Patent Publication Number: US-11648450-B1

Title: Table-tennis training apparatus and method thereof

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to apparatus and method for training players&#39; skills of playing table-tennis games, and in particular relates to apparatus and method for training players&#39; skills of applying spins to table-tennis balls. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In table-tennis games, applying spin to a table-tennis ball is an important skill. A player may use a racket to hit the table-tennis ball and apply spin thereto. By controlling the hitting point of the ball and the force of hitting, the player may control the spinning pattern and spinning speed of the ball. After hitting, the spinning ball flies through the air and the frictions between the air and different portions of the surface of the ball cause various air flows flowing about the table-tennis at various speeds and directions. According to Bernoulli&#39;s equation, such differences in the airflow speeds and directions may cause pressure differences on different parts of the ball, thereby changing the trajectory thereof. Subsequently, when the spinning ball contacts the table, the bounce direction thereof may change due to the friction between the ball and the contact point of the table, which greatly increases the complexity of the ball movement and significantly reduces the chances of the player on the other side of the table to successfully return the ball. 
     Thus, in today&#39;s table-tennis games, applying spins to the table-tennis ball is an essential skill. However, players with many years of table-tennis experiences (not to mention the beginners) may still struggle to properly apply spins as it is generally very difficult for players to master the feeling of gripping the ball using their rackets and applying spins thereto within the short time that the ball touches the racket. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of this disclosure, there is provided an apparatus comprising: a supporting structure; a ball holder for rotatably holding a table-tennis ball thereon, the ball holder rotatably coupled to the supporting structure; and an elastic structure coupled to the ball holder for, after the ball held on the ball holder is hit by a racket, dampening the speed of the ball holder and resetting the ball holder to an initial position. 
     In some embodiments, the ball holder comprises a Y-shaped wire structure having a leg and a pair of arms extending from the leg. 
     In some embodiments, the supporting structure comprises a post. 
     In some embodiments, the post is a telescopic post. 
     In some embodiments, the supporting structure comprises a mounting structure. 
     In some embodiments, the mounting structure comprises a suction cup. 
     According to one aspect of this disclosure, there is provided table-tennis training system comprising a first and a second apparatus as described above which are arranged side-by-side on a surface; and the second apparatus is configured such that the table-tennis ball thereon is at an elevation lower than that of the table-tennis ball on the first apparatus. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a table-tennis training apparatus rotatably supporting a table-tennis ball, according to some embodiments of this disclosure; 
         FIG.  2 A  is a cross-section view of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1    along the cross-section line A-A; 
         FIG.  2 B  is a cross-section view of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1    along the cross-section line B-B; 
         FIG.  3 A  is a schematic front view of a ball holder of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1   : 
         FIG.  3 B  is a side view of the ball holder shown in  FIG.  3 A ; 
         FIG.  4    is a side view of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1    in a stationary position when a racket is to hit an upper position of the table-tennis ball; 
         FIG.  5    is a side view of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1    after a racket hits the table-tennis ball on the table-tennis training apparatus; 
         FIG.  6    a schematic side view showing a comparison of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1    before and after a racket hits the table-tennis ball on the table-tennis training apparatus; 
         FIG.  7    is a side view of the table-tennis training apparatus shown in  FIG.  1    wherein a post of the table-tennis training apparatus, the ball holder thereof, and the ball thereon are adjusted from an upright configuration to an angled configuration; and 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of a table-tennis training system having two table-tennis training apparatuses shown in  FIG.  1    positioned side-by-side on a surface, according to some embodiments of this disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a table-tennis training apparatus for training a player to apply spin to a table-tennis ball when using a racket to hit the ball. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the table-tennis training apparatus comprises a ball holder for rotatably holding a table-tennis ball. The ball holder is pivotable about an axis when the ball thereon is hit by a racket, wherein an elastic structure coupled to the ball holder dampens the speed of the ball holder to prolong the contact time between the racket and the ball and consequently help the player to more clearly experience the feeling of applying spin to the ball and thus facilitate the player&#39;s training of applying spins to the ball. 
