Abstract:
A batting tee supporting a ball has a base, a telescoping post having a first tube, a second tube, a rod, and a flexible ball holder secured to the telescoping post. Wearable bushing assemblies enable friction between components of the tee to remain at least substantially constant over a range of tolerances, even as bushings wear. Each bushing assembly includes a bushing holder, a C-shaped spring positioned around at least a portion of the bushing holder, and a C-shaped bushing constructed of wearable material and positioned at least partially around an outer periphery of the C-shaped spring. Each bushing assembly is positioned into a respective tube such that the C-shaped bushing contacts an inner surface of its respective tube. The C-shaped spring provides an outward radial force for applying friction between the C-shaped bushing and the inner surface of the tube when one component is axially moved relative to another.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional patent application claims priority benefit, with regard to all common subject matter, of earlier-filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/493,179, filed on Jun. 24, 2016 and entitled “BASEBALL BATTING TEE”. This identified earlier-filed provisional patent application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the invention relate to baseball equipment. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to ball tees for holding a ball for a batter. 
       2. Related Art 
       [0003]    A batting tee, sometimes called a ball tee, is an important equipment item for the teaching and playing of baseball. Baseball players, softball players, coaches, and the like rely on ball tees to play their game and improve performance. A ball tee holds a ball stationary at a certain height such that the player may swing a bat and strike the ball. Many prior art ball tees include a telescoping stanchion (e.g., telescoping post assembly) that enable the batter to adjust the height of the tee. 
         [0004]    Batting tees of the prior art present a number of drawbacks. One of the problems with prior art batting tees having an adjustable stanchion using telescoping posts is that the friction provided by slides within the telescoping posts wear with time and temperature. Another problem is that some prior art batting tee products have a great deal of variability from one tee to the next, even though they are the same design from the same manufacturer. In other words, many prior art batting tee designs are highly sensitive to part tolerances. Accordingly, the need exists for a batting tee that is forgiving of part tolerances and that maintains friction within a fairly tight range over many cycles of sliding the telescoping posts and over the full temperature range of its intended use. 
         [0005]    Additionally, it is common for ball holders at the top of the tee wear out due to being repeatedly struck with the bat. Prior art batting tee ball holders made of a sheet of rubber, such as neoprene, are superior to those that use a molded ball holder because the rolled sheet is more flexible, thereby providing less resistance (than the molded version) to the bat and a more realistic feel to the hitter. However, when the rolled sheet wears out, it is difficult and expensive to replace because it takes skill and special tools to roll a new sheet in the correct way and to fasten the newly rolled sheet to the top of the batting tee. Accordingly, the need also exists for a batting tee having a ball cup that is made of a rolled sheet and that is easy to replace. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the invention address the above-mentioned problems and provide a distinct advantage in the art by providing an improved ball tee, while being similar in many respects to embodiments of a batting tee described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,358,440, issued Jun. 7, 2016 and entitled BALL TEE, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0007]    The batting tee has a base, a telescoping stanchion (e.g., a telescoping post or pedestal), a fitting for connecting the telescoping stanchion to the base, and a ball holder. The telescoping stanchion has a lower tube having an upper beaded end, an upper tube having an upper beaded end, and a rod. The lower tube is releasably secured by the fitting to the base, the upper tube at least partially slidably telescopes in the lower tube, and the rod at least partially slidably telescopes in the upper and lower tubes. As noted, each of the lower tube and the inner tube are beaded at one end. In particular, each tube has an annular bead at an upper end of the tube when the tee is in use and the stanchion is secured to the base and thereby oriented to extend upwardly from the base in an a manner that is at least substantially perpendicular to the ground. 
         [0008]    A C-shaped bushing has a ridge protruding outwardly from a side-wall of the C-shaped bushing. The C-shaped bushing is inserted into the beaded end of the inner tube. The C-shaped bushing snaps into place inside the inner tube in manner such that the outwardly protruding ridge of the C-shaped bushing fits into the annular bead of the tube, thereby retaining the bushing in place within the inner tube. 
