Singular packaging system for basketball rim, backboard and pole
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     The invention relates to a packaging system for shipping a basketball rim, backboard and pole, all in one relatively flat container. 
     Prior packaging systems for basketball assemblies typically package the rim and backboard in one container, and the pole in another container. This requires shipment and handling of two separate items, and also requires the retailer to stock two separate items, as well as requiring the consumer to carry home two separate packages. 
     There is a need for a simple, cost effective packaging and shipping assembly eliminating the need for two separate containers. The cost savings from a shipping standpoint alone are significant. Furthermore, the retailer need only stock a single type item which is entirely self-contained. Furthermore, the consumer need only purchase and carry home a singular container. 
     The present invention provides a complete basketball assembly within a singular flat container, including all mounting hardware. The invention includes various advantageous packaging features preventing shifting of components and protecting components from one another, and enabling a cost effective subassembly packing system for preassembly in modular form prior to insertion into the final container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a basketball rim, backboard and pole as assembled by the user. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a packaging and shipping assembly for the basketball rim, backboard, pole, extension arm and hardware of FIG. 1 all in one relatively flat container. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the contents of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the protective end cap of FIG. 3 in its flat prefolded condition. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIG. 4 in a partially folded condition. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a subassembly of FIG. 3 in its flat prefolded condition. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the subassembly of FIG. 8 in a partially folded condition. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a basketball rim 4, backboard 6, pole 8, extension arm 10, and various mounting hardware. FIG. 2 shows a packaging and shipping assembly 12 for the basketball rim, backboard, pole, extension arm and hardware of FIG. 1 all in one relatively flat container or outer carton 14. 
     Pole 8 is divided into three sections 16, 18 and 20, FIG. 1. Upper pole section 16 is swedged to a reduced diameter at its lower end 22 for being telescopically received within the upper end of central pole section 18 and secured thereto by bolts such as 24 extending through aligned apertures such as 26. Lower pole section 20 is swedged to a reduced diameter at its upper end 28 for being telescopically received within the lower end of central pole section 18 and is mounted thereto by bolts such as 30 extending through aligned apertures such as 32. For shipping, the upper and lower pole sections 16 and 20 are packaged side-by-side in parallel along one longitudinal side of outer carton 14, with respective swedged sections 22 and 28 at opposite ends. Central pole section 18 and extension arm 10 are mounted side-by-side in parallel along the other longitudinal side of outer carton 14 by subassembly 34. Rim 4 includes inverted L-shaped mounting bracket 36 and is packaged within central box 38. 
     As will be described in detail, subassembly 34, central box 38 and protective end caps 40 and 42 for the pole sections cooperate to retain the pole sections, extension arm and rim within the outer container and prevent shifting movement of these components. Backboard 6 lies flat over central rim containing box 38. The top of the backboard rests on subassembly 34 and the bottom outer sides of the backboard rest on end caps 40 and 42. This orientation is desired because if the backboard were turned 180°, the top of the backboard might otherwise be susceptible to downward tilting toward pole sections 16 and 20. 
     Central rim-containing box 38 spaces, separates and prevents laterally inward movement of the two pole sections 16 and 20 on one side and the third pole section 18 and extension arm 10 on the other side. End cap members 40 and 42 provide a subassembly around the ends of pole sections 16 and 20 to protect the ends of outer carton 14 from cookie-cutter effect puncturing from the ends of the two pole sections 16 and 20. Subassembly 34 on the other side of the outer container includes a first chamber 44, FIGS. 2, 3 and 10, for securing the third pole section 18 and having end cap portions such as 46 protecting the ends of outer carton 14 from cookie-cutter effect puncturing from the ends of third pole section 18. Subassembly 34 has a second chamber 48 with detents provided by apertures 50 and 52, FIG. 10, engaging and securing extension arm 10. Central box 38 is wedged between subassembly 34 and one or the other of end caps 40 and 42. Central box 38 includes a flap 54, FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, folded outwardly away from box 38 and trapped between the end of outer carton 14 and subassembly 34 to prevent longitudinal shifting of central box 38. 
