REMOVABLE INDICATOR FOR AN IMPACT DEVICE THAT PROVIDES AN INDICATION OF WHERE AN IMPACT OCCURRED ON THE DEVICE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/521,018, filed on June 16, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to devices that can be temporarily applied to at the front of a cricket bat or on a bowling practice pitch to provide an indication of where on the bat a cricket ball contacts during a swing.

[0004] Description of the Related Art

[0005] Next to soccer, cricket is probably one of the most highly played sports in the world. Numerous devices exist to help players practice. It would be beneficial to provide a device that lets a player (batsmen and bowler) or a coach know where on a bat/cricket pitch that the bat struck the ball during the pitch to enable the player to better adjust his/her bat swing and ball pitch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007] In one embodiment, the present invention is a temporary indicator that can be applied to the front of a cricket back and a bowling practice pitch to indicate where the bat struck a cricket ball during a bat swing and where the bowl is bowled on the cricket pitch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. In the drawings:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a removable applique according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of a cricket bat using the removable applique of FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a removable applique according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a removable applique according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a removable applique according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary cricket pitch according to the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 6 is an exemplary Graphical User Interface ("GUI") showing a cricket bat used with the applique according to the present invention being photographed;

[0016] FIG. 7 is an exemplary GUI showing a cell phone application scanning the bat of FIG. 6;

[0017] FIG. 8 is an exemplary GUI showing the cell phone application displaying locations on the bat where a user hit a ball;

[0018] FIG. 9 is an exemplary GUI showing percentages of ball hits calculated based on the total number and locations of ball hits on the bat; [0019] FIG. 10 is an exemplary GUI allowing the user to select a range of days to compare ball hits on the bat;

[0020] FIG. 11 is an exemplary GUI showing graphs of ball hits over the number of days selected from the GUI in FIG. 10; and

[0021] FIG. 12 is an exemplary flowchart showing an exemplary use of the cell phone application .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In the drawings, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. As used herein, the term "inner" means a location on a layer that is closer to a cricket bat and the term "outer" means a location on a layer that is farther from the cricket bat.

[0023] The embodiments illustrated below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. These embodiments are chosen and described to best explain the principle of the invention and its application and practical use and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

[0024] Reference herein to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the

specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiments. The same applies to the term "implementation."

[0025] As used in this application, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion.

[0026] Additionally, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, "X employs A or B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then "X employs A or B" is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form .

[0027] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each numerical value and range should be interpreted as being approximate as if the word "about" or

"approximately" preceded the value of the value or range.

[0028] The use of figure numbers and/or figure reference labels in the claims is intended to identify one or more possible embodiments of the claimed subject matter in order to facilitate the interpretation of the claims. Such use is not to be construed as necessarily limiting the scope of those claims to the embodiments shown in the corresponding figures.

[0029] It should be understood that the steps of the exemplary methods set forth herein are not necessarily required to be performed in the order described, and the order of the steps of such methods should be understood to be merely exemplary. Likewise, additional steps may be included in such methods, and certain steps may be omitted or combined, in methods consistent with various embodiments of the present invention.

[0030] Although the elements in the following method claims, if any, are recited in a particular sequence with corresponding labeling, unless the claim recitations otherwise imply a particular sequence for implementing some or all of those elements, those elements are not necessarily intended to be limited to being implemented in that particular sequence.

[0031] The present invention provides a temporary applique to the front of a cricket bat that provides a visual indication of where on the bat that a cricket ball struck during a swing. While one use of the present invention is for a cricket bat, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present device can have other applications as well .

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, a first exemplary embodiment of a temporary applique 100 according to the present invention is shown. Applique 100 provides a visual indication of where a cricket ball (not shown) is struck by a cricket bat 50 (shown in FIG. 2).

[0033] Applique 100 has a plurality of layers 110, 120, 130 laid on top of each other in that order. Layers 110, 120, 130 are planar sheets that are cut and sized to fit on a striking face 54 of cricket bat 50. While additional layers may be provided on top of or between layers 110, 120, 130, layers 110, 120, 130 are a minimum required for this embodiment.

