PRACTICE SPORT PROJECTILE HAVING A THROUGH-HOLE WITH TRANSVERSE INDICATOR

• US 20090042659A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Breaker, Richard C. Breaker
• Original Assignee: John Breaker, Richard C. Breaker
• Inventors: Breaker, Richard C., Breaker, John
• Application Number:
  US12/061,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20090042659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/194
• 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 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/60 Apparatus used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/605 Floating
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/62 Inflatable
• 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 57/10 Golf tees
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/08 with substantially horizontal opening for ball, e.g. for basketball A63B57/40, A63B63/06 take precedence
• 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 69/0097 Ball rebound walls with holes or in combination with nets A63B63/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3629 Visual means not attached to the body for aligning, positioning the trainee's head or for detecting head movement, e.g. by parallax
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3655 Balls, ball substitutes, or attachments on balls therefor

Abstract

There are disclosed non-standard sport projectiles having a material with a high flexural modulus, and an axle at the axis of rotation. The axle extends through at least one linear through hole. Non-standard sport projectiles are disclosed with cushioned ends. A tee device is disclosed for driving the non-standard sport projectiles. Inflatable targets are disclosed for golf games with non-standard sport projectiles.

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 comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

at least one linear through-hole extending completely through the generally rigid body, the at least one linear through-hole defining a longitudinal axis extending therethrough;

an axle extending through the at least one linear through-hole, the axle defining an axis therethrough, the axis of the axle disposed substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the at least one linear through-hole, and the axis of the axle located at an axis of rotation after striking the generally rigid body; and

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

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.

18. The target system of claim 1 further comprising a water return system for returning balls from the targets to a golfer.

5. A method of practicing a physical movement that is associated with a sport in which a projectile is hit by an object, comprising the steps of:

arranging a non-standard sport projectile having at least one linear through hole and an axle extending through the at least one through-hole so as to align the axle with an object to hit the projectile, the non-standard sport projectile comprising a high flexural modulus;

hitting the non-standard sport projectile with the object; and

causing rotation of the non-standard sport projectile, and the axle providing an indication about alignment of the object upon hitting the non-standard sport projectile.

6. 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 comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

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

a cover for disposition on the generally rigid body and having a region of a cushion material at interfaces of the at least one linear through-hole with the generally rigid body, the cushion material having a hardness less than the generally rigid body; and

at least one strike surface between the interfaces of the cover, 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, and the cushion material reducing an impact force at the interfaces of the at least one linear through-hole with the generally rigid body.

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

8. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 6 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.

9. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 6 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.

10. The non-standard sport projectile of claim 9 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.

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 10 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.

13. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 12 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball, a football, a soccer ball, a tennis ball, a baseball, and a hockey puck.

14. 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:

placing a cover on a non-standard sport projectile, the non-standard sport projectile comprising a material with a high flexural modulus;

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

hitting the non-standard sport projectile with 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.

15. A system having 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, and a tee for use with the non-standard practice sport projectile, the system comprising:

the non-standard sport projectile comprising;

a generally rigid body comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the 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

at least one strike surface on the external surface of the generally rigid body, 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; and

the tee comprising an inclined ramp between a first end and a second end, the first end disposed higher than the second end, the first end configured to support the non-standard practice support projectile for striking by an object.

16. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 15 wherein the object is a golf driver, and the first end of the tee is configured to support the non-standard practice support projectile for striking by the golf driver.

17. A target system for a non-standard practice sport projectile comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the target system comprising an inflatable portion having a plurality of targets arranged at suitable distances for at least one non-standard practice sport projectile.