Abstract:
A billiards aiming and shot training device is disclosed. The device includes a hand grip having an index finger support, middle finger support and thumb support. Extending from the hand grip is a billiards cue supporting surface. The supporting surface has a channel surface that forms a trough sized and dimensioned to allow a shaft of a billiards cue to slide therein. The device may further include one or more forward facing sighting lasers to aid the billiards player in aligning a shot.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/867,202, filed on Nov. 27, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to training devices for billiards and more particularly to a training device to improve billiards player&#39;s aiming and shooting skills. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Billiards is a very difficult game to learn and master. The task becomes even more difficult if a player is attempting to teach themselves the skills of the game. Many have tried to create new methods to help novice players. These methods generally include instructional books and videos. But these solutions lack the ability to physically show students what they are actually doing wrong so that they can correct their technique and continue to improve their play. Of course, novice billiards players may hire a professional billiards instructor, but they are expensive and not always available in all parts of the country. Therefore, there is a perceived need within the community for an inexpensive and novel solution for instructing the novice billiards player proper cue alignment and stroke technique. 
         [0006]    Even more difficult than shot alignment or stroke technique, is proper aiming technique. It is also a skill that is very difficult for instructors to convey to a student. Without proper aiming technique, a perfect stroke and alignment will not be useful at winning a game of billiards alone. Therefore, there is a need for a method or device to teach novice players how to properly aim their shots. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a shot trainer that includes laser aiming guides configured to help the billiards player aim at the object ball rather than the cue ball. The shot trainer of the present invention also includes a unique body configuration which allows the shot trainer to be placed snuggly against the bumpers of the billiards table. The shot trainer also includes a grip configured to force the billiards player to hold the shot trainer in a manner that induces that billiards player to practice the proper technique for holding a billiards cue. The shot trainer of the present invention is also configured to be used by right-handed and left-handed billiards players. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, accompanying drawings and claims where: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the shot trainer of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view thereof; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view thereof; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view thereof; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a prior art technique of holding a billiards cue; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of a billiards player gripping the shot trainer of the present invention, the shot trainer and billiards cue being shown in broken lines; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a left side view of a billiards player gripping the shot trainer of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a right side view of the billiards player gripping the shot trainer of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a billiards player showing proper aiming technique using the shot trainer of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a billiards player using the shot trainer of the present invention a bridge to shoot over an intervening obstacle ball; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing how the shot trainer of the present invention can be placed rearward against the bumper of the billiards table; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing how the shot trainer of the present invention can be placed sideward against the bumper of the billiards table; 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a top view of the shot trainer of the present invention exemplifying the use of the laser aiming guides to shoot directly at a target ball; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  is a top view of the shot trainer of the present invention exemplifying the use of the laser aiming guides to make an angled shot through aiming at an imaginary target ball. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , the billiards shot trainer of the present invention is shown generally at  10 . The shot trainer has a central trough  12  that extends the length of the top surface of the shot trainer and is wide enough to hold a billiards cue therein (best seen in  FIGS. 7-9 ). The central trough  12  includes a liner  14  to reduce friction so that the billiards cue may easily slide back-and-forth. Preferably the liner  14  is made of felt, but any of the material can be used that will allow the billiards cue to slide easily back-and-forth. Preferably, the central trough  12  is wide enough that a billiards player may practice applying English to shots as well. Having a wider trough  12  allows the billiards player to angle the billiards cue within the trough  12 , yet still be able to make a straight stroke with the billiards cue. The shot trainer  10  may also include one or more sighting lasers  13   a ,  13   b , which will be further described below 
         [0024]    Each side of the shot trainer  10  has a reciprocal set of finger grips  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b ,  20   a ,  20   b . Depending on whether the billiards player is right of left handed, they will use the appropriate set of finger grips  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b ,  20   a ,  20   b . For ease of discussion, the set of finger grips  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a  on the left side of the shot trainer  10  will be described in detail. It is to be understood that the reciprocal set of finger grips on the right side  16   b ,  18   b ,  20   b  is the mirror image of the finger grips on the left side  16   a ,  18   a ,  20   a.    
         [0025]    A first finger grip  16   a  defining a position for the billiards player&#39;s index finger is located to the left of the central trough  12  on the left side of the shot trainer  10 . Below and slightly forward of the first finger grip  16   a  is a second finger grip  18   a  defining a position for the billiards player&#39;s middle finger. To the rear of the second finger grip is a third finger grip  20   a , which defines a position for the billiards player&#39;s thumb. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , the billiards player by positioning his middle finger  22  in the second finger grip  18   b , the index finger  24  in the first finger grip  16   a , and his thumb  26  on the body of the shot trainer over the third finger grip  20   a , can grip the shot trainer  10  in a formation that stimulates holding up your pool cue  26  as shown in  FIG. 5 . This feature allows the billiards player to become comfortable with forming his or her digits  22 ,  24 ,  26  in a proper formation to grip a billiards cue  28 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , the front portion of the shot trainer  10  has a sloped edge  30  they can be used as a bridge to shoot over an intervening ball  32 . By tilting the shot trainer  10  forward, the sloped edge  30  forms a stand to raise the billiards cue  22  higher so that the billiards player may shot over the intervening ball  32 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 11 , the rear portion of the shot trainer  10  has an inwardly sloped surface  34  to enable the shot trainer  10  to be positioned closely against the bumper  36  of the billiards table  38 . This feature enables the billiards player to play balls that are close to the bumper  36  of the billiards table. This sloped surface also forms the third finger grip  20   a ,  20   b  for the billiards player&#39;s thumb  26 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , on either side of the shot trainer  20  is a channel  40   a ,  40   b  configured to allow the shot trainer  10  to be positioned closely up against the bumper  36  of the billiards table  38 . This feature enables the billiards player to play balls resting against or very near the bumper  36  of the billiards table  38 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 ,  13  and  14 , also envisioned for the present invention of the use of sighting lasers  13   a ,  13   b  integrated within the shot trainer body  10 . A first pair of sighting lasers  13   a  is located on the outboard edges of the shot trainer  10  and is positioned so that the beams  42  fall along the outside edges of a billiard ball  43 . Because the beams  42  of the first pair of sighting lasers  13   a  are spaced farther apart than a billiards ball  43 , the beams  42  continue down the length of the billiards table indicating where the billiards ball  43  will travel when the cue ball is properly struck. Because the billiards student can now see where they are aiming, rather than erroneously focusing on the cue ball, they can make substantial improvements in their aiming technique. In particular, they will grow accustomed to seeing what a correct billiards shot looks like. Also, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the billiards student may practice focusing on an imaginary ball  45  to practice making angled shots. 
         [0031]    A second pair of laser sights  13   b  may also be included. The second pair of laser sights  13   b  is located on the inboard portion of the shot trainer. The beams  44  of second pair of laser sights  13   b  is configured to point at the desired impact area of a billiard ball. By using the second pair of laser sights  13   b , the billiards student can become accustomed to striking the proper area on the cue ball. 
         [0032]    Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing a billiards shot training device that teaches a billiards player proper stroke technique, how to hold a cue, and aiming. 
         [0033]    It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the appended claims.