Athletic timer

• US 3,893,099 A
• Filed: 07/25/1973
• Issued: 07/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack A. Zoepfl
• Original Assignee: Jack A. Zoepfl
• Inventors: Zoepfl, Jack A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Habecker, Thomas B.
• Application Number:
  US05/382,578
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 340/323,309.1,279 272/4,5 35/29R,29B 58/38,145A,13E,152
• US Class Current: 340/323.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 5/025 Electronic metronomes rhytem generation for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A miniature audio timing mechanism for use in certain athletic events and training. A conventional audio oscillator circuit and associated speaker is secured in some manner to an athlete'"'"''"'"'s person, and provides an audible tone at controlled time intervals. The length of the time interval may be adjusted by the user in accordance with the requirements of a particular athletic event, the frequency of associated distance markers which are placed at regular intervals along the course of the event, and the performance goal the athlete has established. The timing mechanism thus provides an accurate and real-time indication to the athlete of his performance with respect to a specified time standard.

Claims

1. A system for providing an indication to a runner of his pace over a given course, comprising in combination:

a plurality of markers positioned at spaced points along the course, successive markers defining therebetween successive portions of the course;

signal means adapted to be secured to the runner without substantially interfering with his pace and operative to provide tone bursts at regular intervals of time, said tone bursts being audible to the runner, each of said tone bursts having a time duration which is substantially shorter than said intervals of time, said intervals of time being sufficiently long that the runner covers substantially one of said portions of the course between markers in one of said intervals of time between successive tone bursts, the runner'"'"''"'"'s position relative to the markers at each successive tone burst providing an indication of his pace over the course.

2. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal means includes timer means, switch means, speaker means and means for energizing said speaker, said switch means being operative in response to said timer means to couple said energizing means to said speaker means for a short period of time relative to said intervals of time.

3. An apparatus of claim 2, wherein said timer means is an RC circuit energized by said battery and said switch means is a unijunction transistor.

4. An apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resistance of said RC circuit is adjustable.

5. An apparatus of claim 1, including an adjustable headband, wherein said signal means is secured to the athlete by said adjustable headband, the signal means being secured to the headband, and further including an earphone depending from the signal means to the vicinity of the ear of the athlete, when the handband in in place.

6. An apparatus of claim 1, including means for varying the intervals of time between the bursts.

7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein said intervals of time are at least on the order of 5 seconds.