Abstract:
Garments for sports throw training are provided. An exemplary garment includes a sleeve of flexible material having an open end and terminate end. The sleeve defines an internal cavity extending between the open and terminate ends. The internal cavity includes a first portion that is generally larger than a second portion of the internal cavity. The sleeve defines an opening at the open end for enclosing portions of the hand, forearm and elbow of the arm. The sleeve defines an enclosure at the terminate end that encloses the second portion of the internal cavity for retaining an object within the internal cavity when the object is released by the hand. A fastener is attached to the sleeve and adapted for compressive attachment of the sleeve to the arm when the arm is positioned within the internal cavity.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to sports training More particularly, the present invention relates to garments and equipment for sports throw training 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    One of the key attributes of a player in many types of sports is the player&#39;s ability to throw an object well. Particularly, in sports such as baseball and softball, a pitcher must be able to consistently and accurately pitch a baseball or softball towards a batter. This skill is most often developed over time and through many hours of organized play and training In organized training, pitching may be practiced by throwing the ball to another player, who can either catch or bat the ball to return the ball to the pitcher. The pitcher and catching player may continue this routine as a way for the pitcher to train. 
         [0003]    Often, during pitch training, a baseball or softball player would like to practice pitching or throwing without the need of another player to return the ball. A rebound net provides a solution for this need. The rebound net works by allowing the player to throw or pitch the baseball against the rebound net and once the ball strikes the rebound net, the ball is rebounded back from the net towards the player. A drawback of a rebound net is that such devices are not usually suitable indoors because the ball may rebound in an undesired direction towards a breakable object. For this and other reasons, it is desirable to provide improved throw training equipment that is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and allows the player to train without the need of another player to return the ball. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, garments for sports throw training are provided. An exemplary garment includes a sleeve of flexible material having an open end and terminate end. The sleeve defines an internal cavity extending between the open and terminate ends. The internal cavity includes a first portion that is generally larger than a second portion of the internal cavity. The first portion is positioned closer to the terminate end than the second portion. The sleeve defines an opening at the open end for slipping the sleeve over and enclosing at least portions of the hand, forearm and elbow of the arm. The sleeve defines an enclosure at the terminate end that at least substantially encloses the second portion of the internal cavity for retaining an object within the second portion of the internal cavity when the object is released by the hand positioned within the second portion of the internal cavity. The garment also includes a fastener attached to the sleeve, adapted to receive and encircle a portion of the arm, and adapted for selective, compressive attachment of the sleeve to the arm when the arm is positioned within the internal cavity. 
         [0005]    According to an aspect, the open end and the terminate end of the sleeve oppose each other. 
         [0006]    According to another aspect, the sleeve comprises an elastic material, which may be spandex or the like. 
         [0007]    According to yet another aspect, the terminate end of the sleeve comprises synthetic polymer, which may be nylon or the like. 
         [0008]    According to yet another aspect, the enclosure of the sleeve entirely encloses the second portion of the internal cavity. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect, the fastener is made of an elastic material that substantially encircles the portion of the arm and that compressively attaches the sleeve to the arm when the arm is positioned within the internal cavity for substantially preventing slippage of the sleeve on the arm. The fastener may be positioned proximate the terminate end of the sleeve for encircling a lower portion of the arm and for compressively attaching the sleeve to the lower portion of the arm. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect, the fastener is made of a cord that substantially encircles the arm and that compressively attaches the sleeve to the arm when the arm is positioned within the internal cavity. A clamp may be used to fasten ends of the cord together. The fastener may be positioned proximate the open end of the sleeve for encircling an upper portion of the arm and for compressively attaching the sleeve to the upper portion of the arm. 
         [0011]    According to yet another aspect, the sleeve defines a window proximate the terminate end of the sleeve and through which the first portion of the internal cavity is viewable from a position outside of the internal cavity. A light-transmissive material may be attached to the sleeve and positioned to cover the window. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of various embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, the present invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. In the drawings: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary garment for sports throw training being worn by a sports player according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the garment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the garment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and not being worn by the sports player; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another exemplary garment for sports throw training according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an exemplary garment, generally designated  100 , for sports throw training according to embodiments of the present invention. The garment includes an elongated tubular sleeve  102  open at an open end  104  and generally closed at a terminate end  106 , which opposes the open end  104 . The garment  100  may be used for throw practice, such as pitching, without the need of another player to return the ball. Further, the garment  100  is suitable for convenient indoor or outdoor use. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the garment  100  is shown in cross-sectional side view being worn on an arm  108  and hand  110  of a player  112  in an operational position. The sleeve  102  defines an internal cavity, generally designated  114 , having a portion  116  that is generally larger in space capacity than another portion  118  of the internal cavity  114 . Further, the larger portion  116  is positioned closer to the terminate end  106  than the other portion  118 . Generally, when worn by the player  112  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the player&#39;s hand  110  and at least a portion of the player&#39;s wrist (or lower arm)  120  are positioned within the larger portion  116  near the terminate end  106 . The volume of the larger portion  116  is sufficiently sized for containing these portions of the player&#39;s arm  108  and a ball  122  or other object with which the player  112  is throw training. The space in the larger portion  116  provides sufficient space for the player  112  to throw the ball towards the terminate end  106  for training purposes. The smaller portion  118  is sized for fitting over and substantially conforming to the player&#39;s elbow  124  and upper arm  126 . 