         [0009]    The rod, having a ball holder already assembled to one end of the rod, is inserted through the center of the C-shaped bushing. The C-shaped bushing provides a small amount of interference with the plastic rod to provide a small amount of friction between the rod and the C-shaped bushing, but this is not the primary holding friction (as described further herein). Note that once the rod is inserted through the center of the C-shaped bushing, the C-shaped bushing is restricted by the rod and therefore cannot be removed. 
         [0010]    A bushing assembly is constructed and inserted into the opposite (non-beaded) end of the inner tube. The bushing assembly has a bushing holder, a C-shaped spring, and a C-shaped bushing. In embodiments, the bushing holder is plastic, the C-shaped spring is steel, and the C-shaped bushing is made of wear-resistant Nylon. The bushing holder has an annular spool-shaped design having a portion that accepts, about the outer periphery of the spool-shaped portion, the C-shaped spring. The C-shaped spring provides radial force outwardly, thereby applying friction on the inside surface of the inner tube. The C-shaped bushing provides a sacrificial surface which is wear resistant. The C-shaped spring has a spring rate such that the amount of radial load applied to the C-shaped bushing is consistent over a wide range of dimensional tolerances. Thus, even as the C-shaped bushing material (such as Nylon) wears away from adjustment and use of the batting tee, the load applied by the C-shaped spring is at least substantially consistent. 
         [0011]    As stated, the bushing assembly is inserted into the opposite end (non-beaded end) of the inner tube and is fastened to the end of the rod with a trilobular screw. Alternatively, the bushing assembly could be attached via spin welding or ultrasonic welding. It will be appreciated that, once installed, the rod is fixedly retained within the inner tube in a highly robust manner. 
         [0012]    A second, lower bushing assembly is constructed in the same manner as the upper bushing assembly described above and, therefore, has a second bushing holder, a second C-shaped bushing, and a second C-shaped spring albeit all dimensioned so as to enable the second bushing assembly to fit snugly into the bottom end of the lower tube (which has a larger diameter than the diameter of the upper/inner tube). The lower bushing assembly is inserted from the bottom into the lower tube and slid up the tube into contact with the second C-shaped bushing that has been snapped into the top of the lower tube. A second C-shaped bushing (which also may be made from a material such as Nylon and which is larger than the first C-shaped bushing) is inserted into the upper end of the lower tube. The sub-assembly described above (ball holder, upper/inner tube, rod, bushing assembly) is inserted, from the top beaded end of the lower tube, into the lower tube and axially down through the second, larger C-shaped bushing. 
         [0013]    The bushing holder of the lower bushing assembly has cross holes and the lower (outer) tube has holes in its sidewall near the top. The holes of this bushing holder and the holes in the side wall of the lower tube are aligned with holes in the bottom of the upper (inner) tube and two screws are placed through these aligned holes and screwed in to the bushing holder to securely fasten the lower bushing assembly to the upper (inner) tube. Alternatively, for example, a roll pin could be used for fastening. Notably, no adhesives are required. Once these assemblies are fastened in place as described, it is very difficult to completely withdraw the tubes from each other. Notably, the hole in the lower tube which facilitates the assembly using the small screws is outside the operating range of the C-shaped bushing on the lower bushing assembly (e.g., the C-shaped bushing never runs over the hole). A rubber grip is positioned over the hole. 
         [0014]    The rolled ball holder can be very quickly and easily replaced by removing the trilobular screw, which is accessible through an opening in the bottom of the tee. Once the screw is removed, then the rod, along with the assembled ball holder, is pulled upwardly and out of the tubes. A new ball holder and plastic rod assembly are inserted into the tubes from the top and the trilobular screw is fastened into the end of the new plastic rod from the bottom, thereby providing a convenient and inexpensive field serviceable rolled ball holder. 
         [0015]    This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0016]    Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the tee; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the various components of the tee illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a side-elevational and cross-sectional view of the tee illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a plastic rod of the tee; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a liner of the tee; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a rubber grip of the tee; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of a bushing of the tee; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 B- 7 B of the bushing illustrated in  FIG. 7A ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an upper/inner tube of the tee; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of a first bushing holder of the tee; 
           [0027]      FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 B- 9 B of the first bushing holder illustrated in  FIG. 9A ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a C-shaped spring of the tee; 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a wearable C-shaped bushing of the tee; 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a lower/outer tube of the tee; 
           [0031]      FIG. 13A  is a perspective view of a second bushing holder of the tee; 
           [0032]      FIG. 13B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  13 B- 13 B of the second bushing holder illustrated in  FIG. 13A ; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a bushing assembly of the present invention in place within a tube. 
