US20140171230A1 - Collapsible backstop - Google Patents

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Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
  • A63B69/0002—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for baseball
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B63/00—Targets or goals for ball games
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B63/00—Targets or goals for ball games
  • A63B63/003—Targets or goals for ball games non-electronic means for locating the point of impact on a target or the point of entry in the goal
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/02—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00 for large-room or outdoor sporting games
  • A63B71/022—Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
  • A63B69/0002—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for baseball
  • A63B2069/0004—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for baseball specially adapted for particular training aspects
  • A63B2069/0006—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for baseball specially adapted for particular training aspects for pitching
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B2071/0694—Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2208/00—Characteristics or parameters related to the user or player
  • A63B2208/02—Characteristics or parameters related to the user or player posture
  • A63B2208/0204—Standing on the feet
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2210/00—Space saving
  • A63B2210/50—Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport

Definitions

• This invention relates to collapsible backstops having flexible webs for stopping and collecting balls, and methods for practicing pin point pitching and evaluating same.
• backstops that can stop and collect balls that are thrown, hit or kicked into them.
• Many such backstops have been developed that are adequate for the stated purpose. However, they often are difficult to assemble and disassemble by one with little or no prior training or skill in the manipulation of mechanical systems. Parts sometimes end up missing or the units can be assembled improperly, resulting in a structure that might fall apart while in use, thus being nonfunctional or worse yet dangerous.
• collapsible backstops can rarely be collapsed into a small container. That wasn't so critical in the past when teams often traveled to and from games in buses or other large vehicles. However, now it is much more common than it used to be for teams to travel by air. While airlines are often willing to accept oversized luggage the size of a golf bag, there has been reluctance to accept packages that are larger or heavier than that. Moreover, while there used to be no charge for checked luggage, those fees are now substantial and are only likely to go up in the future.
• a need has developed for a collapsible backstop that is easy and quick to assemble and disassemble with a minimum of effort or skill, and in such a way that improper assembly is unlikely.
• An additional need has developed for a collapsible backstop that is so light and compact that it can be carried in a bag that is not too heavy or large to be carried by one person, or even a youth, onto an airplane and put in an overhead compartment.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention, fully assembled and ready to be used, taken from a front angle, with an arrow designating a direction from which a ball may be thrown, hit or kicked;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 , fully assembled and ready to be used, taken from a rear angle, with an arrow designating a direction from which a ball may be thrown or hit;
• FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the fully assembled embodiment of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of an upper corner of the embodiment of FIG. 1 , showing a manner in which a corner of the web may be mounted to the peripheral structure through the use of an engagement member;
• FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of a side of the embodiment of FIG. 1 , showing a manner in which a side of the web may be mounted to the peripheral structure through the use of a different type of engagement member;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container or bag into which the embodiment of FIG. 1 may be fitted;
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of two adjacent frame members, with one being snugly fitted into the other, and a resilient cord permitting them to be pulled apart or tensioned toward one another;
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of two adjacent frame members, showing them having been pulled apart and folded against each other with the frame members being interconnected only by a resilient cord;
• FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing two frame members being snugly fitted with respect to each other and a resilient cord holding them in place;
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the frame members and the base components being pulled apart and folded against each other, ready to be fitted into the bag;
• FIG. 11 is a side elevation sectional view of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention, fully assembled and ready to be used, taken from a front angle, with an arrow designating a direction from which a ball may be thrown;
• FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 12 , fully assembled and ready to be used, taken from a rear angle, with an arrow designating a direction from which a ball may be thrown;
• FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention, fully assembled and ready to be used, taken from a front angle, with an arrow designating a direction from which a ball may be thrown;
• FIG. 15 depicts example contexts that may be communicated by balls, in accordance with various embodiments.
• FIGS. 16-17 depict two example balls that may be thrown through target regions of various backstops described herein, in accordance with various embodiments.
• the term “comprising” is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional unrecited elements, compositional components, or method steps. Accordingly, the term “comprising” encompasses the more restrictive terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of.”
• a range includes each individual member.
• a group having 1-3 elements refers to groups having 1, 2, or 3 elements.
• a group having 1-5 elements refers to groups having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 elements, and so forth.
