CHASING TRAINING DEVICE
An athletic training device to develop speed and agility. A robot can be programmed or remote controlled to move in an erratic manner so that it can be chased by an athlete. An on-board shut-off unit stops the device when it is removed by the athlete chasing the device.
The following application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/140,358, filed Dec. 23, 2008, the complete contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to athletic training devices and more particularly to an erratically and rapidly moving device configured such that in order to be captured an athlete must exhibit a required level of speed and agility.
2. Background
Speed and agility are critical in numerous sports and other activities. However, motion in predictable patterns and/or on agility courses can be seen in advance and can be quickly learned by athletes. Existing training systems include stationary courses such as ladder drills, running through tires, or basketball “suicide” drills. Further systems exist, such as targeted chasing systems wherein an athlete moves as rapidly as possible towards a selected one of a set of illuminable lights. However, the selectively illuminable lights are stationary and thus the athlete can quickly adapt and/or anticipate the illumination sequence and/or memorize the locations of the fixed number of illuminable lights. In actual play, however, the motion may be unpredictable, and athletes must be able to still move quickly.
What is needed is a system that provides unpredictable speed and agility training for athletes.
As shown in
In some embodiments, one of the moving agencies 106 can be configured to drive a housing 102 in any desired direction. In some embodiments, the moving agencies 106 can be configured to randomly drive a housing 102 in any direction. In alternate embodiments, more than one of the moving agencies 106 can be configured to drive the housing 102 either separately and/or simultaneously.
In some embodiments, a switch 108 can be located on the top surface of a housing 102, but in other embodiments can be located on a side or underside surface. An on-off switch 108 can be adapted to selectively control the operation of the moving agencies 106, drive system 114, and/or power the device on and off.
In the embodiment depicted in
As shown in
In alternate embodiments, a drive device 114 can further comprise a pump and/or turbine system. In such embodiments, a drive agency 116 can be a nozzle, propeller, or any other known and/or convenient device to produce thrust. In such embodiments, moving agencies 106 can be fins or any other known and/or convenient device.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In a drive-control circuit 402, a power supply 118 can be connected to a shut-off device 112, an on-off switch 108, a drive device 114, and a resistor 414, In some embodiments, a drive device 114 can be a motor, but in other embodiments can be any other known and/or convenient device. As shown in
In a directional-control circuit 404, a power supply 416 can be connected to a resistor 418 and a drive device 420. In some embodiments, a drive device 420 can be a motor, but in other embodiments can be any other known and/or convenient device.
A CPU 406 can be connected to a power supply 118 for a drive circuit 402 via an amplifier 422, and also to a power supply 416 for a directional-control circuit 404 via and amplifier 242. In such embodiments, a CPU can, therefore, provide input to control a drive circuit 402 and a directional-control circuit 404.
A remote-control unit 302 can provide input concerning direction, speed, on/off status, or any other known and/or desired parameters to an input device/receiver 408.
As shown in
In use, a user can turn a switch 108 to the “on” position and insert a shut-off unit 112 into an opening 110. The present device can then begin to move about and be chased by a person, who could have the goal of overtaking the device and removing the shut-off unit 112, which would cause the device to stop moving. A person can also chase the device without the goal of removing a shut-off unit 112, but rather to follow a prescribed pattern. In some embodiments, motion of the device can be determined by a magnetostatic device that produces a random movement pattern. In other embodiments, motion can be controlled by a remote user via a remote-control unit 302. Either way, the erratic movement of the present device can require the person chasing the device to change motion quickly, and, therefore, develop speed and agility.
Although the method has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the method as described and hereinafter claimed is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An athletic training device, comprising:
- a housing having at least one section;
- a plurality of moving agencies coupled with said housing;
- an opening in the outer surface of said housing;
- a shut-off unit selectively mated with said opening and having an electrical coupling capable of shutting off the device when said coupling is interrupted;
- a motion-control device and a remote-control device connected to an input device via an op-amp circuit, said input device further comprising a power supply;
- a central processing unit connected to said input device;
- a drive mechanism further connected to said central processing unit, further comprising a drive-control circuit and a directional-control circuit, said drive-control circuit and said directional-control circuit being connected to said central processing unit via an amplifer, wherein said drive-control circuit is connected to said electrical coupling on the shut-off device and a power supply.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said drive-control circuit comprises a drive device, an on/off switch, said electrical coupling on said shut-off device, a resistor and a power supply; and wherein said directional-control circuit comprises a second drive device, a resistor, and a second power supply.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said first drive device and said second drive device are motors.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein said first power supply and said second power supply are variable.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein motion-control device is integrated with said shut-off unit.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein said motion control device further comprises a magnetostatic device that produces an electrical field that calculates an initial seed value by which said central processing unit generates a pattern of random motion to control said drive-control circuit and said directional-control circuit.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a visual enhancement extension.
8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a remote-control unit.
9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a timing mechanism and display.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein said central processing unit further is capable of recording chronological information and downloading said chronological information to an external device.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein said central processing unit is capable of recording and spatial information and downloading said spatial information to an external device.
12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a flotation device.
13. The device of claim 10, wherein said moving agencies are fins, said drive agency further comprises at least one nozzle and said drive device further comprises a pump system.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 5, 2013
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2014
Inventors: PAUL MAZZANOBILE (SURF CITY), EVAN BAUMGARTEN (WYCKOFF, NJ)
Application Number: 14/098,411
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101); A63B 24/00 (20060101);