Baseball trainer
First Claim
1. Trainer and game apparatus for use by a person pitching a ball, comprising:
- start means for generating a start signal in response to a ball being pitched;
target means for generating a stop signal in response to arrival of the ball at a target location;
computer means connected to said start means and to said target means and receptive of said start signal and said stop signal, and operative for measuring time elapsed between the generation of the start signal and the generation of the stop signal; and
reporting means connected to said computer means for reporting to the person information relating to the elapsed time;
wherein said start means includes a foot-actuated switch means positioned a distance from said target means for generating the start signal in response to the person shifting his or her weight off one foot during the act of pitching the ball toward the target means, and wherein said computer means is further operative for calculating the approximate speed of the pitched ball by dividing said distance by said time.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A baseball trainer includes a target apparatus set at a predetermined distance from a practicing ballplayer. The target apparatus includes a plurality of panels for indicating a "strike" or a "ball" which indication is communicated to a microcomputer in a console adjacent to the practicing player. The target apparatus is associated with an adjacent catching apparatus and ball return apparatus for returning the ball to the player. The player pitches from a pitching rubber which includes a switch for providing a start signal when the player shifts the weight off of his back foot at the instant the ball is pitched toward the target apparatus. The start time, together with a stop time generated by the "strike" or "ball" panels, can be used by the microcomputer to generate an elapsed time which together with the known distance is used to calculate the speed of the pitch and which is then audibly reported to the practicing player. Alternatively, the trainer can be used without a pitching rubber in a fielding mode wherein a start signal is generated when the ball return apparatus propels the ball toward the practicing player. The player then catches the ball and throws it back to the target apparatus and a fielding time is calculated.
87 Citations
59 Claims
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1. Trainer and game apparatus for use by a person pitching a ball, comprising:
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start means for generating a start signal in response to a ball being pitched; target means for generating a stop signal in response to arrival of the ball at a target location; computer means connected to said start means and to said target means and receptive of said start signal and said stop signal, and operative for measuring time elapsed between the generation of the start signal and the generation of the stop signal; and reporting means connected to said computer means for reporting to the person information relating to the elapsed time; wherein said start means includes a foot-actuated switch means positioned a distance from said target means for generating the start signal in response to the person shifting his or her weight off one foot during the act of pitching the ball toward the target means, and wherein said computer means is further operative for calculating the approximate speed of the pitched ball by dividing said distance by said time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. Trainer and game apparatus for use by a person practicing fielding by catching a propelled ball and throwing it toward said target means, comprising:
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means for propelling a ball toward the person, said propelling means including start means for generating a start signal in response to the ball being propelled, said propelling means further including target means for generating a stop signal in response to arrival of the ball at a target location associated with the propelling means after the ball has been caught by the person and thrown to the target means; computer means connected to said start means and to said target means and receptive of said start signal and said stop signal, and operative for measuring the time elapsed between the generation of the start signal and the generation of the stop signal; and reporting means connected to said computer means for reporting to the person information relating to the elapsed time; and wherein the person catches the propelled ball and throws the ball toward the target means, and wherein said computer means measures the time elapsed between the generation of the start signal and the generation of the stop signal to determine a fielding time for the person'"'"'s catching and throwing of the ball. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for practicing the throwing of a ball by a person toward a target, wherein the person practices throwing by pitching to the target from a predetermined distance, the method comprising the steps of:
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starting an elapsed-time timer at the instant the ball is thrown by the person toward the target, wherein the starting the timer step includes sensing the shifting of the person'"'"'s weight from his or her back foot to his or her front foot, the back foot corresponding to the throwing arm of the person and the front foot corresponding to the arm opposite from the throwing arm; stopping the elapsed-time timer at the instant the ball hits the target; calculating the elapsed time; calculating an approximate speed of the pitched ball by dividing the distance by the elapsed time; and reporting to the person information relating to the elapsed time, including reporting the speed of the pitched ball.
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57. A method for practicing the throwing of a ball by a person toward a target, wherein the person practices fielding by catching the ball and throwing the ball to the target, the method comprising the steps of:
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starting an elapsed-time timer at the instant the ball is thrown by a ball return apparatus toward the person; running the elapsed-time timer during the time the ball is traveling toward the person from the ball return apparatus, during the time the ball is being caught and thrown by the person, and during the time the ball is traveling toward the target after being thrown by the person; stopping the elapsed-time timer at the instant the ball hits the target after the ball is thrown toward the target by the person; calculating the elapsed time, wherein the elapsed time includes the time for the ball to travel from the ball return apparatus to the person, and the time for the person to catch the ball and throw the ball back to the target; and reporting information relating to the elapsed time to the person. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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Specification