Basketball Shooting Training Aid and Method for Its Use

• US 20100273585A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kayode Teddy Vann
• Original Assignee: Kayode Teddy Vann
• Inventors: Vann, Kayode Teddy
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/450
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball

Abstract

The present invention provides a shooting aid apparatus for basketball players including a device worn by a basketball player to aid the player'"'"'s shooting forearm to be kept parallel to the vertical centerline of the body during the shooting motion without any apparatus restraints. The centerline of the body is an imaginary line dividing the player vertically down the middle of his or her body. The shooting aid comprises a sleeve adapted to fit around the forearm or wrist of the shooting arm of the basketball player. The sleeve carries a light that brightly illuminates in response to the forearm of the shooter being in a vertical position.

Claims

1. An apparatus to aid a basketball player to keep his shooting forearm parallel to a vertical centerline of said basketball player body during a shooting motion, said apparatus comprising:

a sleeve to be worn on a forearm of said basketball player; and

a visual indicator operatively attached to said sleeve; and

a position detection device electronically coupled to said indicator, said position detection device comprised of an electrical circuit which functions to detect the condition where the longitudinal axis of the sleeve is oriented vertically in relation to gravity and to cause the indicator to output a signal perceptible by the player when said basketball player'"'"'s forearm position moves into a vertical position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is in the form of a visual indicator.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is in the form of an audible indicator.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the indicator is in the form of a visual indicator in combination with an audible indicator.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve is in the form of an adjustable sleeve that is comprised of an elastic material.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 where the visual indicator is in the form of a light of varying color.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 where the audible indicator is in the form of a sound emitting device that emits a varying sound.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2 where the visual indicator is in the form of a light that reaches a maximum brightness when said basketball player'"'"'s forearm is in the vertical position.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising of the shooting device with additional components including any one of:

an on/off switch, a hall effect sensor, a pivoting positioner.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 where the positioning sensor detects varying degrees of inclination from vertical and the indicator outputs a varying signal in response to such varying detection.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a component for adjusting the amount of inclination away from the vertical when the indicator is activated.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the position detection device is comprised of a pivoting positioner that moves with the direction of gravity.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the position detection device is comprised of a leaf switch.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the position detection device is comprised of a mercury switch.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the position detection device is comprised of an electrical circuit that measures changes in inductance.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the position detection device is comprised of a photodetector.