       
    
    
       [0034]    The drawing figures do not limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    The following description of the invention references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
         [0036]    In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “embodiments”, “various embodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “some embodiments”, or “other embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “embodiments”, “various embodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “some embodiments”, or “other embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the current technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein. 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a batting tee, for holding a ball to be hit by a batter, is illustrated generally by reference numeral  10 . Batting tee  10  has a base  12 , a fitting  14 , a telescoping stanchion (or post) illustrated generally by reference numeral  16 , and flexible ball holder  18 . 
         [0038]    With additional reference to  FIG. 2 , the various parts of batting tee  10  are identified. In particular, fitting  14  includes a splined sleeve  20  and a pipe  22 . Base  12  is a metal base over molded with rubber and has an opening  24  defined by an upwardly protruding rim  26 . The stanchion  16  includes a lower tube  28 , an upper (or inner) tube  30 , and a rod  32 . Each of lower tube  28  and upper tube  30  has a beaded portion  29 ,  31 , respectively, proximate its upper end. Batting tee  10  employs a number of innovative bushings, including (i) an upper-tube plastic bushing  34 , (ii) an upper bushing assembly, represented generally by reference numeral  36 , having a first bushing holder  38 , a first C-shaped spring  40 , and a first C-shaped bushing  42 , (iii) a lower-tube plastic bushing  44 , and (iv) a lower bushing assembly, represented generally by reference numeral  46 , having a second bushing holder  48 , a second C-shaped spring  50 , and a second C-shaped bushing  52 . Batting tee  10  further includes the flexible ball holder  18 , a rubber liner  54 , rubber grips  56 ,  58 , a trilobular screw  60 , and small screws  62 . 
         [0039]    As described further below,  FIG. 3  illustrates the tee  10  assembled, albeit with C-shaped springs  40 ,  50  and C-shaped bushings  42 ,  52  not shown. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  illustrates the rod  32 . Rod  32  may be formed of any suitable material. In embodiments, rod  32  is formed of durable plastic. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  illustrates rubber liner  54 . Rubber liner  54  has a lower portion  64  that is positioned over the top of rod  32  and an upper portion  66  having an open top  68  into which is received a lower portion of the ball holder  18 . Rubber liner  54  also includes gripping members  70 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  illustrates rubber grip  56 . Rubber grip  56  is O-shaped and has an outwardly protruding annular grip ridge  72 . During assembly, rubber grip  56  is positioned over the top of upper tube  30  and rod  32  passes through the grip  56 . Rubber grip  58  is similarly formed and is positioned over the top of lower tube  28  and upper tube  30  passes through it. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate upper-tube plastic bushing  34 . Upper tube plastic bushing  34  is generally C-shaped (when viewed in a top plan). Plastic bushing  34  has an upper rim  74 , an outwardly protruding rim  76 , an elongate channel-opening  78  from top-to-bottom in the side-wall  80  of bushing  34 , and a central channel  82 . An upper opening to central channel  82  is chamfered, as illustrated by reference numeral  84 . During assembly of tee  10 , bushing  34  is inserted into the open top of upper tube  30  and the outwardly protruding rim  76  mates with the beaded portion  31  of upper tube  30 . As such, the bushing  34  snaps-into place in the upper tube  30 . Rim  76  may have a notched portion (not shown) for aiding insertion of the bushing  34  into the rube  30 . It will be appreciated that the bushing  34  may have an annular recess (not shown) in addition to or in place of rim  76  and that upper tube  30  may have a corresponding inwardly protruding bead for mating with the recess. Lower-tube plastic bushing  44  has a similar construction as upper-tube plastic bushing  34 , albeit with a larger diameter for snugly fitting into the larger-diameter lower tube  28 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 8  illustrates upper tube  30 . As described herein, upper tube  30  has an annular beaded portion  31 . Upper tube  30  may be made of any suitable material, such as metal and, in particular, such as stainless steel. Upper tube  30  has two small screw holes (not shown) proximate its lower end. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate first bushing holder  38 . First bushing holder  38  is generally spool-shaped and has an upper portion  86 , a lower portion  88 , and an intermediate portion  90 . First bushing holder  38  has a central open channel designated generally by reference numeral  92 . Open channel  92 , as illustrated, has an upper channel portion  92 A, a lower channel portion  92 B, and an intermediate channel portion  92 C. The diameter of upper portion  86  and lower portion  88  are the same or at least substantially the same, while the diameter of intermediate portion  90  is less than the diameter(s) of upper portion  86  and lower portion  88 . First bushing holder has chamfered edges  94  and rounded corners  96 ,  98 . First bushing holder  38  may be made of any suitable, durable material and, in embodiments, is formed of molded plastic. 