• FIGS. 1-3 One form the collapsible backstop may take is depicted generally in FIGS. 1-3 and identified with the numeral 10 .
• An arrow is included in FIGS. 1 and 3 , showing the general direction a struck, thrown or kicked softball, hardball, soccer or other ball may take when the backstop 10 is in use.
• Backstop 10 includes a peripheral frame shown generally at 12 , a base shown generally at 14 and a web or net shown generally at 16 .
• Web or net 16 is typically formed of flexible material such as fabric netting.
• Net 16 is typically mounted to peripheral frame 12 such that the net is taut between side portions of the peripheral frame but is loose at the bottom. This serves two purposes. First, the looseness of the netting enables the backstop to absorb the force of a struck, thrown or kicked ball. Second, additional material 18 that may be included adjacent the bottom of net 16 serves to collect balls that have entered the net for easy collection by the users.
• Net 16 may include reinforced peripheral areas, identified generally at 20 . These areas, typically located at the top, sides and bottom of net 16 , facilitate a sturdy mounting to peripheral frame 12 . Reinforced peripheral areas 20 may be in the form of heavy fabric, which may or not be stretchable, although given that the net itself may absorb much of the force of a ball entering the net, heavy reinforcement is normally not necessary. Sometimes it may be advantageous to have reinforced peripheral areas 20 extend across to the back of net at the top, as shown in FIG. 2 , to prevent tearing where the weight of the net is being supported by engagement members to be described below.
• strike zone indicator 22 Suspended from an upper portion of net 16 is a strike zone indicator 22 that is typically formed of a plurality of flexible fabric straps 24 that are normally of a contrasting color compared to the net. Commonly, net 16 is black or some other dark color, and strike zone indicator 22 is typically white or some other light color.
• a plurality of engagement members may be included to mount net 16 to peripheral frame 12 .
• these engagement members may take the form of caribiners 26 (see FIG. 4 ) that mount the upper portion of net 16 to peripheral frame 12 , velcroed fabric panels 28 (see FIG. 5 ) that mount the side portions of the net to the peripheral frame, and a pair of stretchable loops 32 ( FIGS. 1-3 ) that mount the net to base 14 .
• caribiners 26 may be clipped to mounting rings 30 that may be screwed into the corners of the frame.
• any conventional mounting system could be utilized to mount net 16 to peripheral frame 12 and base 14 .
• peripheral frame 12 may be formed of a plurality of frame members 12 a - i that connect together to form the peripheral frame.
• frame members 12 a - i are round in cross section or cylindrical in shape, but they may alternatively take any number of other cross-sectional shapes.
• Frame members 12 a - 12 i may be substantially straight, meaning that they are straight other than at the two corners.
• the frame members may be made of plastic or any other hard but light material.
• Each of the adjacent frame members 12 a - i may be snugly mounted together as shown in FIG. 9 . While FIG. 9 shows frame members 12 b and c , it may be said to depict any of the other joints between adjacent frame members.
• One of the frame members here frame member 12 b, may have fastened to its end a tight sleeve, which will be designated herein as a crimped inner sleeve 35 .
• This crimped inner sleeve 35 fits into a crimped outer sleeve 31 , with the complementing crimped portions 37 designed to hold the crimped inner and outer sleeves 35 and 31 securely and nonreleasably together.
• a smooth inner sleeve 33 may be fit securely to the end of frame member 12 c.
• Smooth inner sleeve 33 is designed to removably slide into crimped outer sleeve 31 and bump up against the end of crimped inner sleeve 35 as shown in FIG. 9 . Therefore, it can be seen that smooth inner sleeve 33 at the end of frame member 12 c is in the depicted embodiment designed to be removed from crimped outer sleeve 31 when backstop 10 is being disassembled, while crimped inner sleeve 35 and its frame member 12 b will remain fixed within crimped outer sleeve 31 .
• sleeves 31 , 33 and 35 are cylindrical in shape in order to match the shape of frame members 12 a - i , but they may take any other shape to complement the configuration of the frame members.
