Abstract:
A batter&#39;s eye or backdrop apparatus and system, and to a free-standing deployable batter&#39;s eye apparatus and system, including a panel which may be raised, lowered and/or removed, as desired. The apparatus and system are easy to install and maintain, designed to tolerate design wind loads by changing orientation, shape and/or area presented to winds in response to the winds and/or wind pressures. The batter&#39;s eye apparatus is flexible and allows for movement in instantaneous wind modes, thereby reducing the complexity and cost of a support structure for the batter&#39;s eye and the batter&#39;s eye system. The batter&#39;s eye also includes a panel, screen or sheet that may be raised, and lowered closer to the ground to provide further protection against damage due to winds and/or weather.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/785,243 filed Mar. 14, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/817,903 filed May 1, 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A batter&#39;s eye or backdrop is typically a solid-colored, usually dark, area beyond an outfield or centerfield wall or fence of a baseball diamond, stadium or field. It is a visual backdrop directly in a line of sight of a baseball batter at home plate while facing a pitcher or pitching mound. The dark backdrop helps the batter to see a pitched ball, and its primary purpose is the safety of the batter. In addition, the batter&#39;s eye helps eliminate any unfair advantage that the pitcher may have if the background were light or white colored. 
     In some stadiums, there are seats behind centerfield. They are often painted a dark color or otherwise covered with a large black fabric and not occupied during baseball games and can themselves serve as a batter&#39;s eye. Such a solution, however, does not work well where there are no seats or another suitable structure already in place behind the outfield or centerfield wall. 
     There is a long-felt need for a batter&#39;s eye that may be used in connection with baseball fields where there are no seats or bleachers or other such structure beyond the outfield or centerfield. The apparatus should be easy to install, use and maintain. In addition, the apparatus should be designed to withstand the design maximum three-second wind gust for the particular location (e.g., 90 miles per hour in most locations, and higher in hurricane zones). In addition, the apparatus should be deployable such that it may be raised or lowered closer to the ground quickly and easily, as desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     This application relates to a batter&#39;s eye or backdrop apparatus and system, and to a free-standing deployable batter&#39;s eye apparatus and system. The following disclosure describes a batter&#39;s eye that is easy to install and maintain. The following disclosure describes an apparatus and system that is designed to tolerate wind loads and/or design maximum gusts by changing orientation, shape and/or area presented to winds in response to the winds and/or wind pressures or gusts. It is one aspect of the present disclosure to provide an apparatus which is flexible and allows for movement in instantaneous wind modes, thereby reducing the complexity and cost of a support structure for the batter&#39;s eye and the batter&#39;s eye system as a whole. There is a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a batter&#39;s eye that includes a panel that may be raised and lowered easily and quickly to provide further protection against damage due to winds and/or weather and also facilitate the removal of components of the batter&#39;s eye (such as the panel) for seasonal storage and maintenance. 
     This application relates to a batter&#39;s eye apparatus comprising a panel having a head edge and a foot edge; a first batten channel provided on the panel near the head edge of the panel and a second batten channel provided on the panel near the foot edge of the panel; a first batten at least partially provided in the first batten channel; a second batten at least partially provided in the second batten channel; a first batten car coupled to the first batten and slidably coupled to a support beam provided in an in-ground footing; and a second batten car coupled to the second batten and slidably coupled to the support beam. 
     This application further relates to a system of batter&#39;s eye apparatus comprising a first batter&#39;s eye apparatus, the first batter&#39;s eye apparatus comprising a panel having a head edge and a foot edge; a first batten channel provided on the panel near the head edge of the panel and a second batten channel provided on the panel near the foot edge of the panel; a first batten at least partially provided in the first batten channel; a second batten at least partially provided in the second batten channel; a first batten car coupled to the first batten and slidably coupled to a support beam provided in an in-ground footing; and a second batten car coupled to the second batten and slidably coupled to the support beam, and a second batter&#39;s eye apparatus, the second batter&#39;s eye apparatus comprising a panel having a head edge and a foot edge; a first batten channel provided on the panel near the head edge of the panel and a second batten channel provided on the panel near the foot edge of the panel; a first batten at least partially provided in the first batten channel; a second batten at least partially provided in the second batten channel; a first batten car coupled to the first batten and slidably coupled to a support beam provided in an in-ground footing; and a second batten car coupled to the second batten and slidably coupled to the support beam. 
