Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Practice or training device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-17
2004-01-06
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Practice or training device
C473S417000, C473S459000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06672979
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to sports employing a ball and, more particularly, to volleyball. More specifically, the invention relates to a new device for improving one's skills for hitting and/or spiking the ball.
BACKGROUND
One of the skills used in playing the game of volleyball is spiking. The art of spiking involves one player (a setter) projecting the ball into the air while another player (a hitter) strikes the ball forward and downward over the net into the opposing team's court. Spiking can be examined in three basic steps, the approach, jump, and swing. The approach often involves complicated footwork enabling a hitter to put his/her body in the most desirable position for contact of the ball. The jump involves planting both feet on the ground at the same time while rotating the arms backward then forward in a lunging motion to achieve maximum vertical leap. The swing will desirably contact the projected ball at the peak of one's jump with his/her arm fully extended while snapping the wrist over the top with sufficient force to cause the ball to spin forward and downward with great velocity. These three steps, coupled with the variable of projecting or setting the ball, are very difficult to learn. Consequently, it is beneficial to isolate the setting of the ball, allowing the hitter to concentrate and focus on the approach, jump, and swing. Hence, a need exists to suspend a volleyball in the air for practicing the art of spiking. A ball-suspending device must not compromise the hitter's safety and it should simulate actual play.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,150 to Daly, Jr. et al. (1990) discloses a device using a standard volleyball placed into a plastic mesh bag that is suspended by flexible tubing attached to a circular backboard. The commercially available Pro Spike Trainer by American Athletics Inc. of Jefferson, Iowa, closely resembles U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,150. Another U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,742 to Hargreave (1989) shows a device using a standard volleyball placed into a plastic mesh bag that is attached to semi-rigid tubing that rotates on a horizontal axle. The commercially available Hoop Spike by Riptide Volleyball of Yorksville, Ill., employs a four-legged strap that encompasses a standard volleyball. The four-legged strap is suspended from the top by a single strap that attaches to a horizontal backboard that is placed on a standard basketball rim. The Spike Master is another four-legged strap device that is commercially available from American Athletics Inc. of Jefferson, Iowa. Such a device encompasses a standard volleyball and the four-legged strap is suspended by two horizontal straps attached at opposite sides. Several of the above mentioned devices borrow techniques from the boxer's training device called a “speed bag” or a child's game called “tether ball”. The speed bag is pivotably attached at the center of a circular horizontal backboard. The bag is hit with the arms rotating the fists about each other while rhythmically striking the front side. The game of tether ball consists of an eight foot pole having one end of a six foot rope tied to it's top and the other end tied to a playground ball. The game is played by striking the ball on the sides propelling it around the pole until the rope completely winds in—ending the game. Neither the attached tether ball nor the speed bag retaining devices are designed to be effectively hit over the top, i.e., striking at a downward angle from the point of attachment primarily on the upper hemisphere of the ball relative to vertical. Consequently, retaining a volleyball, for use as a hitting device, with mesh bags, straps, tubing, etc., creates several disadvantages. For instance, retaining the ball prevents the hitter from analyzing his/her progress through examination of ball trajectory and/or landing position within the playing field of the sport, e.g., volleyball court boundary or baseball foul lines; prevents the hitter from familiarizing himself/herself with correct contact; introduces the possibility of injury to the hitter by entanglement of his/her fingers or hand, or shock from a bat; requires a heavy base or strong frame members to distribute the force imparted by the hitter. Furthermore, such previously disclosed devices fail to meet important criteria—safety of the ball striker and realism of the ball's trajectory.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,950 to Keller (1975) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,390 to Dooley (1989) show a different approach whereby a volleyball is cradled from underneath on both sides, allowing the ball to be hit and released into the opposing court over its struck trajectory. While this method simulates a fair degree of realism, disadvantages are evident. First, the cradling device obstructs the swing path on opposite sides of the held ball presenting the possibility for injury to the hitter's hand and or arm, thus leaving little room for error when used by a beginner. Secondly, the frame types used for the cradle method do not facilitate easy reloading. To reload in the method of U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,950 one must lower the telescoping upper half of the device, place a ball in the cradle, and then raise the upper half to the desired height without disturbing the cradled ball. A step ladder may also be used. This device requires a second person to hold the frame at the upright to prevent tipping over. Finally U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,390 has a five ball dispenser for reloading the cradle quickly, but requires a ladder, which is awkward and time consuming.
Such prior art devices do not always provide sufficient safety while simulating actual play. While these devices simulate a degree of realism, they compromise the hitter's safety by obstructing the hand-arm swing path at the sides and the reloading methods of these devices do not facilitate an efficient workout. Also, there is one common element among all of the discussed prior art—they all use a standard volleyball, i.e., a non-modified volleyball. However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,313, issued to Dickey modified a basketball's surface by wrapping an inlaid sheet of ferromagnetic material exposed on the ballcover for attraction to an electromagnet suspended above the basketball. However, the ballcover and/or the inlaid sheet on the modified basketball is, inter alia, subject to peeling or loosening from the surface especially adjacent the inlaid portion after only minimal or moderate use and is not disclosed as able to withstand high impact and/or high compression. Such a ball described in the Dickey reference is not designed to repeatedly impact the typical hardwood floor of a gymnasium with a high amount of force. The exposed ferromagnetic material in Dickey can easily damage the floor by marring, scratching or gouging during impact and, described as used for tipping and rebounding, is not designed for use in the manner for standard basketball game use, such as dribbling, passing, shooting and the like. The inlaid ferromagnetic material does not have the same elastomer characteristics as the standard rubber of the basketball, thus the compression characteristics change dramatically.
Furthermore, in the sport of baseball or softball, one prior art practice device includes a tee supported upwardly from the ground with an upper end that cradles a standard ball at or very close to the bottom-most point of the lower hemisphere of the ball (relative to vertical), which allows the hitter to impact primarily the side surface of the ball. It is unusually difficult to propel the ball off the tee in a downward trajectory, such as hitting a “grounder,” without hindering the hitter's swing path. Moreover, the tee provides no opportunity for the hitter to impact a moving ball. U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,885 issued to Nash modified a baseball by inserting a metal screw into the baseball, but leaving the screw exposed to the exterior to allow a magnet suspended from a cable or rope to attract and hold the baseball for striking. Although a moving ball could be struck, the exposed metal screw must be peri
Brenneisen Scott M.
Chambers M.
Sewell Paul T.
Thompson Alan H.
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