• Distal or lowest ends of frame members 12 a and 12 i each includes an annular shoulder 34 a and 34 i and cylindrical ends 36 a and 36 i, as seen best in FIGS. 10 and 11 . As will be explained below, these distal or lowest ends 12 a and 12 i and their cylindrical ends 36 a and 36 i fit snugly but removably into base 14 .
• FIGS. 7-9 show how one or more flexible, resilient cords, one of which is shown at 38 , keep adjacent frame members 12 a - i interconnected even when they are not mounted to each other.
• Cord 38 permits frame members 12 a - i to be folded against each other so that they are substantially parallel as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 , but keeps adjacent frame members interconnected for ease of reassembly.
• cord 38 may be resilient results in adjacent frame members 12 a - i being pulled toward each other when they are unpacked from a container such as bag 40 and manipulated to extended positions, thus further easing the assembly process.
• Another option (not depicted) instead of using a resilient cord is to include a nonresilient but flexible cord and include springs or other resilient members at the ends or at any midportion thereof, as explained below with respect to base 14 and its cords 54 .
• base 14 is comprised of a number of substantially straight components.
• substantially straight as used herein means that they are straight other than at the corners or perhaps where they are fitted to other members.
• the base components are typically fabricated of aluminum although they may be plastic or any other hard, relatively light material.
• Base 14 includes a pair of base ends 42 and 44 .
• Each base end may include an extension portion 42 a or 44 a.
• Each extension portion 42 a and 44 a may terminate in a T-shaped member comprised of a hollow, cylindrical upright post 42 b or 44 b and a pair of leg supports 42 c and 42 d or 44 c and 44 d.
• Legs 46 a, 46 b, 48 a and 48 b each mount to one of four leg mounting members 58 (see FIG. 11 ) that extend into each of leg supports 42 c, 42 d, 44 c and 44 d , respectively. This permits a snug but removable fit.
• a base cord 54 may extend between each of legs 46 a and 46 b, and between legs 48 b and 48 c.
• each of these base cords 54 may include an inner cord 50 and a cover 60 , although any other type of flexible, relatively small diameter cord may be utilized.
• base cords 54 are not resilient or extensible, as they are mounted to a cord engagement member 56 shown in phantom in FIG. 10 .
• a spring (not shown) is provided in each cord engagement member 56 to pull base cords 54 taut.
• other biasing means may be included at the cord engagement member, or the base cord may be resilient like cord 38 that extends through frame members 12 a - 12 i.
• a central base portion 52 is provided between base extension portions 42 a and 44 a.
• Central base portion 52 may have a spring loaded button 62 adjacent each end (see FIGS. 1 and 10 ), with a complementing hole adjacent the end of each base extension portion 42 a and 44 a to receive the button when the central base portion is mounted in place.
• the components of the base are cylindrical or round in cross section, like frame members 12 a - 12 i, but they may also take any other conventional shape. In the event a shape other than cylindrical is used, the cylindrical upright posts 42 b and 44 b would typically take a complementing cross sectional shape.
• peripheral frame 12 may fit into base 14 by cylindrical ends 36 a and 36 i fitting snugly but removably into upright posts 42 b and 44 b such that annular shoulders 34 a and 34 i rest on the upper edge of the upright posts.
• base 14 forms the fourth side of a rectangle, thereby forming the backstop.
• Peripheral frame 12 and its frame members 12 a - i typically are not interconnected to base 14 and upright posts 42 b and 44 b by cords, but they may be in certain applications such that the entire peripheral frame and base is interconnected.
• the backstop is first removed from bag 40 .
• the order of the assembly steps is not critical, but frame members 12 a - i may be manipulated to an extended position from the folded over position depicted in FIG. 9 .
• cords 38 will tend to pull the ends of the frame members into sleeves 31 of the adjacent frame members.
• the smooth inner sleeves 33 of frame members 12 a - 12 i fit into crimped outer sleeves 31 (see FIG. 9 ) to snugly but removably mount the adjacent frame members to one another.
• the substantially U-shaped peripheral frame 12 is formed. Another way to describe the configuration of the peripheral frame is as three sides of a rectangle.
• Base 14 may be assembled before or after peripheral frame 12 .
