FOOTBALL TRAINING AID AND METHOD

• US 20120157243A1
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher J. Gallo
• Original Assignee: Christopher J. Gallo
• Inventors: Gallo, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US13/324,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/438
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/625 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0054 Features for injury prevention on an apparatus, e.g. shock absorbers mats or the like for absorbing shocks for jumping A63B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00

Abstract

A training aid is attached to the rear region of a user'"'"'s helmet and alerts the player with an audible beep when the player'"'"'s head drops into a downward unsafe or improper position. A printed circuit board containing a horn, battery and tilt switch is located within a protective housing attached by an adhesive to the rear region of the player'"'"'s helmet. An external switch enables the player to manually turn the circuit ON or OFF.

Claims

1. A training aid comprising:

a helmet including a protective outer shell having two side regions, a rear region and a front region, said front region being formed with an opening to provide a field of vision for a wearer; and

a signaling device attached to the helmet to provide a signal to the wearer when the front region of the helmet is in a downwardly facing direction.

2. The training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device is positioned in the rear region of the helmet.

3. The training aid defined in claim 2 wherein the signaling device is attached on an exterior surface of the rear region of the helmet.

4. The training aid defined in claim 2 wherein the signaling device is mounted within an interior of the helmet adjacent the rear region.

5. The training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the signal is an audible signal.

6. The training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device includes a tilt switch.

7. The training aid defined in claim 6 wherein the tilt switch is a MEMS tilt switch.

8. The training aid defined in claim 6 wherein the signaling device includes a battery and a signaling horn;

and in which the tilt switch upon reaching a predetermined angle actuates an electrical circuit between the battery and signaling horn.

9. The training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device includes a printed circuit board containing a tilt switch, a battery and an audible horn;

and

wherein said printed circuit board is located within a protective housing attached to the rear region of the helmet.

10. The training aid defined in claim 9 wherein the protective housing is attached to the rear region of the helmet by an adhesive.

11. The training aid defined in claim 9 wherein an external switch is mounted on the housing for controlling an ON/OFF condition of the signaling device.

12. The training aid defined in claim 9 wherein the protective housing has a generally dome-shaped configuration.

13. The training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device is mounted between two and three inches above a bottom edge of the helmet on an exterior surface of the rear region.

14. The training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device is actuated upon the helmet moving downwardly through the angle approximately 90°

or more from vertical.

15. A method of training a football player not to drop the player'"'"'s head prior to contact with another player including the steps of:

mounting a signaling device on a helmet being worn by the player;

actuating the signaling device automatically upon the player tilting his head into a critical downward position; and

sounding an audible alarm upon actuating the signaling device to warn the player to keep his head in an up position.

16. The method defined in claim 15 including the steps of placing the signaling device in a protective housing formed of an impact resistant plastic;

and mounting the protective housing on a rear region of the helmet.

17. The method defined in claim 16 including the step of mounting the protective housing on an exterior surface of the helmet with a pressure sensitive adhesive.

18. The method defined in claim 15 including the step of mounting the signaling device within the interior of the helmet adjacent a rear region of the helmet.

19. The method defined in claim 15 including the step of providing the signaling device with a manually operated ON/OFF switch.

20. The method defined in claim 15 including the steps of providing the signaling device with a tilt switch and completing an electric circuit upon the player'"'"'s head moving downwardly approximately 90°

or more from an upright vertical position.

21. A training aid for mounting on a protective headgear comprising:

a protective housing having a generally dome-shaped configuration;

an alarm circuit containing a tilt switch, a signaling device and a battery mounted within the protective housing; and

an attachment device for securing the protective housing on a rear region of the headgear.