TRAINING BAT WITH VISUAL FEEDBACK OF PROPER SWING
First Claim
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1. A baseball training bat comprising:
- a handle and a barrel, the barrel having an end distanced from the handle, a channel being formed in the barrel from the end of the barrel and extending toward the handle;
a stationary magnet affixed within the channel;
a movable magnet disposed in the channel for translational movement between a housed position, wherein the movable magnet is adjacent the stationary magnet and wherein magnetic attraction holds the movable magnet in the housed position, and a swung position, toward which the movable magnet moves when sufficient centrifugal force is imparted to the movable magnet to overcome the magnetic attraction between the magnets;
a wire coil surrounding at least a portion of the channel, the movable magnet moving through the coil when the movable magnet moves from the housed position to the swung position to induce a temporary electrical signal in the coil; and
at least one light emitting diode (LED) mounted on the barrel and visible to a person swinging the bat, the LED being electrically connected to the coil to emit a flash of light at least in response to the movable magnet moving rapidly through the coil as a batter swings the bat, the bat containing no source of electrical power apart from the electrical power generated by the movable magnet moving through the coil.
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Abstract
A training baseball bat has an internal movable magnet that accelerates to the end of the bat when swung at a fast enough speed. As the magnet moves it passes through a coil that is connected to one or more LEDs so that the LEDs momentarily flash as the magnet moves through the coil. A stationary magnet can be used to hold the movable magnet until sufficient centrifugal force is imparted by the swing to overcome the magnetic holding force. Spacers can be provided to establish a distance between the magnets as needed to establish a desired swing speed at which centrifugal force overcomes the magnetic attraction.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A baseball training bat comprising:
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a handle and a barrel, the barrel having an end distanced from the handle, a channel being formed in the barrel from the end of the barrel and extending toward the handle; a stationary magnet affixed within the channel; a movable magnet disposed in the channel for translational movement between a housed position, wherein the movable magnet is adjacent the stationary magnet and wherein magnetic attraction holds the movable magnet in the housed position, and a swung position, toward which the movable magnet moves when sufficient centrifugal force is imparted to the movable magnet to overcome the magnetic attraction between the magnets; a wire coil surrounding at least a portion of the channel, the movable magnet moving through the coil when the movable magnet moves from the housed position to the swung position to induce a temporary electrical signal in the coil; and at least one light emitting diode (LED) mounted on the barrel and visible to a person swinging the bat, the LED being electrically connected to the coil to emit a flash of light at least in response to the movable magnet moving rapidly through the coil as a batter swings the bat, the bat containing no source of electrical power apart from the electrical power generated by the movable magnet moving through the coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13)
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10. A baseball training device comprising:
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an elongated barrel swingable in an arc by a person; visible indication being provided on the barrel of the barrel being swung at or greater than an acceptable speed as it passes through an imaginary vertical line intersecting a preferred location in the arc, the visible indication not being provided if the barrel passes through the imaginary vertical line at less than the acceptable speed, whereby a visual aid is provided to train a person to focus on the preferred location of the are until the bat passes through the preferred location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A kit comprising:
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a handle connected to a barrel the barrel having an end distanced from the handle, a channel being formed in the barrel from the end of the barrel and extending toward the handle; a movable magnet disposed in the channel; means for urging the movable magnet toward a housed position, wherein the movable magnet can move between the housed position and a swung position when sufficient force is imparted to the movable magnet to overcome the means for urging; a wire coil surrounding at least a portion of the channel, the movable magnet moving through the coil when the movable magnet moves from the housed position to the swung position to induce a temporary electrical signal in the coil as the magnet passes through the coil; at least one light source mounted on the barrel and visible to a person swinging the bat, the light source being electrically connected to the coil to emit a flash of light in response to the movable magnet moving through the coil as a batter swings the barrel; and plural non-magnetic spacers, wherein a user can dispose one or more of the spacers between the magnets as needed to establish a desired swing speed at which force overcomes the magnetic attraction between the magnets when the movable magnet is in the housed position to move the movable magnet toward the swung position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of visual acknowledgement of proper swing path and speed of a baseball bat comprising:
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an elongated unit; at least one magnet capable of movement within the unit and exciting a coil; the coil acting upon at least one light emitting diode;
whereinthe light emitting diode is positioned so that emitted light may be visually detected by a user moving the unit in a fashion that allows the magnet(s) to excite the coil.
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Specification