WO2007059550A1

WO2007059550A1 - Glove/ball training apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2007059550A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/001770
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tom Parkinson
Original assignee: Eye-In Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-23
Filing date: 2005-11-23
Publication date: 2007-05-31

Abstract

A sports training device being a ball return device, having an elastic cord, with a ball secured thereto at one end and a finger attachment portion at the other end adapted to attach to a finger of a sports glove. The attachment of the device to the finger allows the user to use a standard glove, such as a baseball or Softball glove.

Description

GLOVE/BALL TRAINING APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sports training device to attach to a sports glove for developing and assisting catching, throwing and fielding techniques.

In particular, the invention relations to a ball return device that attaches to a finger of a sports glove.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

One of the primary issues that has been identified with many sports or past times involving balls is that there is a requirement that more than one individual be involved to practice the game. This is especially true when the game involves aspects of throwing and catching such as baseball and Softball where users are required to catch or retrieve balls that have been hit and then throw them back to a designated point in order to restrict the movement of other players. Whilst catching and throwing is easily performed with two or more persons if a single person desires to practice catching and throwing in order to improve their techniques then they are either constrained by either the participation of a second person or they are required to practice their catching and throwing against a suitable hard surface if available.

Alternatively, there are a number of known devices, which are now incorporated herein by reference only, such as US4836554 which describes a glove and ball sports toy in which a ball is attached to a glove at the webbing between the thumb and forefinger, the glove having a covering of hook material on its palm to releasably engage the loop material on the outer covering of the ball to assist in catching and holding the ball.

US6918842 shows a baseball and baseball glove being connected by a tether, the tether attaches to a tab sewn onto the palm of the glove to serve as an anchor. In each of the above a very specialised glove, outside of that used in normal competition, is required in order to effectively tether the ball. This means then that the user is required to have two gloves, one for practice and one for competition game play, which means that over time substantial differences can arise between the two gloves in terms of feel and usefulness as it is well known that in games such as baseball and softball it is often a considerable advantage to have a glove that the user feels very comfortable with and that the more a player practices with a single glove then the more they become used to and attached to that particular glove.

There are other types of devices used to assist throwing and catching, such as US6685582 which describes a ball attached to a tether which in turn is attached to a wrist band. The user securely fastens the wrist band around their wrist of their glove hand. One of the drawbacks of these types of devices is that not only do they put unnecessary strain on the users wrist but also when the ball is returning to the user as the anchor point is the wrist then the path of the ball is to return to the wrist rather than to the glove. What is required is a training device that allows the user to use a regulation glove in a safe and reliable manner.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball return device that is capable of securely attaching to a standard regulation issue sports catching glove.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball return device that substantially reduces the tendency of the tether to kink or twist.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate, the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taking in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, although this should not be seen as limiting the invention in any way, there is provided a ball return device, having an elastic cord, with a ball secured thereto at one end and a finger attachment portion at the other end, the finger attachment portion adapted to attach to a finger of a sports glove.

In preference, the finger attachment portion is of an adjustable size adapted to press against an outer surface of a finger of a sports glove.

In preference, the ball has a hole extending there through with a first end of the elastic cord being attached to the finger attachment portion and a second end of the elastic cord being attached to a ball retaining means, the ball retaining means passing through the hole in the ball.

In preference, the first end of the elastic cord is attached to the finger attachment portion by a first rotatable swivel.

In preference, the ball retaining means is a "T"-shaped member having an eyelet located on its base for securing the second end of the elastic cord thereto.

In preference, the second end of the elastic cord is attached to the ball retaining means by a second rotatable swivel.

In preference, the second rotatable swivel is attached to the "T"-shaped member with a length of resilient cord.

In preference, the ball is a regulation baseball.

In preference, the ball is a regulation softball. In preference, the ball is a regulation cricket ball.

A further form of the invention may said to reside in the combination of a glove having a plurality of finger portions, a ball, a finger attachment portion, and a first elastic cord, a first end of which is attached to a finger attachment portion and a second end attached to a ball retaining means, the finger attachment portion being removably secured around a finger of the glove where in use, the ball is thrown away from a user to cause the elastic cord to stretch then return the ball towards the glove upon contraction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example, an employment of the invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a ball return device according an a preferred embodiment the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the device of figure 1 attached to a sports glove;

Figure 3 is a sectioned view of the ball of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The ball return device 2 has a finger attachment portion 4 a first elastic cord 6 and a ball 8. The ball can be any one of a number of regulation balls suitable for play in the appropriate sport such as baseball, softball or cricket although other various shaped balls may be attached.

The finger attachment portion 4 includes an elongated rectangular portion of flexibly resilient material 10, suitable for wrapping around a finger of a glove, having located thereon at one end a section of hook material 12, whilst at the other end there is positioned a corresponding section of loop material 14. The hook and loop fastening arrangement being one that is quite well known in that it allows for the repeated removal and attachment of the finger attachment portion 4 to a glove 23.

