Abstract:
A mat that may be placed on a baseball or softball playing field for designating a batter on-deck area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     In baseball and softball games, it is conventional to have an on-deck area where a batter may warm up prior to batting in a batter&#39;s box adjacent to home plate. The warm up usually includes exercises to stretch a player&#39;s muscles, to practice swinging a baseball bat, and to gain a closer inspection of an opposing pitcher&#39;s technique as well as the flight of a ball pitched to the opposing team&#39;s catcher.  
         [0002]     An on-deck area is usually located about half-way between home plate and the home team&#39;s dugout, along and away from the first base line, and another on-deck area is usually located about half-way between home plate and the visiting team&#39;s bench or dugout, along and away from the third base line.  
         [0003]     In many baseball and softball fields, an on-deck area is designated by a chalk line circle, and sometimes with dirt, instead of grass, within the circle. However, many fields are less fastidiously maintained, and have no designated on-deck area.  
         [0004]     A player positioned in an on-deck area is subject to various dangers associated with play on the field, such as foul balls being hit towards the player, broken bats or inadvertently thrown bats flying through the air, the opposing team&#39;s players chasing foul balls, and the opposing team&#39;s players running for back-up position for balls thrown to a base.  
         [0005]     It is important for an on-deck area to be properly located so as to minimize these dangers and to have some designation for the area so that an on-deck player does not meander from the area. It is also important for other players to have an appreciation of where the on-deck area is located so that they may avoid collisions with an on-deck player or a bat swung by the on-deck player.  
         [0006]     The present invention was developed with an appreciation for better defining on-deck areas than simply using a chalk line or a patch of dirt, and especially for defining on-deck areas in those fields that have no chalk line, dirt patch, or other designation for the on-deck area. The present invention also appreciates that many young boys and girls play baseball and softball and helps to ensure that, when such youngsters are on-deck, they know where the on-deck area is located and do not stray from that area. Also, the present invention provides a strong visual indication to the on-deck player&#39;s teammates not to wander or venture into the on-deck area and alerts the opposing team&#39;s players of the location of the area so that collisions may be avoided.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention relates to a mat that may be placed on a baseball or softball playing field for designating a batter on-deck area. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]     The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a mat in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the mat shown in  FIG. 1  taken along the lines  2 - 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the mat shown in  FIG. 1  taken along the lines  2 - 2  in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a fragmented view of the mat shown in  FIG. 2  in the region designated  4 - 4 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a segment that may be used in connection with forming the mat shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a sheet of material and a bar that may be used in making the segment shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration of the mat shown in  FIG. 1  folded in half;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration of the mat shown in  FIG. 7  folded in half again;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a schematic illustration of the mat shown in  FIG. 8  folded in half yet again;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a schematic illustration of the mat shown in  FIG. 9  in a rolled condition and a bag into which the rolled mat may be stored or transported;  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of a sheet of material and a series of bars that may be used in making the mat shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a partial, schematic, cross-sectional view of the sheet of material and the series of bars shown in  FIG. 11  after further processing in making the mat shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is a plan view of a sheet of material and a circular bar that may be used in making a mat in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is a partial, schematic, cross-sectional view of the sheet and the bar shown in  FIG. 13  after further processing in connection with making a mat in accordance with the other embodiment of a mat in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 15  is a plan view of a material employed in creating a mat in yet another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 16  is a schematic, perspective illustration showing an on-deck player utilizing the mat shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     The following description of a preferred embodiment is for the purpose of explanation, and not limitation. Some specific details are set forth in order to provide a better understanding of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, in other instances, description of other elements, features, and techniques are omitted so as not to encumber or confuse the reader with unnecessary detail. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from the following description and that differences may exist from the embodiment specifically described without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.  
