BATTING TEE HAVING BENDABLE BASE

Abstract

A batting tee has a base which is made from bendable recycled rubber. The base is between 11 inches and 13 inches wide, 11 inches and 13 inches long, and one-half inch and three-quarters inch thick.

Description

BACKGROUND

Batting tees which support a baseball or a softball above ground so a player can hit balls to develop his or her swing are well known in the prior art. One problem with the prior art batting tees is that they must be light enough that they can easily be moved, even by young children, and shall not be knocked over when the user hits the tee. In addition, batting tees must be adjustable vertically to accommodate players of different heights. The adjustment mechanism must have sufficient friction for the batting tee to remain at the desired height and still be movable by younger players. The prior art adjustment mechanisms incorporate an expansion friction device which becomes loose with wear, and therefore requires frequent adjustment.

SUMMARY

A batting tee includes a base which supports the tee on the ground. A post extends upwardly from the base and supports a ball at its upper end. The base is made from recycled rubber and has a length and width between 11 inches and 13 inches and a thickness between one-half inch and three-quarters inch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a batting tee embodying the subject invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the batting tee.

FIGS. 4-6 are side elevation views showing how the tee reacts in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, a batting tee includes a base 10, an adjustable height post 12 and a flexible ball support 14. The base 10 is made from recycled rubber which is far more flexible than virgin rubber and returns to its original position after being bent multiple times. The base preferably is as small as possible and still provides a stable platform. In the embodiment illustrated the base has the same length and width but it could be slightly longer than it is wide. Preferably the base is as thin as possible and still provides enough stability when the stand is hit by a bat. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the front corners of the base are cut at an angle to resemble a baseball home plate.

In the embodiment illustrated the post 12 is three pieces with an outer circular cylindrical tube 16, a middle circular cylindrical tube 18, which slidably fits within the outer tube, and an inner circular cylindrical tube 19 which slidably fits within the middle tube. While the tubes shown in the drawings are circular in cross-section, they could have other cross-sectional shapes. The bottom end of the outer tube is attached to the base in a suitable manner. The middle tube is longer than the outer tube and projects out of the upper end of the outer tube. The inner tube is longer than the middle tube and projects out of the upper end of the middle tube. Referring now to FIG. 2, the middle tube has one or more pairs of holes 20 which extend through it near its lower end. A compression spring 22, having a relaxed length which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the outer tube, extends through an aligned pair of holes and presses against the inner wall of the outer tube 16. Thus the spring is compressed and provides a resistance against the movement of the inner tube relative to the outer tube and prevents the inner tube from inadvertently moving. Moreover, this resistance remains constant over the life of the device because as the spring wears it expands to make up for the wear. A similar resistance device (not shown) is located between the middle tube and the inner tube.

Mounted on the upper end of the inner tube is the ball support 14. The ball support is made from a flexible material that can bend easily when hit by a bat and yet self-returns to the upright position. The ball support typically is a plastic or rubber piece which is wrapped around itself to form a hollow tube. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the ball support has substantially the same diameter along its entire extent.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in use a ball 24 is placed on the top of the ball support 14. If when hitting the ball the batter also strikes the batting tee, the post 12 will rotate about its lower extremity. This will cause the base to bend along with the post 12, FIG. 5. However, because the base bends the batting tee is not knocked over even if it is hit quite hard. Because the base material completely recovers from being bent, the post 12 then returns to its original upright position, FIG. 6.

Batting tees are used by a wide range of players and the size and thickness of the base can be critical. If the base is too large the batting tee will be too heavy for younger players to move. If the base is too small stronger players will regularly knock it over. It has been found that a recycled rubber base which is 11 to 13 inches wide and 11 to 13 inches long provides the best performance for the largest cross-section of players. It has also been found that a recycled rubber base performs best when its thickness is between one-half inch and three-quarters inch. Preferably the base would be 12 inches by 12 inches by three-quarters inch.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claim which follows.

Claims

1. A batting tee comprising:

(a) a base which supports the tee;

(b) said base having a width, a length, and a thickness;

(c) a post which extends upwardly from said base;

(d) a ball support located at an upper end of said post; wherein

(e) said base is recycled rubber and has a length between 11 inches and 13 inches, a width between 11 inches and 13 inches and a thickness between one-half inch and three-quarters inch.

2. The batting tee of claim 1 wherein said length and said width are 12 inches.

3. The batting tee of claim 1 wherein said thickness is three-quarters inch.

4. The batting tee of claim 2 wherein said thickness is three-quarters inch.

5. The batting tee of claim 1 wherein said post comprises:

(a) an outer cylindrical tube which is attached to said base;

(b) a middle cylindrical tube which slidably fits within said outer tube and projects outwardly from said outer tube;

(c) an inner cylindrical tube which slidably fits within said middle tube and projects outwardly from said middle tube; and

(d) friction devices which provides resistance against movement of said middle tube in said outer tube, and said inner tube in said middle tube.

6. The batting tee of claim 5 wherein said friction device comprises:

(a) one or more pairs of opposed aligned holes which open out of said middle tube; and

(b) one or more compression springs, each of said springs having opposed ends which extend through one of said pair of holes and contact said outer tube.

7. The batting tube of claim 5 wherein said friction device comprises:

(a) one or more pairs of opposed aligned holes which open out at said inner tube; and

(b) one or more compression springs, each of said springs having opposed ends which extend through one of said pair of holes and contact said middle tube.

8. A batting tee comprising:

(a) a base which supports the tee;

(b) a post which extends upwardly from said base;

(c) a ball support located at the upper end of said post;

(d) said post comprising an outer cylindrical tube which is attached to said base, and an inner cylindrical tube which slidably fits within said inner tube and projects outwardly from said inner tube;

(e) a friction device which provides resistance against movement of said inner tube in said outer tube;

(f) said friction device comprising one or more pairs of opposed aligned holes which open out of said inner tube; and

(g) one or more compression springs, each of said springs having opposed ends which extend through one or more pairs of said holes and contacts said outer tube.