     Extension arm 10 connects and supports backboard 6 from top pole piece section 16, FIG. 1. Extension arm 10 includes a first mounting plate 56 at its lower end for mounting to upper pole section 16 by means of U-bolts 58 and 60 and nuts such as 61. The extension arm has a second mounting plate 62 at its upper end for mounting to backboard 6 and L-bracket 36 by means of bolts such as 64 and nuts 65. Mounting plates 56 and 62 are wider than the diameter of the pole. Extension arm 10 lays flat on its side in outer carton 14 such that the mounting plates 56 and 62 extend upwardly along their width above the pole sections, FIG. 8. End caps 40 and 42 have portions such as 66 and 68, FIGS. 3 and 6, extending away from and beyond the outer diameter of pole sections 16 and 20 to a given height. Subassembly 34 has a height substantially equal to the given height, such that backboard 6 rests on equal height subassemblies provided by the subassembly module 34 and the subassembly provided by end caps 40 and 42 within outer carton 14. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the subassemblies retaining and supporting the two pole sections on the one side, the third pole section and extension arm on the other side, and the rim in the middle, have the same height and each supports the backboard lying thereon. Outer carton 14 has a length and width approximately the same as the backboard. The height of the outer carton is approximately equal to the thickness of the backboard plus the width of the widest mounting plate 56 or 62, if different, of extension arm 10. 
     End caps 40 and 42 provide a subassembly unit or module for pole sections 16 and 20 for stacking on a pallet or the like for later insertion into carton 14. Subassembly 34, mounting third pole section 18 and extension arm 10, likewise provides a subassembly unit or module for stacking on a pallet, for later insertion into carton 14. Central box 38 likewise provides a subassembly unit or module for insertion into carton 14 between the subassembly units on the opposite sides thereof. The carton is thus packed by inserting the various subassembly units or modules into the carton, with backboard 6 lying flat on the units. 
     End caps 40 and 42 are each formed by a corrugated blank folded to form an open box covering the ends of pole sections 16 and 20 and having a plurality of folded sections above and below the pole sections to provide an increased wall thickness, as at 66 and 68, above the bottom and below the top of outer carton 14. The plurality of folded sections forming the increased thickness walls at 66 and 68 have a combined thickness substantially equal to the difference in height between the diameter of the pole sections and the width of the widest mounting plate 56 or 62. 
     FIG. 5 shows the end cap blank 70 in its flat prefolded condition. The blank is a corrugated cardboard member. The blank is initially folded upwardly along fold lines 72 and 74 and then folded inwardly along fold lines 76, 78, 80 and 82, to the condition shown in FIG. 6. The blank is then folded upwardly along fold lines 84 and 86, and then inwardly along fold lines 88 and 90, and then downwardly along fold lines 92 and 94, with tabs 96 and 98 inserted into apertures 100 and 102, to yield the open boxes 40 and 42 as shown in FIG. 3. The end 104 of the box opposite the open end covers the ends of the pole sections and prevents cookie-cutter puncturing of the end of outer carton 14, FIG. 4. 
     Subassembly 34 is a corrugated blank 106, FIG. 9, folded over and retaining extension arm 10, and folded over and retaining third pole section 18. As viewed in FIG. 9, blank 106 has a longitudinal left-right axis parallel to third pole section 18 and folded along longitudinal left-right fold lines such as 108. The blank has left and right edges 110 and 112. 
