BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field Of The Invention

This invention relates to geometrical tennis lanes which are particularly suited for creating a practice and learning environment for the novice as well as the seasoned tennis player. One novel feature of the invention resides in the geometric construction of the lanes which exactly duplicates the narrow, restricted target area range of a full size, conventional tennis court.

The improved tennis lanes provide a convenient and economical means for practicing basic tennis techniques, thuβ allowing the tennis player to focus attention on his body and racquet. In particular, the tennis lanes of the present invention provide the tennis player with a means to develop proper ground stroke technique, utilizing and understanding concepts of tennis ball spin, racquet acceleration, ball speed, body lift, shoulder rotation, tennis racquet follow-through and elevation or trajectory of the tennis ball traveling over the net.

2. Description Of The Prior Art

Presently, if a tennis player wishes to practice his tennis serve or other strokes, he has limited facilities available.

Many tennis players practice with another player on a standard tennis court, but this has the disadvantage of using another player and a full-size court, A full-size court, however, does not allow the tennis player to maximize his time at practicing serves or strokes.

Efforts have been previously made to provide aids for tennis players. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,858,880 issued

January 7, 1975, relates to a plurality of rectangular-shaped courts, a central receiving court and a means for automatically collecting tennis balls.

U.S. Patent No. 4,204,679 issued May 27, 1980, discloses a tennis practice service net which is described as useful in helping the tennis player improve his ability to stroke his serve consistently and with accuracy. This tennis practice service net is described as consisting essentially of a court net and an elongated rectangular practice service net overlying and co-planar with the court net, wherein said practice net inwardly of its ends and below its top being cut away defining an elongated rectangular opening over said court net.

U.S. Patent No. 4,436,304 issued March 13, 1984, relates to a tennis teaching aid for use on a tennis court. More particular, the patent describes a device suitable for use on a tennis court in combination with a standard net and net posts. The

tennis teaching aid is described as a white target band simulating the top band of the standard net, but spaced above the top band of the standard net by a variable amount.

U.S. Patent No. 4,088,317 issued May 9, 1978, discloses a portable tennis court which includes a net assembly consisting of two housings, wherein the net is contained on a reel assembly within one of the housings. The portable court is described as being readily assembled or disassembled into a tennis court.

U.S. Patent No. 4,239,235 issued December 16, 1980, relates to a training device for football, or other ball games.

For tennis, the training device is described as advantageously replacing the traditional wall for training alone.

As can be readily determined from the above, there is an ongoing effort to provide teaching aids that will help the tennis player improve his tennis game.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a plurality of geometrical tennis lanes forming a circle or a semi-circle to help the tennis player improve his ability to hit his serves with greater accuracy. Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of geometrical tennis lanes forming a circle or a semi-circle with strategically placed targets adjacent to each other and co-planar with the tennis lanes side borders, which targets exactly duplicate the precise angle that a tennis player must hit the ball within during a base-line to base-line shot. Hitting the ball within

these targets serves to encourage the tennis player to hit the ball in a straight line. This is important because on a full-size court, whether the tennis player is hitting the ball down the line or cross-court, hitting the ball in a straight line is half the game.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide geometrical tennis lanes containing a target area having three distinct target zones. These target zones duplicate the exact height of a standard tennis net, the top of the net and the area above the net.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide geometrical tennis lanes having ball- hrowing means and ball-collecting means.

Finally, it is still another object of this invention to provide a means for practicing volley shots.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the drawings. The present invention relates to a plurality of geometrical tennis lanes forming a circle or a semi-circle and having pie-shaped configurations. The shape of the tennis lanes exactly duplicate the narrow, restricted target area range of a full-sized tennis court. The tennis lanes contain two distinct side targets, adjacent to each other and co-planar with the side

borders of each lane. In addition, the tennis lanes contain a central target area which has three distinct target zones. A removable tennis net is provided that is separate from the central target area. The floor of the tennis lane comprises a downward slope which has three distinct downward slopes or inclines to facilitate collecting and retrieval of tennis balls. Finally, the tennis lanes contain ball-throwing means to facilitate and maximize the tennis player's practice time.

Brief Description Of The drawings

The invention is further described by reference to the appended drawings taken in conjunction with the following description where:

Fig. 1. Is an overall top drawing of the geometrical tennis lanes of the present invention showing major portions of the lanes.

