Martial arts practice dummy

• US 8,025,612 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James R. Schmitt, Joseph E. Buzzanco, Lawrence A. Slomski
• Original Assignee: James R. Schmitt, Joseph E. Buzzanco, Lawrence A. Slomski
• Inventors: Buzzanco, Joseph E., Schmitt, James R, Slomski, Lawrence A
• Primary Examiner(s): Donnelly; Jerome W
• Application Number:
  US12/583,404
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 482 83- 90
• US Class Current: 482/83
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0081 Stopping the operation of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0083 of the piston-cylinder type using pneumatic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0087
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0087 of the piston-cylinder type using hydraulic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0083
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/10 Combat sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/215 Anthropomorphic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/24 mounted on, or suspended from, a movable support
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/34 Tackling, blocking or grappling dummies, e.g. boxing or wrestling or American- football dummies

Abstract

Several embodiments of martial arts practice assemblies are described involving variations spanning from apparatus permitting movement along a single translational axis and about a single rotational axis to an embodiment mounted on a robotic arm enabling translation in all three axial directions and about all three rotational axes. A dual-lockout circuit requiring simultaneous activation by an operator and a user is used to activate the pneumatic system powering the assembly.

Claims

1. A practice dummy assembly for honing martial arts skills, said practice dummy assembly comprising:

a) a manikin made of compressible material;

b) mounting means supporting said manikin in an upright position;

c) mechanized repositioning means connected to said mounting means to relocate said manikin

i) to reposition said manikin translationally along at least one longitudinal axis, and

ii) rotationally about at least two axes, each rotational relocation occurring separately from any translational repositioning.

2. The practice dummy assembly of claim 1 wherein said mechanized repositioning means comprises a sled which slides upon a pair of rails to longitudinally reposition said manikin.

3. The practice dummy assembly of claim 1 wherein said mechanized repositioning means comprises a rack and pinion for rotationally repositioning said manikin about a vertical axis.

4. The practice dummy assembly of claim 1 wherein said mechanized repositioning means repositions said manikin rotationally about each of three orthogonal axes.

5. The practice dummy assembly of claim 1 wherein said mechanized repositioning means repositions said manikin translationally along at least two axes.

6. The practice dummy assembly of claim 5 wherein said mechanized repositioning means comprises a first sled translating said manikin translationally along a first axis and a second sled mounted on said first sled repositioning said manikin translationally along a second orthogonal axis.

7. The practice dummy assembly of claim 5 wherein said mechanized repositioning means repositions said manikin translationally along each of three orthogonal axes.

8. The practice dummy assembly of claim 1 control means for directing repositioning of said manikin.

9. The practice dummy assembly of claim 8 wherein said control means comprises a mannable station including a control panel and a seat for operation and occupation, respectively, by an operator.

10. The practice dummy assembly of claim 8 wherein said control means comprises a disc drive assembly into which a control disc with operation instructions may be inserted to control repositioning of said manikin.

11. The practice dummy assembly of claim 10 wherein said control means further comprises a remote control mechanism for manually wresting control of said repositioning from said disc drive.

12. The practice dummy assembly of claim 8 wherein said control means comprises a lockout circuit which requires simultaneous engagement by a user and an operator in order to enable activation of said practice dummy assembly preventing unauthorized usage thereof.

13. The practice dummy assembly of claim 1 wherein said mechanized repositioning means comprises a robotic arm which permits repositioning translationally along each of three orthogonal longitudinal axes and translation rotationally about each of three orthogonal axes.

14. A practice dummy assembly for honing martial arts skills, said practice dummy assembly comprising:

a) a manikin made of compressible material;

b) mounting means supporting said manikin in an upright position;

c) mechanized repositioning means connected to said mounting means to relocate said manikin

i) to independently reposition said manikin translationally along each of three orthogonal longitudinal axes, and

ii) rotationally about at least one axis.

15. The practice dummy assembly of claim 14 wherein said mechanized repositioning means comprises a rack and pinion for rotationally repositioning said manikin about a vertical axis.

16. The practice dummy assembly of claim 14 wherein said mechanized repositioning means independently repositions said manikin rotationally about each of three orthogonal axes.

17. The practice dummy assembly of claim 14 further comprising an activation circuit including

a) a key switch for energizing said activating circuit;

b) a first enabling switch positioned on a control panel for activation by an operator;

c) a second enabling switch which must be simultaneously activated with said first enabling switch to energize said activation circuit, said second enabling switch being remotely positioned from said first switch whereby a second individual must be present to enable simultaneous activation of said first and second enabling switches.

18. A practice dummy assembly for honing martial arts skills, said practice dummy assembly comprising:

a) a manikin made of compressible material;

b) mounting means supporting said manikin in an upright position;

c) mechanized repositioning means connected to said mounting means to relocate said manikin

i) to reposition said manikin translationally along at least one longitudinal axis, and

ii) rotationally about at least one axis;

d) control means including a lockout circuit which requires simultaneous engagement by a user and an operator in order to enable activation of said practice dummy assembly preventing unauthorized usage thereof.

19. The practice dummy assembly of claim 18 wherein said mechanized repositioning means comprises a rack and pinion for rotationally repositioning said manikin about a vertical axis.

20. The practice dummy assembly of claim 18 wherein said mechanized repositioning means independently repositions said manikin rotationally about each of three orthogonal axes.