Hammer head training target

• US 20050244795A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Long's Striking Tiger Kenpo Karate Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Long's Striking Tiger Kenpo Karate Incorporated
• Inventors: Alfaro, Conrad F., Long, Raymond J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/23
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/10 Combat sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/215 Anthropomorphic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/26 attached to the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/32 with indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0608 using mechanical, i.e. non-electrical means

Abstract

A hammer head training target for enhancing the level of training by training realistically and effectively with a life-like target head. The inventive device includes a life-like resilient foam head having an integral oval-shaped handle and a core insert clamshell encasing that traps the handle in place. The head resembles the head of a human being with eye, ear, nose, mouth and temple features. An opening is provided in the back side of the head for access to the handle. The handle is oval in shape and is strategically located at the centroid of the head for optimum angle position for the trainer'"'"'s hand. The handle is sandwich between the left-hand and the right-hand core insert encasings. The left-hand core insert captivates half of the handle structure. It contains half of the enclosure for protecting the hand during training. The right-hand core insert captivates half of the handle structure. It contains half of the enclosure for protecting the hand during training.

Claims

1. A hammer head training target, comprising:

an outer shell that is formed from a moldable, resilient material, said outer shell having the general shape of a human head;

a clamshell assembly that is formed from a moldable material, said clamshell assembly being positioned inside of said outer shell so that a trainer can generally safely hold the hammer head training target while it is being subject to blows or other impacts from a trainee, said clamshell assembly including

a handle having a grip portion that is adapted to be grasped by a trainer,

first and second core inserts that are affixed to each other and that have a general shape of a human head, said outer shell being mounted on an outer surface of said first and second core inserts, and

wherein complementary mating features are formed on said handle and said first and second core members so that said handle is sandwiched between said first and second core members; and

wherein an opening is formed in said outer shell and in at least one of said first and second core members so that a trainer can insert his or her hand through the opening and grasp the grip portion of said handle during training.

2. The hammer head training target of claim 1, wherein portions of said opening are formed in both said first and second core members.

3. The hammer head training target of claim 1, wherein said handle is disposed at a centroid of said outer shell.

4. The hammer head training target of claim 1, wherein said outer shell includes one or more features selected from the group consisting of:

an eye feature, an ear feature, a nose feature, a mouth feature, a temple feature, an adam'"'"'s apple feature, and a neck feature.

5. The hammer head training target of claim 1, wherein said outer shell is formed from polyurethane.

6. The hammer head training target of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second core members include a plurality of pins that are adapted to be received within complementary holes that are formed in the other of said first and second core members.

7. The hammer head training target of claim 6, wherein said plurality of pins are interference fitted into said complementary holes.

8. The hammer head training target of claim 1, further comprising a sensor and display that are adapted to provide a visual indication of the force applied to said outer shell by a blow provided by a trainee.

9. The hammer head training target of claim 8, further comprising a communication circuit that is operatively electrically connected to said sensor, said display being coupled to a computing device that is physically separate from the hammer head training target so that information regarding the force of blows to the hammer head training target can be sent to said computing device for storage and further analysis or for display on said display.

10. The hammer head training target of claim 1, wherein said outer shell is formed from a material that changes color when subject to blows provided by a trainer so that a visual bruising effect is provided to the areas of said outer shell that are subject to blows.