Abstract:
A strike zone target is provided for a training device for pitchers that includes a frame and an elastic net disposed across the frame for absorbing energy of a ball thrown by a player and redirecting the ball back to the player. The strike zone target includes a fabric body having four corners and a fastening element disposed at each of the four corners. The fastening elements permit the strike zone target to be detachably secured to the net while permitting easy repositioning of the strike zone anywhere along the net.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to sporting goods products, and more particularly to a strike zone target for a training device for pitchers.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    There are a number of baseball related products that are available to assist a user in developing certain baseball skills. One of the most important and difficult aspects of the game of baseball is pitching. As is well known, the pitcher is given the task of throwing the ball to a catcher while a batter attempts to hit the ball into play. While the pitcher&#39;s goal is to throw the ball past the batter, the pitcher is also aiming to throw the ball within a defined region which is known as the strike zone. The strike zone is dependent upon a number of different factors, including the height of the batter, etc. In addition, the strike zone in professional or organized play is also subject to the interpretation of league officials.  
           [0003]    One mechanism that is available to beginning players is a pitchback or return throw device that is used by one player to simulate the art of pitching. This device typically includes a frame and a tensioned net that is securely attached to the frame. The user stands a prescribed distance from the device (usually the same distance as from a pitching mound to home plate) and the player throws a ball against the tensioned net. As the ball strikes the net, the net absorbs the velocity of the ball and then translates the motion into a return force where the ball is propelled back to the player. The player catches the ball and is then able to pitch another ball towards the net.  
           [0004]    Conventionally, some of these return throw devices have incorporated features that are designed to represent the strike zone. For example, the net can include stitching or the net can be colored differently to define a strike zone (e.g., a box shape). The goal of the player is to pitch the ball towards the device so that the ball contacts the strike zone (box) and is then propelled back to the player. The player repeats this over and over to simulate and practice the art of pitching.  
           [0005]    However, this type of strike zone has a number of disadvantages including that the strike zone is fixedly defined relative to the net itself. In other words, the location of the strike zone can not be varied. Also, in the event that the pitcher does not want to have the strike zone displayed at all times, the conventional return throw devices offer no flexibility and are non-accommodating since the strike zone target is an integral part of the net and therefore can not be separated therefrom.  
           [0006]    In addition, these conventional strike zone targets are simply thin line targets that define the peripheral edges of the strike zone. In other words, the targets only define the boundary of the strike zone or box and thus, the majority of the strike zone is defined by the net area that lies within the targets. Because of this arrangement, it may be difficult for some pitchers to see the actual strike zone since most of the strike zone has the same color as the surrounding net and therefore, it is difficult to see.  
           [0007]    It is therefore desirable to provide a baseball return throw that has a strike zone that overcomes the above disadvantages.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0008]    A strike zone target or marking is provided for a training device for pitchers that includes a frame and an elastic net disposed across the frame for absorbing energy of a ball thrown by a player and redirecting the ball back to the player. The strike zone target includes a fabric body having four corners and a fastening element disposed at each of the four corners. The fastening elements permit the strike zone target to be detachably secured to the net while permitting easy repositioning of the strike zone anywhere along the net.  
           [0009]    In one exemplary embodiment, the fastening element is formed of a strip of fabric that is fixedly attached at one end to the fabric body near one corner thereof. The fabric strip has a free end and includes a fold line that divides the fabric strip into two sections with a first fastening element being disposed on one side of the fold line and a second fastening element being disposed on another side of the fold line. The strip of fabric is securely attached to a cord member of the net by being captured between the mated first and second fastening parts and the folded fabric strip.  
           [0010]    In contrast to conventional return throw devices, the present strike zone target is detachably removable from the net and also is positionable anywhere along the net and therefore is not fixed in one location of the net. This permits the strike zone to be adjusted as need be when different sized batters are present or if the player desires to practice pitching to a different location of the net.  
           [0011]    Further aspects and features of the exemplary apparatus disclosed herein can be appreciated from the appended Figures and accompanying written description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a return throw pitching assembly according to a first embodiment;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an enlarged close-up of a strike zone target attached to a rear surface of a net by fastening elements according to a first embodiment;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is an enlarged close-up of a corner of a strike zone target showing the fastening element of FIG. 2 in an open position;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is an enlarged close-up of the corner of the strike zone target showing the fastening element of FIG. 2 in a closed position;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an enlarged close-up of a corner of a strike zone target showing a fastening element of a second embodiment in an open position;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an enlarged close-up of the corner of the strike zone target showing the fastening element of FIG. 5 in a closed position; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the return throw pitching assembly illustrating the strike zone target in an alternative position.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a return throw device  100  (pitchback device) that generally is formed of a frame  110  and a net  200  that is securely attached to the frame  110 . Because the device  100  is a self-supporting structure, the frame  110  is of the type that stands upright during use and is constructed so that it can withstand the force of a thrown ball and generate a return force through the net  200  to propel the ball back to the player without having the device  100  topple or otherwise be unstable. The device  100  can therefore be formed of a number of different frames  110  so long as they are suitable for the intended use. Accordingly, the frames  110  can come in a number of different shapes and sizes and the amount of frame parts needed to construct the device  100  also varies.  
