Adapter for Anchor-Engaging Post for Base

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/553,892 filed on Feb. 15, 2024, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates generally to ground securing mechanisms for sporting equipment and more specifically to an adapter for ground securing structures for baseball bases.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

In the prior art, baseball and softball bases are designed to be secured to the ground on which they are positioned when in use. As shown in FIGS. 1A-B and 2A-B, in many configurations the base 100 includes a body 101 having a recess 102 located within a lower portion 104 of the body 100. An upper portion 106 is attached or formed along with the lower portion 104 and provides the contact surface for the body 100. The upper portion 106 is designed to be compressible in order to cushion the individual making contact with the base 100 during game play.

To engage and hold the base 100 in position on the ground or other supporting surface, as best shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, a securing mechanism 108 for the base 100 is formed with an alignment post 110 disposed within the recess 102 that is secured to the lower portion 104 and that extends outwardly from the lower position 104 within the recess 102. The mechanism 108 additionally includes a number of bores 112 formed in the lower surface 104 adjacent the post 110.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2B, the securing mechanism 108 additionally includes a sleeve 114 engaged with the alignment post 110. The sleeve 114 is formed with a bracket 116 including a number of apertures 118 alignable with the bores 112 in the lower surface 104. The sleeve 114 has an internal cross-section at least slightly larger than the post 110 such that the sleeve 114 can be positioned around the post 110 to align the apertures 118 in the bracket 116 with the bores 112. The apertures 118 receive fasteners 120 therein that can be engaged within the bores 112 to secured the bracket 116 to the lower portion 104.

In addition to aligning the apertures 118 with the bores 112, the sleeve 114 functions to directly engage an anchor 122 disposed within the ground 124 to which the base 100 is to be secured. The sleeve 114 is formed with a length that extends outwardly from the recess 102 a sufficient distance to be engaged with the anchor 122 disposed within the ground 124. The anchor 122 is disposed in a fixed position within the ground 124 such as by forming a hole in the ground and placing the anchor 122 therein. To secure the base 100 to the ground, the portion of the sleeve 114 extending beyond the recess 102 is inserted within or around the anchor 122 to position the base 100 in the desired position on the ground 124.

However, different variations of baseball and/or softball have different requirements for the size of the bases utilized with those sports. However, if a particular area of ground is to be utilized for baseball and/or softball of different types, the anchors utilized to secured the bases are positioned in the ground in a manner that is not readily moveable to adjust the position of the anchors. As a result, the anchors used may not be acceptable to accommodate the bases for the different sports. More specifically, the size of the bases for baseball 100 and softball 100′, as well as for different levels of these sports, and consequently the position of the posts 110,110′ at the center of the base, are different from one another. Because of this, even if the posts secured to different bases are able to fit within or around the same anchor, the positioning of the bases on the ground are not similar in their alignment with the required base line or path 126, as shown in FIG. 3.

To remedy this issue some prior art solutions have been developed that involve forming the anchor with a pair of tubes. The anchor which includes the pair of tubes can be disposed in the ground at a location where the position of each of the tubes allows for the proper placement of different bases with regard to the baseline. However, this prior art solution creates significant issues with regard to the proper placement of the anchor in the ground to position the tubes at the correct locations with respect to the baseline.

Other prior art solutions involve the securing of the post to the bottom of the base in a position offset from alignment with the center of the base. In this construction, the base can be positioned in different orientations with regard to the baseline based on the rotation of the base relative to the anchor prior to engaging the post within the anchor. However, in this construction the top or cover of the base that is secured to the bottom is not aligned with the baseline, and a separate top or cover must be employed with the base to provide the proper aligned base for the sport to be played.

Therefore, in order to overcome these shortcomings of the prior art it is desirable to develop an adapter for a baseball and/or softball base or the like that has a simplified instruction that enable bases of different sizes and/or orientations to be engaged with a single anchor in alignment with a single baseline aligned with the anchor.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, an adapter is formed for use with a post disposed on the lower or bottom surface of the base. The adapter includes a first member including a first base plate and a first sleeve extending outwardly therefrom. A second member is fixed to the first member in an offset position and includes a second base plate that is affixed to the first base plate, and a second sleeve that extends outwardly from the second base plate. The first sleeve has a length less than that of the second sleeve. Using the adapter, the second sleeve can be aligned or offset from the post in order to enable the second sleeve to be engaged with the anchor to align bases of different sizes with a single anchor and baseline.

