Practice sport projectile having a through hole

• US 20030162603A1
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John V. Breaker, Richard C. Breaker
• Original Assignee: John V. Breaker, Richard C. Breaker
• Inventors: Breaker, Richard C., Breaker, John V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,300,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/280
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2043/001 Short-distance or low-velocity balls for training, or for playing on a reduced area
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/14 Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0026 for ice-hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3655 Balls, ball substitutes, or attachments on balls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/20 Weighted balls

Abstract

Non-standard sport projectiles, in accordance with this invention, include at least one linear through hole. As this non-standard sport projectile passes through the air, after being hit by, for example, a golf club, the non-standard sport projectile spins. When the above-mentioned through hole is generally aligned with the projectile'"'"'s direction of flight, air passes through the through hole, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the non-standard sport projectile are enhanced. When the through hole is not aligned with the projectiles direction of flight the aerodynamic characteristics are reduced. As a result, the non-standard sport projectile experiences rapidly repeating intervals of relatively high aerodynamic flight and relatively low aerodynamic flight as the non-standard sport projectile spins around the center cross section of the through hole.

Claims

1. A non-standard practice sport projectile for use within a relatively small geographic area, the non-standard projectile for practicing a striking motion associated with a sport, the non-standard sport projectile comprising:

a generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

at least one linear through hole extending completely through the generally rigid body; and

the generally rigid body having at least one strike surface on the external surface,

such that striking the strike surface causes a rotation of the non-standard sport projectile to have a more aerodynamic phase and a less aerodynamic phase.

2. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a baseball, and a hockey puck.

3. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 wherein the external surface is selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical solid surface, a convex solid surface, a spherical solid surface, and an elliptical solid surface.

4. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 wherein the linear through hole is selected from a group consisting of a single though-hole that extends through the geometric center and a plurality of through holes that symmetrically surround the geometric center.

5. The non-standard sport projectile of claim 4 wherein the external surface includes a solid external surface and two hole surfaces, and wherein a ratio of an area of the solid external surface to an area of the two hole surfaces is in the range of from about 1-to-1 to about 12-to-1.

6. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 5 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a baseball, and a hockey puck.

7. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 5 wherein the solid external surface is selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical solid surface, a convex solid surface, a spherical solid surface, and an elliptical solid surface.

8. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 7 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a baseball, and a hockey puck.

9. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 including:

an insert having a high flexural modulus associated with the external surface.

10. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 9 wherein the insert is selected from a group consisting of a metal and a polymer.

11. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 10 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a baseball, and a hockey puck.

12. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 wherein the linear through hole include side walls selected from a group consisting of straight side walls, converging side walls, and diverging side walls.

13. The non-standard sport projectile of claim 12 wherein the external surface includes a solid external surface and two hole surfaces, and wherein a ratio of an area of the solid external surface to a total of an area of said two hole surfaces is in the range of from about 1-to-1 to about 12-to-1.

14. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 13 wherein the linear through hole is selected from a group consisting of a single though-hole extending through the geometric center and a plurality of through holes that surround the geometric center.

15. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 14 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, and a hockey puck.

16. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1, wherein:

a height of the non-standard practice sport projectile is less than a width of the non-standard practice sport projectile.

17. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1, wherein:

the external surface has a first width;

the at least one linear through hole has a second width; and

the second width is less slightly less than the first width, such that the through hole is relatively large.

18. A method of practicing a physical movement that is associated with a sport wherein a projectile is hit by an object, comprising the steps of.

arranging a non-standard sport projectile having at least one linear through hole to be hit by an object,

hitting the non-standard sport projectile with the object;

and

causing rotation of the non-standard sport projectile,

such that the non-standard sport projectile has a more aerodynamic phase and a less aerodynamic phase.

19. The method of claim 18 including the step of:

providing a single through hole having a linear axis that extends through said geometric center.

20. The method of claim 19 including the step of:

selecting the single through hole from a group consisting of a straight-wall through hole, a diverging-wall through hole, and a converging-wall through hole.

21. The method of claim 20 including the step of:

selecting the solid surface area from a group consisting of a cylindrical solid surface area, a convex solid surface area, a spherical solid surface area, and an elliptical solid surface area.

22. The method of claim 18 including the step of:

selecting the non-standard sport projectile from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, and a hockey puck.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the causing step includes the step of:

applying a braking force to the flight of the non-standard sport projectile.

24. A non-standard practice sport projectile for use within a relatively small geographic area, the non-standard projectile for practicing a striking motion associated with a sport, the non-standard sport projectile comprising:

a generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

the generally rigid body having at least one strike surface on the external surface where striking the strike surface causes a rotation of the non-standard sport projectile; and

means to brake the non-standard sport projectile such that the non-standard sport projectile trajectory is reduced.

25. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 24 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, and a hockey puck.

26. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 24 wherein the external surface is selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical solid surface, a convex solid surface, a spherical solid surface, and an elliptical solid surface.