         [0026]     The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same item. There is shown in  FIG. 1 a  mat  10  formed of a sheet-like material  12 , which is preferably flexible. The material  12  may be vinyl coated polyester, preferably eighteen ounce weight, but also may be fashioned of another type of plastic, a geotextile fabric, rubber, canvas, a woven textile, or other suitable material. Preferably the material is washable, does not stain, and is lightweight. The material  12  should also be resistant to puncture or tearing, such as may be caused by the cleats on the bottoms of a player&#39;s shoes. Also preferably, the material possesses at least one surface that includes a slip inhibiting texture. When a plastic or rubber material is used, the molding or fabrication process may provide a series of ridges, or may include sand or other particles sprinkled on and embedded in, the material surface.  
         [0027]     It is also preferable that the material  12  be brightly colored, for example, with a single color, a variety of colors, or a series of alternating colors, which colors may correspond with the colors usually associated with the home team or the visiting team. The material  12  may also be imprinted with indicia warning others to stay away from the mat  10 , such as being imprinted with the words “STAY BACK” (as shown in  FIG. 15 ) or “DANGER”. The material  12  may also be imprinted with indicia about a stadium or team sponsor, such as the name and logo of a restaurant or a car dealership or with indicia about the brand name or logo of the supplier of the mat  10 , such as “On-Deck Angel” with an associated logo design.  
         [0028]     The mat  10  includes an outer peripheral edge that is fashioned preferably in the shape of a regular polygon, such as a hexagon, an octagon, or a decagon. Likewise, the mat  10  preferably possesses an aperture centrally disposed therein as defined by an inner peripheral edge preferably having a configuration identical to the outer peripheral edge. It is within the contemplation of the present invention that the mat  10  includes no aperture, however, an aperture is preferred so that an on-deck player may stand within the aperture and upon the playing field, and thus gain a better feel for a batting stance and swing, and so that the on-deck player does not cause the mat  10  to scrunch up from the twisting of the player&#39;s feet and body during warm up exercises and while practice swinging, and further, so the player does not tend to stray away from the on-deck area. The aperture also helps young players from utilizing improper batting technique, such as “stepping into the bucket”.  
         [0029]     The preferred dimensions of the mat  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , which possesses an octagonal outer peripheral edge and an octagonal inner peripheral edge, are as follows. Each of the eight linear segments of the inner peripheral edge possesses a length “a” equal to twelve and three-eighths inches. Each of the eight linear segments of the outer peripheral edge possesses a length “b” of thirty-nine and three-quarters inches. The distance “x” between opposing segments along the inner peripheral edge is thirty inches, and the distance “x” plus 2“y” between opposing segments of the outer peripheral edge equals eight feet. Each segment of the mat  10  extends from a central point at an angle “z” equal to forty-five degrees. The dimensions can be altered depending on the size and needs of batters. Five year olds may require a mat smaller than one for twelve year olds.  
         [0030]     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mat  10  includes a plurality of bars  14  that correspond in number to the segments of the outer peripheral edge, and in the preferred embodiment eight. Each bar  14  possesses a length approximately equal to the length of each segment of the outer peripheral edge, but also preferably slightly less than such length. In the preferred embodiment, the length of each bar  14  is in the range of one inch to four inches less than the length of each linear segment of the outer peripheral edge. Such slightly shorter length will help permit the mat  10  to be folded in a manner to be described later herein.  
         [0031]     Each bar  14  is preferably disposed in the mat  10  along and adjacent to the corresponding one of the segments of the outer peripheral edge and may be secured to the material  12  by stitching  16 , as best shown in  FIG. 4 . Alternatively, each bar  14  may be captured by heat welding a (plastic) sheet of material  12  about the bar  14 , may be secured by an adhesive, may be molded within the material  12 , or may be secured by any other suitable means. Each bar  14  may possess a square or rectangular cross section, as shown in  FIG. 4 , may be circular in cross section (preferably three-eighths inch in outer diameter), or may possess virtually any type of cross section. Also, each bar  14  may possess a hollow interior. Each bar  14  is preferably fashioned from metal, most preferably aluminum, but also may be fashioned from a wide variety of other materials such as wood and plastic. Also preferably, each bar is substantially rigid.  
