Baseball training system and method

• US 7,066,845 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shoot-A-Way Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shoot-A-Way Incorporated
• Inventors: Joseph, John G
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US10/803,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/431, 473/457, 473/456, 473/436, 473/454, 473/451, 473/432, 124/7, 124/79, 124/81, 124/56
• US Class Current: 473/431
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0097 Ball rebound walls with holes or in combination with nets A63B63/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/406 with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction

Abstract

A baseball training system and method for training a player is shown. The baseball system and method includes a collector for collecting thrown balls and directing them to a throwback unit which has multiple adjusters for adjusting various characteristics of a ball being thrown back. The throwback unit can be adjusted to accommodate different ball sizes to change a trajectory of a ball being thrown back by the throwback unit.

Claims

1. A baseball training system comprising the following in combination:

a collector having a target, said collector receiving and collecting baseballs thrown at said target by a baseball player;

a throwback unit associated with an exit opening in said collector for receiving collected baseballs from said collector and for throwing said baseballs, one at a time, back to said baseball player, said collector having a floor for urging baseballs thrown at said target toward said exit opening in the collector;

said throwback unit comprising;

a base;

a drive motor mounted on said base;

a wheel driven by said drive motor; and

a guide situated on the ground and adjacent to said exit opening for receiving baseballs passing through said exit opening, at least one of said wheel or said guide being adjustable to permit adjustment of a characteristic of said baseball training system;

wherein said characteristic of said baseball training system comprises one of a throwback trajectory of a baseball thrown by the throwback unit or a baseball size for a baseball to be thrown back by the throwback unit;

said throwback unit causing said baseballs that are thrown at said target to be thrown upward away from the ground and toward the baseball player;

said collector further comprising a collapsible frame and at least one wheel rotatably mounted thereon to enable the collector to be moved.

2. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback unit comprises a baseball size adjuster coupled to at least one of said wheel or said guide for adjusting a relative distance between said wheel and said guide to accommodate baseballs having different circumferences.

3. The throwback system as recited in claim 1 wherein said system further comprises:

a guide adjuster coupled to said guide for adjusting a position of said guide relative to said wheel in order to change a trajectory of a baseball thrown back to said player by said throwback unit.

4. The throwback system as recited in claim 3 wherein said system comprises:

a motor mount on which said drive motor is mounted;

a baseball size adjuster coupled to said wheel for adjusting a position of said wheel in response to a baseball size.

5. The throwback system as recited in claim 1 wherein said baseball size adjuster comprises:

a motor mount on which said drive motor is coupled;

a baseball size adjuster coupled to said wheel for adjusting a position of said wheel in order to move said wheel towards and away from said guide.

6. The baseball training system as recited in claim 4 wherein said adjuster comprising a rotatable crank for raising and lowering said wheel to said guide.

7. The baseball training system as recited in claim 2 wherein said baseball size adjuster comprises a preset gauge for receiving a baseball to be thrown back, said preset gauge gauging a size of said baseball so that when said baseball size adjuster is adjusted to a size of said baseball, a distance between said guide and said wheel is set, said distance generally corresponding to said size.

8. The baseball training system as recited in claim 2 wherein said system comprises an indicator for indicating a distance between said wheel and said gauge, said distance generally corresponding to a size of the baseball.

9. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide comprises a track for guiding baseballs from said exit opening toward said wheel, said collector comprising a floor that is angled relative to the ground in order to direct baseballs toward said track of said throwback unit.

10. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback unit is portable and detachable from said collector.

11. The baseball training system as recited in claim 10 wherein said throwback unit comprises a handle and at least one throwback wheel rotatably coupled to said base to enable the throwback unit to be moved.

12. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback unit comprises a handle and at least one throwback wheel rotatably coupled to said base to enable the throwback unit to be moved.

13. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said system comprises:

a speed measure coupled to a front of the collector for measuring a speed of a baseball thrown at said target.

14. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said speed measurer is mounted on said collector.

15. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said collector comprises a floor that is angled relative to the ground in order to direct-balls baseballs to the throwback unit.

16. The baseball training system as recited in claim 1 wherein said throwback system comprises at least one wheel mounted on said base for moving said throwback system.