TRAINING APPARATUS FOR OBJECT HITTING SPORTS

CROSS-REFERNCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/068,541, filed March 7, 2008, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a training apparatus for object hitting sports to help the user visualize and improve successful hitting techniques.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The importance of training in sports has been long recognized and has resulted in numerous training aids to assist in that training. These training aids have focused on the physical characteristics needed for a sport. Many effective training aids have been developed and are available in the marketplace.

A need still exists for an improved training aid that focuses on the mental aspects of object hitting sports, particularly the act of visualizing the successful hitting action of that sport. Many athletes and years of research by sports psychologists have proven that the act of visualizing success in the sport contributes greatly to actual success and improved performance during a game. The present invention is directed to that need and provides a training aid to assist the user in visualizing hitting a ball or puck successfully with the specific equipment used for that sport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a training apparatus. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a hitting sport club and a visual hitting aid securely attached thereto. The club includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end. The body defines a handle portion proximate the first end and a ball or puck contact portion proximate the second end. The contact portion has a target wallop zone therein, which is where the user preferably is trying to hit the ball or puck. The visual hitting aid is securely attached to the club within the target wallop zone to assist the user in visualizing hitting the ball or puck successfully.

The club may take many forms including that of a baseball bat, softball bat, golf club, hockey stick, racket, or the like. For example, if the club takes the form of a baseball bat, the ball contact portion is the barrel of the bat; if the club takes the form of a golf club, the ball contact portion is the club head; and so forth.

The present invention is also directed to a method of visualizing hitting a ball or puck successfully. Preferably, the user holds the training apparatus described above and swings the training apparatus to visualize hitting the baseball with the club in just the right spot on the bat, e.g. the target wallop zone, preferably while the batter is warming up or engaged in training.

A training attachment is disclosed herein. The training attachment comprises a visual hitting aid and an attachment means for securely attaching the hitting aid to a hitting sport club, preferably in the target wallop zone of the club.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a training apparatus in the form of a baseball or softball training apparatus, wherein a visual hitting aid is securely attached to a hitting sport club within the target wallop zone;

FIG. 2A is a visual hitting aid in the form of a baseball or softball with attachment means;

FIG. 2B is a visual hitting aid with attachment means substantially in the form of a baseball or softball having a flat hitting surface;

FIG. 2C is an openable visual hitting aid having an attachment means and hollow portion;

FIG. 3 is a sports training apparatus assembly having a travel bag, a hitting sport club that is separable into two parts, a visual hitting aid, and an attachment means;

FIG. 4 shows two different sizes of weights, weighted leather bags, that can be added to the hitting aid; and

FIG. 5 is a training apparatus in the form of a golf club having a visual hitting aid attached to the ball contact portion of the golf club head within the target wallop zone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described in reference to the preferred embodiments of the invention for purposes of illustration only. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that numerous modifications or alterations may be made in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout. With reference to FIGS. 1-5, a training apparatus 10, 110 is provided to assist a user to visualize successfully hitting a ball or puck for a particular sport with a hitting sport club.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, the training apparatus 10, 110 preferably comprises a hitting sport club 20 and a visual hitting aid 25. The club 20 preferably includes an elongate body 30 having a first end 34 and a second end 38. The elongate body 30 defines a handle portion 40 proximate the first end 34 and a ball or puck contact portion 45 proximate the second end 38. The contact portion 45 of the club 20 comprises a preferred ball or puck contact portion, referred to herein as a target wallop zone 50. The hitting aid is securely attached to the club 20, most preferably within the target wallop zone 50.

The target wallop zone 50 is the zone in which the user is attempting to hit the ball or puck with the club 20. A preferred target wallop zone 50 is a location range on a hitting sport club 20 in which the user's efforts are maximized, for example, resulting in the ball or puck traveling farther from the same exerted effort or in a more controlled manner. The wallop zone 50 on a baseball or softball bat 20, for example, is typically approximately 5 cm to 30.5 cm from the second end 38, more typically between 7.5 cm and 28 inches, and most typically between 10 cm and 23 cm from the second end 38.

