Football training aid

• US 8,926,458 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cody J. Wood
• Original Assignee: Cody J. Wood
• Inventors: Wood, Cody J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US14/148,444
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 473/570, 473/594, 473/595, 473/603, 473/422, 473/438, 446/431
• US Class Current: 473/595
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/04 with an eccentric centre of gravity; with mechanism for changing the centre of gravity solid balls A63B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34

Abstract

A football training aid for football practice with an external battery powered activation and a variable speed setting control mechanism in communication with an internal cam driven assembly configured to create a dynamic inertia and a shaking motion of the football when activated, thereby making the football more difficult to catch. Power speed settings range from slow to fast to accommodate the skill and age of the player and increase player grip strength to enhance performance during practice to simulate the movement of a football in game situations.

Claims

1. A football training aid devised to create a shaking motion for football practice, the football training aid comprising:

a football body having a longitudinal midline axis and a vertical midline axis, the football body having a resilient outer cover, the outer cover having an continuous interior surface;

a first chamber centrally disposed within the football body;

an air-filled bladder continuously disposed between the internal surface and the first chamber;

an internal mechanism centrally disposed within the first chamber, the internal mechanism comprising;

a cylinder centrally disposed within the football body along the longitudinal midline axis;

a shaft centrally disposed within the cylinder;

a plurality of cams in operational communication with the cylinder, each cam individually rotationally attached to the shaft, each cam comprising;

a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

an offset pivot point disposed between the first and second ends, the offset pivot point rotatingly connected to the cylinder along the longitudinal midline axis;

a battery-powered speed setting control mechanism disposed on the outer cover, the speed setting control mechanism in operational communication with the cylinder;

wherein upon activation of the control mechanism the cams are activated;

wherein upon activation of the cams, the cams rotate around the pivot point; and

wherein the rotation of the cams around the pivot point is configured to impart a shaking motion to the football body.

2. The football training device of claim 1 further comprising:

a power speed setting of the control mechanism, the power speed setting having a range of speeds from a slow speed to a fast speed;

wherein activation of the control mechanism activates the cylinder in the power speed setting.

3. The football training aid of claim 2 wherein each cam is elongate.

4. The training football of claim 3 wherein the rotation of the cams is symmetrically oriented along the longitudinal midline axis of the football body.

5. The football training aid of claim 2 wherein each cam is obround.