[0034] Layer 110 is an inner layer that can be constructed from an adhesive paper. Inner layer 110 has an inner surface 112 that includes an adhesive. The adhesive is used to removably adhere applique 100 to the cricket bat 50. The adhesive is strong enough to keep applique 100 from peeling off the bat 50, yet allows for easy removal of applique 100 from the bat 50 after applique 100 has been used. After applique 100 is removed from the bat 50, it may be desired to wipe the bat 50 with a solvent to remove any residual adhesive from the bat 50. Outer surface 114 of inner layer 110 also has an adhesive. The adhesive can be the same type of adhesive as is applied to inner surface 112 of inner layer 110.

[0035] Layer 120 is an intermediate layer that is disposed on outer surface 114 of inner layer 110. Intermediate layer 120 is saturated with a chalk dust, dye, or other colorant. Intermediate Layer 120 can be constructed from a colored chalk, dye, paper, or other suitable device that provides a visible contrast to outer layer 130. Intermediate layer 120 includes an inner surface 122 that contacts the adhesive on outer surface 114 of inner layer 110 so that intermediate layer 120 adheres to inner layer 110. Intermediate layer 120 also has an outer surface 124 having a colorant thereon. In an exemplary embodiment, the colorant can be a colored piece of paper with a chalk or dye impregnated on outer surface 124. Alternatively, intermediate layer 120 can be simply a layer of chalk or dye.

Intermediate layer 120 has smaller length and width dimensions than inner layer 110 and is adhered to inner layer 110 so that a border of inner layer 110 is provided around intermediate layer 120.

[0036] Layer 130 is an outer layer that is disposed over intermediate layer 120. Outer layer 130 is a thin frangible membrane constructed from a frangible material such as a pierceable or breakable membrane, such as a thin tissue. Outer layer 130 has an inner surface 132 that totally covers intermediate layer 120.

Inner surface 132 also has larger length and width dimensions that intermediate layer 120 so that outer layer 130 extends beyond intermediate layer 120 and engage inner layer 110 around the perimeter of intermediate layer 120, thereby sealing intermediate layer 120 inside and between layers 110, 130.

[0037] Outer layer 130 is colored in a color that provides a color contrast with respect to the colorant of intermediate layer 120. In an exemplary embodiment, while the colorant can be blue, red, green, purple, or other bright color, outer layer 130 can be an opaque white. Optionally, because specific area on bat 50 provide better contact than other areas, different areas of intermediate layer 120 can be different colors.

[0038] By way of example only, FIG. 1A shows applique 100 marked off in different zones 160-164, with each zone 160-164 having a different indicia than an adjacent zone to indicate different contact areas on bat 50. The indicia can be colors, patterns, or any other type of indicia that can distinguish between different zones 160-164. In an exemplary embodiment, zone 160 indicates a good place to contact the ball; zone 162 indicates a fair place to hit the ball, and zone 164 indicates a poor place to hit the ball . While three exemplary zones 160-164 are shown, those skilled in the art will recognize that more or less than three zones can be provided. Also, the geometry of the zones can be altered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] When the bat strikes a pitched ball, outer layer 130 breaks at the impact location and the colorant from intermediate layer 120 leaches out of intermediate layer 120 and stains outer layer 130, providing a quick visual indication of where on the bat that the ball was struck. Applique 100 can be used several times before outer layer 130 has been covered by colorant to the point that a user can no longer distinguish new contact points from prior contact points. At this point, applique 100 is peeled away from the bat and discarded and a new applique 100 is applied to the bat.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, a second exemplary embodiment of a temporary applique 200 according to the present invention is shown. Applique 200 provides a visual indication at a location away from bat 50, such as on a cell phone, a laptop, or other electronic device (not shown) of where a cricket ball (not shown) is struck by cricket bat 50. Alternatively, or additionally, the indication can be an audible indication.

[0041] Applique 200 includes a force sensitive conductive fabric 210 that has an adhesive inner surface 212 and an outer contact surface 214. The adhesive in inner surface 212 is used to removably adhere applique 200 to a face 54 on a contact portion 52 of cricket bat 50. The adhesive is strong enough to keep applique 100 from peeling off contact portion 54, yet allows for easy removal of applique 100 from contact portion 54 after applique 100 has been used. After applique 100 is removed from bat 50, it may be desired to wipe the bat with a solvent to remove any residual adhesive from bat 50.

