Ocular enhancement training system

• US 6,447,408 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1998
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conditioned Ocular Enhancement Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Michael Bonaventura
• Inventors: Bonaventura, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US09/159,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 473/415-422, 473/436, 473/431, 473/451-458, 473/409, 434/247-254, 434/258, 434/255, 124/7, 124/17, 124/6, 124/78, 124/16, 700/306, 273/446, 368/109, 368/251, 482/5, 482/110
• US Class Current: 473/422
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0026 for ice-hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 for skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/40 Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405; traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18

Abstract

The present invention is a method for training a player of a game in which an object is projected towards the player at a normal velocity range. Depending on the application of the training method, the normal range of velocity for the projected object in the game is determined. An apparatus is provided for projecting the object at a velocity greater than the normal velocity range. The object is projected towards the player at the velocity greater than the normal velocity range. This routine is repeated to improve ocular conditioning and physical objects of the game.

Claims

1. A method for providing ocular enhancement for training a player of a game in which an object is projected towards the player at a predetermined first velocity range to increase the ocular focus of the player, the method being performed in the single training session and comprising the steps of:

providing an apparatus for sequentially varying the velocity of a projected object and for projecting a plurality of objects towards the player one at a time;

enhancing the ocular focus of the player by sequentially varying the velocity of a projected object during a single training session, wherein the step of enhancing the ocular focus comprises a plurality of sequential steps, the sequential steps comprising;

determining the first range of velocity;

projecting a first set of the plurality of objects towards the player within the first range of velocity;

subsequently increasing the velocity at which a second set of the plurality of objects is projected towards the player to a second velocity range which is greater than the first velocity range to increase the players ocular focus at the second range of velocity; and

subsequently decreasing the velocity at which a third set of the plurality of objects is projected towards the player to a third velocity range which is within the first velocity range.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of attempting to change the course of each projected object through an act of the player.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game is baseball and the first range of velocity is 80 mph to 100 mph.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second quantity of the plurality of objects is projected towards the player at a velocity greater than 110 mph.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the game is tennis and the first range of velocity is 90 mph to 120 mph.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second quantity of the plurality of objects is projected towards the player at a velocity greater than 140 mph.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes pneumatic means for projecting the plurality of objects one at a time towards the player.

8. A method to practice batting for increasing the ocular focus of a batter, the method being performed in a single training session and comprising the steps of:

providing an apparatus for sequentially varying the velocity of a projected object and for projecting a plurality of balls one at a time towards the batter;

providing the batter with a bat;

enhancing the ocular focus of the player by sequentially varying the velocity of a projected object during a single training session, wherein the step of enhancing the ocular focus comprises a plurality of sequential steps, the sequential steps comprising;

projecting a first set of the plurality of balls one at a time towards the batter at a first velocity, the batter randomly attempting to hit the balls with the bat;

subsequently projecting a second set of the plurality of balls one at a time towards the batter at a second velocity greater than the first velocity to increase the players ocular focus at the second range of velocity, the batter randomly attempting to hit the balls with the bat;

subsequently projecting a third set of the plurality of balls one at a time towards the batter at a third velocity greater than the second velocity to increase the players ocular focus at the third range of velocity, the batter randomly attempting to hit the balls with the bat; and

subsequently projecting a fourth set of the plurality of balls one at a time towards the batter at a fourth velocity which is less than the third velocity, the batter randomly attempting to hit the balls with the bat.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first velocity is less than 80 mph.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first velocity is greater than 80 mph.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second velocity is in a range of 80-100 mph.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the third velocity is greater than 110 mph.