Sport court training target assembly

• US 5,709,620 A
• Filed: 03/19/1997
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christine K. Reinprecht
• Original Assignee: Christine K. Reinprecht
• Inventors: Reinprecht, Christine K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/820,043
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 473/459, 434/247
• US Class Current: 473/459
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/007 Target zones without opening defined on a substantially horizontal surface

Abstract

An assembly for assisting in the instruction of court or playing-field games, e.g., tennis, the assembly having two-dimensional panels that are strategically positioned on a court. Each panel is made of a flexible, durable material that forms a plane for positioning and repositioning on the surface of a tennis court, thus permitting a tennis instructor to customize tennis lessons according to the specific needs, strengths, or weaknesses of a particular student player. For instance, when instructing a young child, the targeting devices can be moved to a forward position on the court in order to reduce difficulty and assure the positive feedback essential in teaching children. Each targeting panel may have weights attached to the lower surface of the panel to assure positioning in windy weather, or when the panel is repeatedly struck with tennis balls. With minor modification, the target assembly may be used as a training aid in volleyball, soccer, squash, badminton, paddle tennis, hockey, etc.

Claims

1. A sport court training target assembly for assisting in the instruction of a sport having a court or like playing surface, comprising:

a first targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, said first panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of said at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on said first panel upper surface, said first panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on a sport court at a "T"-type intersection of two lines on the sport court; and

a second targeting panel constructed of said sheet material, said second panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least three edges, including a first edge and a second edge which are linear and meet to form a substantially right angle, and there being target indicia on said second panel upper surface, said second panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on a sport court at a right angle intersection of two lines on the sport court.

2. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first panel includes alignment indicia on said first panel upper surface for alignment of said first panel at the "T"-type intersection of two lines on the sport court.

3. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first panel is D-shaped.

4. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second panel includes a third edge having a radial arc.

5. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sheet material is a heavy-weight fabric.

6. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 5, wherein said heavy-weight fabric has a weight of approximately 40 ounces per square yard.

7. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 5, wherein said heavy-weight fabric is a PVC-coated nylon fabric.

8. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 1, comprising at least three of said first panels.

9. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 8, comprising at least two of said second panels.

10. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 1, comprising at least two of said first panels.

11. A method of teaching tennis comprising at least two of the following steps:

strategically positioning and repositioning before and during a tennis lesson in order to maximize educational feedback and reinforcement, a first targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, the first panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of the at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on the first panel upper surface and alignment indicia on the first panel upper surface, the first panel being disposed for positioning upon a tennis court near the intersection of the service line with the midline;

strategically positioning and repositioning before and during a tennis lesson in order to maximize educational feedback and reinforcement, a second targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, the second panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of the at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on the second panel upper surface and alignment indicia on the second panel upper surface, the second panel being disposed for positioning upon the tennis court near the intersection of the service line with a first sideline;

strategically positioning and repositioning before and during a tennis lesson in order to maximize educational feedback and reinforcement, a third targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, the third panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of the at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on the third panel upper surface and alignment indicia on the third panel upper surface, the third panel being disposed for positioning upon the tennis court near the intersection of the service line with a second sideline;

strategically positioning and repositioning before and during a tennis lesson in order to maximize educational feedback and reinforcement, a fourth targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, the fourth panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least three edges, including a first edge and a second edge which are linear and meet to form a substantially right angle, and there being target indicia on the fourth panel upper surface, the fourth panel being disposed for positioning upon the tennis court near the intersection of the first sideline with the baseline; and

strategically positioning and repositioning before and during a tennis lesson in order to maximize educational feedback and reinforcement, a fifth targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, the fifth panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least three edges, including a first edge and a second edge which are linear and meet to form a substantially right angle, and there being target indicia on the fifth panel upper surface, the fifth panel being disposed for positioning upon the tennis court near the intersection of a second sideline with the baseline.

12. A method of teaching tennis as recited in claim 11, wherein at least three of the five steps are accomplished.

13. A method of teaching tennis as recited in claim 11, wherein at least four of the five steps are accomplished.

14. A method of teaching tennis as recited in claim 11, wherein all five of the five steps are accomplished.

15. A method of teaching tennis as recited in claim 14, wherein the strategic positioning steps are accomplished by locating the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, the fourth panel, and the fifth panel on any surface of the tennis court in a predetermined fashion, in order to achieve maximum instructional benefit.

16. A sport court training target assembly for assisting in the instruction of a game requiring the use of a court-type playing surface and accurate striking or throwing of a ball or object to one or more specific target areas of the playing surface, the sport court training target assembly comprising:

a first generally D-shaped targeting panel constructed of a sheet material, said first panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of said at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on said first panel upper surface and alignment indicia on said first panel upper surface, said first panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on a sport court at a "T"-type intersection of two lines on the sport court;

a second generally D-shaped targeting panel constructed of said sheet material, said second panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of said at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on said second panel upper surface and alignment indicia on said second panel upper surface, said second panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on the sport court at a "T"-type intersection of two lines on the sport court;

a third generally D-shaped targeting panel constructed of said sheet material, said second panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least two edges, one of said at least two edges being linear, and there being target indicia on said second panel upper surface and alignment indicia on said second panel upper surface, said second panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on the sport court at a "T"-type intersection of two lines on the sport court;

a fourth targeting panel constructed of said sheet material, said fourth panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least three edges, including a first edge and a second edge which are linear and meet to form a substantially right angle, and there being target indicia on said fourth panel upper surface, said fourth panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on the sport court at a right angle intersection of two lines on the sport court; and

a fifth targeting panel constructed of said sheet material, said fifth panel having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least three edges, including a first edge and a second edge which are linear and meet to form a substantially right angle, and there being target indicia on said fifth panel upper surface, said fifth panel being disposed for positioning with said lower surface on the sport court at a right angle intersection of two lines on the sport court.

17. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 16, wherein said sheet material is a heavy-weight fabric.

18. The sport court training target assembly according to claim 17, wherein said heavy-weight fabric has a weight of approximately 40 ounces per square yard.

19. The sport court training target assembly according to

claim 17, wherein said heavy-weight fabric is a PVC-coated nylon fabric.