operative position, as described below. Second support means 42 may comprise one or more removable single or multiple piece braces or struts which may be stored in compartment 32 or other suitable location exteriorly or interiorly of frame 22. In the alternative, as illustrated, second support means 42 may comprise at least one, preferably two or more, hinged two-link collapsible struts or braces (only one of which is shown in the figures) pivotally supported at their opposite ends to the stairway 18 and frame 22. Second support means 42 is preferably disposed at an angle α (FIG. 2) to provide sufficient support to stairway 18 when the stairway is in an upright, operative (play) position. Generally, angle α may range from about 20° to about 90. In operation, angle α is such that stairway 18 is preferably positioned whereby the tread and riser portions of the stairway are respectively disposed essentially parallel and perpendicular to frame 22 and local terrain (which may or may not be perfectly horizontal) when the stairway is in operative, play position.

For both compactness of the apparatus and protection of the stairway in transport and storage, it is preferred that in a collapsed, inoperative position (as shown in dashed line in FIG. 2) , stairway 18 have a depth "D", including stringer (s) and tread (s) (discussed below) , whereby the stairway is disposed substantially at or below the height of frame 22 as established by at least one of either the side members 24 and opposed end members 26. Apparatus 10 may also include wheels, rollers, casters, skids and/or other means 44 for facilitating pushed or pulled transport of the apparatus over a ground surface ranging from hard pavement to soft sand.

Stairway 18 includes at least one "step" comprising a riser portion 46 and a tread portion 48. The riser and tread portions of stairway 18 are supported by one or more stringers 50. Significantly, and unlike currently known stepball/stoopball game apparatus, the present invention includes protruding edges or "nosing" 50 provided on tread portion (s) 48 on the player-facing side of stairway 18 that overhang the riser portion (s) 46 therebeneath. Nosing 50 produces complicated unpredictable bounces, caroms or rebounds, thereby enhancing the experience and challenge of a stepball game. That is, tread nosing 50 produces an element of rebound unpredictability which is unattainable by portable stepball/stoopball apparatus heretofore known in the art . An example of a rebound influenced by the presence of nosing 50 is depicted in FIG. 1. As seen in that figure, a ball 16 is thrown by player 12 (the pitcher) whereupon it first strikes a tread portion 48 of a lowermost one of several steps of stairway 18. The ball then bounces from the lowermost tread portion and strikes a junction of the upper region of the corresponding riser portion 46 and nosing of the tread portion 48 of the next higher step. The existence

of nosing 50 in this instance changes the trajectory of the ball which is ultimately rebounded back to player 14 (the fielder) . Were nosing 50 not present, the rebound to fielder 14 under similar toss conditions would quickly become predictable to the fielder, thereby deleteriously affecting the challenge of the game. It will be understood that the trajectory of the ball 16 shown in FIG. 1 from the pitcher 12 to the fielder 14 is only one of an essentially limitless number of trajectories that the ball may traverse in space because of the presence of a stairway 18 having step(s) including tread portions of substantial depth and forwardly projecting nosing 50.

Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed herein.