Artificial pitching surface

• US 8,216,095 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jane L. Weber
• Original Assignee: Jane L. Weber
• Inventors: Weber, Edward A., Gillespie, James Ronald, Glas, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLAYMAN, AMIR ARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/167,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20090011873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 473/497, 428/85
• US Class Current: 473/497
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/02 Shaping of the surface of courts according to the necessities of the different games surface construction E01C
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 13/08 Surfaces simulating grass ; Grass-grown sports grounds grass-like surfaces for skiing E01C13/12

Abstract

An artificial pitching mound. The artificial pitching mound includes an artificial pitching rubber and artificial pitching stride component fillable with microbeads or pellets. The artificial pitching mound reduces repetitive movement injuries for baseball and softball pitchers. The artificial pitching mound also allows positive muscle memory development with a surface that duplicates the feel of natural turf during practice session and allows the athlete'"'"'s muscles to react the same on both the artificial surface and natural turf.

Claims

1. An artificial pitching mound apparatus, comprising in combination:

an artificial pitching rubber including a first fillable component filled with a first type of microbeads of a first pre-determined size and shape, wherein interactions between individual surfaces of the first type of microbeads or pellets determines a first feel and a first resistance for the artificial pitching rubber and wherein the first type of microbead includes silicone, polystyrene, polypropylene, prolene, or composite material microbeads or combinations thereof and the artificial pitching rubber further including a cover component for covering the first fillable component;

an artificial pitching stride component including a deformable tapered fillable component filled with a plurality of microbeads of a second pre-determined size and shape, wherein the second type of microbead includes silicone, polystyrene, polypropylene, prolene or composite material microbeads or combinations thereof, the deformable tapered fillable component comprising a first higher height at a first end and tapers to a second lower height at a second end, and a second cover component for the tapered fillable component, wherein interactions between individual surfaces of the second type of microbeads of the second pre-determined size and shape determines a deformability, a second feel and a second resistance different from the first feel and resistance of the first fillable component, wherein the first fillable component and tapered fillable component absorb impacts and the tapered fillable component provides deformability thereby preventing or reducing repetitive injuries from impacting the artificial pitching stride component and prevents slipping and provides safer starting and landing surfaces than those provided by a pitching mound constructed of non-deformable non-fillable components;

an artificial mound component including the artificial pitching rubber with the first fillable component filled with a first type of microbeads of a first pre-determined size and shape on a top surface at a first end in contact with the artificial pitching stride component including the deformable tapered fillable component filled with a plurality of microbeads of a second pre-determined size and shape which slopes downward from the first end to a second end, wherein the artificial mound component exceeds a width and length of artificial pitching rubber artificial mound component by a pre-determined length and width to provide support for the artificial pitching rubber and the artificial pitching stride component; and

a top surface layer of the artificial pitching mound apparatus including artificial grass with plurality of groups of fibers that have been tufted on a porous backing that resemble real grass and wherein the plurality of groups of fibers are water resistant and the porous backing insures the proper water drainage from the top surface layer and off the artificial pitching mound apparatus.

2. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 further including pellets for filling the artificial pitching rubber first fillable component the pellets including silicone, dacron, polystyrene, polypropylene, prolene, gortex, other plastic, rubber or composite material pellets.

3. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the artificial pitching rubber cover component includes a cover layer of silicone, dacron, polystyrene, polypropylene, prolene, gortex, other plastic, rubber, or composite material cover component.

4. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the top surface layer of the artificial pitching stride component includes polypropylene or nylon artificial grass with a plurality of groups of fibers that have been tufted on the porous backing and resemble real grass and wherein the groups of fibers are water resistant and the porous backing insures the proper water drainage.

5. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the artificial pitching stride component includes a polyethylene or nylon synthetic fiber that is protected against Ultra Violet radiation.

6. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the artificial pitching stride component is deformable, wherein a user can shape and reshape a desired deformed configuration in front of the artificial pitching rubber on the artificial pitching stride component by re-adjusting the microbeads into a desired depression configuration, wherein the desired depression configuration maintains its desired size and shape as a result of the characteristics of the microbeads.

7. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 further including pellets for filing the artificial stride surface including silicone, dacron, polystyrene, polypropylene, prolene, gortex, other plastic, rubber or composite material pellets.

8. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first fillable component includes a plurality of individual fillable components separated by a plurality of dividers.

9. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tapered fillable component includes a plurality of individual fillable components separated by a plurality of dividers.

10. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tapered fillable component is filled with microbeads or pellets of varying sizes and shapes.

11. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 9 wherein the plurality of individual fillable components are each filled with microbeads or pellets with pre-determined size and shape.

12. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tapered fillable component of artificial pitching stride component includes a tapered fillable component that is nine inches deep at the first end and tapers to less than one inch deep at the second end.

13. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microbeads of the first type are a same size and shape as the microbeads of the second type.

14. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microbeads of the first type are not a same size or shape as the microbeads of the second type.

15. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein dimensions of the artificial pitching mound apparatus includes the dimensions of a regulation pitching mound that is ten inches high, sloped one inch per foot from a back portion to a front portion.

16. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein dimensions of the artificial pitching rubber include a width of six inches wide, a depth of four inches and a length of forty-two inches.

17. The artificial pitching mound apparatus of claim 1 wherein dimensions of the artificial pitching stride component include a width of thirty-six inches and a length of seventy-four inches and depth that tapes from nine inches on a first end to less than one inch on a second end.