     Turning now to  FIGS.  1 ,  2 A and  2 B , a table-tennis training apparatus according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown and is generally identified using reference numeral  100 . As shown, the table-tennis training apparatus  100  comprises a mounting structure  102 , a pivoting structure  104  coupled to the mounting structure  102 , a telescopic post  106  pivotably coupled to the support structure  104 , and a ball holder  108  coupled to the telescopic post  106  at a first end thereof and holding and supporting a table-tennis ball  110  at a second, opposite end thereof. 
     In these embodiments, the mounting structure  102  is in the form of a rubber suction cup for mounting to a surface such as the surface of a table-tennis table, the surface of a desk, or the like. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mounting structure  102  in other embodiments may be in other suitable forms such as a weight base for steadily seating on a surface, a clamp for claiming to a surface, and/or the like. 
     The pivoting structure  104  comprises a pivot  122  for coupling to the telescopic post  106  to allow the telescopic post  106  to rotate about the pivot  122  and position at a desired angle. The telescopic post  106  may have a tight fit to the pivot  122  such that once a player adjusts the angle of the telescopic post  106 , the telescopic post  106  may steadily maintain its position during the table-tennis training. Alternatively, the pivoting structure  104  may comprise a fastening component (not shown) to fasten the telescopic post  106  at the desired angle. 
     The telescopic post  106  in these embodiments comprises a first post section  124  in the form of a hollow cylinder telescopically receiving therein a second post section  126  also in the form of a hollow cylinder. The second post section  126  comprises a slot  132  on the distal end thereof. 
     In these embodiments, the second post section  126  may be pulled or pushed by a player to extend out of or retract into the first post section  124 , respectively. A set screw  128  may be extended through a hole (not shown) on the sidewall of the first post section  124  and engage the second post section  126  to position the second post section  126  at a desired extension with respect to the first post section  124 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the ball holder  108  in these embodiments is in the form of Y-shaped wire structure having a leg  202  and a pair of arms  204  extending from the leg  202 . The distal portions  208  of the arms  204  extend into the table-tennis ball  110  through a pair of holes  206  punctuated on opposite sides of the table-tennis ball  110  to rotatably support the table-tennis ball  110  and define a rotation axis therefor. 
     Referring back to  FIGS.  1  to  2 B , the leg  202  of the ball holder  108  extends into the telescopic post  106  with the arms  204  positioned in the slot  132  of the second post section  126 . The arms  204  thereof thus engage the bottom of the slot  132  thereby defining a rotation axis along the slot  132  for the ball holder  108  and the table-tennis ball  110  thereon to allow them to rotate at directions perpendicular thereto. 
     In the telescopic post  106 , the leg  202  of the ball holder  108  is elastically coupled to an adjustable mounting point  222  such as an adjustable screw positioned in the telescopic post  106 , via an elastic structure  224  such as an elastic rubber band, a spring, and/or the like. 
     The table-tennis training apparatus  100  may be used for training a player to apply spin to a table-tennis ball when using a racket to hit the ball. 
     For example, a player may position the table-tennis training apparatus  100  on a surface and adjust the telescopic post  106  such that the player may comfortably hit the table-tennis ball  110 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , the elastic structure  224  holds the ball holder  108  and the table-tennis ball  110  thereon at an initial, equilibrium position. 
     The player may start the training by using a racket  302  to hit the ball  110  at a desired position  304  thereof along a direction  306 . In this example, the hitting direction  306  is preferably tangential to the ball  110  so as to apply spin to the ball  110  when hitting it. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , when the racket  302  hits the ball  110  tangentially at the position  304 , the ball  110  is forced to spin about the axis or the distal portions  208  of the ball holder  108  as indicated by the arrow  312  and move forward, thereby causing the arms  204  of ball holder  108  to freely swing forward with respect to the slot  132 . Consequently, the leg  202  of the ball holder  108  swings rearward and biases the elastic structure  224 . 