         [0019]    When worn by the player  112  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the player  112  can practice throw training as in a normal practice setting. Particularly, the player  112  can move his or her arm  108  in a throwing motion and release the ball  122  as normal. When the ball  122  is released, movement of the ball  122  will be stopped by the enclosed terminate end  106  such that the ball  122  is retained within the larger portion  116  of the internal cavity  114 . The player  112  may then grasp the ball  122  again for another practice throw or pitch. By stopping the motion of the ball  122  and retaining it in the internal cavity  114  after the throw, the player  112  can practice throw or pitch training without the need of another person to return the ball and in an indoor or outdoor environment. 
         [0020]    The garment  100  is worn by extending the hand  110  and arm  108  through the open end  104  of the sleeve  102  into the internal cavity  114 . The sleeve  102  defines an opening, generally designated  128 , at the open end  104  for slipping the hand  110  and the arm  108  through the open end  104  and into position in the internal cavity  114  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The garment  100  includes a fastener  130  made of an elastic material that encircles a lower portion  132  of the arm  108  when the arm  108  is positioned within the internal cavity  114 . For example, the elastic material of the fastener  130  may be made of any suitable elastomer or other material having an elastic characteristic as known to those of skill in the art. The elastic fastener  130  can be attached to the sleeve  102 , generally circular in shape, and sized to compressively attach the sleeve  102  to the lower arm portion  132  for preventing slippage of the sleeve  102  on the arm  108  during throw training The fastener  130  may, in the alternative, be any other suitable mechanism for compressively attaching the sleeve  102  to the arm  108  for preventing slippage. The garment  100  may also include other fasteners made of elastic or other suitable materials for attaching the sleeve  102  to the lower arm portion  132 . 
         [0021]    In addition to the use of the fastener  130  for compressively attaching the garment  100  to the arm  108 , the garment  100  also includes another fastener, generally designated  134 , having a cord  136  that is attached to the sleeve  102  and that encircles the arm  108  when the arm  108  is positioned within the internal cavity  114 . Ends  138  and  140  may be held together by a clamp  142  that is adapted to receive and grip ends of the cord  136  for fastening the sleeve  102  to the arm  108 . The ends  138  and  140  of the cord  136  may be inserted through one or more apertures through the clamp  142  such that the cord  136  can be tightened around the upper arm  126  for compressively attaching the sleeve  102  to the upper arm  126 . Particularly, the cord  136  and clamp  142  may be positioned near the open end  104  of the sleeve  102  such that the fastener  134  can compressively attach the sleeve  102  to the upper arm  126 . The ends  138  and  140  may be pulled through the apertures of the clamp  142  such that the cord  136  is tightened around the upper arm  126 . The clamp  142  includes a mechanism for holding and fastening the cord ends  138  and  140  together so that the cord  136  will remain tightened around the upper arm  126 . As a result, the sleeve  102  will be held to the player&#39;s arm  108  throughout a practice throw. The garment  100  may also include one or more others of these fasteners spaced from one another along the length of the sleeve  102 . 
         [0022]    The cord  136  may be held in position with respect to the sleeve  102  by a fabric material  144 , which may be stitched to the outside of the sleeve to form a pocket around the sleeve  102  for holding the cord  136 . The fabric material  144  may be made of any suitable material, such as the same material as the sleeve  102 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of another exemplary garment  100  for sports throw training according to embodiments of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the garment  100  is the same as the garment  100  shown in  FIG. 1  except that the sleeve  102  defines a window  400  proximate the terminate end  106  of the sleeve  102 . The space of the larger portion  116  is viewable through the window  400  from a position outside of the internal cavity  114 . The window  400  can be covered by a light-transmissive material  402  attached to the sleeve  102 . The light-transmissive material  402  can be a thin, light-transmissive plastic, which is attached around its periphery to the window  400 . Through the window  400  and light-transmissive material  402  the player can view his or her grip on the ball  122 . This feature can be particularly beneficial for pitch training, since pitching involves the use of a variety of different ball-gripping techniques for different throws. 
         [0024]    As referred to herein, a clamp can be any suitable mechanism adapted to fasten ends of a cord together. For example, the clamp may be a toggle clip adapted for threading the ends of a cord through an aperture of the clip. In this example, a spring in the toggle clip can displace a slide such that the cord is pinched, thus fixing the spring-loaded toggle clip to hold the cord. Other suitable types of fastening mechanisms may be utilized as understood by those of skill in the art. 
         [0025]    As referred to herein, a cord may be any suitable flexible and elongated material having two ends. In an example, the cord may be made of nylon. Alternatively, for example, the cord may be made of a string or thin rope made of several strands, braided, twisted, or woven together. 
         [0026]    The sleeve  102  may be made entirely or partly of any suitable elastic material. For example, all or a portion of the sleeve  102  may be made of spandex. In another example, the sleeve  102  may also be made of nylon (e.g., the sleeve may be made of about 80% nylon and about 20% spandex). Portions of the sleeve  102  may be entirely made of nylon such as, for example, the terminate end  106  of the sleeve  102 . 
         [0027]    Fasteners in accordance with the present invention are not limited to the particular types shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . For example, in the alternative, the fasteners, such as fasteners  130  and  134 , may be made of and constructed with any suitable type of hook-and-loop fabric, such as velcro. The hook-and-loop fabric may be positioned around the sleeve and a person&#39;s arm and tightened around the arm for securing the sleeve to the arm. 
         [0028]    Also, it should be understood that the types of fasteners described herein may be interchanged in accordance with different embodiments of the present invention. For example, fastener  130  may be replaced with the type of fastener  134  and vice versa. In addition, any number of the same or different types of fasteners may be placed along the length of the sleeve for attaching the sleeve to the person&#39;s arm. 
         [0029]    While the embodiments have been described in connection with the various embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.