• legs 46 a and b are manipulated to their extended positions so they may be fitted to leg supports 42 c and 42 d, and legs 48 a and b may be fitted to leg supports 44 c and 44 d.
• Spring biased cords 54 ease that assembly process.
• Central base portion 52 is fitted into the inward-facing ends of base extension portions 42 a and 44 a by depressing buttons 62 and permitting the buttons to fit into the complementing holes in the inward-facing ends of the base extension portions.
• peripheral frame 12 and base 14 may be mounted to each other by fitting cylindrical ends 36 a or 36 i into upright members 42 b or 44 b until annular shoulders 34 a or 34 i abut the top edge of each of the upright members (see FIG. 11 ).
• net 16 may be rigged up. This may be performed by hooking carabineers 26 to mounting rings 30 and to frame members 12 d, e, and f.
• Velcroed fabric panels 28 may be wrapped around frame members 12 b and 12 h .
• Resilient loops 32 may be slid over the legs, such as legs 46 a and 48 a, strike zone indicator 22 is mounted in place using straps 24 , and additional material 18 is billowed out behind the backstop 10 .
• a ball may be thrown, hit or kicked into net 16 in the direction of the arrow in FIGS. 1 and 3 .
• strike zone indicator 22 can be used as a target for a pitcher.
• the force of the ball may be absorbed by the net and the ball drops into the additional material 18 .
• strike zone indicator 22 may be removed before or after net 16 is removed from peripheral frame 12 .
• Net 16 is removed by unclipping caribiners 26 from mounting rings 30 and from frame members 12 d, e and f.
• Velcroed fabric panels 28 are removed from frame members 12 b and 12 h, and loops 32 are pulled off legs 46 and 48 .
• Cylindrical ends 36 a and 36 i of lowermost frame members 12 a and 12 i may be removed from upright posts 42 b and 44 b of base 14 .
• the ends of frame members 12 a - 12 i are removed from the adjacent sleeves 31 , and the frame members are folded over each other such that they are substantially parallel to each other as depicted in FIG. 9 .
• Cord 38 keeps frame members 12 a - 12 i interconnected to facilitate an easy reassembly.
• Base 14 may be disassembled by removing extension portions 42 a and 44 a from central base portion 52 by depressing buttons 62 .
• Legs 46 a and 46 b are removed from leg supports 42 c and 42 d, and legs 48 a and 48 b are removed from leg supports 44 c and 44 d.
• Base cords 54 maintain the parts of base 14 interconnected as they are folded over to substantially parallel positions depicted in FIG. 9 in order to facilitate an easy reassembly.
• FIGS. 12 and 13 depict front and rear views, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a backstop 110 .
• Backstop 110 may include many of the same components as backstop 10 , most which are numbered similarly except with a “1” in front (some numbers are omitted for the sake of clarity).
• backstop 110 includes a collapsible peripheral frame 112 that may be removably mounted to a base 114 .
• components of backstop 110 may be assembled and disassembled much in the same way as components of backstop 10 .
• backstop 110 includes a net 116 , which may be constructed and mounted in a similar manner as net 16 of backstop 10 .
• backstop 110 may include less components than backstop 10 .
• backstop 110 may not be collapsible, or may be less collapsible, e.g., into fewer pieces, than backstop 10 .
• Backstop 110 may include a target-defining assembly 170 , similar to strike zone indicator 22 , that is configured to be removably secured to peripheral frame 112 to define a plurality of target regions 172 a - w .
• plurality of target regions 172 a - w includes an I-shaped subset of regions, 172 e - k, l - n and q - u , that represent desired pitching targets (e.g., balls or strikes that may be catchable by a catcher).
• a plurality of baskets 174 may be secured to the target-defining assembly 170 to capture balls 176 projected through at least some of plurality of target regions 172 a - w .
• a single basket 174 is depicted as being constructed with netting.
• the other baskets 174 would also typically include the same netting, but are depicted in outline only in order to simplify the view of FIG. 12 .
• the netting of basket 174 may be more finely or coarsely woven than that of net 116 .
• the baskets 174 may have depths that are at least greater than or equal to a distance between target-defining assembly 170 and the net 116 .
