Patent Publication Number: US-2022233943-A1

Title: Interactive Pitching Training Apparatus and System

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Baseball, America&#39;s pastime, starts with a pitch from a pitcher. Pitching is both an art and a science. The art of pitching involves command/control by the pitcher of each pitch thrown. Command is the ability to pitch to specific locations depending primarily on the specific batter and game situation. Command encompasses hitting a specific spot with each type of pitch in a pitcher&#39;s repertoire. 
     Numerous devices and systems have been utilized to enhance pitching performance. One such device is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2006/0243929 A1 (Mc Daniel). An air mattress is provided with a plurality of air valves Signaling devices alert when a strike air valve activates and when a ball air valve activates so as a user knows whether a pitch is a ball or a strike. 
     Another such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. U.S. 2004/0127308 A1 (Swanson). In this device a multilayered pitching target is disclosed. Marked squares designate ball and strike zones. Ball impacts leave indentations in the target. 
     The present invention relates to an interactive system (also herein sometimes referred to as a PITCHmat). The PITCHmat is intended to primarily emphasize and enhance a pitcher&#39;s command of his or her pitches. It trains the pitcher to locate and hit specific “zones” tallying points for each pitch developing command. 
     Again, the main focus of the invention is to serve as a baseball/softball teaching and coaching tool and the mat or screen of the present invention normally will be set up 60′ 6″ (MLB baseball) or 43′ (high school/college softball) from the pitcher (the distance from the “mound”/front of the pitching rubber to home plate). However, the system may also serve to teach basic coordination skills as a “target” for younger players at any distance and for game/recreational purposes in gymnasiums, dens and other athletic/recreational indoor/outdoor venues for “players” of all ages with the competitors seeking to achieve the highest score. Softer balls/projectiles such as tennis balls will usually be substituted for baseballs/softballs in the latter usages/venues. Unlike existing dart board games, the “values” assigned in the scoring will not be “fixed” but may be electronically revised requiring the players to adjust their throwing motions/mechanics to strike the changing values and maximize their score. 
     The present invention may be further modified to function as an interactive game as described below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The Pitching Interactive Training Mat (PITCHmat or PMAT) consists of a mat or screen against which a projectile such as a baseball or softball is thrown. The PITCHmat has a graphic display of a strike zone broken down into nine subsidiary “zones” and an exterior perimeter of sixteen “zones” surrounding the strike zone. Beneath each zone are embedded sensors and electronics which when impacted with pitched ball registers a point value, for example, from 1 to 10, on the integrated, attached scoreboard. 
     The embedded sensors (whether pressure sensors or electronic sensors) and associated electronics are well known in the art and are comparable to the “touch pads” used in computers, smart phones, video games, and the like. 
     Assignment of the point values may be adjusted for each pitch by a cooperating remote control device for each batter depending upon the game situation. A complimentary scoreboard electronically connected to the mat will register whether a ball or a strike is thrown, values for each pitch thrown, and maintains a total score which may be reset for each new batter. The embedded electronics and scoreboard may be powered by battery and may be rechargeable via an attached electric cord plugged into standard electrical outlets. An optional radar gun records the speed of each pitch. Optional high speed sports cameras may be attached to the mat and/or as a stand-alone allowing for measurement of pitch spin rotations, pitch release point, and capturing the entire pitch delivery process for replay to aid coaching and visualizing pitch command. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the mat or screen of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a top plan view of the mat of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side elevation view of the mat. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the relationship of the various zones on the mat to a representative batter, catcher, and umpire. The strike zone is shaded. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a top view of a home plate with the width dimensions of the strike zone. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the relationship of the various element of the present training system in actual usage. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an arrangement of the electrical subassemblies of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present disclosure will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with references to certain drawings, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The drawings are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, size of some of the elements may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes and not drawn on scale. Specific and relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the disclosure. The various embodiments are solely examples and are not limiting the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a front view of the PITCHmat mat or screen 30  suspended by adjustable straps  32  above a home plate (not shown) with a integral camera subsystem  34 , a scoreboard display  36  having an impact counter and system controller subsystem  38 , and an incoming electric power source  39 . A ball catchment trough  40  is attached beneath the mat to serve as a ball retrieval system. 