Other objectives, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from this summary and its descriptions of certain embodiments of such formulations and compositions, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art having knowledge of the synthetic techniques described therewith. Such objectives, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken into conjunction with the accompanying examples, data, and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1A-1B are bottom plan and cross-sectional views of a prior art base.

FIGS. 2A-2B are bottom plan and cross-sectional views of a prior art base including a post secured thereto.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the offset of the position of a post secured to prior art bases having different sizes to be attached to an anchor on a baseline.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an adapter and a bottom surface and post for a base constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 5A-5C are bottom plan, cross-sectional and bottom isometric views of the adapter of FIG. 4 engaged with the post to position the adapter in an aligned position.

FIGS. 6A-6C are bottom plan, cross-sectional and bottom isometric views of the adapter of FIG. 4 engaged with the post to position the adapter in an aligned position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a ground engaging adapter constructed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 4. The adapter 10 includes a body 12 including a first member 14 and a second member 16. The body 12 can be formed of any suitable material, such as a rigid material including a plastic or a metal, or combinations thereof. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the body 12 is formed of a metal material, such as a steel or aluminum.

The first member 14 is formed with a first base plate 18 and a first sleeve 20 extending outwardly from one side 22 of the first base plate 18. The first base plate 18 includes a first aperture 24 that is aligned with the passage 26 defined within the interior of the first sleeve 20. The first base plate 18 can be formed separately from the first sleeve 20 and attached thereto in any suitable manner, or can be formed integrally therewith.

The second member 16 of the body 12 includes a second base plate 28 and a second sleeve 30 extending outwardly from one side 32 of the second base plate 28. The second base plate 28 includes a second aperture 34 that is aligned with the passage 36 defined within the interior of the second sleeve 30. The second base plate 28 can be formed separately from the second sleeve 30 and attached thereto in any suitable manner, or can be formed integrally therewith.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 are secured and/or affixed to one another in an offset and co-planar configuration with the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 are engaged with one another along adjacent sides of each of the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28. The amount of the offset between the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 is determined by the distance it is desired move space the second sleeve 30 from the first sleeve 20 to accommodate for the positioning required for the second sleeve 30 on bases of different sizes, e.g., a position for the second sleeve 30 on an eighteen (18) inch square base and a position for the second sleeve 30 on a fifteen (15′) inch square base. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the offset of the center of the first sleeve 20 and the center of the second sleeve 30 is between about 1.0 in and about 2.0 in, and more preferably about 1.5 in.

To secure the base plates 18,28 in this position, as best shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, any suitable securing mechanism, material or device 38 can be utilized, such as a clamp, an adhesive or a weld 40 extending between the base plates 18,28, among other suitable mechanisms, materials or devices. While a securing mechanism 38 that permanently affixes the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 to one another is shown in the illustrated embodiment, i.e., the weld 40, securing mechanisms 38 that are releasable and/or adjustable to enable the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 to be disengaged from one another and/or secured to one another in variable configurations are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure.

Alternatively, as illustrated in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 5A-6C, the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 can be integrally formed with one another in a fixed offset position using a suitable rigid material, such as a metal or plastic. In addition, the first sleeve 20 and the second sleeve 30 can be integrally formed with their respective base plates 18,28 using a suitable rigid material, such as a metal or plastic, or can be formed separately therefrom and secured to the base plates 18,28 in any suitable manner.

To enable the adapter 10 to be engaged with a bottom surface 40 of a base 42, the first base plate 18 and the second base plate 28 each include one or more mounting holes 44 extending therethrough. The mounting holes 44 are alignable with mounting bores 46 located in the bottom surface 40 of the base 42, such that a fastener 43 such as a screw, bolt or similar element can be inserted through the holes 44 into engagement with the bores 46 to secure the first base plate 18 or the second base plate 28 to the bottom surface 40 of the base 42.