     These and other features and advantages of devices, systems, and methods according to this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed descriptions of various examples of embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Various examples of embodiments of the systems, devices, and methods according to this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view illustration of a batter&#39;s eye apparatus, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view illustrated of a batter&#39;s eye apparatus, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view illustration of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial detailed top view illustration of a portion of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed view illustration of a portion of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed view illustration of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed view illustration of two portions of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic top-plan representation of a system of three batter&#39;s eye apparatus, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic top-plan representation of a system of five batter&#39;s eye apparatus, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 10  is a front perspective view illustration of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus system or configuration illustrated in  FIG. 8 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view illustration of the system or configuration illustrated in  FIG. 8 , according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 12  is a side perspective view illustration of the system or configuration illustrated in  FIG. 8 , with a panel of a batter&#39;s eye apparatus in a lowered position, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view illustration of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus system or configuration illustrated in  FIG. 8  under a wind pressure or load, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic top plan view representation of the system of batter&#39;s eye apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 8  under various wind pressures or loads, according to one or more examples of embodiments. 
     
    
    
     While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described below in detail. For example, any numbers, measurements, and/or dimensions illustrated in the Figures are for purposes of example only. Any number, measurement or dimension suitable for the purposes provided herein may be acceptable. It should be understood that the description of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the disclosure from covering all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary to the understanding of the invention or render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure belongs. Although any methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, example methods and materials are described below. 
     Example embodiments of a batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  of the present disclosure is shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . In various embodiments, batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  includes a screen, sheet or panel  110  and at least one support beam  120 . In various embodiments, support beam  120  includes a flange  125 . In various embodiments, batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  includes a first or upper batten  130  and a second or lower batten  140 . In various embodiments, batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  includes one or more intermediate battens  150 , provided between first batten  130  and second batten  140  (e.g., in a spaced relationship). In various embodiments, first batten  130 , second batten  140  and/or any intermediate battens  150  are provided in batten channels, rings, pockets, or other batten apertures  160  defined by or otherwise coupled to panel  110 . In various embodiments, first batten  130 , second batten  140 , and/or intermediate battens  150  reside or are provided within batten apertures  160  formed in and/or part of panel  110 . In various embodiments, and as shown in the drawings, one or more batten apertures  160  are spaced (e.g., vertically) from about a head edge  162  of panel  110  to about a foot edge  164  of panel  110 . While first batten  130 , second batten  140 , and two intermediate battens  150  in batten apertures  160  are shown in  FIG. 1 , it should be appreciated, that any number of the battens and/or batten apertures may be utilized within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , batter&#39;s eye  100  may include first batten  130 , second batten  140 , and more than two (e.g., four) intermediate battens  150 , and corresponding batten apertures  160 . In addition, while the battens and batten apertures are shown as being continuous, the battens and/or batten apertures may be discontinuous or unconnected. 
     In various embodiments, first batten  130  and second batten  140  are releasably, slidably or otherwise operatively coupled to support beam  120  by at least a first batten car or member  170  and a second batten car or member  180 , respectively. In various embodiments, intermediate battens  150  are releasably, slidably or otherwise operatively coupled to support beam  120  by intermediate batten cars or members  190 . In various embodiments, intermediate batten cars  190  are coupled, connected, or otherwise operatively coupled, to first batten car  170 , for example, by panel  110  and/or other member such as a cable. 
     In various embodiments, first, second, and/or intermediate batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  are adapted and/or configured to releasably or slidebly grip a face portion, section and/or flange  125  of support beam  120 .  FIGS. 4-6  help illustrate how, in various embodiments, first, second, and/or intermediate batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  slideably or releasedly engages flange  125  of support beam  120 . For example, in various embodiments, a multi-piece batten stack  200  is fastened or otherwise coupled (e.g., bolted) into a car tube or cross tube  210  and cross tube  210  is fastened or otherwise coupled (e.g., bolted) to glide blocks  220  that are adapted to receive flange  125  of support beam  120 . 
     Referring more specifically to  FIGS. 6-7 , in various embodiments, a portion or section of support beam  120  or flange  125  includes or defines one or more notches, slots, or recesses  230  to allow first, second, and/or intermediate batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  to be provided or fed onto support beam  120  and/or removed or disengaged (e.g., for seasonal storage) from support beam  120 , as desired. In various embodiments, a down haul member or bracket  240  is coupled or operatively coupled to flange  125  and second batten car  180  on other components of batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  (e.g., by a chain or linkage  250 ). In various embodiments, one or more removable or moveable pins  260  are provided above one or more notches, slots, or recesses  230  to help prevent a batten car (e.g., second batten car  180 ) from dropping to or into slot  230 , unless so desired. 
     In various embodiments, batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  includes a lifting system  270 . In various embodiments, batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  includes a winch-operated lifting system  270 . In various embodiments, lifting system  270  and batter&#39;s eye apparatus  100  includes a halyard  280  coupled or operatively coupled to a winch  290 . It should be appreciated that the lifting system and/or the winch may be motorized and/or manually operated. In various embodiments, halyard  280  is coupled or operatively coupled to one or more batten cars (e.g., first batten car  170 ). In various embodiments, halyard  280  runs above, to, or near a top or first end of support beam  120  and across two or guide blocks or members  300 . In various embodiments, halyard  280  is coupled or operatively coupled, for example, by way of a shackle  310 , to first batten car  170 . The halyard may also be coupled or operatively coupled to second batten car  180  and any intermediate batten cars  190 . 