In a preferred embodiment the hitting aid 25, as show in FIGS. 2A-C, is substantially in the form and size of a ball or puck that is conventionally hit by the club 20, e.g. a baseball/softball visual aid 25 attached to a baseball/softball bat 20; or a golf ball visual aid 125 attached to golf club 120. The visual hitting aid 25 assists the user in visualizing hitting the ball or puck successfully in the club's 20 wallop zone 50. The hitting aid 25 is also preferably removable. Also, to further assist in training, the hitting aid 25 may have a substantially flat hitting surface 57. This

specific embodiment is typically helpful with training younger users to visualize, for example, having the users attempt to hit a ball off a batting tee, or during soft toss drills, with the flat surface of the hitting aid.

The hitting aid 25 can be openable having a hollow portion 55 as shown in FIG. 2C. Training weights 60, e.g., in the form of leather weight bags of various sizes and weights shown in FIG. 4, can be added to the hitting aid to further assist in training and warming up.

The training apparatus 10, 110 may take many forms including that of a baseball bat 20, softball bat 20, hockey stick (not shown), golf club 120, sports racket (not shown), or any other sport club that is swung to hit a ball or a puck during the course of participation in the sport. The hitting aid 25 can likewise take many forms including a baseball 25, a softball 25, hockey puck (not shown), a golf ball 125, etc.

Thus, the following description of specific embodiments are for a training apparatus in the form and size of a baseball bat 20 or softball bat 20 (FIGS. 1-3) and a golf club 120 (FIG. 5) and should be considered exemplary and not limiting in nature.

In a particular embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the invention is directed to a baseball or softball training apparatus 10. The training apparatus 10 comprises a baseball or softball bat 20 and a visual hitting aid 25. The baseball or softball bat includes an elongate body 30. The elongate body 30 having a first end 34 and a second end 38, which define a handle portion 40 proximate the first end 34 and a hitting contact portion 45 proximate the second end 38. The ball contact portion 45 advantageously has a preferred ball contact portion referred to as a target wallop zone 50. The hitting aid 25 is securely attached to the bat 20 within the target wallop zone 50 to allow the user to swing the bat with full force without concern that the hitting aid 25 will become detached. In this embodiment, the hitting aid 25 is substantially in the form and size of a baseball or softball. In a particular embodiment the hitting aid may be in the form of a baseball or softball, but with a substantially flat hitting surface on one side to assist the user in hitting a ball off a tee with the hitting aid. This helps the user visualize where to hit the ball on the bat. The training apparatus 10 can be made of many materials, for example, composites, wood, metal, etc., however, in this embodiment it is preferable that the training apparatus 10 be made of aluminum. In many instances the hitting sports club 20 is also advantageously hollow.

The baseball/softball training apparatus 10 could comprise a weighted bat 20 used to warm up in the on deck circle or a conventional bat used in other training exercises. The visualization hitting aid 20 can be permanently or temporarily attached to the bat 20. The hitting aid 20 can be made to look exactly like a baseball or it can be any number of colors and shapes. The key is for the visualization hitting aid 20 to attract the attention of the user while training or warming up to help the user focus and visualize hitting the ball in the right form and spot on the bat 20, preferably the ball contact portion, or more preferable the target wallop zone 50.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the invention is directed to a training attachment 65 for a hitting sport club 20. The training attachment comprises a visual hitting aid 25 and an attachment means 70 for securely attaching the hitting aid 25 to a hitting sport club 20. The sport club 20 has ball or puck contact portion 45, and within the contact portion a preferred contact portion, referred to as a target wallop zone 50. The attachment means 70 can be anything that is sufficient to securely attach the hitting aid 25 to the club 20 within the target wallop zone 50 with adequate hold so that the user can swing the club with full force without detaching the hitting aid 25. Preferably, the attachment means 70 is a bolt 70, screw 70 or, not shown, a sleeve, belt and/or clamp. For instance, in a non-limiting embodiment the attachment means 70 is a bolt 70 or screw 70 that extends out from the hitting aid wherein the hitting aid 25 bolts or screws into the club 20; or alternatively the attachment means 70 is a sleeve which slips over the club 20 and the hitting aid together to secure the hitting aid onto the sport club 20, preferably within the target wallop zone 50. The sleeve preferably is made of an elastic type material.