     A first longitudinal flap 114 is cut from the blank along three sides 116, 118 and 120 of the flap and folded rightwardly along a lateral fold line 122 spaced leftwardly from the right edge 112 of the blank. The left cut line 118 includes a finger hole 124 therethrough. The flap 114 has a first portion 126 extending rightwardly from fold line 122 after the noted folding and extending beneath the right end of third pole section 18. Flap 114 has a second portion 46 folded upwardly from first portion 126 along a lateral fold line 128 substantially at the right edge 112 of the blank. Second flap portion 46 extends upwardly across the right end of pole section 18, FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and 10, and protects the end of outer carton 14 from cookie-cutter effect puncturing from pole section 18. Flap 114 has a third portion 130 folded leftwardly from second portion 46 along lateral fold line 132 and extending leftwardly over the right end of pole section 18. 
     A second longitudinal flap 134 is cut from blank 106 along three sides 136, 138 and 140 of the flap, with cut line 138 having a finger hole 142. Flap 134 is folded leftwardly along lateral fold line 144 spaced rightwardly from left edge 110 of the blank. Flap 134 has a first portion 146 extending leftwardly from fold line 144 after the noted folding and extending beneath the left end of pole section 18. Flap 134 has a second portion 148 folded upwardly from first portion 146 along lateral fold line 150 substantially at the left edge 110 of the blank. Second portion 148 extends upwardly across the left end of pole section 18. Flap 134 has a third portion 152 folded rightwardly from second portion 148 along lateral fold line 154 and extending rightwardly over the left end of third pole section 18. 
     Blank 106 includes a portion 156 folded along longitudinal fold lines 158 and 160 and spaced above pole section 18 by a gap 162, FIGS. 2, 3 and 8. This upper portion 156 of the blank has inverted sections 164 and 166 at its ends having lateral cut lines 168 and 170 and folded downwardly and inwardly along longitudinal fold lines 172, 174 and 176 for inverted section 164, and longitudinal fold lines 178, 180 and 182 for inverted section 166. Inverted sections 164 and 166 engage the top of flap portions 130 and 152 to further secure and retain the ends of pole section 18, FIGS. 3 and 8. 
     Extension arm 10 is laid flat on its side on section 184 of blank 106, and the blank is folded upwardly along longitudinal fold line 186 to have an upstanding wall portion 188, FIG. 10, and then is folded inwardly along longitudinal fold line 190 to have an intermediate top section 192, with mounting brackets 56 and 62 extending upwardly through slot-like apertures 52 and 50, respectively. The blank is then folded downwardly along longitudinal fold line 194 to have a vertical dividing wall section 196 vertically extending between and dividing extension arm 10 and pole section 18. Blank 106 is then folded upwardly along longitudinal fold line 108 and then inwardly along longitudinal fold line 160 to provide top wall 156 spaced above intermediate top wall 92 by the height of gap 62 which is the vertical height of portions 198 and 200 of inverted sections 164 and 166. The blank is then folded over and around the portion of the blank which is folded around the extension arm. The blank is folded downwardly at longitudinal fold line 158, and tab 202 is inserted into aperture 204, to provide a self-contained modular type subassembly unit which may be stacked on a pallet for later insertion into outer carton 14. 
     Blank 106 has a pair of shallow U-shaped apertures 206 and 208 formed along the longitudinal fold line 194 forming the top of dividing wall 196. During the fold along line 194 the portions 210 and 212 in the center of each U are not folded but instead extend upwardly, FIG. 10, to form a pair of spacer and support tabs 210 and 212 engaging the underside of the blank portion 156 folded therearound. The top of the tabs is at substantially the same height as the top of the highest mounting plate 56 or 62. 
     All of the mounting hardware in FIG. 1 is contained within carton 14. A pair of support arms 214 and 216 are mounted at their lower ends to extension arm 10 by bolt 218 and nut 219 and at their upper ends to backboard 6 by L-brackets 220 and 222 and bolts such as 224 and 226 and nuts such as 225 and 227. Support arms 214 and 216 are packed inside third pole section 18 in subassembly 34. The various bolts and nuts and other mounting hardware are packed in central box 38 with rim 4. 
     It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.