The elastic cord 6 is constructed from a stretchable material that is able to withstand wear and tear from possible ground strikes when in use. A first end 18 of the elastic cord 6 is secured to the finger attachment portion 4 by way of a first rotatable swivel 19.

With the first rotatable swivel 6 being attached directly to the finger attachment portion 4, this allows for rotation of the elastic cord 6 relative to the finger attachment portion 4 so to avoid tangling. The thickness of the finger attachment portion 4 adds to the robustness of the device as does the contact area between the hook material 12 and loop material 14.

Positioned at a second end 24 of the first elastic cord 6 is a second rotatable swivel 26 to which is further attached a length of resilient cord 28, such as a length of nylon, that passes through the hole 30 of the "T"-shaped ball retaining means 27.

The head 31 of the "T"-shaped member 27 sits against the outer surface of the ball 8 and the hole 30 located on the base 33 of the "T"-shaped member 27 sits within the outer diameter of the ball 8. In this way the outer diameter of the ball 8 is maintained very close to original dimensions, without any unsafe protrusions.

The "T"-shaped member 27 is constructed from a resilient material such as a high impact resistant plastic.

In this matter then it is possible for any standard regulation ball, such as a baseball, softball or cricket ball to be used by simply drilling a hole 17 completely through the ball 8 and inserting the "T"-shaped member 27 appropriately in order to make snug the ball 8. This again adds to the simplicity of the device and allows for easy replacement of materials as required. The second rotatable swivel 26 is one that allows relative rotation of the ball 8 to the elastic cord 6 such that when the ball 8 is thrown the effect of spin, if any, is not completely transferred to the elastic cord 6 and therefore allows the elastic cord 6 to remain relatively tangle free.

In use, the finger attachment portion 4 is then wrapped around a finger section 21 of a glove 23 the attachment portion 4 being passed through gaps 42 below stitching 44, ensuring that the swivel 19 is on the palm side of the glove 23. The hook material 12 and loop material 14 are then secured against one another so that the finger attachment portion 4 is snug against the gloved finger section 21.

When the ball 8 is then thrown away from the user, with the elastic cord 6 secured to the finger attachment portion 4, the elastic cord 6 then stretches and contracts to urge the ball 8 back to the point at which the elastic cord 6 is anchored, being the finger section 21 of glove 2 to facilitate catching of the ball 8 in the glove 23.

This then is comparatively safer to having the anchoring or attachment point being on the wrist of the user which can cause discomfort to the users wrist as well as being unsafe as the ball urges back to the users wrist rather than towards the glove.

By having the finger attachment portion 4 attached to the gloved finger section 21 there is no discomfort to the user as the glove 23 is made from a substantially thick material, such as leather for a baseball or Softball glove and it is the glove 23 with the stitching 44 that bears the force of the pull of the ball 8 when thrown, and not the users finger.

The advantage here is that the user can use their standard glove 23 without any unnecessary modifications and that by repetitive practice of throwing and catching techniques with their own glove then their use of that glove in regularly game play will be improved as compared to the incidences when an additional practice glove is required. Moreover, the sports training device 2 can be transferred from one glove to another so that the device can be transferred from one player to another, without again any modification of the glove 23.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in one is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but it is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims

1. A ball return device, having an elastic cord, with a ball secured thereto at one end and a finger attachment portion at the other end, the finger attachment portion adapted to attach to a finger of a sports glove.

2. The ball return device of claim 1 , wherein the finger attachment portion is of an adjustable size adapted to press against an outer surface of a finger portion of a sports glove.

3. The ball return device of claim 2, wherein the ball has a hole extending there through with a first end of the elastic cord being attached to the finger attachment portion and a second end of the elastic cord being attached to a ball retaining means, the ball retaining means passing through the hole in the ball.

4. The ball return device of claim 3, wherein the first end of the elastic cord is attached to the finger attachment portion by a first rotatable swivel.

5. The ball return device of claim 4, wherein the ball retaining means is a "T"- shaped member having an eyelet located on its base for securing the second end of the elastic cord thereto.

6. The ball return device of claim 5, wherein the second end of the elastic cord is attached to the ball retaining means by a second rotatable swivel.

7. The ball return device of claim 6, wherein the second rotatable swivel is attached to the "T"-shaped member with a length of resilient cord.

8. The ball return device of claim 7, wherein the ball is a regulation baseball.

9. The ball return device of claim 7, wherein the ball is a regulation Softball.

10. The ball return device of claim 7, wherein the ball is a regulation cricket ball.

11. The combination of a glove having a plurality of finger portions, a ball, a finger attachment portion, and an elastic cord, a first end of which is attached to a finger attachment portion and a second end attached to a ball retaining means, the finger attachment portion being removably secured around a finger of the glove where in use, the ball is thrown away from a user to cause the elastic cord to stretch then return the ball towards the glove upon contraction.

12. The combination of claim 11 , wherein the elastic cord is attached to the finger attachment portion by a rotatable swivel.

13. The ball return device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.