     The biased elastic structure  224  applies a rearward force to the ball  110  and dampens or slows down the speed thereof that the ball  110  may otherwise gain, thereby prolonging the contact time between the racket  302  and the ball  110 . The prolonged contact time between the racket  302  and the ball  110  may help the player to more clearly experience the feeling of applying spin to the ball  110  and thus facilitate the player&#39;s training of applying spins to the ball. 
     With the reducing of the momentum of the ball holder  108 , the tension of the biased elastic structure  224  automatically resets the ball holder  108  and the table-tennis ball  110  thereon back to the equilibrium position. 
       FIG.  6    a schematic side view showing a comparison of the table-tennis training apparatus  100  before and after a racket hits the table-tennis ball on the table-tennis training apparatus. The dotted line shows the positions of the ball holder  108  and the ball  110  before the ball  110  is hit, and the solid lines shows the positions of the ball holder  108  and the ball  110  after the ball  110  is hit. 
     As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the player may continue to practice without pause. Such a continued training provides the player an experience that is resemble a table-tennis rallying while at the same time increasing the training efficiency. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the player may pivot the telescopic post  106  about the pivot  122  to adjust the telescopic post  106 , the ball holder  108 , and the ball  110  from an upright configuration to an angled configuration. For example, the player may position the table-tennis training apparatus  100  about an edge of a surface and pivot the telescopic post  106  to a horizontal position for training how to apply spins to the ball  100  when hitting the ball upwardly. 
       FIG.  8    shows a table-tennis training system  400  according to some embodiments of this disclosure. The table-tennis training system  400  comprises two table-tennis training apparatuses  100 A and  100 B positioned side-by-side on a surface (not shown) wherein the ball  110 B of the table-tennis training apparatus  100 B positioned at a lower height or elevation than that of the ball  110 A of the table-tennis training apparatus  100 A. A player may use the bracket (not shown) to first hit the ball  110 B and then hit the ball  110 A. The elevation difference of the balls  110 A and  1108  limits the player to only be able to hitting both ball  110 A and  110 B by swinging the racket at a particular angle and along a particular trajectory as indicated by the arrow  322 . Thus, such an arrangement of two table-tennis training apparatuses  100 A and  100 B allows the player to practice how to apply spin to the ball  110 B while at the same time adjusting the direction of the racket to be in the right position. 
     In some embodiments, the ball holder  108  of table-tennis training apparatus  100  may not comprise a leg  202 . In these embodiments, the elastic structure  224  of the table-tennis training apparatus  100  may comprise one or more spiral elastic components such as one or more spiral springs and/or one or more elastic rubber bands coupled to or wound about one or both arms  204  of the ball holder  108  for dampening the speed of the ball  110  when the ball  110  is hit and causing bias to the one or more spiral elastic components  224 . 
     In some embodiments, the arms  204  of the ball holder  108  may not extend into the ball  110  (and therefore the ball  110  does not need to be punctuated). Rather, each arm  204  may comprise an interface for rotatably engaging the ball  110  with a suitable pressure. Each interface comprises a contour matching the contact surface of the ball  110  to prevent the ball  100  from falling off the ball holder  108 . 
     In some embodiments, the mount point  222  may not be adjustable. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in various embodiments, the telescopic post  106  may be any suitable telescopic post that may be telescope using any suitable methods. 
     In some embodiments, the table-tennis training apparatus  100  may not comprise a telescopic post  106 . Rather, the table-tennis training apparatus  100  in these embodiments may comprise a post with an unadjustable length. 
     In some embodiments, the post  106  may not comprise a slot  132  at the distal end thereof. Rather, the post  106  may comprise a hinge for rotatably coupling to the arms  204  of the ball holder  108  to allow the ball holder  108  to rotate about an axis defined by the hinge. 
     In some embodiments, the table-tennis training apparatus  100  may not comprise a pivoting structure  104 . Rather, the post  106  of the table-tennis training apparatus  100  in these embodiments may be directly coupled to the mounting structure  102 . 
     Although embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those of skill in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.