초록 ▼

A pole joint screw may be used to connect a first section of a basketball support pole and a second section of a basketball support pole. The pole joint screw may include an elongated body including a first end and a second end, a head disposed on the first end of the elongated body, a threaded port

A pole joint screw may be used to connect a first section of a basketball support pole and a second section of a basketball support pole. The pole joint screw may include an elongated body including a first end and a second end, a head disposed on the first end of the elongated body, a threaded portion disposed on the second end of the elongated body, and a gap disposed between the head and the threaded portion. The gap is preferably sized and configured to receive a portion of the first section of the basketball support pole and a portion of the second section of the basketball support pole. The pole joint screw preferably freely rotates when the portion of the first section of the basketball support pole and the portion of the second section of the basketball support pole are located in the gap.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A pole joint screw for connecting a first section of a basketball support pole to a second section of a basketball support pole, the pole joint screw comprising: an elongated body including a first end and a second end; a head disposed on the first end of the elongated body;

What is claimed is: 1. A pole joint screw for connecting a first section of a basketball support pole to a second section of a basketball support pole, the pole joint screw comprising: an elongated body including a first end and a second end; a head disposed on the first end of the elongated body; a threaded portion disposed on the second end of the elongated body, the threaded portion including one or more threads; and a gap disposed between the head and the threaded portion, the gap being sized and configured to receive a portion of the first section of the basketball support pole and a portion of the second section of the basketball support pole; a first position in which the one or more threads engage the support pole and the pole joint screw can be attached or removed from the support pole; a second position in which a portion of the first section of the support pole and a portion of the second section of the support pole are disposed within the gap of the pole joint screw; wherein in the second position the one or more threads do not engage the support pole and the pole joint screw generally cannot be attached or removed from the support pole because the pole joint screw generally freely rotates in the second position. 2. The pole joint screw as in claim 1, wherein the threaded portion of the pole joint screw forms a self tapping screw. 3. The pole joint screw as in claim 1, further comprising an opening in the first section of the basketball support pole and an opening in the second section of the basketball support pole, the opening in the first section and the opening in the second section having a diameter that is generally less than a major diameter of the screw and generally equal to or larger than a minor diameter of the screw. 4. The pole joint screw as in claim 3, further comprising a length of the gap that is generally equal to the thickness of the first section and the second section of the basketball support pole. 5. A screw that is sized and configured to connect a first elongated section and a second elongated section of a support pole for a basketball system, the screw comprising: a body including a first end and a second end; a head disposed at the first end of the body, the head including one or more slots that are sized and configured to allow the screw to be rotated; a threaded portion disposed at the second end of the body, the threaded portion including one or more threads, each of the one or more threads including a first end that is disposed towards the first end of the body and a second end that is disposed towards the second end of the body; a gap disposed between the head and the threaded portion, the gap being sized and configured to receive a portion of the first section of the support pole and a portion of the second section of the support pole to allow the screw to connect the first and second sections of the support pole and prevent the unintentional release of the first and second sections; and an angled portion disposed at the first end of the one or more threads, the angled portion being sized and configured to allow the screw to simply rotate in a fixed position when the screw connects the first and second sections of the support pole, and rotating the screw in either direction will not cause the screw to be loosened or removed. 6. The screw as in claim 5, wherein the gap has a distance that is generally equal to the thickness of the first and second section of the support pole. 7. The screw as in claim 5, wherein the threaded portion forms a self tapping screw. 8. The screw as in claim 5, further comprising a first position in which the screw partially connects the components and a second position in which the screw has fully connected the components, the screw being capable of being intentionally disconnected from the components when the screw is in the first position and the screw being incapable of being unintentionally disconnected from the components in the second position. 9. The screw as in claim 5, wherein the screw freely rotates when the portion of the first section of the support pole and the portion of the second section of the support pole are located in the gap. 10. The screw as in claim 5, further comprising an opening in the first section of the support pole and an opening in the second section of the support pole, the opening in the first section of the support pole and the opening in the second section of the support pole having a diameter that is generally less than a major diameter of the screw and generally equal to or larger than a minor diameter of the screw. 11. The screw as in claim 5, further comprising a length of the gap that is generally equal to the thickness of the first section of the support pole and the thickness of the second section of the support pole that is disposed within the gap. 12. A pole joint screw for connecting a first elongated section of a basketball support pole and a second elongated section of a basketball support pole, the pole joint screw comprising: an elongated body including a first end and a second end; a head disposed at the first end of the elongated body, the head including a first surface that is disposed towards the elongated body and is disposed generally perpendicular to the elongated body; a threaded portion disposed towards the second end of the elongated body, the threaded portion including at least one thread and each thread including a first end disposed towards the first end of the elongated body and a second end disposed towards the second end of the elongated body; a gap disposed between the head and the threaded portion, the gap being sized and configured to receive a portion of the first section of the basketball support pole and a portion of the second section of the basketball support pole when the screw is connected to the support pole, the gap being sized and configured to allow the screw to freely rotate when the first and second sections of the support pole are connected and to prevent the unintentional release of the first and second sections; and a terminal section located at the first end of the thread, the terminal section being generally perpendicular to the body of the stem and generally parallel to the first surface of the head, the terminal section being generally equidistant from the first surface of the head; wherein the first surface of the head forms a first side of the gap and the terminal section forms a second side of the gap; and wherein when the first and second sections of the support pole are connected by the screw, rotating the screw in either direction will not cause the screw to be loosed or removed. 13. The pole joint screw as in claim 12, further comprising a first side of the thread that is generally disposed towards the first end of the elongated body and a second side of the thread that is generally disposed towards the second end of the elongated body, the terminal section being formed in the first side of the thread proximate the head of the screw. 14. The pole joint screw as in claim 12, wherein the terminal section of the thread does not engage the first section of the support pole or the second section of the support pole when the first and second sections of the support pole are connected, thereby allowing the screw to rotate freely. 15. The pole joint screw as in claim 12, further comprising a hole in the first section of the support pole and a slot in the second section of the support pole, the screw being inserted through the hole in the first section of the support pole and the slot in the second section of the support pole. 16. The pole joint screw as in claim 12, further comprising a length of the gap that is generally equal to the thickness of the first section of the support pole and the thickness of the second section of the support pole. 17. The pole joint screw as in claim 12, further comprising a first position in which the thread engages portions of the support pole so that the screw can be attached or removed, and a second position in which the thread does not engage portions of the support pole and the screw cannot be attached or removed.