Baseball batting instruction system and method

• US 20080287225A1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PNM Incorporated (Union Pacific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PNM Incorporated (Union Pacific Corporation)
• Inventors: Smull, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/082,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287225A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/453
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/40 Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405; traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18

Abstract

A batting instruction system is disclosed. The system includes an indicator assembly having a plurality of indicators disposed thereon. Each of the plurality of indicators corresponds to a motion of a pitcher prior to the pitcher delivering a pitched ball. A method of teaching batting with the system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A batting instruction system comprising an indicator assembly having a plurality of indicators disposed thereon, wherein each of the plurality of indicators corresponds to a motion of a pitcher prior to the pitcher delivering a pitched ball.

2. The batting instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of indicators comprises a plurality of lights.

3. The batting instruction system according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of lights is a different color from an adjacent of the plurality of lights.

4. The batting instruction system according to claim 1, further comprising a timer electrically coupled to each of the plurality of indicators, wherein the timer is adjustable to adjust a time of operation of each of the plurality of indicators.

5. The batting instruction system according to claim 1, further comprising a pitching machine operatively coupled to the plurality of indicators.

6. The batting instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of indicators comprises a first indicator and a last indicator, wherein the first indicator corresponds to the motion of the pitcher starting a pitching motion.

7. The batting instruction system according to claim 6, wherein the last indicator corresponds to the motion of the pitcher releasing the pitched ball.

8. The batting instruction system according to claim 1, further comprising a pitcher simulator that displays the motion of the pitcher as the pitcher delivers the pitched ball.

9. A method of instructing a batter comprising:

providing an indicator assembly having a plurality of indicators disposed thereon;

operating each of the plurality of indicators in an indicator sequence; and

coordinating a motion of a batter in a batter sequence corresponding to the indicator sequence.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein operating each of the plurality of indicators in the indicator sequence comprises simulating a motion of a pitcher prior to the pitcher delivering a pitched ball.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein coordinating the motion of the batter in the batter sequence comprises starting the motion of the batter upon operation of a first of the plurality of indicators.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein operating each of the plurality of indicators in the indicator sequence comprises operating a first of the plurality of indicators to indicate a motion of a pitcher starting a pitching motion.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising adjusting a time between operation of each of the plurality of indicators.

14. A batting instruction system comprising an indicator assembly having a plurality of indicator lights disposed thereon, wherein a first indicator light of the plurality of indicator lights corresponds to a motion of a pitcher beginning a pitching motion and a last indicator light of the plurality of indicator lights corresponds to the motion of the pitcher prior to the pitcher delivering a pitched ball.

15. The batting instruction system according to claim 14, further comprising a pitching machine operatively coupled to the indicator assembly.

16. The batting instruction system according to claim 15, wherein the pitching machine is configured to pitch a ball upon activation of the last indicator light.

17. The batting instruction system according to claim 14, further comprising a pitcher simulator that displays the motion of the pitcher as the pitcher delivers the pitched ball.

18. A method of instructing a batter comprising:

providing an indicator light assembly having a plurality of indicator lights disposed thereon;

operating each of the plurality of indicator lights in an indicator light sequence, wherein the indicator light sequence represents motion of a pitcher prior to delivering a pitched ball; and

coordinating a motion of a batter in a batter sequence corresponding to the indicator light sequence, wherein the batter begins the motion upon operation of a first of the plurality of indicator lights.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising delivering a ball to the batter from a pitching machine upon operation of a last of the plurality of indicator lights.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising displaying a video of the pitcher pitching the ball in sequence with operating each of the plurality of lights.