Bat swing training equipment

Abstract

To allow users to feel the impact point in the swing path. [Solution] The bat swing practice device 100 comprises a first rod member 10, a second rod member 20, and a cylindrical member 30 provided on the tip side of the first rod member 10. The first rod member 10 has a predetermined first rigidity, and a gripping portion 11 for the user to grip is formed on the first side. The second rod member 20 has a second rigidity that is smaller than the first rigidity, and has the property of bending more easily than the first rod member 10. When a specific first position on the swing trajectory is reached, due to the difference in the degree of bending of the two members, the second rod member 20 on the free end 22 side collides with the first rod member 10, and a first collision sound of snapping is generated.

Description

Technical Field

[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bat swing training device that mimics a baseball bat.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of training device, a training device that emits a sound according to the swing speed when a user swings is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In baseball bat swings, it is very important how to sensuously acquire the position of the so-called impact moment (impact point in the swing trajectory) when hitting the ball with the bat. In the above prior art, only the sound emitted changes depending on whether the swing speed is fast or slow, and the impact point in the swing trajectory has not been particularly considered.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a bat swing training device that can allow a user to actually feel the impact point in the swing trajectory.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a bat swing practice device that mimics a baseball bat extending in the longitudinal direction, comprising: a first rod member having a gripping portion on the first side in the longitudinal direction for the user to grasp, and having a first rigidity; and a second rod member having a second rigidity less than the first rigidity, with the end on the first side fixed to the first rod member and the second side opposite to the first side in the longitudinal direction being a free end; wherein when the user swings while grasping the gripping portion, the difference in the degree of flex between the first rod member and the second rod member generates a first collision sound at a first position in the swing trajectory traced by the bat swing practice device during the swing, caused by the collision between the second rod member and the first rod member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the impact point in the swing path can be made tangible to the user. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall structure of the bat swing practice device of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a magnified view of the upper part of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the bat swing practice device, seen from the axial direction of the cylindrical member. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the bat swing training device, seen from diagonally below, and a diagram showing the roughly pentagonal guide shape of the gripping part. [Figure 5] This diagram shows a sphere housed inside a cylindrical member. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the swing behavior resulting from a correct bat swing (a swing where vertical and horizontal movements are coordinated). [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the swing behavior caused by an improper bat swing (a swing where the vertical and horizontal swings are separated). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes a bat swing practice device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the overall structure of the bat swing practice device 100 of this embodiment, and Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the upper part of Figure 1.

[0010] In Figures 1 and 2, the bat swing training device 100 has a shape that mimics a baseball bat extending in the longitudinal direction, and is a training device that allows the user to accurately grasp the impact point in the swing trajectory. The bat swing training device 100 mainly comprises a first rod member 10 extending in the longitudinal direction, a second rod member 20 (main impactor) arranged along the first rod member 10, and a cylindrical member 30 provided on the tip side of the first rod member 10. Here, the first side in the longitudinal direction (lower side in Figure 1) is defined as the grip side, and the second side opposite to the first side (upper side in Figure 1) is defined as the tip side.

[0011] Figure 3 is a front view of the bat swing training device 100 as seen from the axial direction of the cylindrical member 30, and Figure 4(a) is a perspective view of the bat swing training device 100 as seen from diagonally below. In Figures 3, 4(a), and the aforementioned Figures 1 and 2, the first rod member 10 is a rigid body or high-rigidity member having a predetermined first stiffness (a high known index representing strength), and a gripping portion 11 for the user to grasp is formed on its first side. The second rod member 20 has a second stiffness (a low known index representing strength) that is smaller than the first stiffness of the first rod member 10, and has the property of bending more easily than the first rod member 10. The first side (end or near the end) portion 21 of the second rod member 20 is fixed to the first rod member 10. On the other hand, the tip portion, which is the second end of the second rod member 20, is a free end 22 that is not fixed to the first rod member 10. With this configuration, as shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c) below, when the user holds the gripping part 11 and performs a swinging motion, the first rod member 10, which has high rigidity, hardly bends, while the second rod member 20, which has low rigidity, bends significantly due to centrifugal force and inertial force. From the start of the swing to the acceleration phase, the first rod member 10 and the second rod member 20 move along the swing trajectory separated from each other. Then, when they reach a specific position on the swing trajectory (the first position; for example, the swing position between Figures 6(b) and 6(c) below), the second rod member 20 on the free end 22 side collides with the first rod member 10 due to the difference in the degree of bending of the two members, and a snapping sound (first collision sound) is generated.

[0012] At this time, by appropriately setting the degree of flex according to each user's swing characteristics and strength (by selecting the material of the first rod member 10 and the second rod member 20, or by setting the fixing position of the first side part 21 to be variable, etc.), the timing at which this first impact sound occurs can be precisely matched to the impact point in an actual hit when using a real bat. As a result, users can intuitively grasp the ideal moment of impact through sound, and develop a sense of catching the ball in actual games. Regarding the swing, you can perform a full swing, including the follow-through, or you can swing with a lighter swing motion like in tee batting, or you can intentionally stop the swing midway through a full swing (a technique known as "stop-and-hit"). In particular, the stop-and-hit technique, where the swing is stopped midway, produces a clearer first impact sound, which is extremely effective in increasing concentration at impact.

