Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02208373 1997-06-20
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1 Sport Training Apparatus
3 This invention relates to sport training apparatus
4 which finds a particular application in ball sports.
6 In the past it has been known to provide a bat and ball
7 game wherein a tennis ball or the like has been
8 attached to an elastic cord, the elastic being attached
9 at an opposite end to the bat. It has also been known
to attach a ball on a string, the string being attached
11 to a pole or the like, whereby hitting the ball allows
12 the ball to be controllably rotated around the pole.
13 This latter device, although popular, has been
14 associated with disadvantages in that the string may
only be rotated around the pole a small and limited
16 number of times before the string becomes tangled and
17 the device unusable. Thus, when a player allows the
18 ball to rotate in the same circular direction more than
19 a few times, either by hitting it in that direction or
attempting to hit it in an opposite direction and
21 missing the ball, the elastic or string would wind
22 around the pole ~o an undesirable extent.
23
24 In the present invention it-is sought to negate the use
of a pole but to provide a means whereby a ball may be
At~AE~DED
3 CA 02208373 1997-06-20
~ ;~ruck, wheth~r hit r kicked, ~hrown ~ o~herwi~;e
2 pr~p~lled, and yet retu~ned ~ the player ~r pl~yers.
4 In ~E-A-2 16~ OO0 there is disclosed a deYice whi~h
S comprises ~ ball att~ched ~o an elas~icated cor~, one
6 ~nd of whi~ ~ay be an~hored i~ ~ st~tionary manner
7 while the ba~ s~uck. The presen~ inven~ion
8 provides an im~ro~ement to su~h a devic~.
g
An o~ie~t of the invention is to obvi~te or m-tigate
11 ~ny t~ngling o~ th~ ~evice or other un~esir~le
12 fea~ures which ~ay lead to pl~ying down time.
13
14 Further o~jects of ~he inYention wit 1 become ~pparant
from the following description.
17 Ac:~or~in~ to the invention the~e i~ prosrided a sportLng
18 article c~prlsin~ a ball ~t~ached to ~ fi~st end of an
lg el~s~i~ated ~ope or cord ~n~ ing means attached t~
a second o~ ~pposite end of the elasti~ted cor~, the
~t fixing ~ans being ~dapted to anchor the sec~nd end of
22 the cord while ~he ball is s~ruck~ ch~racterLsed in
23 th~t the sport~ng ar~icle fu~ther comprises means for
~ ryin~ ~he length of ~he ~ord during play.
26 P~e~era~ly, the ball is a ~oo~all. Al~ernativelyr the
27 ~all ~ay ~e any suitable ball ~ommonly ~sed }n gport.
~8
2~ Pre~er~bl~, ~he ball i~ ~ttached to the first end of
the el~sticated r~pe ~y a first ~ttachment ~eans, the
31 first att~c' nt ~eans inc~ud~ng a leather or plas~ics
3~ ~isc inser~ed inter~ally within the ball and pxe~era~ly
33 ~etween the ball bladder an~ the out~r sk~n o~ the
34 ball, an~ ~eing integral with the first end o~ ~he
~las~ated r~pe.
3~
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CA 02208373 1997-06-20
Altq~rnatively the first attachment mean~ inc~ludes a
2 leather ~a~, one fac~e or sur~ace of whic:h is provided
3 with an adhe~iive adap~ed ~o l~ond with the sur~ace of
4 the }:~11, the leather pad ~eing integral with the first
5 end of the elasticate~ rope.
7 ~refera~ly, the second end of the el~tica~ed rope is
8 att~ched to 'che fi2ing me~nC by a resp~tiYe second
9 attachment ~eans, ~he ~e~d ~ ment means
comprising ~ detac:h~ble cl~p adap~ed ~o engage wi~h a
11 rLng on ~he fixing means.
~2
13 Preferab~y, the ~i~s~ a~d sec:ond attachmen~ 3~e~ns
14 include a swivel means to pre~ent ov~x~twistinç~ o~ the
elastic~ted rope.
17 The detacha~le clip may incorpora~e ~ means ~or ~raryin~
18 the length o~ the c~ord du~in~ play. ~l~ernatively
1~ b~her mean~ y ~e provided ~or such variation,
ZO
21 3?referably the ~ixing means con~pri~es a sc:rew adapte~
~ to engage earth ~ch as soil or clay. The screw
23 pre~erably ~omp~i~es ~ he~d ha~ing ~ pl~r~ y ~f
~4 st~aight si~es (su~h as an hexagonal or octagonal bol~
head), t~e size of ~he he~d corre~p~n~ing with a tool
26 adapted to rota~e the s~ew int~ the gr~und.
27
~g pre~erablyr the tool comprise5 ~ fem~le hexagonal key,
2g the size of the hexag~n c~rresponding ~o fi~ snugly
3~ ov~ ~he sc~ew hea~, and also boot studs as may ~e
31 ~ound on sporting ~oot-~ear.
~2
3~ Alterna~Lvely, the elasticated rope comprises
34 ~cha~le linking means su-ch ~hat the rope may be
sho~tene~ ~r exten~ed by omittin~ or addin~ further
36
CA 02208373 l997-06-20
1 ropes being joined at said linking means.
3 Preferably the tool is provided with a handle to assist
4 in rotation thereof.
