Soccer training apparatus

• US 8,708,842 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eden Variety Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eden Variety Products, LLC
• Inventors: Ganuza, Wilfredo
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US13/251,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/423, 473/427, 473/430, 473/438, 473/446, 482/54, 482/69, 482/74, 124/16, 434/247, 434/251
• US Class Current: 473/446
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/08 anchored at one end
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4013 to the ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/31 Relative speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0073 Means for releasably holding a ball in position; Balls constrained to move around a fixed point, e.g. by tethering

Abstract

An elegantly simple training apparatus that helps soccer players quantify, and improve, their kicking skills. The soccer training apparatus includes a cage having a base, and at least one hand railing connected to the base. The base has a front portion and a rear portion with a ball moveably affixed, or tethered, to the front portion of the base by an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism may include, or be connected to, a force measuring mechanism that measures the force exerted on the ball after a user kicks the ball. The soccer training apparatus may also include a force display unit that displays that force to the user. The hand railing may extend over the base rear portion and may have a resistance band attached, that may exert a force on a user'"'"'s kicking foot during a kick.

Claims

1. A soccer training device, consisting essentially of:

a cage, said cage being formed of four vertical rails,

said vertical rails being connected from their upper ends with two horizontal side rails, a horizontal back rail and a horizontal front rail where said side rails, back rail and front rail form a substantially square shaped formation,

said vertical rails being also connected from their lower ends with two parallel horizontal rails;

the two parallel horizontal rails being attached together with a horizontal front portion and a horizontal rear portion;

a ball, affixed to the front portion by an attachment mechanism allowing the ball to travel a short distance to one direction when kicked;

a force measuring mechanism that measures the force exerted on the ball after a user kicks the ball, and a force display unit that displays that force to the user; and

a downward hanging resistant band attached to the horizontal back rail, said resistant band forming a substantially O-shaped ankle loop.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the ball is a soccer ball.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the ball is affixed to the front portion with a spring.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the force display is a digital readout.

5. A method to train soccer, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a soccer training device comprising;

a cage, said cage being formed of four vertical rails,

said vertical rails being connected from their upper ends with two horizontal side rails, a horizontal back rail and a horizontal front rail where said side rails, back rail and front rail form a substantially square shaped formation,

said vertical rails being also connected from their lower ends with two parallel horizontal rails;

the two parallel horizontal rails being attached together with a horizontal front portion and a horizontal rear portion;

a ball, affixed to the front portion by an attachment mechanism allowing the ball to travel a short distance to one direction when kicked;

a force measuring mechanism that measures the force exerted on the ball after a user kicks the ball, and a force display unit that displays that force to the user; and

a downward hanging resistant band attached to the horizontal back rail, said resistant band forming a substantially O-shaped ankle loop;

b) a user standing inside the cage and attaching his/her ankle into the ankle loop;

c) the user kicking the ball;

d) the force measuring mechanism measuring force that the user used when kicking the ball;

e) the force display unit showing the measured force; and

f) the user adjusting his kicking technique and kicking the ball again.