Practice sport projectile having a through hole

• US 7,300,357 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John V. Breaker, Richard C. Breaker
• Original Assignee: John V. Breaker, Richard C. Breaker
• Inventors: Breaker, Richard C., Breaker, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse; Nini F.
• Application Number:
  US10/359,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20030162603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 473/280, 473/281, 473/588, 473/595, 473/200, 473/374, 473/575, 473/576
• US Class Current: 473/280
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2043/001 Short-distance or low-velocity balls for training, or for playing on a reduced area
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/14 Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0026 for ice-hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3655 Balls, ball substitutes, or attachments on balls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/20 Weighted balls

Abstract

Non-standard sport projectiles, in accordance with this invention, include at least one linear through hole. As this non-standard sport projectile passes through the air, after being hit by, for example, a golf club, the non-standard sport projectile spins. When the above-mentioned through hole is generally aligned with the projectile'"'"'s direction of flight, air passes through the through hole, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the non-standard sport projectile are enhanced. When the through hole is not aligned with the projectiles direction of flight the aerodynamic characteristics are reduced. As a result, the non-standard sport projectile experiences rapidly repeating intervals of relatively high aerodynamic flight and relatively low aerodynamic flight as the non-standard sport projectile spins around the center cross section of the through hole.

Claims

1. A non-standard practice sport projectile for use within a relatively small geographic area, the non-standard projectile for practicing a striking motion associated with a sport, the non-standard sport projectile comprising:

a generally rigid body comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

at least one linear through hole extending completely through the generally rigid body about its geometric center, to create at least one first-surface-opening on the external surface of the generally rigid body, and to create at least one second-surface-opening on the external surface of the generally rigid body at a location that is opposite the at least one first-surface-opening, a remaining portion of the generally rigid body being devoid of through holes; and

the generally rigid body having at least one strike surface on the external surface,

such that striking the strike surface causes the generally rigid body to move in a direction, and with a rotation of the generally rigid body about an axis defined by the at least one through hole that provides a relatively high aerodynamic phase, and provides a relatively low aerodynamic phase as the at least one linear through hole rotates between being parallel and perpendicular to a direction of flight and causes the generally rigid body to move over a trajectory that substantially mimics a trajectory of a standard sports projectile but over a distance substantially reduced from a distance the standard sports projectile travels.

2. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball.

3. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 wherein the external surface is selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical surface, a convex surface, a spherical surface, or an elliptical surface.

4. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 wherein the at least one linear through hole is selected from a group consisting of a single though-hole that extends through the geometric center, or a plurality of through holes that are generally parallel and symmetrically surround the geometric center.

5. The non-standard sport projectile of claim 4 wherein the external surface includes a solid external surface that is devoid of through holes, the at least one first-surface-opening, and the at least one second-surface-opening, and wherein a ratio of an area of the solid external surface to an area of the surface openings is in the range of from about 1-to-1 to about 12-to-1.

6. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 5 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball.

7. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 5 wherein the solid external surface is selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical surface, a convex surface, a spherical surface, or an elliptical surface.

8. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 7 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball.

9. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1 wherein the at least one linear through hole includes internal side walls selected from a group consisting of straight side walls, converging side walls, or diverging side walls.

10. The non-standard sport projectile of claim 9 wherein the external surface of the generally rigid body includes the remaining portion of the generally rigid body, the at least one first-surface-opening, and at the least one second-surface-opening, and wherein a ratio of an area of the remaining portion of the generally rigid body to a total of an area of the at least one first-surface-opening and at least one second surface opening is in the range of from about 1-to-1 to about 12-to-1.

11. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 10 wherein the at least one linear through hole is selected from a group consisting of a single through-hole extending through the geometric center or a plurality of through holes that are generally parallel and surround the geometric center.

12. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 11 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball.

13. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1, wherein:

a height of the generally rigid body is less than a width of the generally rigid body.

14. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 1, wherein the material with a high flexural modulus is selected from the group of materials consisting of:

a metal or a polymer.

15. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 14 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball.

16. A method of practicing a physical movement that is associated with a sport wherein a projectile is hit by an object, comprising the steps of:

providing a generally rigid body comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

providing at least one linear through hole extending completely through the generally rigid body and its geometric center, to thereby create at least one first-surface-opening on the external surface of the generally rigid body, and to thereby create at least one second-surface-opening on the external surface of the generally rigid body at a location that is opposite the at least one first-surface-opening, a remaining portion of the generally rigid body being devoid of through holes;

arranging the generally rigid body to be hit by an object by placing the at least one first-surface-opening on a surface,

hitting the generally rigid body with the object; and

causing movement or the generally rigid body in a direction, and rotation of the generally rigid body about its geometric center,

such that the generally rigid body alternates between a relatively high aerodynamic phase and a relatively low aerodynamic phase as the generally rigid body rotates about its geometric center and causes the generally rigid body to move over a trajectory that substantially mimics a trajectory of a standard sports projectile but over a distance substantially reduced from a distance the standard sports projectile travels.

17. The method of claim 16 including the step of:

providing a single through hole having a linear axis that extends through said geometric center.

18. The method of claim 17 including the step of:

selecting the single through hole from a group consisting of a straight-wall through hole, a diverging-wall through hole, or a converging-wall through hole.

19. The method of claim 18 including the step of:

selecting the external surface from a group consisting of a cylindrical surface area, a convex surface area, a spherical surface area, or an elliptical surface area.

20. The method of claim 16 including the step of:

selecting the non-standard sport projectile from a group consisting of a golf ball.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the causing step includes the step of:

constructing the at least one liner through hole in a manner to apply an aerodynamic braking force to the movement of the generally rigid body.

22. A non-standard practice sport projectile for use within a relatively small geographic area, the non-standard projectile for practicing a striking motion associated with a sport, the non-standard sport projectile comprising:

a generally rigid body comprising a material with a high flexural modulus, the generally rigid body having an external surface and a geometric center;

the generally rigid body having at least one strike surface on the external surface whereby striking the strike surface causes a rotation of the generally rigid body as the generally rigid body moves in a direction; and

at least one generally linear through hole means extending generally through the geometric center of the generally rigid body and operable to aerodynamically brake the generally rigid body during a portion of the rotation of the generally rigid body, such that a trajectory of the generally rigid body mimics a trajectory of a standard sports projectile but over a distance that is substantially reduced from a distance the standard sports projectile travels.

23. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 22 selected from a group consisting of a golf ball.

24. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 22 wherein the external surface is selected from a group consisting of a cylindrical surface, a convex surface, a spherical surface, or an elliptical surface.

25. The non-standard practice sport projectile of claim 22 wherein the generally linear through hole means is selected from a group consisting of a single linear through hole that extends through the geometric center, or a plurality of linear and generally parallel through holes that symmetrically surround the geometric center.