[0042] The force sensitive conductive fabric 210 can be a smart polymer sensor film, such as provided by http://www.sensorfilmkit.com/. Fabric 210 includes a conductive film and uses measurement resistors to constantly measure the electrical resistance across the fabric 210. If an object, such as a cricket ball, comes into contact with the film, the current across the fabric 210 changes and the resistance of the fabric 210 will return a different measurement by the

measurement resistors. The measurement value is then transmitted via electrical leads 220, 222 to a communication device 230 that is removable affixed to a handle 56 of bat 50. Communication device 230 wirelessly communicates via bluetooth or wifi with a cellphone or computer and transmits information about the location of the impact on bat 50. In an exemplary embodiment, such display can be provided graphically for the user to easily understand.

[0043] As discussed above, an audible signal can be provided to aid in telling the user if the contact with the ball was in a good location, a fair location, or a poor location, depending on the tone of the sound.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 3 a third exemplary embodiment of a temporary applique 300 according to the present invention is shown. Applique 300 provides a visual indication on bat 50 of where a cricket ball (not shown) is struck by cricket bat 50.

[0045] Applique 300 has a plurality of layers 310, 320, 330 laid on top of each other in that order. Layers 310, 320, 330 are planar sheets that are cut and sized to fit on a striking face 54 of cricket bat 50. While additional layers may be provided on top of or between layers 310, 320, 330, layers 310, 320, 330 are a minimum required for this embodiment.

[0046] Layer 310 is an inner layer that can be constructed from an adhesive paper. Inner layer 310 has an inner surface 312 that includes an adhesive. The adhesive is used to removably adhere applique 300 to the cricket bat 50. The adhesive is strong enough to keep applique 300 from peeling off the bat 50, yet allows for easy removal of applique 300 from the bat 50 after applique 300 has been used. After applique 300 is removed from the bat 50, it may be desired to wipe the bat 50 with a solvent to remove any residual adhesive from the bat 50. Outer surface 314 of inner layer 310 also has an adhesive. The adhesive can be the same type of adhesive as is applied to inner surface 312 of inner layer 310. The adhesive on outer surface 314 can be only on limited areas of inner layer 310 for reasons that will be further explained below.

[0047] Layer 320 is an intermediate layer that is disposed on outer surface 314 of inner layer 110. Intermediate layer 320 includes an inner surface 322 that contacts the adhesive on outer surface 314 of inner layer 310 so that intermediate layer 320 adheres to inner layer 310.

[0048] Inner surface 322 includes a plurality of microbeads 323 dispersed all along inner surface 322. M icrobeads 323 contain a paint, chalk, dye, or other colorant. Microbeads 323 are frangible so that, upon sufficient impact, microbeads 323 break, allowing the colorant inside microbeads 323 to be dispersed between intermediate layer 320 and inner layer 310. Because the adhesive on outer surface 314 of inner layer 310 is only applied in limited areas, the colorant dispersed from microbeads 323 after microbeads 323 break, and flows through spaces where adhesive is not present between inner layer 310 and intermediate layer 320.

Intermediate layer 320 is constructed from a transparent or translucent material, while microbeads 323 can be opaque so that, before microbeads 323 break, the colorant inside microbeads 323 is not visible but, after breaking, the colorant is visible between intermediate layer 320 and inner layer 310.

[0049] Layer 330 is an outer layer that is disposed over intermediate layer 320. Outer layer 330 includes an inner surface 332 that contacts the adhesive on outer surface 334 of intermediate layer 320 so that outer layer 330 adheres to intermediate layer 320.

[0050] Inner surface 332 includes a plurality of microbeads 333 dispersed all along inner surface 332. M icrobeads 333 contain a paint, chalk, dye, or other colorant. In an exemplary embodiment, the colorant inside microbeads 333 is a different color than the colorant inside microbeads 323.

[0051] Sim ilar to microbeads 323, microbeads 333 are frangible so that, upon sufficient impact, microbeads 333 break, allowing the colorant inside microbeads 333 to be dispersed between intermediate layer 320 and outer layer 330. Because the adhesive on outer surface 324 of intermediate layer 320 is only applied in limited areas, the colorant dispersed from microbeads 333 after microbeads 333 break, and flows through spaces where adhesive is not present between outer layer 330 and intermediate layer 320. Outer layer 330 is constructed from a transparent or translucent material, while microbeads 333 can be opaque so that, before microbeads 333 break, the colorant inside microbeads 333 is not visible but, after breaking, the colorant is visible between intermediate layer 320 and outer layer 330. [0052] When the bat 50 strikes a pitched ball, microbeads 333 break at the impact location and the colorant from microbeads 333 leaches out of the broken microbeads 333 and between outer layer 330 and intermediate layer 320. Because outer layer 330 is transparent or translucent, the colorant is visible, providing an indication of where the contact location was on bat 50.