         [0046]      FIG. 10  illustrates C-shaped spring  40 . C-shaped spring  40  is formed of any suitable material, such as metal. C-shaped spring has an open channel  100 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 11  illustrates C-shaped bushing  42 . C-shaped bushing  42  is formed of any suitable sacrificially-wearable material, such as Nylon. C-shaped bushing has an open channel  102 . 
         [0048]    During assembly, C-shaped spring  40  is wrapped around intermediate portion  90  of first bushing holder  38 . The dimension of C-shaped spring  40  is such that it must be compressed to fit within upper/inner tube  30 . More particularly, an outer diameter of C-shaped spring  40  is greater than the diameter of the channel in upper/inner tube  30 . The C-shaped bushing  42 , having a dimension to enable it to snugly fit around C-shaped spring  40  when C-shaped spring  40  and C-shaped bushing  42  are not compressed, is wrapped around the outer periphery of C-shaped spring  40 . As will be understood, openings  100 ,  102  enable C-shaped spring  40  and C-shaped bushing  42 , respectively, to be clipped over intermediate portion  90  of first bushing holder  38 . Together, first bushing holder  38 , C-shaped spring  40 , and C-shaped bushing  42  form the upper bushing assembly  36 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 12  illustrates lower post  28 . As described, lower tube  28  has a beaded portion  29  proximate its upper end. Lower tube  28  also has a pair (one shown) of openings  104  for receiving fasteners. Lower tube  28  may be formed of any suitable material, such as metal and, in particular, such as stainless steel. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 13A and 13B  illustrates the second bushing holder  48  of the lower bushing assembly  46 . Second bushing holder  48  has an upper portion  106 , a lower portion  108 , a first, lower outwardly-protruding rim  110  at a bottom of second bushing holder  48 , and a second outwardly-protruding rim  112  located between a bottom and a top of second bushing holder  48 , as illustrated. An upper portion of second outwardly-protruding rim  112  is chamfered, as illustrated by reference numeral  114 . Second bushing holder  48  has a central channel denoted generally by reference numeral  116  having upper channel portion  116 A, lower channel portion  116 B, and intermediate (chamfered) channel portion  116 C. The diameter of upper channel portion  116 A is less than the diameter of lower channel portion  116 C. The diameter of the outer periphery of upper portion  106  is slightly less than the diameter of the outer periphery lower portion  108 . The sidewall  109  of lower portion  108  and rims  100 ,  112  form a spool-shaped portion of second bushing holder  48  for receiving the second C-shaped spring  50  and the second C-shaped bushing  52  in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the upper bushing assembly  36 . However, the second C-shaped spring  50  and the second C-shaped bushing  52  have dimensions that are slightly greater than the first C-shaped spring  40  and the first C-shaped bushing  42 , respectively. In particular, the outermost diameter of C-shaped spring  50  is slightly greater than the diameter of the channel of lower tube  28 , thereby requiring C-shaped spring  50  to be compressed to be inserted into the tube  28  and thus resulting in radial force outwardly when the C-shaped spring is inserted into the tube  28 . 
