Bat Swing Training Aid

Abstract

A bat swing training aid having a bat portion with a handle having a first end comprising a knob, a second end comprising a barrel section, and an intermediate transition section, and a barrel portion having at least one open end and comprising a substantially cylindrical receptacle configured to receive and frictionally engage a ball such as, for example, a tennis ball. with a holding force such that the ball is released whenever the bat is swung in a batting motion by a user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to baseball and, more particularly, to a device that is useful for training a baseball batter how to swing a bat in order to improve the ability of the batter to make contact between the bat and a pitched ball and also how to swing a bat in order to better control the direction a ball is hit when batting.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]Many amateur baseball batters are taught different strategies or training routines intended to improve hand-to-eye coordination, improve swing mechanics and the ability of a batter to make contact with a pitched ball, and achieve better directional control over a batted ball.[0005]Various training aids for batters have also previously been disclosed, including without limitation so-called training bats that are marketed under registered and / or unregistered trademarks such as Clicker Bat, ProHammer, Muhl Kicker, Plastic Bat Rac, The Slide Bat (also called Th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The apparatus of the invention preferably utilizes a bat having a weight and feel similar to that of an actual bat, but does not require the use of a pitcher or pitching machine to replicate closely the direction of flight of a pitched baseball when struck by a bat using the same or a similar hitting motion. Because a tennis ball, rather than a conventional baseball, is used in the apparatus of the invention, there is also a significantly reduced likelihood of damage or injury to nearby physical property or to a bystander. The apparatus of the invention can easily be used in proximity to an obstruction such as a fence, wall, net or the like, that is disposed for example in a residential yard or even indoors, and avoids the need for a fielder or other means of ball retrieval over distances farther removed from the batter.

[0008]One satisfactory apparatus of the invention comprises a handle having the same general shape and configuration as a conventional wood or metal bat in combination with a generally cylindrical, open-ended barrel section having an inside diameter configured to receive, frictionally engage, and releasably confine a conventional tennis ball inside the generally cylindrical barrel portion until sufficient force is generated by swinging the bat to expel the tennis ball from the barrel along a flight path that generally corresponds to the flight direction of a pitched ball struck in the same position relative to the batter as the position at which the tennis ball separated from the bat. The direction of flight of the tennis ball from the bat to an obstruction proximal to the batter is easily observed visually by the batter according to the point at which the tennis ball strikes the obstruction.

Problems solved by technology

The use of such conventional bat weights is not possible with many of the other known training bats currently being marketed.

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