Exercise devices – Striking
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-10-30
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Striking
C482S087000, C482S090000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to athletic training devices, and more particularly to a football practice sled for training players to react to an opposing player's movement and to improve the technique involved in engaging an opposing player. The practice sled of the present invention includes a new pad assembly suspension system and control system that permit primary rotations and translation, as well as secondary rotations of a pad assembly.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Football blocking or tackling sleds and hand held pads are well known. Such devices are frequently used in football player practice sessions to assist in developing techniques for successfully encountering opposing players. Some practice devices use resilient structural assemblies connected to pads to permit the assembly to absorb some of the energy of the player impact, so as not to cause injury to the player. Such devices do not simulate movement of the opposing player prior to contact and do not train a player to fight through the rotational resistance of the opposing player.
Also common in the art are practice devices that incorporate a sled to permit one or more players to engage the sled and move it under force. These devices may be teamed with the resilient structures to permit a player to simulate driving an opposing player rearward after initial contact, but are not typically designed to simulate the initial movement or rotational resistance of an opposing player.
Still other prior practice devices have employed means for coaches to interject movement of a device to assist in eliciting an initial reaction from a defensive lineman, such as through movement of a football or a pad. Such devices, while employing means that assist in training a player's reaction, typically are cumbersome to operate and do not provide realistic movement and resistance of the opposing player prior to or after contact by the practicing player.
In light of the shortcomings of prior art football practice devices, it is desirable to have a football practice training device with a new and improved pad suspension system for assisting in development of player reaction to an opposing player's movement and player technique for engaging an opposing player. Accordingly, it is advantageous to provide a practice sled which can be operated by a coach or instructor to simulate movement of an opposing player. It also is advantageous that the device have simple controls and be able to be reset by engagement of the player during the practice drill. It is desirable that the practice device have more than one directional movement available to more realistically resemble, move, and react like an opposing player. It is further advantageous to provide a practice sled that will assist in teaching a player to rotate and drive through the resistance of an opposing player. It is still further advantageous to have a practice device that permits defensive training whereby a player is trained to react to an offensive player's movement, and fight through a block to escape the offensive player and finish the play. It is further desirable to have a device that may be used to train offensive linemen in hand placement and jamming on-rushing defenders. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, while providing the above mentioned desirable features of a football practice reaction and technique development sled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose and advantages of the invention will be set forth in and apparent from the description and drawings that follow, as well as will be learned by practice of the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention is generally embodied in an improved athletic training device which can be used for a variety of football practice drills. The athletic training device comprises a base, a pad assembly suspension system connected to the base and having at least one primary biasing member, a pad assembly connected to the pad assembly suspension system, a control system connected to the pad assembly suspension system, and at least one secondary biasing member connected to the pad assembly suspension system. The control system and pad assembly suspension system are adapted to selectively advance at least a portion of the pad assembly when the control system is triggered by an operator.
In a further aspect of the invention, the control system, pad assembly and pad assembly suspension system are adapted to selectively advance the entire pad assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, the athletic training device is a football practice sled that comprises a base, a pad assembly suspension system connected to the base, a pad assembly connected to the pad assembly suspension system, and a control system connected to the pad assembly suspension system. The pad assembly suspension system is adapted to permit primary and secondary rotation of the pad assembly and the control system may be activated to select at least an initial primary rotation of the pad assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, the pad assembly has a reset position and contact by a player may counteract the initial primary rotation to return the pad assembly to the reset position. Further, contact by a player may impart secondary rotation of the pad assembly after the pad assembly has been returned to the reset position.
In still a further aspect of the invention, a football practice sled comprises a base having ground engaging runners and an upwardly extending collar, an axle connected to the collar, a pad assembly connected to axle, and the pad assembly has at least one primary biasing member adapted to impart movement of the pad assembly relative to the base.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, the sled further comprises at least one latch connected to the pad assembly to restrain movement of the pad assembly by a compressed primary biasing member when the sled is in a reset position. The sled may further comprise at least one secondary biasing member adapted to resist a force applied to the pad assembly. The sled may further have a reset position in which the at least one secondary biasing member is substantially not compressed.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and provided for purposes of explanation only, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. Further features and objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent in the following description of the preferred embodiment of this invention and from the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2521649 (1950-09-01), Paupa
patent: 3649016 (1972-03-01), Kelley, Jr.
patent: 3684283 (1972-08-01), Forrest
patent: 3827690 (1974-08-01), Rogers
patent: 3897060 (1975-07-01), Jennings
patent: 4447056 (1984-05-01), Dalton
patent: 4477076 (1984-10-01), Monaco
patent: 5013039 (1991-05-01), Cole
patent: 5385523 (1995-01-01), Forrest
patent: 5462272 (1995-10-01), Staten
patent: 5743821 (1998-04-01), Wirachowski
Donnelly Jerome W.
Mayer Brown & Platt
Rogers Athletic Company
Thimmig David M.
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