     The mat  30  has nine numbered square mini zones or tiles (tiles numbered  1 - 9 ) within the overall typical “strike zone.” Outside the strike zone are sixteen additional mini-zones, called chase tiles, (tiles numbered  10 - 25 ) along the periphery of the “strike zone.” Because it is often important to entice the batter to “chase” pitches outside the strike zone, these chase zones/tiles tiles are important to the development of a pitcher. When the ball is thrown and strikes a tile, an embedded electronic sensor beneath that particular tile transmits the assigned numerical value or score for the struck tile and whether a ball or a strike to the electronic scoreboard. 
     When pitching with a coach  60  ( FIG. 5 ), the coach will generally assign numbers via the ancillary remote control device  61  to tiles/zones before the pitch and depending upon the simulated baseball situation. For example, with runners on first and third bases and less than two outs a coach might call for a pitch-out (ball pitched high and outside) assigning tile number  23  ( FIG. 1 ) a ten-point value when hit with the pitched ball. This allows pitchers/coaches to present simulated game situations while pitchers  62  practice pitch command and pitching to zones considered most likely to achieve the best result for that situation. The training capability enhances the value of the PITCHmat for coaching and increasing the pitcher&#39;s knowledge of the best pitching strategies for specific game situations. 
     The PITCHmat is also designed for use by a pitcher without a coach. In such cases, the PITCHmat zones/tiles may have pre-assigned or randomly-assigned numbers or the pitcher can remotely assign specific values before pitching as desired. 
     When pitching alone, a pitcher may pitch by pitch count. Typically, a bucket of twenty-four balls (baseballs or softballs) will be pitched with six pitches assigned per simulated batter. At the end of twenty-four pitches the pitcher will retrieve or “shag” the balls from the Ball Retrieval System (BRS) or the ball catchment trough  40  and continue. Shagging balls four times results in a pitch count of ninety-six pitches, which would generally be a maximum limit for young pitchers. Pitch count limits should be set according to a player&#39;s age and ability. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a top, plan view of the mat  30  with the ball catchment trough  40 , the scoreboard  36 , the impact counter and system controller subsystem  38 , and camera  34 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a left, side, elevation view of the mat  30  illustrating the scoreboard  36 , the camera  34 , various impact sensors  35  and sensor connective wiring  37  (in broken lines), the ball retrieval system  40 , and the power supply source  39 . Details of the electrical connections are well known in the field and are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Fig. 4  illustrates the typical batter  42 , catcher  44 , and umpire  46  positions above home plate  50 . A visual representation of the mat  30  of the present invention is superimposed in the figure to show the various zones/tiles relative to these characters in the typical battery. The strike zone (the shaded portion of  FIG. 4 ) is the area over home plate  50  (See  FIG. 4A ). Its upper limit is a horizontal line  51  at the midpoint between the top of the batter&#39;s shoulder  52  and the top of the uniform pants  53 . Its lower level is a line  54  at the hollow  55  beneath the batter&#39;s knee cap. The strike zone is determined from the batter&#39;s stance as he prepares to swing at a pitch. 
       FIG. 4A  shows a top view of home plate  50  showing the width of the strike zone and the “outside” limits illustrated by one half the ball&#39;s diameter. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the present system set up for pitching balls at the mat. The mat or screen  30  of the present invention normally will be set up 60′  6 ″ (MLB baseball) or 43′ (high school/college softball) from the pitcher  62  (the distance from the “mound”/front of the pitching rubber to home plate). As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , an optional ancillary high speed sports action camera  70  videos and permits review and analysis by coaches  60  and/or pitchers  62  of pitches thrown and the overall delivery process. An optional (off the shelf) radar gun  80  may be used to record the speed of the ball  81  pitched. An integral camera  34  allows for measurement of pitch spin rotations, pitch release point, and captures the entire pitch delivery process for replay to aid coaching and visualizing pitch command. 
       FIG. 6  is a simplified block diagram of the electrical subassemblies/components of the present system. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand these components. 
     Having now described the invention in conjunction with particularly illustrated embodiments thereof, variations and modifications may now naturally occur from time to time to those persons normally skilled in the art without departing from the essential scope or spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.