Folding support device for ball striking training device

Abstract

A support device for ball striking practice is disclosed, which includes a pole to which a ball for striking practice can be tethered. The device is sufficiently stable to withstand the torque and other forces produced in the pole by such striking, but is also completely portable and can be easily transported from place to place and readily set up for use and taken down following such use. The pole of this invention folds easily into a compact package which can be stored, transported in a car or other vehicle, and subsequently can easily be unfolded and rapidly set up and locked into position for use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of Invention [0002] The invention relates to sports equipment, and more particularly to equipment that enables a player to practice striking a ball in a manner similar to actual play of a game. [0003] 2. Background Information [0004] In many sports the object is to kick, hit or otherwise strike a ball. The skill of the player in such sports is usually directly related to the player's ability to efficiently and repeatedly strike the ball accurately and with appropriate force. To do this well requires extensive and repeated practice. When a player wishes to practice, however; he or she often finds that it is inconvenient or difficult to recruit another person to throw or otherwise deliver the ball so that the player can practice his or her hitting or kicking. To that end a number of different devices have been developed to enable a single person to practice hitting or kicking without the assistance of any other person. Particularly useful of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The present invention is of sturdy and stable apparatus having a pole to which a ball for striking practice can be tethered, and which is sufficiently stable to withstand the torque and other forces produced in the pole by such striking, but which is also completely portable and can be easily transported from place to place and readily set up for use and taken down following such use. The pole of this invention folds easily into a compact package which can be stored, transported in a car or other vehicle, and subsequently can easily be unfolded and rapidly set up and locked into position for use.

[0008] The apparatus or device of the present invention has a pole, a baseplate on which the pole is mounted, and legs which are hinged to the baseplate and which can be folded or unfolded, and means for locking the legs in either folded or unfolded position. With the legs folded the device can easily be stored or transported, and with the legs unfolded and locked the device holds the pole in vertical orientation such that a player can repeatedly and vigorously strike a ball tethered to the pole. The player thus can practice his or her skills of batting, kicking, swatting or otherwise striking a ball for extended periods, with the ball after being struck returning quickly to the same position to enable the player to strike the ball again. A player can thus practice his or her batting, kicking, etc. over and over again, to rapidly improve proficiency. The presence of another person to deliver the ball to the player is eliminated, thus enabling the player to practice his or her skills alone and on his or her own schedule.

Problems solved by technology

To do this well requires extensive and repeated practice.

When a player wishes to practice, however; he or she often finds that it is inconvenient or difficult to recruit another person to throw or otherwise deliver the ball so that the player can practice his or her hitting or kicking.

Those that can be removed usually become unusable until replaced in the same socket, hole or mounting from which they were removed.

It will also be apparent that bases and sockets for such fixed poles can only be placed in a limited number of locations and once in place can be an impediment to other uses of the surrounding area.

Such torque from the tether rapidly and repeatedly reversing directions frequently causes poles mounted on simple bases such as tires to wobble severely, to the point where the flight of the ball is adversely affected and the pole can easily overturn.

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