         [0021]    The exemplary frame  110  is formed of a first part  120 , a second part  130 , and a third part  140 . The first part  120  is generally square shaped and lies within a first plane and has a first side  122 , an opposing second side  124 , a third side  126  and an opposing fourth side  128 . The first part  120  serves as the base of the frame  110  and receives and secures the net  200 . A plurality of net fastener hooks  150  are disposed around the frame  110 . More specifically, each fastener hook  150  is formed of a closed loop section  152  that is preferably formed of an elastic cord (e.g., bungee cord) and a rigid hook member  154  that is formed opposite the loop section  152 . The loop section  152  is movable along the frame  110  and the elastic nature thereof permits the loop to be elongated or stretched where necessary to accommodate fitting of the net  200  in a stretched or tensioned manner within the border of the first frame part  110 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, the fastener hooks  150  are arranged along the first frame part  120  so that there are a number of fastener hooks  150  on each of the sides  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 .  
         [0022]    The hook members  154  engage and secure the net  200  by placing the outer edge  202  of the net  200  within the hook members  154 . Because the net  200  is purposely smaller in dimensions than the dimensions of the area defined by the sides  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , the net  200  is pulled or tensioned into the position shown in FIG. 1 where the net  200  is tightly disposed (tensioned) across the area between the sides  122 ,  124 ,  126 ,  128 . The net  200  is securely held by the fastener hooks  150  so that when a ball is thrown thereagainst, the net  200  will absorb the velocity and direction of the ball by locally deforming and then the resilient or elastic nature of the net  200  causes the energy to be translated into energy that propels the ball away from the net  200  back to the player.  
         [0023]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the normal playing position, the first frame part  120  is positioned so that the second side  124  lies at or near a ground surface and the first frame part  120  is slightly offset relative to a plane that is perpendicular to the ground surface. In other words and in order to provide the proper trajectory for returning the ball to the player, the first frame part  120  is not disposed perpendicular to the ground surface but rather it is disposed less than 90 degrees so that the net  200  faces slightly towards the sky so as to produce an optimum trajectory for returning the ball to the player.  
         [0024]    The second part  130  of the frame  110  is a generally U-shaped ground contacting section that seats against the ground when the device  100  is being used. The second part  130  has a rear section  132 , and side sections  134 ,  136  that are perpendicular to the rear section  132 . Opposite to where the side sections  134 ,  136  are integrally attached to the rear section  132 , each side section  134 ,  136  has an angled end section  137  that extends upwardly when the device  100  is positioned for use. These end sections  137  are fixedly attached to the third and fourth sides  126 ,  128  using conventional means.  
         [0025]    The third part  140  of the frame  110  is a pair of elongated support posts  142 ,  144  that extend between the fist and second parts  120 ,  130 . Each of the support posts  142 ,  144  has a first end  146  that is fixedly secured to the first part  120  and a second end  148  that is fixedly secured to the second part  130 . The second ends  148  of the support posts  142 ,  144  are disposed near where the rear section  132  and side sections  134 ,  136  join one another and the first ends  146  are disposed proximate to where the third and fourth sides  126 ,  128  join the first side  122 .  
         [0026]    When completely assembled, the device  100  has a triangular shaped frame as viewed from the sides of the device  100  and this provides the necessary structural support for the device  100 .  
         [0027]    The frame  110  is preferably a heavy duty welded steel tubing frame. Because each of the parts  120 ,  130 ,  140  has a tubular construction, two parts can be securely attached to one another by passing a fastener  160 , such as a threaded bolt, through openings formed through the respective parts and then using a nut or the like, such as a wing nut  162 , that mates with the fastener  160  to securely attach the respective parts to one another.  
         [0028]    The net  200  is a conventional net that is formed of a nylon or another suitable material and is formed in a grid like (square) pattern with the outer edge  202  being reinforced and of greater dimension than the rope-like elements (horizontal and vertical cord members) that define the grid like pattern. The net  200  has a front face  204  that faces the player during use and contacts the thrown ball and an opposing rear face  206  (FIG. 2) that is opposite and faces the second and third parts  130 ,  140 .  
         [0029]    A strike zone target  300  that is made for use with the device  100  is also illustrated in FIG. 1 as well as FIGS. 2-4. Unlike the conventional strike zone targets that are described above and are permanently a part of the net, the present strike zone target  300  is freely removable from the net  200  as well as being freely positionable anywhere on the net  200 . The strike zone target  300  is a square or rectangular shaped piece of fabric that has four corners  302 . The fabric is preferably a synthetic fabric, such as nylon or other types of polymeric materials; however, other types of materials can be used so long as they are suitable for the intended use. It will also be appreciated that the fabric strike zone target  300  can be manufactured in any number of color, such as a solid color, or the strike zone target  300  can include a decorative pattern or other type of indicia, if desired. In one exemplary embodiment, the fabric strike zone target  300  has a red color and in an alternative embodiments, the target  300  is yellow or orange colored. Bright colors, such as red, are advantageous since they permit the player to easily see the strike zone target and therefore, the player can identify the strike zone and practice directing the pitch thereto.  
