BALL TOSSING AND TRAINING DEVICE AND SYSTEM

• US 20170266530A1
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3 Sticks LAX LLC
• Original Assignee: 3 Sticks LAX LLC
• Inventors: Pepe, Francis P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,894,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/402 giving spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• 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 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A training system includes a launching device house a computer electrically connected to a mechanical hopper and a plunger disposed within a casing sized to launch a lacrosse ball. The casing is structured and arranged to be movably connected to the housing such that at least one of a launch angle, speed, direction, distance and spin can all be selectively chosen by a user. At least one sensor is designed to be placed onto at least one of a player, the lacrosse ball, or a lacrosse net such that the sensors are structured and arranged to relay metric data to the computer in connection with a training program software operating on the computer, wherein the sensor(s) are wirelessly connected to the computer. A mobile device software application communicates with the computer for tracking the metric data and selective programming of the lacrosse ball tossing and training system by the player.

Claims

1A. A lacrosse ball tossing and training system comprising:

a housing having a computer electrically connected to a mechanical hopper and a plunger disposed within a casing sized to launch a lacrosse ball, the casing structured and arranged to be movably connected to the housing such that at least one of a launch angle, speed, direction, distance and spin can all be selectively chosen by a user;

at least one sensor designed to be placed onto at least one of a player, the lacrosse ball, or a lacrosse net such that the sensors are structured and arranged to relay metric data to the computer in connection with a training program software operating on the computer, said at least one sensor being wirelessly connected to said computer; and

a mobile device software application in communication with said computer for tracking the metric data and selective programming of the ball tossing and training system by the player.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer comprises a selectively programmed random mode to launch said lacrosse ball in a random manner to simulate an inaccurate pass.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said plunger will release said lacrosse ball from said housing at random directions and heights for a number of lacrosse balls in the mechanical hopper.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile device software application is adapted to detect at least one of speed of said lacrosse ball, accuracy of location of said lacrosse ball relative to a target, and a number of launches of said lacrosse ball from said housing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile device software application receives data from sensors mounted to multiple body parts of the player to assess and record physical motion of the player during a training exercise.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising,

a target spaced from said housing, said at least one sensor being mounted on a target, wherein said mobile device software application is adapted to receive data from said at least one sensor attached to said target.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said computer and said mobile device software application comprises voice recognition capabilities allowing the user to control operation of a launch operation of the housing to control at least one of ball trajectory, timing and height of said lacrosse ball in order to simulate game environment training.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor mounted on the player, said mobile device software application receiving data from said sensor mounted on said user to determine a position of at least one body part of said user during a practice session.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor mounted to said lacrosse ball, said mobile device software application receiving data related to a speed and direction of said lacrosse ball.

10. A lacrosse ball tossing and lacrosse training system comprising:

a lacrosse ball projecting mechanism including a housing, a hopper, a plunger disposed within said housing, a release port sized to launch a lacrosse ball, and release port structured and arranged to be movably connected to the housing such that at least one of a launch angle, speed, direction, distance and spin of said lacrosse ball may be selectively chosen by a player;

a goal target having selectively-located target areas disposed about said goal target, said target areas comprising openings sized to receive said lacrosse ball, said goal target comprising a plurality of sensors adapted to sense said lacrosse ball proximate said target areas;

a computer wirelessly connected to said plurality of sensors such that the sensors are structured and arranged to relay metric data to the computer in connection with a training program software operating on the computer; and

a mobile device software application in communication with said computer for tracking the metric data and selective programming of the ball tossing and training system by the player.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said computer comprises a selectively programmed random mode to launch said lacrosse ball with random speed and height.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said projecting mechanism will release said lacrosse ball from said housing at random directions and heights for a number of lacrosse balls in the mechanical hopper.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said mobile device software application is adapted to detect at least one of speed of said lacrosse ball, accuracy of location of said lacrosse ball relative to a target, and a number of launches of said lacrosse ball from said housing.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said mobile device application is adapted to receive data from sensors mounted to at least one body part of the player to assess and record physical motion of the player during a training exercise.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said mobile device software application comprises voice recognition allowing the user to control the ball trajectory, timing and height in order to simulate game environment training.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one sensor mounted on a user, said mobile device software application receiving data from said sensor mounted on said user to determine a position of at least one body part of said user during a practice session.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one sensor mounted to said lacrosse ball, said mobile device software application receiving data related to a speed and direction of said lacrosse ball.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

sensors disposed on multiple body part of the player, wherein said mobile device software application is adapted to receive data from said sensors to monitor and record physical motion of the player during a training exercise.