As in the embodiments above, the hitting aid 25 of the training attachment 65 is preferably substantially in a form and size of a regulation ball or puck hit by the club 20 to assist the user in actually visualizing the successful hitting of the ball or puck with the club 20. As shown in FIGS 1-3 and 5, the training attachment 65 is substantially in the form of a baseball 25, a softball 25, hockey puck (not shown), or a golf ball 125. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the training attachment 65 is attached to a bat 20. In this case, the visualization hitting aid 25 is in the form of a baseball or softball.

With reference to FIG. 3, the invention is directed to a sports training assembly 80. The sports training assembly 80 preferably comprises a hitting sport club 20 and a visual hitting aid 25. The club 20 preferably includes an elongate body 30 having a first end 34 and a second end 38. The body 30 defines a handle portion

40 proximate the first end 34 and a ball or puck contact portion 45 proximate the second end 38. The contact portion 45 preferably comprises a target wallop zone 50. The hitting aid 25 is substantially in the form of a ball or puck conventionally hit by the club 20. The training assembly also preferably has an attachment means 70 (as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C) for securely attaching the hitting aid 25 to the club 20 within the target wallop zone 50. The sport training assembly 80 also preferably comprises a travel bag 85, typically with a handle 86 for ease of carrying the sports training assembly 80. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the club 20 is separable into two parts, a first handle part 62 and a second ball contact part 63 for easy transport or storage in the travel bag 85.

In another embodiment, electronics are added to the training apparatus 10, e.g., to the visualization hitting aid 25. These could be used to measure things like swing speed or other attributes. The electronics could also provide sounds or lights to assist the user in concentrating on visualizing success. In accordance with one aspect of the invention not shown herein, the training apparatus 10 may comprise a velocimeter, accelerometer, or the like, for measuring the speed of the bat when swung. Optionally, the measuring means would include a means for displaying the speed of the training apparatus measured by the measuring means. The display means may continue to display the highest speed measured until the ball player resets the display means in a preferred embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the invention is also directed to a golf training apparatus 110. The training apparatus 10 comprises a golf club 120 and a visual hitting aid 125 substantially in the form and size of a golf ball. The golf club 120 includes an elongate body 130. The elongate body 130 having a first end 134 and a second end 138, which define a handle portion 140 proximate the first end 134 and a golf club head 143 proximate the second end 138. The golf club head 143 having a hitting contact portion 145, which advantageously has a preferred ball contact portion referred to as a target wallop zone 150. The hitting aid 125 is securely attached to the golf club 120 within the target wallop zone 150 to allow the user to swing the golf club 120 with full force without concern that the hitting aid 125 will become detached. In this embodiment, the visual hitting aid 125 is substantially in the form of a golf ball. The golf training apparatus 110 can be made of many materials, for example, composites, wood, metal, etc.

It is important to note that the present invention can also be used in conjunction with other training aids. In the baseball embodiment, for example, the training apparatus 10 having a visualization hitting aid 25 attached could be used to attempt to hit a ball on a batting tee. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the visualization hitting aid 25 has a flat surface 57 on one side. This would obviously require a very precise swing so that the visualization hitting aid 20 of FIG 1 would hit the ball on the tee in precisely the correct spot to deliver a good hit.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be considered to fall within the scope of the invention.