Fig. 2. is a frontal perspective drawing of the geometrical tennis lanes which depicts the side barriers, side targets, central target area, removable tennis net and ball-throwing means of the present invention.

Fig. 3. is a longitudinal (vertical) cross-sectional view taken along the center line of a geometrical tennis lane showing the downward slope of the lane floor, said slope having three distinct slopes.

Fig. 4. is a top view of a geometrical tennis lane which depicts the angles involved in describing the lane walls or borders and the location of the side targets.

Fig. 5. is a perspective drawing which depicts a side target of the present invention.

Fig. 6. is a side view of a side target which depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7. is a side view of a side target which depicts yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8. is a side view of a side target which depicts still another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9. is a side view of a free standing side target of the present invention.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

This invention resides in geometrical tennis lanes which are particularly suitable for providing the tennis player with a new and novel means for practicing basic tennis techniques.

The geometrical tennis lanes shown in FIG. 1. and FIG. 2. include Illustrative examples of a plurality of tennis lanes 3, 5,

9, 11, 13, and 15 forming a circle or a semi-circle; each lane contains a boundary barrier 2 such as a fence, netting or canvas. In addition, each lane contains a base line 4, support posts 6, 8,

10, and 12, side targets 11, central target area 14 and pit area 22. The tennis lane borders or walls 7 and 9 are defined by angle

(A) 18. Each lane 3, 5, 9, 11, 13, and 15 contain ball-throwing ' means, 16, Ball-throwing means 16 which are suitable for use herein are described in greater detail in co-pending U.S. Patent Application, Serial No. 47,617, filed on May 7, 1987, entitled 5 "Ball Feeding And Throwing Apparatus" the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The overall length of the geometric tennis lanes generally is from about 63 feet to about 100 feet, especially from about 68 feet to about 91 feet, preferably from about 68 feet to 10 about 75 feet. The border or side wall of each lane is defined by angle (A) 18 which is an angle of from about 19 degrees to about 30 degrees, preferably from about 22 degrees to about 28 degrees, most preferably from about 22 degrees to about 25 degrees as measured from the center of pit area 22. Pit area 22 is defined by a radius 15 of from about 10 feet to about 40 feet, especially from about 20 feet to about 35 feet, preferably from about 25 feet to about 30 feet. Central target area 14 is positioned adjacent to the pit area 22 and to the front of ball-throwing means 16.

The baseline 4 and central target area 14 are separated 0 from each other by a distance which duplicates the distance between the baseline and net on a standard size tennis court. Thus, baseline 4 and central target area 14 are separated by a distance of from about 34 feet to about 45 feet, especially from about 36 feet to about 43 feet, preferably from about 38 feet to about 40 . 5 feet. Ideally the baseline and central target area are separated

by a distance of 39 feet because this is the true distance between the baseline and center net on a full size, regulation tennis court. Removable net 30 is removably attached to support post 6; support post 6 is representative of two supports mutually spaced apart and co-planar with geometric tennis lane borders 7 and 9, where said baseline and removable net 30 are separated by a distance of from about 8 feet to about 14 feet, preferably from about 9 feet to about 12 feet, most preferably from about 9 feet to about 10 feet. Removable net 30 is located at support 6 for the express purpose of allowing the tennis player to practice volley shots.

In FIG. 2., tennis lane borders 7 and 9 are composed of an opaque material, one suitable material is canvas. Another suitable material is chain link, such as the metallic chain link used in a chain link fence. Central target area 14, is additionally composed of an opaque material, one suitable opaque material is canvas, however, other materials may be used. Central target area 14, is composed of three distinct target areas, namely a bottom target zone 28 which represents a standard size tennis net, a middle target zone 26 which represents the top border of a standard size tennis net, and a top target zone 24, which represents the area above a standard size tennis net. An opening in central target 14 Is provided so that ball- hrowing means 16 may throw tennis balls to the tennis players. The opening in central

target 14 is not germane to this invention, however, it should be large enough for a standard size tennis ball to pass through.

The three target zones of central target 14 preferably are colored with three different colors to allow the tennis player to readily Identify each target zone while standing at base line 4.

