Field of the invention

The invention relates to a target goal.

Background of the invention In team games, such as e.g. ice hockey, floorball, soccer, or handball, in which the aim is to bring the game equipment (that is, for example an ice hockey puck, a soccer ball, a floorball ball, or a handball ball) to the goal of the opponent, the accuracy of the shots (that is, hits on the game equipment by kicking or hitting with a stick) by the players towards the goal is an essential factor on the success of the team. This is important particularly because in a situation of penetration towards the opponent's goal, the opponent's goalkeeper and defence usually attempt to cover the front of their goal as well as possible. Therefore, there are few free lines from the attacking zone to the goal, and these possible holes in the defence usually have a small area in the plane perpendicular to the direction of shooting. Moreover, in team games which are by nature full of action, the situations always change rapidly so that there is very little time to make a shot towards the goal. For this reason, it has been understood that a good fieldsman has to be a quick and accurate shooter, and therefore the teams try to practice shots towards the goal as much as possible. Developing the shot accuracy and game skills is important in view of the motivation and enthusiasm of the player as well, because it is obvious that good performance in exercises is much easier and development is faster when the training produces clear and measurable results. In many individual sports as well, there is a need to practice shooting the game equipment by using a club, by kicking or throwing it into a defined goal. Such sports include e.g. golf as well as Frisbee golf which has recently gained much popularity.

For enhancing the training in shooting accuracy and speed, various target goals have been recently developed, that is, targets which are clearly smaller than the mouth of the goal and which a player of e.g. a team sport attempts to hit when training. A target goal of prior art comprises a frame part which is fastened within the frame of the goal by means of a particular fastening arm and a locking mechanism to be clamped on the frame tube of the goal frame, and which has substantially smaller outer and inner dimensions than the goal frame. Within the frame part, a flexible damping element is provided which receives the game equipment shot towards the target goal. The flexible damping element may also comprise a collecting device in which the equipment shot towards the target goal is received when the equipment has fallen within the frame part.

In target goals of prior art, the fastening of the frame part to the goal frame is complex and difficult to use. The way of fastening to the goal frame is disadvantageous, because it does not make it possible to fasten the target to just any location with respect to the goal frame. For example, it is not possible to fasten it to the center of the goal.

Brief summary of the invention

It is an aim of the invention to provide a novel target goal which can be fastened to a desired suitable object, such as a goal used in e.g. a team sport, or e.g. to a branch of a tree at a home training site, by a fastening that is simpler than in prior art and more easily adjustable to different positions in the object to which it is fastened.

The aim of the invention is achieved by a target goal wherein the target goal is fastened to a desired object, such as a goal used e.g. in a game, by means of at least one strap, rope or string having an adjustable length. To put it more precisely, the target goal according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 1 . Dependent claims 2 to 10 present some advantageous embodiments of the target goal according to the invention. The target goal according to the invention has the advantage of being easily and quickly installable, removable, and adjustable to any point in the object to which it is fastened, such as a goal of a team game. Moreover, the fastening by means of a strap, rope or string having an adjustable length is, as such, very strong, simple and inexpensive. Furthermore, the fastening used in the target goal according to the invention dampens impacts caused by hits of the game equipment in the appropriate way, irrespective of the strength of the impulse applied to the target goal by the equipment. As a result, the target goal can be made to sustain even great stress impacts caused by the equipment.

Description of the drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a front view of an ice hockey goal equipped with a target goal according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the ice hockey goal of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows a front view of a target goal installed in an ice hockey goal according to Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the target goal of Fig. 3.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The target goal 20 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is designed to be installed in the ice hockey goal 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. However, a corresponding structure could also be applied in connection with other games in which sticks, balls etc. are used, or in other team or individual sports where the aim of the player of the game is to thrust the game equipment by using a stick or other hitting equipment, by throwing or in another way, to a goal or another object defined by a frame, side posts, or other structures with predetermined dimensions, for practising hitting accuracy. The ice hockey goal shown in Fig. 1 comprises a frame 1 1 with a crossbar 1 1 a, a left post 1 1 b, a right post 1 1 c and a lower frame 1 1 d, as well as a left rear post and a right rear post (not shown in the figures). Furthermore, the ice hockey goal 10 comprises a goal net 12 comprising a top net 12a, a left side net 12b, a right side net 12c, and a rear net 12d.