6 Alternatively, the fixing means includes a suction pad,
7 the suction pad being adapted to provide at least a
8 partial vacuum, in use, within a chamber formed by the
9 pad and a relatively flat surface, such that the fixing
means is held to the flat surface, the surface being
11 flooring, or all-weather surface for example.
12
13 An example embodiment will now be described with
14 reference to the accompanying Figure 1, which shows a
schematic diagram of elements of the invention.
16
17 A sporting article has a football 1 which is fixed by a
18 first attachment means to one end of an elasticated
19 rope 2. The other end of the rope 2 is attached by a
second attachment means to a fixing means 3 which in a
21 preferred embodiment is an elongated screw 4. The
22 screw 4 may be made from any suitable material,
23 although plastics may be preferred for safety reasons.
24
At the top of the screw is formed an hexagonal head
26 which, preferably, is made of the same dimensions as a
27 locking nut used for locking studs in place on the sole
28 of a football boot. A toal having a corresponding
29 hexagonal profile may be used for the dual purpose of
rotating the screw into the earth and tightening or
31 loosening football studs.
32
33 At the top of the screw 4 there is provided a ring 5
34 with which a spring clip 6 held on the elasticated rope
2 may releasably engage.
36
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CA 02208373 1-97 - 06 - 20
' ' ' ' ;
1 It is realised in the invention that it may be
2 advantageous to allow for extending or shortening the
3 rope. It is envisaged that the rope may be provided in
4 segments, each having hooking or linking means at its
ends for linking up further similar rope segments.
6 Alternatively, the clip may be designed to allow for
7 adjustment of the useable length of the rope or cord 2.
9 Where the sporting article is used indoors, the fixing
means 3 may take the alternative embodiment of a
11 suction cap 7 which is adapted to be held to a smooth
12 floor by suction, ie a differential air pressure across
13 the cap.
14
At the first end of the rope 2 the ball 1 may be
16 attached in a variety of ways. One method is to form
17 the end of the rope 2 into a pad which may be adhered
18 via a strong adhesive to the ball's surface, such a pad
19 would suitably, although not essentially, be made of
leather. However, there could alternatively be a hook
21 or spring clip at both ends of the elasticated rope,
22 one or each being provided with a spring-loaded or
23 revolving mechanism to allow independent rotation of
24 the ball relative to the cord or rope, and/or
independent rotation of the rope relative to the fixing
26 means.
27
28 A yet further embodiment i's a detachable fixing means
29 which could be located only at the first or ball end of
the rope, the attachment of the rope to the fixing
31 means at the second end thereof being permanent.
32
33 For operation of the invention the rope must be elastic
34 or stretchable. In a preferred embodiment it is
envisaged that the rope might extend to five times its
36 equilibrium or natural length.
CA 02208373 1997-06-20
1 It is also envisaged in the invention that the ball may
2 be purpose-built for the article and, as such, may be
3 inherent with a revolving mechanism or some form of
4 means to facilitate attachment to the rope.
6 Figure 2 illustrates a manner of use of the embodiment
7 illustrated in Figure 1, and Figure 3 provides a
8 further schematic diagr~n showing how the embodiment of
9 Figure 1 can be used in a more complex manner.
11 Thus, the invention provides various ways in improving
12 a players skill with a football or other sporting ball.
13 The main attraction of the invention is that it allows
14 the ball to return to the player during practice.
Depending on where the player is positioned, the ball
16 will return with a certain amount o~ velocity and
17 momentum, thus requiring the player to apply his or her
18 skill in controlling the ball.
19
Having regard to the game of football or soccer, the
21 invention provides a useful tool in training a player
22 to improve the players ability in respect of kicking,
23 trapping, touch control, volleying, throwing, hitting,
24 flicking, spinning, and turning and so on. Further,
the invention may enable a player to practise with the
26 use of both feet.
27
28 The invention may also be used by more than one player
29 and enables a plurality of players to practise passing
and enhance their first touch skills. The invention
31 may be also be used in practising penalties and this
32 may be done by more than one player, including a person
33 guarding the goals. That is, goal keeping skills may
34 be enhanced by a goal keeper either practising on his
own or in conjunction with other players shooting the
36 ball in the direction of the goal mouth.
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The in~rention is also not limited l:~y excluding the use
2 of o~her acces~iory eq~ Pnt~ such as markers, target~;,
3 hc~ops ancl the llke. This arld other e~l~rm~nt may be
4 u5ed ~nc~ incorpo~ated into tr~inin~ progra}n~;. The
~i invention m~Ly ~l~;o ~e pr~vided with dl~gr~ns showin~
the va~ious uses which may be made o~ the apparatus.
8 I~ s~ould als~ be not~d ~}sat the elastic cord us~d in
the in~rention may be ~rovlded at va:rying lengths~
10 Adv~nt~g~ us ly, means for varying ~he len~h ~f the
11 cord may be incorporated Ln~o the de~Jice~ Thi ~ mRy
1;~ comprise, ~y way of a ~u~;her e:s;ample, a ~ ip which
13 ena;~les ~olding of part o~ the cord so ~ to shorten
14 i~s links. Alternatively~ it may inclu~e a device
lS which limits the s~retch of the cord at ~ }?articula~
1~ part or portion there~f~ A yet further alternati~e is
17 ~o pro~ride the peg or fixi~ means with apparatlls for
18 ~11 owing part of the cord t~ be woun~ o~ retracted in a
1~ non use po~:ition.
Z~ .
21 Further modifications and imp~rovem~nts may be
2~! incorpo~~ated.
23
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