         [0032]     It should be appreciated that the bars  14  help maintain the mat  10  in an uncrumpled, fully extended condition and help prevent the mat  10  from rolling or moving due to wind or contact with a player&#39;s shoes. The weight of the bars  14  also helps insure that the outer peripheral edge of the mat  10  remains flat and does not curl up. Also the weight of the bars  14  causes the outer peripheral edge to nestle down in grass. Thus, the bars  14  minimize the possibility of a player tripping over the edge of the mat  10  and inhibit wind from acting upon the mat  10 . As such, the bars  14  preferably should be heavy and rigid enough to maintain the mat  10  in a fully extended, flat condition, such as shown in  FIG. 1 , while at the same time being light enough so as to facilitate transport of the mat  10 .  
         [0033]     As best shown in  FIG. 4 , each bar  14  preferably should also have a profile that creates little or no lip or rim, especially no upwardly extending lip.  
         [0034]     In an alternative embodiment, the bar  14  may be integrally formed with the material  12  so as to provide a thickened region along each segment of the outer peripheral edge of the mat  10 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Such a thickened portion results in a lip or rim  18  that is best disposed in a downward direction, toward the playing field, when the mat  10  is used.  
         [0035]     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer peripheral edge of the mat  10  possesses a length substantially in the range of twenty feet to thirty feet, the inner peripheral edge of the mat  10  possesses a length substantially in the range of six feet to twelve feet, and the mat  10  possesses an area substantially in the range of twenty-five square feet to fifty-five square feet. Also preferably, the mat  10  preferably weighs substantially in the range of eight to thirty pounds.  
         [0036]     A method of making the mat  10  in accordance with the present invention will now be described. It should be appreciated that the mat  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  may be subdivided into eight identical isosceles trapezoids, such as shown in  FIG. 5 . Each segment of material  12  possesses a pair of opposing, parallel sides of different lengths and a pair of opposing, non-parallel sides of the same length. By joining eight segments of material  12  as shown in  FIG. 5  together along their non-parallel sides, the ring-like shape of the mat  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  may be achieved. The segments of material  12  shown in  FIG. 5  may be joined by stitching their non-parallel sides together, by adhesive, by heat welding, melting or fusion, by snap-fit connection members, by Velcro hook fasteners, and by any other suitable means.  
         [0037]     In order to create a segment formed as an isosceles trapezoid such as shown in  FIG. 5 , which includes an associated bar  14 , the material  12  may be initially formed in a sheet as shown in  FIG. 6  with a bar  14  disposed centrally across the sheet, again as shown in  FIG. 6 . The sheet may then be folded in half so that the bar  14  is captured within, along, and adjacent to an edge of the folded sheet of material  12 . The bar  14  may then be secured to the material  12  in such a position by stitching, by an adhesive, by heat welding, and the like, as previously mentioned.  
         [0038]     The mat  10  of a preferred embodiment is foldable and rollable for convenient storage and transport. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the mat  10  may be folded in half, and as shown in  FIG. 8 , may be folded in half again, and as shown in  FIG. 9 , may be folded in half yet again. When the mat  10  achieves a condition as shown in  FIG. 9 , it will be appreciated that the bars  14  are disposed in a substantially overlapping condition along the longer of the two opposing parallel sides of the isosceles trapezoid. It will further be appreciated that by making the length of each bar  14  slightly less than the length of an associated segment of the outer peripheral edge of the mat  10 , such a folding process may be facilitated. The mat  10  in the folded condition as shown and illustrated in  FIG. 9  may be rolled in the configuration condition as shown in  FIG. 10 . The folded, rolled mat  10  may then be inserted into a corresponding bag  20  for storage and transport. The bag  20  is preferably formed of a flexible material, and an open end thereof may be selectively opened and closed by means of a drawstring  22 . One or more handles  24  may be attached to the outer surface of the bag  20  to assist in transporting the bag  20 . The invention contemplates that other types of bags and selective closure mechanisms may be utilized.  