The target goal 20 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a frame part 21 , a receiving part 22, and a fastening part 23. The frame part 21 determines the size of a hitting area 21 a for the target goal and is used as a fastening structure to which the receiving part 22 is fastened. The function of the receiving part 22 is to receive and collect the game equipment fallen inside the frame part 21 so that the person practising hitting accuracy can easily count the number of game equipment fallen in the target goal 20 and in this way determine the number of hits in relation to the total number of game equipment thrust. In the target goal 20 of Figs. 1 to 4, the frame part 21 is, in this case, a rim made of hollow steel tube and having a shape which is, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, circular, or e.g. rectangular so that the edges of the rim are rounded. The tube of the frame part 21 has a circular cross-section and an outer diameter of typically e.g. about 35 to 60 mm (depending on, among other things, the size of the target goal and the game equipment), and the wall thickness of the tube is typically e.g. about 0.5 to 1 .5 mm. Alternatively, the frame part 21 could be made of e.g. a solid steel tube, a tube having a cross-section different from the circular shape, or a beam having a suitable cross-sectional shape. Thus, the frame part 21 may have e.g. a rectangular, oval, triangular, or other polygonal shape instead of the circular shape. Also, the material of the frame part 21 is selected to give the target goal 20 a sufficient weight so that by gravity, the target goal 20 will maintain and restore its position and location as soon as possible after being hit by game equipment. However, the weight may be increased by auxiliary weights fastened to suitable places, if necessary. Thus, in the case of a frame part made of a tube, a suitable auxiliary weight may consist of e.g. sand or other grainy material with a sufficient weight, added into the frame part. Moreover, the frame part is preferably made of an impact-resistant and sufficiently rigid material, such as a suitable metal (e.g. steel or stainless steel). The surface of the tube, bar or beam may also be provided with a flexible coating of e.g. a rubbery or plastic coating, such as rubber or neoprene rubber. A coated material has the advantage of protecting the game equipment and dampening the noise caused by impacts of the hard game equipment.

The receiving part 22 comprises a game equipment receptacle 22a fastened to the frame part 21 as shown in the figures, and a fastening element 22b for fastening the game equipment receptacle 22a to the frame part 21 . In this case, the game equipment receptacle 22a is formed by a mesh woven of a suitable string or rope and fastened to the whole circumference of the frame part 21 . The mesh is designed and dimensioned to constitute a bag extending from the frame part 21 and hanging freely on that side of the frame part where it has been fastened with respect to the target goal. Thus, the game equipment fallen within the hitting area 21 a limited by the frame part 21 will be stopped and will remain in the game equipment receptacle 22a, to be removed after the practice of hitting accuracy and to be counted as game equipment having hit the target goal 20. The game equipment receptacle 22a may have a tubular shape, and its bottom may be openable and closable. In the simplest way, the structure of the bottom of the game equipment receptacle 22a can be made openable and closable by leaving the bottom of the game equipment receptacle open and by closing the bottom merely by rolling up the bagged or netted rear part of the game equipment receptacle 22a. Another way to close the openable and closable game equipment receptacle 22a is, for example, to tie the open bottom by suitable strings or strips so that the game equipment cannot escape through the bottom of the game equipment receptacle 22a except after untying the strings or strips from the tied bottom. An openable and closable bottom is needed e.g. when a large number of game equipment are shot at the target goal (in this case, for example ice hockey pucks) and they are not to remain in the game equipment receptacle but to be placed in e.g. a specific zone in the rear part of the ice hockey goal 10. The fastening element 21 b comprises wire loops provided on the frame part 21 at regular intervals, the outermost strings of the mesh forming the game equipment receptacle 22a being threaded and tied or otherwise fastened to the loops so that the edge of the mesh remains evenly fastened to the loops formed at the edge of the frame part.21 In this embodiment, the loops are formed e.g. by fastening a wire (such as a steel wire) bent in a zig-zag shape at its bends, that is, at so-called frame fastening points on the outer surface of the frame part 21 . The fastening of the game equipment receptacle 22a may also be different, but it is preferably implemented so that the edge of the mesh or bag used as the game equipment receptacle 22a is uniformly fastened around the frame part 21 so that the game equipment fallen in the hitting area 21 a of the frame part 21 cannot escape the game equipment receptacle 22a but is guided into the game equipment receptacle 22a as intended.