[0013] In addition, in figures other than Figure 5, which approximately corresponds to Figure 2, such as Figures 1 to 4, the illustration of the spherical body 40 is omitted for the sake of preventing complexity. However, near the end portion on the second side of the first rod member 10, a cylindrical member 30 capable of accommodating the spherical body 40 inside is provided. The cylindrical member 30 has a space for accommodating the spherical body 40 inside and has an opening 31 at one end. One end of a string member 41 is fixed inside the cylindrical member 30, and the other end of the string member 41 is connected to the spherical body 40. During swinging, at substantially the same time as the generation of the first collision sound described above, the spherical body 40 is configured to jump out of the opening 31 while pulling out the string member 41 by centrifugal force.

[0014] As a result, visual feedback is added to a simple swinging motion, and a feeling as if actually catching a ball can be obtained, improving the interest for the user. Further, since the spherical body 40 is held by the string member 41, scattering to a distant place is prevented, improving the efficiency of repeated practice. Also, by checking the direction in which the spherical body 40 jumps out, the user can objectively check the quality of their own swing trajectory. Although not shown in the drawings, a spring member for biasing the spherical body 40 may be provided at the bottom (in other words, the innermost wall surface) on the opposite side of the opening 31 of the cylindrical member 30. By the spring member biasing the spherical body 40 outward, the spherical body 40 can be released more powerfully during swinging, producing a more realistic hitting feeling. In Figure 5, for the sake of convenience of explanation, a state is shown in which the spherical body 40 that has jumped out is placed near the opening 31 inside the cylindrical member 30 while leaving the string member 41 pulled out from the opening 31 as it is without returning it into the cylindrical member 30.

[0015] Next, the structure and arrangement of the grip portion 11 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 4(b), the grip portion 11 has a substantially pentagonal guide shape 12. This guide shape 12 serves to guide the gripping state so that when the user grips the bat swing training device 1 (simply in the front before starting the swing practice), the first rod member 10 and the second rod member 20 are in a predetermined correct gripping posture (for example, a posture held in the front as if holding a sword).

[0016] Although the illustration is omitted, in the above-described normal gripping posture, the apex 13 of the substantially pentagonal shape is arranged to face the third side, which is the pulling-out side (or in other words, the pitcher's side) in the swinging trajectory (when swinging, the cylindrical member 30 is pulled out to the left around the gripping portion 11 as the substantially rotation center in FIG. 4(a)). The third side, in other words, is the side away from the user's face in the facing direction that faces the user's face in the normal gripping posture. On the other hand, the bottom surface 14 of the substantially pentagonal shape faces the side (the fourth side) approaching the user's face in the facing direction that faces the user's face in the normal gripping posture.

[0017] With the guide shape 12 as described above, appropriate holding in a so-called palm grip is promoted, and at the moment of impact, it is possible to easily have a virtual image as if hitting the ball with the vertical plane including the bottom surface 14 (in other words, a virtual image of pulling out the apex 13 toward the pitcher's side). This contributes to the improvement of bat control. Also, in relation to the above, the cylindrical member 30 is fixed to the first bar member 10 in such an arrangement that the opening 31 faces the third side (the pitcher's side at the time of the level swing in the latter half of the swinging trajectory) in the above-described normal gripping posture (see FIGS. 1, 3, and 4(a)). As a result, since the spherical body 40 is released along the progress direction of the swing, a visual effect (a feeling as if actually hitting the ball) consistent with the actual hitting motion can be surely obtained.

[0018] Also, in the present embodiment, the second bar member 20 is fixed so as to be located on the third side (the pitcher's side at the time of pulling out) of the first bar member 10. With this arrangement, as shown in FIG. 6(c) described later, in the level swing stage in the latter half of the swinging trajectory, the first bar member 10 and the second bar member 20 are arranged one behind the other in the swinging direction, and a horizontal collision is promoted. As a result, the timing of generation of the first collision sound can be made to match the actual impact position with high precision.

[0019] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 6, a third rod member 60 (sub-impactor) is provided separately from the second rod member 20 in relation to the first rod member 10. The third rod member 60 has a third rigidity smaller than the first rigidity, has a free end on the second side, and the end on the first side is fixed to the first rod member 10. The third rod member 60 is positioned on one side (upper side) or the other side (lower side) of the first rod member 10 in an orthogonal direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of forward facing in the above-mentioned forward gripping posture, in other words, in a substantially vertical direction during the level swing stage in the latter half of the swing trajectory (see Figure 6(c), etc., described later). In the illustrated example, the third rod member 60 is positioned on one side (upper side) of the first rod member in the direction perpendicular to the first rod member, with its first side (lower side) end fixed to the first rod member 10 (see Figures 6(c) and 7(c) described later).