     In various embodiments, panel  110  is made of fabric. The panel may be a continuous material or pieced (e.g., stitched) together. In various embodiments, panel  110  is made of a sewn fabric rectangle. While the panel may be made of any type of fabric, in various embodiments, panel  110  is made out of 100% woven polypropylene. It should be appreciated that while the fabric count of the fabric may be within any suitable ranges for the purpose of the disclosure, an example fabric count is 60 warp by 50 fill. While a variety of fabric visibility blockage may work satisfactorily in connection with the present disclosure, in various embodiments, the fabric utilized has a visibility blockage of approximately 94%. 
     While the fabric of the panel may be any suitable thickness, in various embodiments, the thickness of the fabric of panel  110  is approximately 20 mil, based upon ASTM D-17777. While various fabric weights may be utilized in connection with this present disclosure, in various embodiments, the weight of the fabric of panel  110  is approximately 7.7 ounces per yard squared, based upon ASTM D-3776-85. While the fabric utilized by the present invention may be of any suitable tensile strength, in various embodiments, the warp tensile strength of the fabric is approximately 445 pounds, and the fill tensile strength of the fabric is approximately 375 pounds, based upon ASTM D-5034. 
     In various embodiments, first batten  130 , second batten  140  and/or intermediate battens  150  are made of a flexible or resilient material. In various embodiments, first, second and/or intermediate battens  130 / 140 / 150  are made of fiberglass. It should be appreciated, however, that the battens may be made of any suitable material. The halyard may also be made any suitable material including metal or fabric, and may take a variety of forms including a line, a rope, a cable, etc. 
     The support beam may be made of any suitable metal or other material. In various embodiments, support beam  120  is made of a structural steel alloy such as ASTM 992 steel. In various embodiments, the material of support beam  120  is finished with a primer such as Sherwin Williams EASE-00025 zinc-rich primer and a powder coat such as Sherwin Williams FBS6-C2476 black. It should be appreciated, however, that any suitable finish and/or powdered coat may be utilized within this period of scope of the disclosure. 
     In various embodiments, and referring more specifically to  FIGS. 1-2 , support beam  120  is or is adapted to be provided in a footing  320  (e.g., an in-ground footing). The dimensions and/or placement of the footing may depend at least in part on batter&#39;s eye apparatus size and soil conditions, including local soil load-bearing values. By way of example, the footing for a 20-foot tall batter&#39;s eye apparatus may have a nominal depth of approximately seven feet six inches (7′6″) and a nominal diameter of approximately twenty-four inches. The footing for a 30-foot tall batter&#39;s eye apparatus may have a nominal depth of approximately ten feet (10′) and a nominal diameter of approximately twenty-four inches. Footing  320 , in various embodiments, is made of 3,500 PSI minimum concrete. 
     While support beam  120  is shown as extending into footing  320  in a direct-bury method, in various embodiments, the support beam may be made up of multiple pieces, sections, or lengths. For example, the support beam may include multiple sections with mating plates (e.g., provided between the footing and the panel). In various embodiments, the support beam may couple to a base plate anchored into the footing. In various embodiments, and as shown in the Figures, support beam  120  is an I-beam, the cross section of which may be based on various factors including the overall height of the beam above the surface of the ground, local wind speed requirements, etc. The support beam can, however, take a variety of cross-sectional shapes including a T-shape, an H-shape, or C-shape, tube-shaped, etc. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , slots  230  in flange  125  of support beam  120  allow first, second, and any intermediate batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  to be inserted and then lifted to engage flange  125  of support beam  120 . Slots or notches  230  allow assembled batten/batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  to be fed onto support beam  120  (e.g., as head edge  162  of panel  110  is raised). In various embodiments, in operation, when lifting system  270  and/or winch  290  is operated (e.g., in one direction), halyard  280  lifts or raises first batten car  170  thereby lifting or otherwise carrying first batten  130  and head edge  162  of panel  110  up or along support beam  120  toward end  295  of support beam  120 , or any guide blocks  300 . 
     In various embodiments, halyard  280  lifting or moving first batten car  170  also operatively pulls, raises, carries, or moves second batten car  180 , and/or intermediate batten cars  190  to or toward a desired and/or pre-determined spacing. In various embodiments, any intermediate batten cars  190  and/or second batten car  180 , and the associated battens, help provide downward tension on panel  110  to help smooth, flatten, or otherwise tension panel  110 . 
