Athletic training and practice system

• US 20120040781A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jon Cameron, Randall Edmiston
• Original Assignee: Jon Cameron, Randall Edmiston
• Inventors: Edmiston, Randall, Cameron, Jon
• Application Number:
  US13/136,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040781A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/422
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/02 for picking-up or collecting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0097 Ball rebound walls with holes or in combination with nets A63B63/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls

Abstract

An athletic training apparatus is disclosed with a low-ball deflection panel (130) used to keep the balls (140) in play. When combined with a ball machine (110), a dampening backdrop (100) and a collection trough (120), the apparatus improves the quantity of practice balls (140) available to the player.

Claims

1. An apparatus for training athletes, comprising

a. a low-ball deflection panel angled away from the athlete whereby low balls are directed away from the athlete, and

b. a dampening backdrop to stop said low ball'"'"'s projection away from the athlete, and

c. a collection trough attached near the top of said low-ball deflection panel whereby said collection trough collects the spent balls from said dampening backdrop and dispenses said spent balls downward, and

d. a ball machine placed above the playing field to collect said spent balls from the trough and then projects the balls toward the athlete for the athlete to return to the system, and

e. a hole in said low-ball deflection panel that allows the balls to be projected by said ball machine to the athlete.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said low-ball deflection panel is comprised of a rigid material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said low-ball deflection panel is comprised of a taut flexible material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dampening backdrop is comprised of foam.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dampening backdrop is comprised of netting.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dampening backdrop is angled toward the player whereby a surface behind the backdrop is not able to interfere with the operation of the backdrop.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ball machine is a low-profile ball machine.