Playing or training device

• US 4,440,400 A
• Filed: 04/28/1980
• Issued: 04/03/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conpaten Limited
• Original Assignee: Conpaten Limited
• Inventors: Neuberger, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, T.
• Application Number:
  US06/143,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 273/55 R, 273/411, 273/58 G, 273/58 C, 273/1 B, 273/1 GC, 273/55 B, 272/77, 272/78, 272/76
• US Class Current: 473/426
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/004 Multiple detectors or sensors each defining a different zone
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/153 wound-up and unwound during exercise, e.g. from a reel
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• 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 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/102 Boxing
• 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 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0084 the line or cord being fixed to at least two points
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0091 Balls fixed to a movable, tiltable or flexible arm
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/215 Anthropomorphic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/224 mounted on a resilient foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/305 Hanging heavy punching bags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/32 with indicating devices

Abstract

A playing or training device comprises a resiliently mounted body such as a ball for receiving a hit, kick or like impact. At least two impact pressure responsive devices are mounted at spaced locations within the ball and each device is electrically connected to a respective lamp on an indicator panel. Each lamp is positioned on the panel in a location to correspond to a target that the ball would hit if the ball were impacted at the location of the impact device connected to that lamp.

Claims

1. A playing and/or training device which indicates a precision with which desired impacts by a player on a ball may be designated, comprising

a ball to be impacted,

at least two impact pressure sensing means within said ball for sensing impacts directed onto at least two predetermined areas of the surface of said ball,

indicating means responsive to an impact on the area of said ball containing said sensing means for providing an indication when the said sensing means senses an impact,

resilient means for supporting said ball between two lateral support means,

each impact pressure sensing means comprising a switch contact actuated by a pressure acting on said switch contact because of an impact in an area in which said switch control is placed,

said indicating means comprising lamps, each lamp being connectible to an electric source by one of said switch contacts when the ball surface is impacted at the predetermined area assigned to said lamp,

a target indicator panel,

said target indicator panel including said lamps which are positioned relative thereto for visual observation by the player whereby each lamp is topographically arranged within the target indicator panel to represent a target which said ball will hit if impacted at the corresponding predetermined area of its surface to activate a sensing means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising tensioning means for tensioning said ball in a plane perpendicular to a direction approximating its deflection under impact.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said tensioning means comprises supporting means having parts providing a spring action.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said supporting means comprise rubber-like resilient material.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 and comprising springs connected to said supporting means.

6. A device as defined in claim 3 and comprising reels for receiving said supporting means and spiral springs acting on said reels in a direction to wind up said supporting means.

7. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising at least one additional switch which responds only on a ball deflection of a predetermined amount and an evaluation circuit for preventing an impact indication until response of said additional switch takes place.

8. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising switching means for allocating different values to impacts at different positions on said ball and an evaluation circuit for scoring the impacts by addition of their said values.

9. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising an evaluation circuit for preventing indication of impacts unless said impacts take place on parts of said ball in a predetermined sequence.

10. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising an evaluation circuit having a timing element for preventing indication of impacts unless they occur in predetermined times determined by said timing element.

11. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising several lamps for indicating impacts which have been achieved in succession.

12. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said indicating means comprises an acoustic indicator.

13. A device as defined in claim 1 and comprising additional sensing means for sensing impacts at other parts of said body than said predetermined parts and indicating means responsive to said additional sensing means for indicating that said predetermined parts have been missed by the impact.

14. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said sensors are divided and one part is a cell arranged within the ball and is assigned to one of the predetermined parts of the ball surface and a second part together with a membrane and a switch contact is arranged outside the ball, the two parts being connected by a hose connection.