     Once panel  110  is raised, hoisted, or deployed, or all batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  are otherwise engaging support beam  120  above one or more pinholes provided above slots  230  and defined in support beam  120 , one or more car stop pins  260  may be inserted into the pinholes to prevent second batten car  180  from reaching, re-entering, or exiting slots  230  (e.g., when panel  110  and/or one or more battens  170 / 180 / 190  are lowered or allowed to move toward slots  230 ). Car stop pins  260  are also provided to help the batten cars stack into a lowered and/or storage position as panel  110  and/or one or more battens (e.g., first batten  170 ) are lowered or allowed to move toward slots  230 . 
     In various embodiments, reversal of lifting system  270  and/or winch  290  operation may lower at least head edge  162  of panel  110  toward slots  230  and/or the ground. In various embodiments, second batten car  180  drops or is allowed to drop to rest on one or more car stop pins  260 . In various embodiments, one or more intermediate batten cars  190  and/or first batten car  170  may drop or drop to rest on or near an adjacent or other batten car nearer slots  230 . In various embodiments, panel  110  folds, curls, or collapses between various batten cars  170 / 180 / 190  during reversal of lifting system  270  and/or winch  290  operation (see, e.g.,  FIG. 12 ). 
     Panel  110 , batten cars  170 / 180 / 190 , and any other assemblies may be removed from support beam  120  by removing one or more car stop pins  260  and allowing each batten car  170 / 180 / 190  to drop to or into slots  230  and otherwise disengage from support beam  120 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8-14 , in various embodiments, a first batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330  and a second batter&#39;s eye apparatus  340  (and/or a third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  350 ) may be used or provided to create a system  360  of batter&#39;s eye apparatus with a collective and/or combined wider or larger visual backdrop area (e.g., from a home plate and/or batter&#39;s perspective). For example, as shown in these Figures, first, second, and third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330 / 340 / 350  may be provided to create the system  360  or a larger batter&#39;s eye or backdrop (e.g., from the perspective of the batter or home plate). It should be appreciated, however, that while first, second, and third three batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330 / 340 / 350  are shown in  FIGS. 8-14 , any number of the batter&#39;s eye apparatus (such as the five batter&#39;s eye apparatus shown in  FIG. 9 ) may be provided or utilized as desired, to create system  360 . 
     In various embodiments, second batter&#39;s eye apparatus  340  (and/or third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  350 ) are provided in an overlapping and/or staggered position relative to first batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330  (e.g., from a plan and front view). As shown in the Figures, first batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330  may be provided in one location, and second and/or third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  340 / 350  may be provided adjacent but partially behind first batter&#39;s eye  330  relative to a batter or home plate, or further from a batter or home plate. In various embodiments, second and/or third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  340 / 350  are set back from first batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330 . Such a staggered, overlapped or setback position may allow the panel of each apparatus to move between the panels of the other batter&#39;s eye apparatus of system  330 . In various embodiments, however, the overlap between the panels of first, second, and/or third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330 / 340 / 350  of system  360  helps allow, as illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , movement of the panels, and wind and/or airflow  370  between the panels of first, second, and/or third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330 / 340 / 350  of system  360 , while reducing the chances or period of time that a visual light seam or hole will develop in the batter&#39;s eye system  360  or backdrop, from the batter&#39;s or home plate perspective that may reduce the effectiveness of system  360  (e.g., by making it more difficult for the batter to see a pitched ball, or otherwise create a distraction for the batter). For example, and referring to  FIG. 14 , the panels of first, second, and/or third batter&#39;s eye apparatus  330 / 340 / 350  may be able to adjust, move, re-shape, re-orient, etc., from first illustrative panel position and orientation  110 A, to a second illustration panel position and orientation  110 B, to a third illustrative panel position and orientation, as well as any multitude of other panel positions, orientations, and combinations thereof, to help allow apparatus  330 / 340 / 350 /and/or system  360  spill or otherwise adjust to wind and airflow  370 . The adjustment, movement, re-shaping and/or re-orientation helps the apparatus and system to tolerate wind loads and/or design maximum gusts. It can also reduce the complexity and cost of a support structure for the batter&#39;s eye and the batter&#39;s eye system as a whole. 
     As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims. 
     It should be noted that references to relative positions (e.g., “top” and “bottom”) in this description are merely used to identify various elements as are oriented in the Figures. It should be recognized that the orientation of particular components may vary greatly depending on the application in which they are used. 
     For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “coupled” means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or moveable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature. 
     It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the system, methods, and devices as shown in the various examples of embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements show as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied (e.g. by variations in the number of engagement slots or size of the engagement slots or type of engagement). The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various examples of embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present inventions. 
     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the examples of embodiments outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements and/or substantial equivalents, whether known or that are or may be presently foreseen, may become apparent to those having at least ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the examples of embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is intended to embrace all known or earlier developed alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements and/or substantial equivalents. 
     The technical effects and technical problems in the specification are exemplary and are not limiting. It should be noted that the embodiments described in the specification may have other technical effects and can solve other technical problems.