In this embodiment, the fastening part 23 comprises two suspension straps 24 and 25 having a length adjustable by adjustable strap locks 24a and 25a, the suspension straps 24 and 25 being fastened to the frame part 21 of the target goal 20 and to the crossbar of the ice hockey goal 10 by loops, knots or the like, as shown in the figures. Consequently, in this embodiment, the strap locks 24a and 25a are used as adjusting means suitable for adjusting the length of the suspension straps 24 and 25. Furthermore, the free ends of the suspension straps 24 and 25 are, in this embodiment, provided with securing clamps 24b and 25b by which the ends can be fastened to e.g. the top net 12a of an ice hockey goal 10. The strap locks 24a and 24b make it possible to adjust the length of the suspension straps so that the target goal 20 can be placed at any desired position with respect to the ice hockey goal 10. In this embodiment, two suspension straps 24 and 25 are provided because the target goal is to remain in a given position with respect to the ice hockey goal 10. However, the two separate suspension straps 24 and 25 could also be replaced by a single suspension strap having a sufficient width, or e.g. a single suspension strap consisting of two parts, to be fastened at fastening points in both the target goal and the ice hockey goal. Such a suspension strap configuration may also be used to keep the target goal 20 in a given position with respect to the ice hockey goal 10.

The target goal according to the invention may be implemented, in many respects, in a manner deviating from the example embodiment presented above. In an embodiment, more than two suspension straps, strings or ropes may be provided to form the fastening part. One or more suspension straps, strings or ropes of the fastening part are preferably fastened between the object and the target goal so that the target goal cannot spontaneously twist into an undesired position with respect to the object but maintains its position as desired. In some cases, even this may not be relevant, if it is desired that the target goal is e.g. more freely movable than described above, in order to increase the degree of difficulty by making the target goal freely turnable. Normally, however, the desired stable position is one in which the hitting area formed by the frame part of the target goal is in a position perpendicular or at least inclined to the incoming direction of the game equipment which should hit the target goal. The fastening part of the target goal according to the invention may also comprise specific fastening devices by which the suspension straps, strings or ropes are fastened to the desired object for fastening. For example, for fastening to a tubular object, the suspension straps, strings or ropes may be equipped with e.g. pincers-like quick clamps comprising hooked claws which can be lapped and turned around a tubular object such as the crossbar of an ice hockey, soccer, floor ball, or handball goal, and which can be opened by compressing the quick clamps and closed by releasing the compression. If the fastening part is formed of suspension strings or ropes, their length may be adjusted by using suitable adjusting means and, if necessary (if the fastening is not implemented by means of a knot or loop made in the suspension string or rope), fastening members suitable for fastening them to the object and to the frame part of the target goal. Furthermore, many other parts of the target goal may be implemented in a variety of ways. In an embodiment, the target goal might comprise, for example, a frame part with a number of hitting areas of possibly different sizes, connected to a separate game equipment receptacle for each or only some of these, or to a game equipment receptacle common to all the hitting areas. Moreover, in such an embodiment, part of the game equipment receptacle may be open at the bottom, and/or part may be closed and/or openable and closable. Consequently, the target goal according to the invention is not limited to the example embodiment presented above but it may vary within the scope of the appended claims.