[0053] When the force between the ball and bat 50 is sufficiently large, microbeads 323 also break in addition to microbeads 333 breaking. Because the colorant in microbeads 323 is a different color than the colorant in microbeads 333, the batter can easily see the difference in colors and can determine that the contact was stronger than the contact required to just break microbeads 333.

[0054] Optionally, intermediate layer 320 can be porous so that, when microbeads 323 and 333 break, the colorant from those microbeads can mix, yielding a different color. For example, if the colorant in microbeads 323 is blue and the colorant in microbeads 333 is red, when the colorants mix, a purple color is produced, indicating that the contact force was sufficiently strong to also break microbeads 323 as well as microbeads 333.

[0055] Applique 300 can be used several times before a sufficient number of microbeads 323, 333 have been fractured to the point that a user can no longer distinguish new contact points from prior contact points. At this point, applique 300 is peeled away from the bat and discarded and a new applique 300 is applied to the bat.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 4, a fourth exemplary embodiment of a temporary applique 400 according to the present invention is shown. Applique 400 provides a visual indication on bat 50 of where a cricket ball (not shown) is struck by cricket bat 50.

[0057] Applique 400 has a single layer 410 having an inner surface 412 that includes an adhesive. The adhesive is used to removably adhere applique 400 to the cricket bat 50. The adhesive is strong enough to keep applique 400 from peeling off the bat 50, yet allows for easy removal of applique 400 from the bat 50 after applique 300 has been used. After applique 400 is removed from the bat 50, it may be desired to wipe the bat 50 with a solvent to remove any residual adhesive from the bat 50.

[0058] Outer surface 414 of layer 410 includes a plurality of microbeads 420, 422. Micro beads 420 include a dye and microbeads include a reagent. Microbeads 420, 422 are frangible so that, upon sufficient impact, microbeads 420, 422 break. Microbeads 420, 422 are small enough and close enough to each other such that, when bat 50 contacts a ball, a plurality of adjacent microbeads 420, 422 rupture so that reagent and dye react with each other, leaving a visible indicia on outer surface 414.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary cricket pitch 500 according to the present invention. Pitch 500 includes a pitch surface 510 and an overlay 520 that is overlaid onto pitch surface 510 in front of the batter's wicket 512.

[0060] Overlay 520 include a plurality of zones 522-528, each marked with a different indicia, to indicate different bounce locations of a pitched ball and, consequently, different qualities of a bowled ball. The indicia can be chalk dust, dye, or other colorant that is imparted onto the ball when the ball is bounced on the colorant as the ball is bowled. By looking at the ball after the ball is bowled, the bowler can readily determine where the ball landed on the pitch surface 510 during the bowl.

[0061] Alternatively, overlay 520 can use any of the technology described above with respect to any of appliques 100-400 and can be used with or without any of appliques 100-400 as described above.

[0062] Any of appliques 100-400 and overlay 520 can be used with a mobile device application ("app") that can plot use across a plurality of contacts between the ball and bat 50. To use the app, referring to FIGS. 6-11 and the flowchart 600 of FIG. 12, in step 602 and as shown in FIG. 6, a user takes a picture of bat 50 after bat 50 has been struck multiple times, leaving a plurality of indicia on bat 50 indicating where bat 50 struck the ball each time. In step 604, as shown in FIG. 7, the app scans the length of bat 50, starting at the handle end, and in step 606, as shown in FIG. 8, displays the indicia on bat 50 that is indicative of hit locations on bat 50. In step 608, the app then determines the number of hits and their location on bat and calculates the percentage of hits in certain predefined zones on the face of bat 50, such as, for example, a sweet spot (shown in FIG. 9 as 55%), a handle end (shown in FIG. 9 as 30%), and a toe-end (shown in FIG. 9 as 15%), although those skilled in the art will recognize that other zones, such as left side, right side, etc. can be aggregated as well .

[0063] The app time stamps each picture for future reference and to allow the user, in step 610 and as shown in FIG. 10, to select a range of days over which the user has used bat 50 with any of applique 100-400 and the app. In step 612, shown in FIG. 11, the app displays a graph showing progress over the selected time period. As shown in FIG. 11, the graph can be a bar chart, a pie chart, or any other chart that can be analyzed by the user to determine whether the user has improved over time.

[0064] It will be further understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.