INFLATABLE, SELF-SUPPORTING SPORTS TRAINING AID
A training aid is a figure that has an inflatable three-dimensional headless body, an inflatable three-dimensional head, and a way to removably attach the head to the top of the body. The body has a torso, legs terminating in feet, and arms. The feet may be filled with a liquid or a solid particulate material such as water or sand, which is the sole support for the figure.
This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application No. 60/515,281, filed Oct. 28, 2003 by David S. Ross and Ilona G. Ross, titled, “Baseball and Soft-ball Training Aid.”
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONThis invention relates to a training aid for various sports, such as for training baseball and softball pitchers. In particular, it relates to an inflatable, self-supporting figure of a batter held upright by means of weighted feet.
A number of pitching aids have been designed to help a baseball or softball pitcher to improve his pitching. These aids are often two-dimensional figures of a batter that are not self-supporting and must be held in a vertical position by a stake driven into the ground (U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,211) or by means of a horizontal base (U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,461). They may be constructed of hard materials that, when struck by a ball, will cause the ball to deflect at unpredictable angles, possibly hitting people who are nearby.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONWe have invented a training aid that is inexpensive, self-supporting, and can easily be transported and stored. The training aid of this invention is a three-dimensional inflatable figure made of a soft, pliable material. When it is struck by a ball, it absorbs the kinetic energy of the ball so that the ball drops to the ground a short distance away. Water or sand may be placed in the feet of the training aid so that it stands by itself, without the need to drive a stake into the ground or provide a support for it.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In FIGS. 1 to 6, inflatable batter 1 (Bullpen Buddy™) is assembled from two parts, head portion 2 and body portion 3. Head portion 2 is a three-dimensional inflatable chamber in the shape of a human head 4 and neck 5. Head portion 2 may be inflated by forcing air into a valve 6 (
An optional cloth baseball cap 8 may be placed on head 4, as shown in
Body portion 3 is three-dimensional and inflatable. Body portion 3 is in the shape of a human torso with separated legs and separated arms attached. Body portion 3 has five parts: an upper body 9, which in inflated through value 10 (
Feet 15 and 16 are provided with additional valves 19 and 20, respectively, (
Centered at the top of upper body 9 is patch 21 (see
Inflatable batter 1 is preferably in the form of an adult male batter, who is wearing a replica of a professional, college, high school team baseball or softball uniform. The uniform may have the colors and style of a particular team or it may be a generic uniform. Preferably, the batter is holding the bat in a ready position, as shown in
The inflatable batter shown in the drawings may be made by blow molding independently inflatable chambers in the shapes of the head portion, upper body part, lower body part, arms and bat, and left and right feet, then welding or gluing the chambers together. A compartment for holding the sand or water may be molded and that compartment may be inserted into the feet. The valves may be welded on to the chambers, so that air can be pumped or blown in and the chambers sealed to keep the air in. The designs may be printed onto the face and body. Patches 7 and 21 may be glued or otherwise attached at the positions shown in the drawings. The chambers may be made from a flexible plastic, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride; polyethylene is preferred. The use of multiple chambers simplifies inflating the figure and locating leaks.
The figure may also be made in other ways. For example, the body portion may be made with fewer chambers so that there is less welding and fewer valves. However the body portion preferably has at least two chambers and preferably the legs are part of a separate chamber so that they can be made more rigid by inflating at a higher pressure. Flexible splines may also be attached to the legs or the legs may be double seamed to provide additional support if desired.
To use the inflatable batter of this invention, the head portion and the various chambers of the body portion are inflated and sand, water, or another heavy pourable material is placed inside the feet. The head is attached facing either right or left towards the pitcher. The pitcher then throws a baseball or softball in front of the batter. This acclimates a pitcher towards throwing at a real batter and gives him an opportunity to try various pitches, such as high, low, inside, outside, or curved, that he might be inhibited from trying if he were pitching at a real batter. When finished, the valves can be opened so that the figure can be deflated and stored.
Claims
1. A training aid comprising a figure that comprises
- (A) an inflatable three-dimensional headless body having (1) a torso; (2) legs terminating in feet, where said feet are fillable with a liquid or a solid particulate material; and (3) arms;
- (B) an inflatable three-dimensional head; and
- (C) means for removably attaching said head to the top of said torso, whereby said figure is self-supporting.
2. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said head is attachable to said torso by means of a first patch fixed to the base of said head and a second patch fixed to the top of said torso, where one patch comprises a multiplicity of exposed hooks and the other patch comprises an exposed fabric to which said hooks attach.
3. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said head can be attached turned in any direction relative to said torso.
4. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said torso has at least two chambers that are independently inflatable.
5. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said legs are part of an independently inflatable chamber.
6. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said feet are filled with sand.
7. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said feet are filled with water.
8. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said figure is about 5½ to about 6½ feet high.
9. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said figure is about 4 to about 5 feet high.
10. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said head has a face printed thereon.
11. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said body has a uniform printed thereon.
12. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said figure is made of flexible plastic sheeting.
13. A training aid according to claim 12 wherein said plastic sheeting is polyethylene.
14. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein the bottom of said feet is flat, whereby said training aid cannot be rocked back and forth.
15. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said figure is holding a bat.
16. A training aid according to claim 1 wherein said figure is wearing a cap on said head.
17. A baseball or softball training aid comprising a figure of a baseball or softball batter that comprises
- (A) an inflatable three-dimensional headless body having a uniform printed thereon, which comprises (1) a torso; (2) legs terminating in feet, where said feet are fillable with a liquid or a solid particulate material; and (3) arms holding a bat;
- (B) an inflatable three-dimensional head having a face printed thereon; and
- (C) means for removably attaching said head to said body, whereby said figure is self-supporting.
18. A baseball or softball training aid according to claim 1 wherein said body comprises at least two independently inflatable chambers.
19. A baseball or softball training aid according to claim 17 wherein said legs are part of an independently inflatable chamber.
20. A baseball or softball training aid comprising a figure of a baseball or softball batter that comprises
- (A) an inflatable three-dimensional headless body having a uniform printed thereon, said body comprising (1) an independently inflatable upper body; (2) an independently inflatable lower body that includes two legs; (3) two independently inflatable feet, one at the end of each of said legs, where each foot is fillable with water or sand; and (4) an independently inflatable pair of arms holding a bat;
- (B) an inflatable three-dimensional head having a face printed thereon; and
- (C) a patch of fabric and a patch of small, exposed hooks attachable to said patch of fabric, where one patch is fixed to the top of said inflatable upper body and the other patch is fixed to the bottom of said head, whereby said figure is self-supporting.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 9, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 28, 2005
Inventors: David Ross (Las Vegas, NV), Ilona Ross (Las Vegas, NV)
Application Number: 10/709,058