[0020] One example of a traditional baseball bat swing trajectory involves starting from a stance where the bat is held almost vertically along its long side, ready to receive the pitch (a ready stance). This involves first making the entire bat almost horizontal by pointing the tip towards the catcher (a horizontal movement, also known as a vertical swing), and then performing a level swing motion (a horizontal swing) by sending the tip of the bat from the catcher towards the pitcher. However, this two-stage motion process of stance → vertical swing → horizontal swing is being viewed negatively in recent baseball batting theories. Instead, a method that involves moving the bat in a wave-like motion from the stance to perform both vertical and horizontal swings simultaneously is increasingly being recommended as the correct bat swing.

[0021] In the bat swing training device 100 of this embodiment, the first collision sound caused by the collision between the first rod member 10 and the second rod member 20 occurs during horizontal swings. In contrast, the second collision sound caused by the collision between the third rod member 60 and the first rod member 10 occurs during vertical swings. Therefore, when a correct bat swing (a swing in which vertical and horizontal movements are coordinated) is performed as shown in Figures 6(a) to (c), the first collision sound between the first rod member 10 and the second rod member 20, and the second collision sound between the first rod member 10 and the third rod member 60 occur almost simultaneously at the first position. This allows the user to confirm whether their swing is a correct bat swing (in other words, whether it conforms to the latest batting theory).

[0022] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(c), if the swing is inappropriate and the vertical swing (from Figure 7(a) to Figure 7(b)) and the horizontal swing (from Figure 7(b) to Figure 7(c)) are separated, then, due to the arrangement described above, when the third rod member 60 reaches a specific position on the swing trajectory (second position; for example, the swing position between Figure 7(a) and Figure 7(b)), the difference in the degree of bending between it and the first rod member 10 causes the free end to collide with the first rod member 10, generating a snapping sound (second collision sound). In other words, in this case, the first and second impact sounds occur separately at different timings (first and second positions), allowing the user to immediately recognize the need to correct their swing.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 4(a) above, the bat swing training device 100 of this embodiment has a T-shape overall, with the first rod member 10 and the second rod member 20 forming the vertical line portion of the T, and the cylindrical member 30 forming the horizontal line portion of the T. This sleek appearance eliminates the clunky appearance typical of training devices, giving the user a sophisticated impression. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0024] 1. Bat swing practice device 10 First rod member 11 Gripping part 12 Guide Shape 13 vertices 14. Base 20 Second bar member 21. Part of the first side 22 Free end 30 cylindrical member 31 Aperture 40 spheres 41 String component 60 Third bar member 100 Bat Swing Practice Equipment

Claims

1. A bat swing training device that mimics a baseball bat that extends in the longitudinal direction, A first rod member having a gripping portion on the first side in the longitudinal direction for the user to grasp, and having a first rigidity, A second rod member having a second rigidity smaller than the first rigidity, with its first end fixed to the first rod member and its second end opposite to the first side in the longitudinal direction being a free end, It has, When a user swings the bat while gripping the gripping portion, the difference in the degree of flexibility between the first rod member and the second rod member causes a first collision sound to be generated at a first position in the swing trajectory traced by the bat swing training device during the swing, where the second rod member and the first rod member collide. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

2. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 1, The first rod member is provided near the second end, and further comprises a cylindrical member that houses a sphere inside through an opening, Inside the cylindrical member, the other end of the string member connected to one end of the sphere is fixed. During the swing, the sphere is ejected into the air from the opening of the cylindrical member at the same time as the first collision sound is generated. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

3. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 2, The gripping portion is, The first rod member and the second rod member have a guide shape for guiding the gripping state so that they are in a predetermined correct gripping position when the user grips them. The aforementioned cylindrical member is In the aforementioned gripping position, the opening is fixed to the first rod member in such a configuration that it faces the third side, which is the side away from the user's face in the forward-facing direction. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

4. In the bat swing practice device described in claim 3, The second rod member is, The first end is fixed to the first rod member so as to be located on the third side of the first rod member. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

5. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 4, The present invention further comprises a third rod member having a third rigidity smaller than the first rigidity, with the first end fixed to the first rod member and the second end being a free end. During the swing, at the first position in the swing trajectory, a second collision sound is generated simultaneously with the first collision sound when the third rod member collides with the first rod member. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

6. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 4, The present invention further comprises a third rod member having a third rigidity smaller than the first rigidity, with the first end fixed to the first rod member and the second end being a free end. During the swing, a second collision sound is generated at a different timing from the first collision sound when the third rod member collides with the first rod member at a second position in the swing trajectory that is different from the first position. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

7. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 5 or claim 6, The third rod member is, The end on the first side is fixed to the first rod member such that it is located on one or the other side of the first rod member in an orthogonal direction substantially perpendicular to the aforementioned forward direction. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

8. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 2, A spring member for biasing the sphere is provided at the bottom of the cylindrical member on the side opposite to the opening. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

9. In the bat swing practice device described in claim 3, The aforementioned guide shape has a roughly pentagonal cross-sectional shape. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

10. In the bat swing practice device according to claim 9, The gripping portion is, The guide shape has such that the vertices of the substantially pentagon face the third side. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

11. In the bat swing practice device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, The first rod member and the second rod member form a T-shaped vertical section, and the cylindrical member forms a T-shaped horizontal section, thereby creating an overall T-shaped shape. A bat swing practice device characterized by the following features.

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