Impact apparatus

• US 4,850,224 A
• Filed: 03/03/1988
• Issued: 07/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William F. Timme
• Original Assignee: William F. Timme
• Inventors: Timme, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruehl, Charles A.
• Application Number:
  US07/168,588
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 73/379, 272/76, 272/77, 272/DIG. 5
• US Class Current: 73/379.04
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/32 with indicating devices

Abstract

An impact apparatus employing a hollow body having within its interior resilient means having a greater resiliency than said body.

Claims

1. An impact apparatus comprising:

a hollow body;

resilient means in the interior and in contact with the inner walls of said body, said resilient means defining a chamber in said body and having a greater resiliency than said body, whereby said resilient means recovers its shape after deformation resulting from impact to said hollow body to quickly cause said hollow body to recover its shape;

and means communicating with said chamber for receiving air expelled from said chamber and developing an electrical signal indicative of said expelled air.

2. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

an outer layer surrounding said hollow body.

3. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

said hollow body comprises a high impact polyethylene material;

said resilient means comprises a polyurethane foam material; and

said outer layer comprises a polyethylene foam material.

4. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said hollow body comprises a high impact polyethylene material; and

said resilient means comprises a polyurethane foam material.

6. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said means communicating with said chamber comprises;

a rotatably mounted wheel adapted to be rotated by said expelled air; and

means for detecting the rotations of said wheel and for providing said electrical signal based on said detected rotations.

7. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

said wheel has an aperture on its periphery; and

said detecting means includes;

a light source directing light at said periphery of said wheel;

a light receiver for receiving light from said light source passing through said aperture; and

a digital counter responsive to said receiver.

8. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein:

said light source is an infra red LED;

said receiver comprises;

a phototransistor; and

a relay coupled between said phototransistor and

said digital counter.

9. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said hollow body comprises a high impact polyethylene material;

said resilient means comprises a polyurethane foam material.

10. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

means for providing a determinable gauge of the distance to the apparatus.

11. An impact apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein:

said gauging means is a marked chord.

5. An impact apparatus in accordance with calim 1 wherein:

said receiving means comprises;

a conduit connected to said chamber for receiving the air expelled from said chamber; and

indication means coupled to said conduit for developing said electrical signal.