Target Table Tennis

Abstract

A target device and method of training for table tennis, and providing a variation of table tennis. Target devices, comprising a target portion and a base portion, are placed on a playing surface. The target portion may be self-repositioning and / or interchangeable. Target devices are placed at predetermined locations on a playing surface to encourage user to practice a swing for aiming at specific locations. The user will be able to visually estimate how far they were from the target device, and compensate for the distance the next time, if the user does not hit the target device. Different difficulty levels of target devices, due to differences in weight or size of the target portion, may be used. Target devices are also placed on a playing surface to provide variations to a table tennis game, wherein the object of the game is to knock down the opponent's target devices.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to a game of table tennis.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Table tennis is a popular worldwide sport. The game is played with two to four players across a table, who hit a lightweight hollow ball back and forth with rackets. Typically, a game of table tennis is played on a 9 ft×5 ft×30 inch (2.74 m×1.53 m×0.76 m) table. As table tennis is a popular sport, variations of table tennis have been developed to add different features or new challenges to the game. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,978 discloses a modified table tennis game with end goals detachably mounted to the table.[0003]Table tennis is a competitive sport which players may often need to practice in order to execute a proper swing and / or enhance the precision of a shot placement. In order to become proficient at table tennis, a player may need to practice for many hours. One way a player can increase their proficiency at table tennis is to train by having a specific tar...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The invention provides a target device comprising a target portion, and a base portion for placement on the surface of a table tennis table. The target device can be a base weighted target which is able to rebound to an upright position. The target device can be used as part of a method for training for a player to play table tennis, or as an addition to enhance a game of table tennis.

[0014]The invention provides a method of training a player, comprising placing target devices at predetermined locations on a table tennis playing surface to encourage the user to practice launching or returning projectiles at specified locations. If the user does not hit the target device, the user will be able to visually estimate how far they were from the target device, and compensate for the distance the next time. Different difficulty levels of target devices may also be used to train the user to perfect an aim while exerting a specific degree of force. For example, a target may be more difficult to knock down due to its weight, to encourage a trainee to adapt to making a precise aim while using a certain level of force. Alternatively, a target may be more difficult to knock down because it is smaller, thus requiring more accuracy on the part of the user.

Problems solved by technology

Alternatively, a target may be more difficult to knock down because it is smaller, thus requiring more accuracy on the part of the user.

The difficulty associated with knocking the target device or target portion down can be due to a target device's position on the playing surface, its size, its weight, or any other parameter that would make a target more difficult to hit or knock down.

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