Between the bores 46, the bottom surface 40 of the base 42 additionally includes an alignment post 48 that is affixed to and extends outwardly from the bottom surface 40 but that remains disposed within recess 47 defined by the bottom surface 40. The post 48 has a shape similar to and slightly smaller in perimeter or diameter than the first sleeve 20 and/or the second sleeve 30, such that the post 48 can slide into the interior of the first sleeve 20 or the second sleeve 30. The alignment post 48 additionally aligns the holes 44 in either of the first base plate 18 or the second base plate 28 with the bores 46 in the bottom surface 40 of the base 42 when inserted within the first sleeve 20 or second sleeve 30, respectively. This alignment provided by the alignment post 48 significantly simplifies the attachment of the adapter 10 to the base 42 regardless of which sleeve 20,30 is engaged with the alignment post 48.

Further, the first sleeve 20 is formed with a length extending outwardly from the first base plate 18 that is approximately equal to or less than the length of the alignment post 48 extending outwardly from the bottom surface 40. In contrast, the length of the second sleeve 30 extending outwardly from the second base plate 28 is significantly longer than that of the first sleeve 20 and the alignment post 48. With this configuration, the second sleeve 30 has a length sufficient to engage the ground anchor 50, whether the second sleeve 30 is engaged with the alignment post 48 or not. In addition, the length of the first sleeve 20 enables the first sleeve 20 to locate the second sleeve 30 in the necessary offset position to engage the ground anchor 50, while preventing the first sleeve 20 from extending beyond the alignment post 48 and out of the recess 47, thereby avoiding any interference with the proper position of the base 42 flush against the ground 52, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5B and 6B.

In use, as best shown in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 5A-5C, when a base 42 including the bottom surface 40 and post 48 has a size or configuration that enables the position of the post 48 on the base 42 to properly align the base 42 with the anchor 50 disposed in the ground 52 and the associated base line (not shown), the adapter 10 can be positioned on the base 42 with the second sleeve 30 disposed around the alignment post 48. In this position, the mounting holes 44 in the second base plate 28 are aligned with the mounting bores 46 in the bottom surface 40 of the base 42, such that fasteners 43 inserted through the mounting holes 44 into the mounting bores 46 can secure the second sleeve 30 around the post 48. The second sleeve 30 can then be inserted within or around the anchor to hold the base 42 in the proper orientation on the ground 52. In addition, in this position the first sleeve 20 is disposed in an offset position relative to the alignment post 48 but where the first sleeve 20 is retained entirely within the recess 47 defined by the bottom surface 40, allowing the base 42 to be positioned flush against the ground 52 when the second sleeve 30 is fully engaged with the anchor 50.

Alternatively, in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 6A-6C, when the size and/or configuration of the base 42 requires the second sleeve 30 to be offset from the position of the post 48 on the base 42 for proper alignment of the base 42 relative to the anchor 50 and the associated base line, the first sleeve 20 is positioned around the post 48. In this position, the mounting holes 44 in the first base plate 18 are aligned with the mounting bores 46 in the bottom surface 40 of the base 42, such that fasteners 43 can be inserted through the mounting holes 44 into the mounting bores 46 to secure the first sleeve 30 around the post 48. The second sleeve 30 in the offset position relative to the post 48 can then be inserted within the anchor 50 to hold the base 42 in the proper orientation on the ground 52 while the first sleeve 20 is disposed entirely within the recess 47, allowing the base 42 to be positioned flush against the ground 52 when the second sleeve 30 is fully engaged with the anchor 50.

As it is only the engagement of the fasteners 43 within the bores 46 that retains the adapter 10 on the base 42, the adapter 10 can be readily and quickly switched in configuration and/or mounted to a base 42 to accommodate the require orientation for the base 42.

The invention and the manner and process of making and using it are now described in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, to make and use the same. It is to be understood that the foregoing describes preferred embodiments of the present invention and that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.