SPORTS TRAINING DEVICE AND IMPLEMENTATION THEREOF

• US 20150246275A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Marc Goldberg
• Original Assignee: Robert Marc Goldberg
• Inventors: Goldberg, Robert Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/06 Revolving targets ; Moving targets, e.g. moving or revolving on impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• 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 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

Embodiments of a sports training device that incorporates structure to facilitate installation and transport. These embodiments include a frame with one or more articulating sections that can change the configuration of the frame. The different configurations can change the dimensions of the sports training device, e.g., reducing the dimensions for transport and increasing the dimensions to match the opening of a goal.

Claims

1. A sports training device, comprising:

a frame at least partially circumscribing a frame opening, the frame comprising a first peripheral member and a second peripheral member; and

a target assembly coupled with the frame, the target assembly comprising a first target member that is configured to couple with the frame, the first target member having a target disposed in the frame opening,

wherein the frame is configured to assume a first frame configuration and a second frame configuration that is different from the first frame configuration, wherein the first frame configuration and the second frame configuration define a frame member distance between the first peripheral member and the second peripheral member, and

wherein the frame member distance has a first frame member distance in the first frame configuration and a second frame member distance in the second frame configuration that is less than the first frame member distance.

2. The sports training device of claim 1, wherein the frame has a central section and a pair of peripheral sections, one disposed on either side of the central section that includes the first peripheral member and the second peripheral member, and wherein the pair of peripheral sections are configured to move relative to the central section.

3. The sports training device of claim 2, wherein the frame comprises a joint assembly that couples the central section with the pair of peripheral sections, the joint assembly having a degree of freedom configured to permit the pair of peripheral sections to rotate relative to the central section.

4. The sports training device of claim 1, wherein the target member is configured to assume a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the first orientation positions the target substantially parallel to a plane that is tangent to a point on the first peripheral member and a point on the second peripheral member, and wherein the second orientation positions the target at an angle to the plane.

5. The sports training device of claim 4, wherein the target member comprises a biasing element that is configured to move the target member from the second orientation to the first orientation.

6. The sports training device of claim 4, wherein the target member is configured to generate an output that indicates the orientation of the target.

7. The sports training device of claim 6, wherein the target member comprises a sensor member that is configured to generate the output.

8. The sports training device of claim 1, wherein the target assembly comprises a first set of target members disposed on the first peripheral member and a second set of target members disposed on the second peripheral member.

9. The sports training device of claim 8, further comprising a device input coupled with the frame and a wiring harness coupled with the device input and extending along the frame, the wiring harness comprising wires that couple the first set of target members and the second set of target members to the device input.

10. The sports training device of claim 1, wherein the frame has center plane that bisects the frame between the first peripheral member and the second peripheral member, and wherein the first peripheral frame member and the second peripheral frame member are configured to move relative to the center plane.

11. A sports training device, comprising:

a frame having a first peripheral section, a second peripheral section, and a central section interposed therebetween, the frame comprising a center plane disposed between the first peripheral section and the second peripheral section;

a joint assembly comprising a first joint and a second joint coupling the central section with, respectively, the first peripheral section and the second peripheral section, the first joint and the second joint having an axis of rotation that allows the first peripheral section and the second peripheral section to rotate relative to the central section; and

a target assembly comprising a first target member and a second target member, one each disposed on the first peripheral section and the second peripheral section, the first target member and the second target member having a target with at least one orientation that configures the target at an angle to a plane that is tangent to at least two points on the frame.

12. The sports training device of claim 11, wherein the frame has a first configuration and a second configuration that define an outer dimension for the frame, and wherein the outer dimension in the first configuration is greater than the outer dimension in the second configuration.

13. The sports training device of claim 11, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of frame members circumscribing a frame opening.

14. The sports training device of claim 11, wherein the target members comprise a target articulating joint with a biasing element that returns the target member to a first orientation from a second orientation disposed at the angle.

15. The sports training device of claim 11, wherein the target members comprise a sensor member that is configured to generate the output.

16. A training system, comprising:

a device comprising a frame with a plurality of target members disposed thereon, the frame having a central section and a pair of peripheral sections that are configured to articulate relative to the central section, the target members comprising a target with at least one orientation that configures the target at an angle to a plane that is tangent to at least two points on the frame; and

a control device that is configured to connect with the device, the control device configured to generate an output that instructs operation of the device between a number of operating modes that define a scoring protocol for the device.

17. The training system of claim 16, wherein the operating modes comprise a first operating mode in which the scoring protocol assigns a scoring value to each of the target members.

18. The training system of claim 17, wherein the operating modes comprise a second operating mode in which the scoring protocol assigns the target members a position in a sequential listing, and wherein the sequential listing identifies an order that registers scoring values for each the target members.

19. The training system of claim 16, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of peripheral members that includes a first peripheral member and a second peripheral member disposed on opposite sides of a center plane in the first configuration, wherein the target assembly comprises a first set of target members disposed on the first peripheral member and a second set of target members disposed on the second peripheral member.

20. The training system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of peripheral members comprises a third peripheral member and a fourth peripheral member, and wherein the target assembly includes at least one target member disposed on the third peripheral member and the fourth peripheral member.