Grip training device

• US 7,753,811 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Justin A. Mark
• Original Assignee: Justin A. Mark
• Inventors: Mark, Justin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour; Mitra
• Application Number:
  US11/851,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/431, 473/450, 473/451, 473/458, 473/464, 473/598, 473/596, D21/713, D21/707, 434/247
• US Class Current: 473/422
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/14 Special surfaces A63B37/0004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

A grip training device is used to teach a person the proper grip of a ball in usage. More specifically, the grip training device may take the form of a baseball having finger position indicia on it. The finger position indicia may be constituted in several different ways, including by depressions sized and arranged to receive the fingers. The arrangement of the indicia shows how to grip the baseball for throwing different pitches.

Claims

1. A grip training kit for training a user to properly grip a baseball for throwing a predetermined baseball pitch, said grip training kit comprising:

a plurality of balls sized and shaped to be thrown by a user,

finger position indicia positioned on a surface of each of said plurality of balls, said finger position indicia comprising;

a plurality of depressions formed on said surface of said plurality of balls, said plurality of depressions demonstrating to said user proper finger placement for a proper grip of said plurality of balls for throwing a predetermined baseball pitch;

each of said plurality of balls having a different arrangement of depressions corresponding to a different baseball pitch;

at least one of said plurality of balls including a plurality of elongated depressions which angle generally toward a common point on said surface of said plurality of balls;

wherein said elongate depressions tapering in width from a wider end of the elongated depression toward a narrower end of the depression;

wherein said plurality of balls, each including a top portion, a bottom portion and a middle equatorial portion between the top and bottom portions, each of the top, bottom and middle equatorial portions having at least one of said plurality of depressions therein;

at least one of said plurality of balls in said kit having a first surface texture outside of the depression and a second surface texture within the depressions, the second surface texture being different from the first surface texture and corresponding to user finger placement for a proper grip of each one of said plurality of balls; and

at least one of said plurality of balls in said kit including a ring finger depression.

2. A grip training kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ring finger depression is generally oval in shape.

3. A grip training kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the balls of the kit has one of the depressions for each of five fingers.

4. A grip training kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the balls in the kit comprises alphanumeric symbols in the depressions corresponding to individual finger placement for a proper grip of the ball for throwing.