The representation of FIG. 3. shows a floor area 33 having a downward slope, wherein said downward slope has three distinct slopes. The first slope (X) 32 has a downward incline of from about 1% to about 4%, especially from about 1% to about 3%, preferably from about 2% to about 3%. The second slop (Y) 46 has a downward incline of from about 2% to about 9%, especially from about 3% to about 8%, preferably from about 3% to about 7%. The. third slope (Z) 50 has a downward Incline of from about 1% to about 4%, preferably from about 1% to about 3%, most preferably from about 1% to about 2%.

Second slope 46 is elevated above and connectable attached to third slope 50 by wall 48. Wall 48 is generally defined by a distance of from about 1 foot to about 4 feet, preferably from about 2 feet to about 4 feet, most preferably from about 3 feet to about 4 feet. Third slope 50 extends outward to the center of pit area 74. Ball-throwing means 44 is anchored by suitable means to slope 50.

Tennis ball collecting means is effected by slope 33, which under the influence of gravity directs said balls to ball-throwing means 44.

In addition, central target area 42 has an opening at the bottom thereof to allow tennis balls access to ball-throwing means 44. Generally the opening at the bottom of central target area 42 is from about 3 inches to about 8 inches, preferably from about 3 Inches to about 4 inches, said opening extending along the entire bottom length of central target 42,

The downward slope percentage is calculated according to the following formula: a decline or downward slope of 1/8 Inch per foot is equal to a 1% decline; a decline of 1/4 inch per foot is equal to a 2% decline, while a decline of 3/4 inch per foot is equal to a 6% decline.

The outer barrier 31 of the geometric tennis lanes may be a fence or other suitable material. Side wall supports 34, 36, 38, and 40 are anchored to floor area 33 by suitable means and give support to side barrier 35 and central target 42. Side target 39 is removably attached to and superimposed on side wall support 38.

Removable top barrier 37 is supported by side supports 34, 36, 38, and 40. A net or other similar material is the desirable top barrier 37. It is preferred that the geometrical tennis lanes have a top barrier 37, however, said lanes can be utilized without said top barrier 37. Top barrier 37 aids in preventing tennis balls from being thrown or hit out of said lanes.

FIG. 4, is a top view of FIG. 3. and is representative of the angles utilized to define certain elements of the geometric tennis lanes herein. Outer barrier 31 and center pit area 74

depict the calculated length of said lanes as described in the description of FIG, 1. Center pit area 74 is the point of origin for angle (a) 70 which describes side borders 72 and 35 of each individual lane, Side target 39 is an elongated rectangular structure in cross section which has a height of from about 4 feet to about 18 feet, preferably from about 14 feet to about 18 feet; a width of about 3 inches to about 6 inches, preferably from about 4 Inches to about 6 inches; and a length of from about 3 inches to about 6 inches, preferably from about 4 inches to about 6 inches.

The position of side target 39 which is representative of two separate and mutually spaced apart side targets is described by angle (B) 56 as measured from the center of baseline 54 and intersecting with the tennis lane side border 35 at side target 39. The position of each side target 39 is defined by angle (B) of from about 17 degrees to about 25 degrees, preferably from about 19 degrees to about 23 degrees, most preferably from about 19 degrees to about 21 degrees as measured from the center of baseline 54 and intersecting with tennis lane side borders 35 at side target 38. Removable net 58 is connectably attached to side supports 38. Wall 48 is as described in the description of FIG, 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of side target 39 which has a concave cavity 53 extending the entire length of side target 39, Concave cavity 53 is designed to be superimposed on and removably

attached to support 38, Side target 39 is anchored to support 38 by suitable means.

FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Particularly, FIG. 6 Is a side view of side target 39 which contains a bolt 45, attachment plate 46 and nut 47 which connectably anchor side target 39 to side barrier 35,

FIG. 7 Is yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side view of side target 39 depicting side targets 39A and 39B which connectably attach to each other and anchor to side barrier 35. Side target 39A contains male connecting unit 41 which connectably attaches to female connecting unit 43 utilizing suitable means.

FIG. 8 is still another alternative embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 8 is side view of side target 39 which is similar to the view in FIG. 7, except that connecting plate 49 connectably anchors side target 39A and 39B to side barrier 35 at position 51.

FIG. 9 Is a side view of a free standing side target 39 which Is anchored to the tennis lane floor 46 (FIG.3) at position 52, utilizing suitable means.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be Imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.