Target for throwing a target at

Abstract

A target apparatus includes a front member. An is aperture formed through front member and there is a collapsible frame member having a first pair of leg members and second pair of leg members, a first one of the second pair of leg members pivotally attached at one end thereof to a first one of the first pair of leg members and a second one of the second pair of leg members is pivotally attached at one end thereof to a second one of the first pair of leg members. A mechanism engages at least one of such second pair of leg members and one of an outer edge of the front member and one of the first pair of leg members for retaining the apparatus in an upright position. A flap is connected along an upper edge thereof to a back surface of the front member for deadening an object thrown thru the aperture.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/993,932 filed Sep. 14, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to teaching aids and, more particularly, this invention relates to a target having an opening for throwing a pre-selected ball through and thereby improving a person's accuracy in throwing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, as is generally well known in the prior art, various sports require throwing some type of object in order to play the game. Such sports include, but are not to be limited thereto or thereby, baseball, football, softball, darts, etc. There are a number of different devices to provide practice at throwing some type of ball which Applicants are presently aware of.

These devices include devices which are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,164 which teaches a “Baseball Pitching Training Apparatus”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,166 which teaches a “Football Target Assembly”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,095 which teaches a Quarterback Trainer Game”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,977 which teaches a “Sports Training Target System”. Each of these prior art devices exhibit drawbacks in retrieving the object thrown.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus to serve as a target for a pre-selected object being thrown. The apparatus comprises a substantially solid generally rectangular front panel member having each of a first predetermined length, a first predetermined width and a predetermined thickness. The predetermined thickness must be at least sufficient to resist breaking when struck by such pre-selected object being thrown. The front panel member is produced from a predetermined material. An aperture having a predetermined shape is formed through said front panel member at a predetermined location. There is a collapsible frame member. The frame member includes a first pair of leg members having each of a second predetermined length and a first predetermined cross-sectional shape. One of the first pair of leg members being attached to a back surface of such front panel member adjacent each outer vertical edge thereof. Additionally, there is a second pair of leg members having each of a third predetermined length and second predetermined cross-sectional shape. A first one of such second pair of leg members being pivotally attached at one end thereof to a first one of said first pair of leg members adjacent an upper end thereof and a second one of such second pair of leg members being pivotally attached at one end thereof to a second one of said first pair of leg members adjacent an upper end thereof. Further, the frame member includes a means engageable with at least one of the second pair of leg members and one of an outer edge of the front panel member and one of such first pair of leg members for retaining the apparatus in a generally upright position during use. Additionally, there is a flap member having a fourth predetermined length and a second predetermined width connected along an upper edge thereof to a back surface of the front panel member adjacent an upper edge thereof for deadening such object thrown thru the aperture and allowing such object to fall to the ground thereby making retrieval of the object easy.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a target for throwing an object at which is relatively easy to both set up and use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a target for throwing an object at which will improve a player's accuracy and distance that the object can be thrown.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a target for throwing an object at which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a target for throwing an object at which makes it relatively easy to retrieve an object thrown.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a target for throwing an object at which is relatively lightweight.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a target for throwing an object at which is portable.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a presently preferred embodiment of a target apparatus constructed according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the target apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 and showing a flap means to deaden an object thrown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing Figures.

Reference is now made, more particularly, to drawing FIGS. 1 and 2. Illustrated therein is an apparatus, generally designated 10, to provide a target for a pre-selected object (not shown) to be thrown thereat. The apparatus 10 includes a substantially solid generally rectangular front panel member 12 manufactured from a predetermined material. Front panel member 12 having each of a first predetermined length, a first predetermined width and a predetermined thickness which is at least sufficient to resist breaking when struck by such pre-selected object to be thrown.

An aperture 18 having a predetermined shape is formed through the front panel member 12 at a predetermined location. Further, there is a collapsible frame member, generally designated 20.

The frame member 20 includes a first pair of leg members 14. Leg members 14 have each of a second predetermined length and a first predetermined cross-sectional shape. One of the first pair of leg members 14 being attached to a back surface 16 of said front panel member 12 adjacent each outer vertical edge thereof.

