Method and apparatus for sport swing training

• US 5,165,683 A
• Filed: 08/15/1991
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Design & Engineering Advancements Corporation
• Original Assignee: Industrial Design & Engineering Advancements Corporation
• Inventors: Schiller, James E., Beutler, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahr, Robert
• Application Number:
  US07/745,157
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 272/116, 273/26 R, 273/26 B, 273/38 R, 273/29 A, 273/186 R, 273/186 A, 273/193 A, 273/194 B, 482/92, 482/111, 434/252
• US Class Current: 473/228
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0088 by moving the surrounding air
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0026 for ice-hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00

Abstract

A means swing training method and apparatus means for perfecting the awareness, dependent swing motion and muscle groups contributing to the performance of players who engage in dependent sport games and activities are disclosed. A blade having sufficient width and rigidity to generate air resistance during a representative swing motion is designed to fold during the upswing motion, to flatten during the downswing motion and to float on the shaft of the appendant training apparatus so as to remain perpendicular to the swing plane throughout said user downswing motion.

Claims

1. A swing training apparatus comprising:

a shaft,

an air resistance blade coupled to said shaft for maintaining an appropriate level of air resistance to simulate the movement of a sport apparatus along a prescribed path having a starting point, said air resistance blade having

two substantially independent half blades,

folding means for folding said independent half blades into a closed position when said blade is moving along a path for positioning to said starting point of a swing motion along said prescribed path, and

flattening means for flattening said independent half blades into an open position when said blade is moving along said prescribed path, and

rotation means for allowing said air resistance blade to rotate around said shaft independently of said folding and flattening movement so that said blade is substantially allowed to rotate freely around said shaft within prescribed limits.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for folding and said means for flattening is a hinge.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for securing said open position.

4. A method for constructing a swing training apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a shaft,

coupling an air resistance blade to said shaft for maintaining an appropriate level of air resistance to simulate the movement of a sport apparatus along a prescribed path having a starting point, said air resistance blade having two substantially independent half blades,

hinging said half blades in a manner to provide for their folding into a closed position and their flattening into an open position, said hinging step facilitating said closed position of said blade when said blade is moving along a path for positioning to said starting point of said swing motion along said prescribed path, and facilitating said open position of said blade when said blade is moving along said prescribed path,

said coupling step including coupling said air resistance blade to said shaft so that said blade is substantially allowed to rotate freely and independently of said folding and flattening movement on said shaft within prescribed limits.