• the force of a ball 176 would not be imparted entirely on the basket 174 . Instead, the force of ball 176 may be imparted on the back net 116 , which in some cases may be constructed using sturdier material than basket 174 . This may extend the longevity of basket 174 , as well as provide more flexibility as to what materials may be used to construct basket 174 .
• target-defining assembly 170 may include a plurality of flexible fabric straps 124 arranged to define the plurality of target regions 172 a - w .
• the plurality of flexible fabric straps 124 may be secured to a reinforced peripheral area 120 of fabric.
• net 116 may be secured to a reinforced peripheral area 120 of fabric as well. As was the case reinforced peripheral area 20 of backstop 10 , reinforced peripheral area 120 of fabric may be removably securable to the peripheral frame 112 .
• FIG. 14 includes yet another embodiment of a backstop 210 , similar to backstops 10 and 110 .
• backstop 210 is nearly identical to backstop 110 , except that it includes slightly different target regions.
• the main difference is the target regions 172 l - n in FIGS. 12-13 correspond to a single region 2721 in FIG. 14 .
• backstop 110 and/or backstop 210 may be provided in a pitching practice kit that may also include a plurality of balls 176 .
• a pitcher may utilize such a kit as follows. The pitcher may selectively a throw ball 176 through a first target region of plurality of target regions 172 a - w (or 272 a - w ).
• a plurality of balls 176 may be provided that are configured to instruct the pitcher to throw each ball 176 in a manner such that the balls 176 are more likely to pass through one or more of the plurality of regions 172 a - w (or 272 a - w ) than others.
• the balls 176 may collectively be configured to instruct the pitcher to throw the balls 176 through a particular subset of plurality of target regions 172 a - w (or 272 a - w ).
• the balls 176 may be configured to instruct the pitcher to throw balls 176 through various regions of the I-shaped subset of regions, 172 e - k, l - n and q - u.
• each ball 176 may be configured to provide a pitcher with a context in which the pitcher is to selectively throw the ball through one of the plurality of regions 172 a - w .
• FIG. 15 depicts example contexts that may be provided to a pitcher, e.g., as indicia on a surface of a ball 176 , for use with backstops having the target regions shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 .
• FIGS. 16-17 depict example balls 176 configured with contexts such as the count and the target that the pitcher should hit. With such indicia on the balls, it can be determined, after all the balls have been pitched, whether the pitcher was successful in hitting the desired area of the plate or the desired area just outside of the plate.
• the example contexts are tailored to pitching to a right-handed batter; similar indicia may be used on balls when pitching to a left-handed batter.
• a pitching count of zero strikes and zero balls calls for the pitcher to throw a ball 176 through target region 172 l or 172 m of FIG. 12 , that is, either at the outside or inside corner of home plate.
• Corresponding baskets 174 behind these two target regions may collect balls thrown through those regions so that the pitcher and his coach can tell if he was successful in hitting the inside or outside corners of the plate when the count was 0-0.
• a count of two balls and no strikes (2-0) calls for a pitch at the knees of the batter or at the knees and at the outside corner of the plate for a right hand batter, which would correspond to target region 172 q or 172 r.
• a count of two balls and one strike calls for a pitch that is either on the outside corner of the right hand batter or is high and on the inside corner.
• the bottom row depicts some examples of different options when the count is zero strikes and zero balls (0-0).
• the indicia instruct the pitcher exactly where to throw the ball 176 in each instance.
• the balls may be removed from corresponding baskets 174 secured to target-defining assembly 170 adjacent plurality of target regions 172 a - w .
• the coach or the pitcher himself can determine whether he was successful in hitting, for example, the low and outside basket or the high and inside basket when the pitch was no balls and two strikes (0-2).
• the pitcher may determine a proficiency of thrown pitches based on the results of the tracking and pitching contexts provided by the plurality of balls 176 retrieved from plurality of baskets 174 .

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Abstract

Description

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Cited By (8)

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Citations (12)

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• 2013
  • 2013-10-15 US US14/054,677 patent/US20140171230A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-12-16 WO PCT/US2013/075429 patent/WO2014099801A1/en active Application Filing
• 2015
  • 2015-08-19 US US14/830,274 patent/US20150352421A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (12)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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