Frame member 20 further includes a second pair of leg members 22. Leg members 22 have each of a third predetermined length and second predetermined cross-sectional shape. A first one of such second pair of leg members 22 being pivotally attached at one end thereof by a pivot member 24 to a first one of the first pair of leg members 14 adjacent an upper end 26 thereof and a second one of said second pair of leg members 22 being pivotally attached at one end thereof by a pivot member (not shown)to a second one of such first pair of leg members 14 adjacent an upper end thereof. Also, frame member 20 includes a means, generally designated 30, engageable with at least one of such second pair of leg members 22 and one of an outer edge of the front panel member 12 and one of the first pair of leg members 14 for retaining the apparatus 10 in a generally upright position during use.

Apparatus 10 further includes a flap, generally designated 40, having a fourth predetermined length and a second predetermined width connected along an upper edge thereof to said back surface 16 of the front panel member 14 adjacent an upper edge thereof for deadening such object thrown thru such aperture 18 thereby making retrieval of such object easy.

According to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the predetermined shape of the aperture 18 is one of generally circular and generally rectangular. Most preferably, such aperture will be generally circular. Additionally, the predetermined location of the aperture 18 will be substantially centrally positioned.

The predetermined material the front panel member 12 is made from is selected from one of wood and plastic. Most preferably, such material will be plastic.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the predetermined length of the front panel member 12 will be one of equal to and greater than the second predetermined length of the first pair of leg members 14 of the collapsible frame member 20. Further, the first predetermined width of such front panel member 12 is greater than the second predetermined width of said flap 40.

The first predetermined cross-sectional shape of the first pair of leg members 14 is generally rectangular and the second predetermined cross-sectional shape of the second pair of leg 22 members is also generally rectangular in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention.

Additionally, in the presently preferred embodiment, the second predetermined length of the first pair of leg members 14 is one of equal to and less than the third predetermined length of the second pair of leg members 22.

The means 30 for retaining the apparatus 10 in a generally upright position during use includes a pair of substantially horizontally disposed braces 28.

Finally, the flap 40 is one of a piece of carpet and a piece of canvas. Preferably, such flap 40 is a piece of carpet.

While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus to provide a target for a pre-selected object being thrown, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a substantially solid generally rectangular front panel member having each of a first predetermined length, a first predetermined width and a predetermined thickness which is at least sufficient to resist breaking when struck by such pre-selected object being thrown, said front panel member being made from a predetermined material;

(b) an aperture having a predetermined shape formed through said front panel member at a predetermined location; and

(c) a collapsible frame member, said frame member including; i) a first pair of leg members, having each of a second predetermined length and a first predetermined cross-sectional shape, one of said pair of first leg members being attached to a back surface of said front panel member adjacent each outer vertical edge thereof, ii) a second pair of leg members, having each of a third predetermined length and second predetermined cross-sectional shape, a first one of said second pair of leg members being pivotally attached at one end thereof to a first one of said first pair of leg members adjacent an upper end thereof and a second one of said second pair of leg members being pivotally attached at one end thereof to a second one of said first pair of leg members adjacent an upper end thereof, and iii) a means engageable with at least one of said second pair of leg members and one of an outer edge of said front panel member and one of said first pair of leg members for retaining said apparatus in a generally upright position during use; and

(d) a flap having a fourth predetermined length and a second predetermined width connected along an upper edge thereof to a back surface of said front panel member adjacent an upper edge thereof for deadening such object thrown thru said aperture thereby making retrieval of such object easy.

2. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined shape of said aperture is one of generally circular and generally rectangular.

3. An apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined location said aperture is substantially centrally positioned.

4. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined material said front panel member is made from is selected from one of wood and plastic.

5. An apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined material said front panel member is made from is plastic.

6. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined length of said front panel member is one of equal to and greater than said second predetermined length of said first pair of leg members of said collapsible frame member.

7. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined width of said front panel member is greater than said second predetermined width of said flap.

8. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined cross-sectional shape of said first pair of leg members is generally rectangular.

9. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said second predetermined cross-sectional shape of said second pair of leg members is generally rectangular.

10. An apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said second predetermined length of said first pair of leg members is one of equal to and less than said third predetermined length of said second pair of leg members.

11. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said means for retaining said apparatus in a generally upright position during use includes a pair of substantially horizontally disposed braces.

12. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said flap is one of a piece of carpet and a piece of canvas.

13. An apparatus, according to claim 12, wherein said flap is a piece of carpet.