Adjustable embedded bat speed indicator

• US 6,830,520 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven Bollar
• Original Assignee: Steven Bollar
• Inventors: Bollar, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, M.
• Application Number:
  US10/827,752
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 473/567, 473/457, 473/568, 473/234, 473/223, 473/219, 473/326, 473/333, 473/463, 473/226, 473/461, 473/233, 473/564, 734/93
• US Class Current: 473/457
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/005 with a weight movable along the longitudinal axis of the club due to centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

An improved baseball swing trainer is presented where a standard wooden bat is modified with an embedded magnetic speed indicator based on a ball bearing and a magnet. The distance between the magnet and the ball bearing can be adjusted to adjust the amount of swing force necessary to break the ball bearing free. The device is mechanically simple and easy to install in any wooden bat.

Claims

1. A baseball bat swing trainer, the swing trainer comprised of an industry-standard wooden bat, a longitudinal hole in the bat, a holding means hole in the bat, a magnet, a cylindrical traveling magnet holder, a holding means, a rotating cylinder, a steel ball bearing, a plurality of bat head holding screws, a positioning washer, and an adjustment knob,

the longitudinal hole drilled in the end of the bat away from the handle, the longitudinal hole drilled along the center line of the bat head parallel to the bat'"'"'s long axis,

the holding means hole drilled into the side of the bat head perpendicular to the long axis of the bat, the holding means hole intersecting the longitudinal hole, said longitudinal hole possessing a truncated, conical cutout at the end of the bat that permits the adjustment knob to be recessed,

the swing trainer assembled by inserting the magnet in the cylindrical traveling magnet holder fixedly, sliding the cylindrical traveling magnet holder into the longitudinal hole, the cylindrical traveling magnet holder possessing a positioning slot, until the positioning slot is fitted over the intersection of the holding means hole with the longitudinal hole, inserting the holding means into the holding means hole until the end of the holding means fits into the slot in the traveling magnet holder,

the rotating cylinder possessing screw threads on its outer surface, the cylindrical traveling magnet holder possessing screw threads on its inner surface, the external diameter of the rotating cylinder the same as the internal diameter of the cylindrical traveling magnet holder,

the rotating cylinder then inserted into the longitudinal hole and screwed into the cylindrical traveling magnet holder, the steel ball bearing inserted loosely into the rotating cylinder, the positioning washer and a felt washer then slid onto the end of the rotating cylinder not inserted in the cylindrical traveling magnet holder, the adjustment cap then attached fixedly to the end of the rotating cylinder not inserted in the cylindrical traveling magnet holder, the plurality of bat head holding screws then screwed into the end of the longitudinal hole such that they prevent the rotating cylinder from sliding out of the longitudinal hole,

the swing trainer used by turning the adjustment knob until the traveling magnet holder is moved far enough away from the steel ball bearing to enable the steel ball bearing to break free of the magnetic field when the swing trainer is swung as a baseball bat.

2. A swing trainer as in claim 1 where the magnet is a rare earth magnet.

3. A swing trainer as in claim 1 where the holding means is a wood screw.