         [0051]    With additional reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , during assembly of tee  10 , splined sleeve  20  is inserted into pipe  22  and the resulting fitting  14  is inserted through opening  24  in base  12 . Upper-tube plastic bushing  34  is snapped-into the upper end of upper tube  30  such that the outwardly protruding rim  76  of the bushing  34  mates with the bead  31  of upper tube  30 . Lower-tube plastic bushing  44  is positioned and snapped-into the open upper end of lower tube  28  such that the outwardly protruding rim of the lower tube plastic bushing mates with the bead  29  of lower tube  28 . 
         [0052]    Bushing assemblies  36 ,  46  are assembled as described herein with their respective C-shaped springs  40 ,  50  and C-shaped bushings  42 ,  52  being clipped over the spool portions of their respective bushing holders  38 ,  48 . Upper bushing assembly  36  is inserted into the bottom, open end of upper tube  30 . Ball holder  18  is fastened to the top of plastic rod  32  (using adhesive and ties) and liner  54  is slid up from the bottom of the rod into frictional engagement with the bottom of the ball holder  18 . Plastic rod  32  (with attached ball holder  18 ) is inserted through grip  56  and upper-tube bushing  34  into the open top end of upper tube  30 . The bottom of plastic rod  30  is received in the open top of bushing holder  38  and a thread-rolling screw, such as a trilobular screw  60 , is inserted through the lower open end of upper tube  30  and the screw is screwed into the bottom of plastic rod  30 . In this way, the bushing assembly  36  is fastened to the plastic rod  32  so that the plastic rod may be slid within upper tube  30  with frictional engagement between bushing assembly  36 , including particularly C-shaped bushing  42 , and the upper tube  30 . 
         [0053]    Lower bushing assembly  46  is inserted into the bottom, open end of lower tube  28 . Lower bushing assembly  46  is internally slid up through lower tube  28  and into contact with lower-tube bushing  44  and, in particular the upper portion  106  of second bushing holder  48  is received within lower-tube bushing  46  and the top of rim  112  of bushing holder  48  abuts up against the bottom of bushing  44 . The bottom end of upper tube  30  is inserted into the open top end of lower tube  28  (and through grip  58  and through lower-tube bushing  44 ). Holes in the bottom of upper tube  30  are aligned with openings  104  in lower tube  28  and also aligned with the opening in lower-tube C-shaped bushing  44  (and a small slot on the opposite side of the opening in C-shaped bushing  44 ). Small screws  62  are inserted through the aligned openings for fastening the bottom end of the upper tube  30  to the lower bushing assembly  46 . In this way, the bushing assembly  46  is fastened to the upper tube  30  so that the upper tube  30  may be slid within lower tube  28  with frictional engagement between bushing assembly  46 , including particularly C-shaped bushing  52 , and the lower tube  28 . The bushing  52  is positioned beneath the aligned holes and does not cross the holes during use or adjustment of tee  10 . 
         [0054]    As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , upper bushing assembly  36  is shown in place within upper (inner) tube  30 . C-shaped spring  40  and C-shaped bushing  42  are compressed between bushing holder  38  and the inner surface  33  of upper tube  30 . It should be appreciated that lower bushing assembly  46  functions similarly in lower (outer) tube  28 . 
         [0055]    In use, a batter can adjust the height of tee  10  and, in particular, the height of the ball cup  18  (and thus the height of ball to be hit that is resting on the ball cup  18 ) by adjusting the telescoping stanchion  16 . As will now be understood and appreciated, this adjustment is done by sliding upper tube  30  and/or plastic rod  32  up or down. In such sliding operations, the outer periphery of the C-shaped bushings  42 ,  52  (made of sacrificially-wearable material such as Nylon) slide against the inner wall of their respective tube  28 ,  30 . Through use of tee  10 , temperature changes, and over time, the bushings  42 ,  52  wear, thin-out and/or shrink. However, as such wear, thinning-out, and shrinkage occur, the outward radial force applied by respective C-springs  38 ,  48  enable maintenance of at least substantially constant friction between the subject respective components of tee  10 . 
         [0056]    Although the invention(s) has/have been described with reference to embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. It will be understood that features and/or components of the invention(s) may be employed individually or in combination with other features and/or components of the invention(s) as contemplated in the claims. 
         [0057]    Having thus described various embodiments of the invention(s), what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: