Abstract:
The present invention broadly comprises a combination counter/brush unit comprising a housing, a brush attached to the housing, and at least one counting means operatively attached to the housing. In a second embodiment, the present invention comprises a combination counter/brush unit comprising a housing, a brush in operative association with the housing, a means arranged to at least partly retract and extend the brush from the housing, and at least one counting means operatively attached to the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/469,569, filed May 9, 2003. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to sports equipment, more specifically to baseball equipment, and still more specifically to devices designed to aid baseball and softball umpires to efficiently monitor the accumulation of balls, strikes, outs, and innings and to clean accumulated dirt from home plate during a game.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    Baseball has long been regarded as the National Pastime in the United States. It is also popular in Canada, Latin America and is growing in popularity throughout the world to the point that baseball, along with softball, has become an Olympic sport. Both baseball and softball are played by people of all ages.  
           [0004]    Organized baseball and softball leagues provide opportunities to play for people of all ages—from five and six year old children to senior citizens over seventy. Almost all organized leagues utilize umpires to regulate their games. Umpire duties range from preventing pitchers from throwing intentionally at batters, to deciding fair and foul balls, to determining whether baserunners are safe or out during play.  
           [0005]    One of the most important duties of umpires is to call balls and strikes when the pitcher pitches to the batter. There are several counters in the prior art that disclose various devices to record and display accumulated balls and strikes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,125 to Spalla discloses a handheld device possessing a gear system that allows half innings to be displayed after the third out in each half inning. U.S. Pat. No. 5,977,480 to Tuso, et al. discloses an illuminated counter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,695 discloses a design for a digital umpire counter. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 419,460 discloses a belt-carried digital counter. With the exception of the invention disclosed in the &#39;460 patent, all of these counters are designed to be hand-held.  
           [0006]    The home plate umpire also has the responsibility of cleaning home plate to give a clear view of home plate to the pitcher, as well as to the umpire himself. The most frequently used device for cleaning home plate is a hand held brush or broom similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,647 to Durst, U.S. Pat. No. 66,611 to Morahan, and U.S. Pat. No. 538,177 to Middaugh, et al. Although it is necessary to use a brush, brushes such as those found in the prior art are difficult to carry comfortably when not in use. If a brush is carried in a belt pouch, the baseballs or softballs routinely stored in belt pouches interfere with easy access to the brush. Brushes stored in pockets are uncomfortable and can interfere with the crouching position assumed by umpires each time they prepare to call a pitch. Because of the likelihood of being hit by a foul ball hit by a batter, a passed ball getting by the catcher, or a wild pitch, home plate umpires usually wear equipment to protect the face, chest and shins. The addition of an uncomfortably stored brush adds distractions that can hinder the umpire as he or she performs his duties.  
           [0007]    Therefore, there is a need to both easily and efficiently record balls, strikes, outs and innings during a game. There is an additional need to keep a brush or other cleaning device readily available to clean home plate while at the same time allowing the brush to be comfortably stored and preventing the stored brush from interfering with the umpire&#39;s other responsibilities.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention broadly comprises a combination counter/brush unit comprising a housing, a brush attached to the housing, and at least one counting means operatively attached to the housing. In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a combination counter/brush unit comprising a housing, a brush in operative association with the housing, a means arranged to at least partly retract and extend the brush into and out of the housing, and at least one counting means operatively attached to the housing.  
           [0009]    An object of the invention is to provide a combination tool to enable an umpire to monitor accumulating balls, strikes, outs and innings and adequately clean home plate during the course of play.  
           [0010]    A second object is to make available a tool that can be carried easily during the course of play.  
           [0011]    An additional object is to provide a combination counter/brush tool that can be used by an umpire to record balls, strikes and other information without visually referring to the tool. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The nature and mode of the operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing Figures, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the present invention depicting the housing, thumbwheels, display windows and brush retracted into the housing;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention depicting a slot defined by the housing and a push button in a rear position protruding through the slot;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the present invention demonstrating the thumbwheels enclosed within the housing and attached to a support plate and also showing a retractor joined to the brush;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a bottom section of the present invention taken with the lower housing section removed;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a cut-away cross section of the present invention taken along line  5 - 5  in FIG. 4 demonstrating the support plate holding two thumbwheels of the present invention and the retracted position of the brush between the bottom housing wall and the support plate;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention showing the brush in the extended position and the push button in the forward position;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the present invention taken along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 6 showing the brush in the extended position taken with the lower housing section removed; and,  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a cut-away cross section view taken along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7 showing the brush extended in the operational position and demonstrating the support plate holding two thumbwheels of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical structural elements of the invention.  
         [0022]    While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiments, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.  
         [0023]    Adverting to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a top perspective view of counter/brush unit  10 . Housing  11  is shown comprising lower section  12  and upper section  13 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that housing  11  may be a single unitary structure or comprise several different sections. In an alternate embodiment, housing  11  may have one or more curved sides to attain an ergonomic shape to allow counter/brush unit  10  to fit more comfortably in an operator&#39;s hand. Housing  11  may be fabricated from any one or combination of durable materials such as metal or suitable hard polymer plastics well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0024]    Housing  11  defines opening  14 . Brush  15  is shown in FIG. 1 retracted into housing  11 . In a preferred embodiment, brush  15  can be retracted fully into housing  11  which protects the brush from wear and tear caused by the external environment. Brush  15  is preferably fabricated from straw, hair, such as horsehair, or polymers well known in the art. At least one thumbwheel  16  is utilized as a counter to display various data that are generated during an inning of baseball. FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment possessing a plurality of thumbwheels  16  extending from the sides of upper section  13  of housing  11 . Each thumbwheel  16  possesses indicia  18 , typically a series of numbers, one of which is displayed in each of windows  17 . Each thumbwheel  16  indicates a different type of datum. In one embodiment, counter/brush unit  10  possesses a pair of thumbwheels  16 , one of which possesses numbers  18  indicating strikes and the other possessing numbers  18  indicating balls. In a preferred embodiment, counter/brush unit  10  will possess three thumbwheels  16  each containing indicia  18 , for one of strikes, balls and outs. In a more preferred embodiment, counter/brush unit  10  possesses four thumbwheels  16  each containing indicia  18  for one of strikes, balls, outs, and innings. In a preferred embodiment, each window  17  displays one number  18  from one thumbwheel  16 . In an alternate embodiment, a number may be displayed on the part of thumbwheel  16  that extends from housing  11 , rather than displaying the number though window  17 . In still another embodiment, some numbers may be displayed in windows  17  while other numbers are displayed in the extended portion of thumbwheel  16 . As will be shown below, the user changes number  18  shown in a particular window  17  by rotating the appropriate thumbwheel  16  until a new number  18  is displayed in window  17 . Thumbwheel  16  may be fabricated from any durable material such as metal or suitable hard polymer plastics well known to those skilled in the art. IN alternate embodiments, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) may be used as counting means to display relevant, with control buttons supported on or within housing  11 . Person skilled in the art would recognize the power and circuitry requirements, such as battery and output, for delivering power to LCDs and LEDs counters.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of counter/brush unit  10 . Slot  19  is defined by bottom section  12 . Retractor  20  can be seen through slot  19  and is connected to push button  21  and brush  15 . In a preferred embodiment, push button  21  protrudes through slot  19  to enable the user to easily move retractor  20 . As described below, retractor  20  is attached to brush  15  to allow extension and retraction of brush  15  through opening  14 . Fasteners  22  are utilized to fasten bottom section  12  to upper section  13  to securely contain all the components of counter/brush unit  10  within housing  11 . In an alternative embodiment, push button  21  may be placed in an alternate location on counter/brush unit  10  such as the side of housing  11 . Similar to housing  11 , retractor  20  may be fabricated from any durable material such as metal or suitable hard polymer plastics well known to those skilled in the art. Alternate embodiments, such as spring powered brush ejectors, may be used to extend brush  15  from housing  11  through opening  14 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of one embodiment of counter/brush unit  10 . Support plate  26  is shown supporting thumbwheels  16 . For clarity, indicia  18  are not shown. Bushings  24  are shown placed into holes  27  defined by thumbwheels  16  and projecting to holes  25  defined by upper section  13 . Bushings  24  are secured between support plate  26  and upper section  13  to allow thumbwheels  16  to rotate about bushings  16 . It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other suitable devices, such as rivets, may be used to secure thumbwheels  16  to support plate  26  and upper section  13  to allow their rotary movement. In a preferred embodiment, bushings  24  are sized to extend through holes  25  to create a flush fit with upper section  13 . In a more preferred embodiment, bushings  24  also form a flush fit with support plate  26 . In an alternative embodiment, support plate  26  or upper section  13  may possess a casing (not shown) for each thumbwheel  16  with walls holding thumbwheel  16  in place within housing  11  while allowing thumbwheels  16  to extend partially from upper section  13 . Bushings  24  may be fabricated from any durable material such as metal or suitable hard polymer plastics well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 also shows thumbwheel stops  28  adjacent to thumbwheels  16 . In a preferred embodiment, one thumbwheel stop  28  is adjacent to each one of thumbwheels  16  and is attached to support plate  26 . Alternatively, thumbwheel stops  28  may be attached to upper section  13 . Thumbwheel stops  28  are operatively arranged to provide resistance points to the rotary movement of thumbwheels  16  while holding them in place within counter/brush unit  10 . Indicia  18  (not shown in FIG. 3) are positioned on thumbwheels  16  to be displayed in windows  17  when a resistance point is reached. Because a desired number  18  is usually the succeeding number in sequence, by rotating thumbwheel  16  to the next successive resistance point, thumbwheel stops  28  allow rotation of a thumbwheel  16  to desired number  18  without the need to visually check the number actually displayed as the resistance point enables the operator to feel when the next resistance point is reached as the thumbwheel is turned. In one embodiment, notches or grooves (not shown) may be positioned on thumbwheels  16  at specific locations to interact with thumbwheel stops  28  so that one of numbers  18  is displayed in window  17 . In a more preferred embodiment, thumbwheel stop  28  or an additional device (not shown) will permit thumbwheel  16  to be rotated in only one direction. Other stop devices are well known in the art. Thumbwheel stops  28  may be fabricated from any durable material such as metal or from suitable hard polymer plastics well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0028]    Brush  15  is shown attached to retractor  20 . In a preferred embodiment, retractor  20  has an offset configuration as shown in FIG. 3. The offset shape enables push button  21  to protrude through slot  19  while retractor  20  maintains contact with support plate  26 . (See FIG. 5). The contact between retractor  20  and support plate  26  creates a slight resistance in the movement of retractor  20  between the retracted and extended (operational) positions of brush  15  for better control and to prevent accidental movement of retractor  20 . In a preferred embodiment, retractor  20  is fabricated from a flexible material that allows push button  21  to bend slightly when it is pressed toward the slot when moving retractor  20 . In an alternate embodiment, a spring powered ejector may be may be used to extend brush  15  out of opening  14 . Other methods may also be used to extend and retract brush  15  into and out of housing  11 .  
         [0029]    Opening  14  is defined by a wide U-shaped notch in lower section  12 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that opening  14  may be formed by a similar notch in upper section  13 , a combined gap formed by conjoined openings in both lower section  12  and upper section  13 , or an opening created in a unitary (one-piece) housing  11 . Fasteners  22  are shown passing through holes  23  to fasten lower section  12  to upper section  13  thereby enclosing the components of counter/brush unit  10  within housing  11 . Fasteners may be rivets, nut and bolt assemblies, or other suitable fasteners well known in the art. In a preferred embodiment, fasteners  22  are metal screws joined to threaded holes (not shown) in upper section  13  to allow counter/brush unit  10  to be easily opened while creating a smooth outer surface. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that fasteners may pass through upper section  13  to join with lower section  12  to enclose the components of counter/brush unit  10 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a bottom view of counter/brush unit  10  with lower section  12  removed. Thumbwheels  16  are seen extending from upper section  13  while bushings  24  are seen holding thumbwheels  16  in place on support plate  26 . FIG. 4 shows brush  15  in a preferred retracted position with brush  15  completely within the perimeter of upper section  13 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a cut-away cross section of the present invention taken with the lower housing section removed demonstrating support plate  26  holding two thumbwheels  16  of the present invention. Also seen is the retracted position of brush  15  between the bottom section  12  and support plate  26 . FIG. 5 depicts a preferred embodiment in which retractor  20  contacts support plate  26  to provide frictional resistance to the movement of retractor  20  as described above. Push button  21  is seen protruding from slot  19 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of counter/brush unit  10  showing brush  15  extending from opening  14  in the extended position. Push button  21  is shown moved in slot  19  to the forward position.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is a bottom view of counter/brush unit  10  with bottom section  12  removed showing brush  15  in the extended position. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the attachment of thumbwheels  16  to support plate  26  prevents thumbwheels  16  from interfering with the movement of retractor  20  between the retracted and extended positions. This lack of interference is enhanced by the preferred embodiment possessing the flush fit of bushings  24  with support plate  26  as described above.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8 is a cut-away cross section view taken along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7 showing brush  15  in the extended position and demonstrating support plate  26  holding two thumbwheels  16  of counter/brush unit  10 . Push button  21  and retractor  20 , attached to push button  21 , are shown pushed to a forward position along slot  19 . FIG. 8 depicts a preferred embodiment in which retractor  20  contacts support plate  26  to provide frictional resistance to the movement of retractor  20  as described above. Push button  21  is seen protruding from slot  19 . As mentioned above, the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 8 in which bushings  24  (not shown) are flush-mounted to support plate  26  enables the smooth movement along slot  19  of retractor  20  and brush  15 .  
         [0035]    The counting component of counter/brush unit  10  is enclosed by upper section  13  and support plate  26 . As discussed above, to change one of numbers  18  in a particular window  17 , the user rotates that particular thumbwheel  16  until the desired number is displayed in window  17 . In a preferred embodiment, thumbwheel stop  28  increases resistance to the rotation of thumbwheel  16  at specific points in the rotation. The increased resistance allows a user to determine that the next number in sequence is aligned in display window  17  without the need to visually check the window. This allows the user to monitor balls, strikes and outs within each half inning while still observing the field of play. In a more preferred embodiment, a fourth thumbwheel  16  can be used to monitor innings played.  
         [0036]    Retractor  20  can be accessed directly by the user through slot  19  to retract or extend brush  15  into or out of housing  11 . In preferred embodiment, push button  21  is used to move brush  15 . In a more preferred embodiment, push button  21  possesses a degree of flexibility to enable the user to press down slightly on push button  21  to provide a more lateral force to retractor  20  when moving brush  15  into or out of housing  11 .  
         [0037]    Thus it is seen that the objects of the invention are efficiently obtained, although changes and modifications to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which changes would not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.