Combination pitching aid and batting tee

• US 7,976,413 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meltzer Investment Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Meltzer Investment Company, LLC
• Inventors: Meltzer, Duane, Tan, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour; Mitra
• Application Number:
  US12/245,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 473/417, 473/422, 473/423, 473/429, 473/453, 473/454, 473/439, 273/348, 248/165
• US Class Current: 473/454
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/06 Revolving targets ; Moving targets, e.g. moving or revolving on impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0015 for cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34

Abstract

Described herein is a combination pitching aid and batting tee apparatus. The apparatus includes a base having a front and a rear, a stand extending upwardly from the base, a support rod extending upwardly from the stand, and an arm extending outwardly from the support rod. The arm includes a target associated therewith that can be adjusted vertically and horizontally. The apparatus includes a screen having a top end and a bottom end and a support assembly having a top end and a bottom end that extends upwardly from the base. The bottom end of the screen is attached near the front of the base and the top end of the screen is attached to the support assembly. The support rod can be replaced with a batting tee.

Claims

1. A sport training device, comprising:

a base having a front, a rear and lateral sides extending therebetween;

a stand mounted to and extending vertically from the base, the stand having a batting configuration and a pitching configuration;

a tee ball insert adapted to support a ball for a batter, the tee ball insert being removably installed in the stand when the device is configured in the batting configuration;

a support element removably installed in the stand when the device is configured in the pitching configuration;

a pitching target coupled to the support element, the pitching target defining a strike zone for a pitcher; and

a frame and a screen for the pitching configuration, a lower end of the frame is mounted to the base behind the stand, an upper end of the frame extends above the stand, a lower end of the screen is mounted to the base in front of the stand, and an upper end of the screen is mounted to the upper end of the frame above and in front of the stand.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the pitching target is horizontally movable left or right on the target arm, and vertically movable up or down via the support element.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a left-handed batter orientation and a right-handed batter orientation such that the pitching target is relocatable on opposite sides of the base in the batting configuration.

4. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the screen is reversible and has a first image of a batter batting left-handed, and a second image opposite the first image of a batter batting right-handed.

5. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the pitching target extends beyond a lateral side edge of the screen, and a lateral side of the base.

6. A pitching trainer, comprising:

a plate having a front, a rear and lateral sides extending therebetween;

a stand mounted to and extending vertically from the plate;

a support element removably installed in the stand and extending substantially vertical;

a target arm removably mounted to the support element and extending in a substantially horizontal direction beyond one of the lateral sides of the plate;

a pitching target mounted to the target arm and defining a strike zone for a pitcher, the pitching target being substantially vertically; and

a frame and a screen for the pitching configuration, a lower end of the frame is mounted to the plate behind the stand, an upper end of the frame extends above the stand, a lower end of the screen is mounted to the plate in front of the stand, and an upper end of the screen is mounted to the upper end of the frame above and in front of the stand.

7. A pitching trainer according to claim 6, wherein pitching target is horizontally repositionable on the target arm, and vertically repositionable via the support element.

8. A pitching trainer according to claim 6, wherein the pitching trainer has a left-handed batter orientation and a right-handed batter orientation.

9. A pitching trainer according to Claim 6, wherein the screen is reversible and has a first image of a batter batting left-handed, and a second image opposite the first image of a batter batting right-handed.

10. A pitching trainer according to Claim 6, wherein the pitching target extends beyond a lateral side edge of the screen.

11. A pitching and hitting training device, comprising:

a plate having a front, a rear and lateral sides extending therebetween;

a stand mounted to and extending vertically from the plate, the stand having a batting configuration and a pitching configuration;

a tee ball insert adapted to support a ball for a batter, the tee ball insert being removably installed in the stand when the device is configured in the batting configuration;

a support element that is substantially vertical and supports a pitching target that is substantially vertical, the support element being removably installed in the stand when the device is configured in the pitching configuration;

a target arm removably mounted to the support element and extending in a substantially horizontal direction beyond lateral sides of the plate, and the pitching target defines a strike zone for a pitcher; and

a frame and a screen for the pitching configuration, the frame is mounted to the plate and extends above the stand, the screen is mounted to the plate and to the frame in front of the stand.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the pitching target is horizontally repositionable on the target arm, and vertically repositionable via the support element.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein the device has a left-handed batter orientation and a right-handed batter orientation.

14. A device according to claim 11, wherein the screen is reversible and has a first image of a batter batting left-handed, and a second image opposite the first image of a batter batting right-handed.

15. A device according to claim 11, wherein the pitching target extends beyond a lateral side edge of the screen.