Martial arts training apparatus and method

• US 4,564,192 A
• Filed: 01/25/1984
• Issued: 01/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leizer Lebowitz
• Original Assignee: Leizer Lebowitz
• Inventors: Lebowitz, Leizer
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US06/573,660
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 272/76, 272/77, 272/78, 434/247, 273/29 A, 273/95 A, 273/95 AA, 273/102 AP, 273/26 R, 273/26 EA, 273/26 E, 46/47, 446/334
• US Class Current: 482/87
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/10 Combat sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/215 Anthropomorphic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/30 Resilient attachments

Abstract

A training apparatus and method for training a martial arts student. A pair of simulated limbs are designed to strike blows against the student in a way that requires great skill on the part of the student to defend against the blows. The blows are directed at the student with considerable force, and from a variety of different angles, thus requiring great dexterity on the part of the student to defend against the blow. The limb members are supported in a way that allows them many degrees of movement. Specifically, the limb members are each connected for universal movement relative to a support. In addition, each of the limb members can pivot relative to the means that connects it for universal movement relative to the support. Still further, the support itself has several degrees of movement to provide additional ranges of movement for the limb members. A spring arrangement resiliently biases the limb members towards a neutral position relative to a student positioned in a striking area. The spring arrangement allows one limb member to recoil relative to the other limb member when a blow is delivered against the one limb member from the striking area. The spring arrangement is designed so that when the one limb member recoils, it applies a resilient follow-up force to the other limb member that causes the other limb member to strike a return blow at a student in the striking area.

Claims

1. Training apparatus comprising support means, a pair of limb members connected with said support means and being adapted for universal movement relative to said support means, said limb members being yieldably and resiliently interconnected with each other in a manner that allows one limb member a range of movement relative to the other limb member in response to an external impact on the one limb member and causes a reaction force to be applied to the other limb member to cause follow-up movement of the other limb member when the one limb member is caused to move by an external impact, said support means comprising an axially extending post, universal coupling means for connecting each of said limbs to said post for universal movement relative to said post, said post being supported for rotation about its central axis and being supported for limited axial movement, to allow rotational and axial movement of said limb members along with said post, means for pivotally coupling each limb member to the universal coupling means so that each limb member can pivot relative to the universal coupling means that couples the limb member with the post, said spring means biasing each arm member to a neutral position, said universal coupling means comprising a ball connected to said post, and a socket coupled to said ball having universal movement relative to said ball, and each of said limb members being pivotally secured to said socket to allow each limb member to pivot relative to said socket, and to move universally with said socket relative to said ball.

2. Training apparatus as defined in claim 1 including centering spring means coupled with said post and said universal coupling means, said centering spring means biasing both limb members to a common, substantially horizontal plane.

3. Training apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein a sleeve is rotatable on said post, said centering spring means acting between said socket and said sleeve, and biasing said socket to a position in which said limb members are in said common, substantially horizontal plane.

4. Training apparatus as defined in claim 3 including an intermediate post member fixed to the socket, said intermediate post member extending outward from the socket, said first biasing spring means acting between the intermediate post member and said one arm member and said second spring means acting between the intermediate post member and the other arm member.

5. Training apparatus as defined in claim 4 including a bearing assembly disposed between each arm member and the socket, each bearing assembly comprising a pair of spaced-apart washers and a roller bearing washer disposed between and in rolling engagement with the spaced-apart washers.

6. Training apparatus as defined in claim 5 including bearing means between said rotatable collar and said post, said bearing means comprising a pair of spaced-apart washers and a roller bearing washer disposed between said spaced-apart washers.

7. Training apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said post is movable axially relative to said support, said post being rotatably mounted in said support, and spring means biasing said post to a predetermined axial position, said post being movable against said spring means in either axial direction, and bearing means disposed between said post and said support, said bearing means comprising a pair of spaced-apart washers and a roller bearing washer disposed between said spaced-apart washers.

8. Training apparatus comprising support means, a pair of limb members connected with said support means and being adapted for universal movement relative to said support means, said limb members being yieldably and resiliently interconnected with each other in a manner that allows one limb member a range of movement relative to the other limb member in response to an external impact on the one limb member and causes a reaction force to be applied to the other limb member to cause follow-up movement of the other limb member when the one limb member is caused to move by an external impact, spring means acting between said limb members and operative to resiliently deform when one limb member is impacted to allow the one limb member to initially move relative to the other limb member and then to impart follow-up movement to the other limb member.

9. Training apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said support means comprises an axially extending post, universal coupling means for connecting each of said limbs to said post for universal movement relative to said post, said post being supported for rotation about its central axis and being supported for limited axial movement, to allow rotational and axial movement of said limb members along with said post.

10. Training apparatus as defined in claim 9 including means for pivotally coupling each limb member to the universal coupling means so that each limb member can pivot relative to the universal coupling means that couples the limb member with the post, said spring means biasing each arm member to a neutral position.

11. Training apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said spring means for exerting resilient biasing force between the limb members comprises first biasing spring means acting between one limb member and the universal coupling means, and second biasing spring means acting between the other limb member and the universal coupling means.

12. Apparatus for use in self defense training, comprising a pair of limb members biased toward a neutral position relative to a striking area, means supporting each limb member for universal movement relative to said neutral position in the event of an external impact delivered against the limb member from the striking area, said limb members being connected with each other in a manner that allows a degree of movement of one limb member relative to the other limb member, spring means acting between limb members and operative to resiliently deform when one limb member is impacted from the strike area to allow the one limb member to initially move relative to the other limb member and then to impart follow-up movement to the other limb member, the follow-up movement urging said other limb member toward the strike area.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein each limb member can move universally relative to the other limb member in response to an external impact against said one limb member from the strike area.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said spring means biases said limb members to said neutral position, said spring means imparting said follow-up movement to said other limb member in response to said degree of movement of said one limb member.

15. A method of self defense training for a person positioned in a striking area comprising the steps of providing a pair of limb members positioned relative to the striking area, each of the limb members disposed to receive an external impact thereon, moving one of the limb members with a universal range of motion relative to the other limb member in response to an impact delivered against the one limb member from a person in the striking area, elastically absorbing the energy of the impact against the one limb member to allow the one limb member to move relative to the other limb member, and transferring a portion of the absorbed elastic energy to the other limb member to impart resilient follow-up movement to the other limb member in response to movement of the one limb member, the follow-up movement causing the other limb member to deliver a blow against the person in the striking area.