         [0039]      FIG. 16  illustrates a youngster warming up in an on-deck area utilizing the mat  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0040]     Another method of making a mat  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . A sheet of material  12  may be cut or otherwise formed in the shape shown in  FIG. 11 , which will be readily appreciated as one-half of the ring-like shape of the mat  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . A bar  14  is placed along, adjacent to, and spaced slightly away from an associated linear segment along the outer peripheral edge of the sheet of material  12 . The outer peripheral edge of the material  12  is then folded or rolled over each of the bars  14 . To facilitate such folding or rolling over process, the sheet of material  12  may possess a series of short slits  30  extending radially inwardly at each apex between the linear segments of the outer peripheral edge. After the outer peripheral edge is folded or rolled over the bars  14 , the edge may be stitched, glued, heat welded, or the like so that the edge secures the bars  14  to the sheet of material  12 , such as is shown in  FIG. 12 . Two of the mat portions so constructed may be joined at the respective edges in any of the manners previously described so as to create the shape of the mat  10  shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0041]     There is shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14  yet another mat  10  that may be constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. A sheet of material  12  is fashioned with a circular outer peripheral edge and a circular inner peripheral edge. The inner peripheral edge includes a stiffening sheet or member  42  that may, for example, be an extra layer of material joined to the sheet of material  12  by any of the means previously discussed. Disposed slightly inwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the sheet of material  12  is an endless, helically coiled wire bar  40 . The outer peripheral edge of the sheet of material  12  is then rolled or folded over the wire  40  and secures the wire  40  to the sheet of material  12  in any of the manners previously discussed, as shown in  FIG. 14  by means of stitch lines  44 . It should be appreciated that the sheet material  12  may be provided with a series of radially extending slits about its outer peripheral edge to help facilitate the folding and rolling process.  
         [0042]     The coiled wire  40  acts as a torsional spring such that the wire tends to assume a circular shape in a single plane. Nevertheless, the coiled wire  40  is flexible enough so that it can be folded such that the mat  10  may be bundled with twine or straps, or may be selectively contained within an associated bag.  
         [0043]     Another method of making a mat  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted in  FIG. 15 . A generally planar template fashioned of wood, plastic, metal, or other material is placed over a larger sheet of material and then the material is cut along the inner and outer periphery of the template to create the material  12  in the shape shown in  FIG. 15 . Each of the eight outer peripheral edge segments may be folded along corresponding fold lines  50  around a corresponding one of the bars  14  and heat welded or the like to capture the corresponding bar  14 . The inner peripheral edge of the material  12  may be slit with a series of eight equiangularly spaced, radially extending slits  52  thereby forming a series of eight inner peripheral edge segments, each of which may be folded along corresponding fold lines  54  and secured by heat welding or the like to form a reinforced inner peripheral lip.  
         [0044]     It should be appreciated that the present invention contemplates that the shape of the outer peripheral edge of the mat  10  may be other than a regular polygon or circular and that the bars  14  may possess other than a straight or circular configuration. For example, the outer peripheral edge may be circular and the bars  14  may be rigid and curved and may be angularly spaced about the periphery of the mat  10 . It is believed that this construction, however, is less preferred because of the increased cost in manufacturing rigid, curved bars and the increased difficulties of compactly rolling such a mat  10  after folding.  
         [0045]     The present invention contemplates that ancillary features may be added to the mat  10  of the preferred embodiment, such as providing a reinforcing material along the inner peripheral edge of the mat  10 , which is apt to be subject to the most wear. Similarly, the bottom surface of the material  12  may be provided with radially extending stiffening ribs that may be glued, fused, or otherwise suitably secured to the material  12 .  
         [0046]     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred mode as illustrated in the drawing, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims