Football kicking apparatus

• US 8,083,618 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KickingFun, LLC
• Original Assignee: KickingFun, LLC
• Inventors: Coscarelli, Rick, Coscarelli, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US12/824,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20110021295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 473/429, 473/419, 473/415, 473/423, 473/430, D21/791, D21/719
• US Class Current: 473/429
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0079 Balls tethered to a line or cord A63B43/007 takes precedence; other games using tethered balls A63B67/10; games using a bat or racket with a ball tethered thereto A63B67/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0091 Balls fixed to a movable, tiltable or flexible arm

Abstract

A football kicking apparatus having a football and a stand with one end supported by a ground surface and a second end positioned above the ground support surface by a distance greater than the length of the football. The football is positioned within a sling which, in turn, is rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis to the second end of the stand. In practice, a soccer style football kicker kicks the football which, after multiple rotations about the second end of the stand depending upon the force of the kick, will reposition itself for a subsequent kick.

Claims

1. A football kicking apparatus comprising:

a football having two ends,

a stand having one end supported by a ground surface and a second end positioned above the ground surface by a distance greater than a length of said football,

said football having one end rotatably mounted around a horizontal axis to said second end of said stand,

an integrally formed sling having two ends wherein said sling is disposed around and attached to said football, said sling having a plurality of bands which extend around said football and extend between both ends of said football, a portion of said sling being rotatably attached to said second end of said stand, wherein said sling portion comprises a strap, and

a bearing having an outer cylindrical surface rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis to said second end of said stand, said strap being disposed around said bearing.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said stand is generally L-shaped having two elongated legs, one of said legs being slidably mounted over a support tube embedded in the ground surface.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 and comprising an elongated channel embedded in the ground surface, said channel dimensioned to slidably receive said support tube.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said stand comprises a plurality of elongated and horizontally extending support beams attached to said one end of said stand, said support beams each having a side which flatly abuts against the ground surface.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said stand comprises a U-shaped support beam attached to said one end of said stand, said U-shaped support beam having spaced apart legs, each spaced apart leg dimensioned to maintain contact with an automotive tire positioned on top of said spaced apart legs.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sling is removably attached to said one end of said stand.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said stand comprises a horizontal beam extending from said second end of said stand, and comprising a pad disposed around said horizontal beam.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 and comprising a counter which counts the number of rotations of said football around said second end of said stand in response to a kick, said counter generating a signal indicative of the magnitude of the count of the counter.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said signal comprises an audible signal.