         [0030]    At each corner  302  of the fabric strike zone target  300 , a fastening element  310  is provided for securely but releasably attaching the strike zone target  300  to the net  200 . The fastening element  310  is formed of a strip of fabric material  320  that has a fixed end  322  and a free end  324 . The strip  320  can be formed of the same fabric material that is used to form the fabric strike zone target  300  or it can be a different material. According to one exemplary embodiment, the strip  320  is formed of the same material as the fabric strike zone target  300 . The end  322  is attached to a rear face of the fabric strike zone target  300  using conventional techniques, such as using stitching. The strip  320  is free to move except for the section that is securely attached to the rear face.  
         [0031]    The fastening element  310  is of a snap lock type and includes a first male part  312  and a second female part  314  that receive the first part  312  in a detachable snap locking manner (e.g., the fastening element  310  can be in the form of a button). The first and second parts  312 ,  314  are spaced apart from one another and more specifically, the exemplary strip  320  is a generally rectangular member that is divided in half along a fold line  327 . The first part  312  is disposed on one side of the fold line  327  and the second part  314  is disposed on the other side of the fold line  327  and when the two parts  312 ,  314  mate together, one half of the strip  320  is folded over the other half along the fold line  327 . It will therefore be appreciated that when the two parts  312 ,  314  mate together, the strip  320  assumes more of a square shape and a space  321  is formed between the mated parts  312 ,  314  and the fold line  327 . As previously mentioned, each corner  302  of the strike zone target  300  includes a strip  320  and fastening element  310  with the fixed end  322  of the strip  320  facing the center of the strike zone target  300 . When the strip  320  is in an open position, the free end  324  preferably extends beyond the edge of the fabric strike zone target  300  with the fold line  327  lying above the fabric strike zone target  300  and not beyond the edge of the fabric strike zone target  300 .  
         [0032]    The attachment of the fabric strike zone target  300  to the net  200  is now described in greater detail. Each of the fastening elements  310  are opened so that the two parts  312 ,  314  are disengaged from one another. Because the strike zone target  300  is configured to be positionable anywhere along the net  200 , a desired location for the strike zone target  300  is selected by the player. The strike zone  300  is then positioned relative to the rear face  206  of the net  200  and one corner  302  of the strike zone target  300  is attached to the net  200  by looping the strap  320  over one of the horizontal cords of the net  200 . When the strap  320  is looped over the horizontal cord in this manner, the strip  320  is folded along the fold line  327  which is adjacent the horizontal cord of the net  200 . The first and second parts  312 ,  314  are then mated together in a snap fit manner resulting in the horizontal cord being disposed within the space  321 . Because the net  200  is formed of horizontal and vertical cords that are arranged in a grid, the looping and securing of the strip  320  to one of the horizontal cords locates and fixes the respective corner  302  relative to the net  200  since the surrounding vertical cords prevent the strip  320  from laterally moving. In other words, the folded and attached strip  320  can only travel along the horizontal cord between the two vertical cords. Since the strike zone target  300  is attached to the rear face  206  of the net  200 , the thrown ball does not primarily contact the strike zone target  300  but rather the thrown ball contacts the net  200 , which absorbs the energy of the ball and causes the ball to be propelled back to the player in the manner described hereinbefore.  
         [0033]    The process is repeated for the other three corners  302  of the fabric strike zone  300 . This results in the strike zone target  300  being securely attached to the net  200  in a manner that permits the strike zone target  300  to be easily repositioned or even completely removed from the net  200 . Because the strike zone target  300  can be positioned anywhere along the net  200 , the player can practice a number of different pitches. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative position of the strike zone target  300 . Also, the strike zone target  300  can be adjusted as necessary to accommodate different sized batters that stand in front of the device  100  and attempt to hit the thrown ball.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIGS. 5 and 6 show alternative fastening elements  400  for securely yet releasably attaching the target  300  to the net  200 . In this embodiment, the fastening elements  400  are of a hook and loop type in that a first part  410  which can be either the hook or the loop part is securely attached at the free end  324  of the fabric strip  320  and a second part  420  which is the other of the hook and loop parts is securely attached at the fixed end  322  of the fabric strip  320 . The fastening elements  400  work in much the same way as the fastening elements  300  in that the user loops the free end  324  over the horizontal cord and then the two parts  410 ,  420  are brought together and securely attached to one another. To release the fastening element  400 , the first part  410  is simply pulled away from the second part  420 .  
         [0035]    It will be understood that the frame  110  described above is merely exemplary in nature and there are a number of other return throw devices that have different frame constructions (e.g., some that permit frame adjustment and angle adjustment of the frame section that carries the net); however, the common element is the net  200  that is attached under tension across the frame. Thus, the present strike zone target  300  can be used with any number of different frames as it only requires that the presence of the net.  
         [0036]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.