Patent Publication Number: US-8118692-B2

Title: Baseball swing development tool

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The invention generally relates to sports training equipment, and more specifically to training equipment for the sport of baseball. 
     PROBLEM STATEMENT 
     Interpretation Considerations 
     This section describes the technical field in more detail, and discusses problems encountered in the technical field. This section does not describe prior art as defined for purposes of anticipation or obviousness under 35 U.S.C. section 102 or 35 U.S.C. section 103. Thus, nothing stated in the Problem Statement is to be construed as prior art. 
     Discussion 
     According to many sports experts, hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports. The batter is trying to take a round bat and hit a round ball, squarely. The batter has a split second to make the decision of whether you are going to swing or not. Further, the batter must do all this while the ball may be spinning, changing speeds, and tailing away all at one moment. The best way to accomplish this task is to use a swing that covers the most area of the hitting zone so as to make square contact. Most hitting coaches define this as eliminating any holes in one&#39;s swing. 
     To maintain the “perfect” swing requires repetition of good habits developing proper muscle memory to perform each swing consistently. One way to develop this swing can be accomplished using a device that forces the individual to swing correctly each time. The present invention provides such a device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various aspects of the invention, as well as an embodiment, are better understood by reference to the following detailed description. To better understand the invention, the detailed description should be read in conjunction with the drawings and tables, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the baseball swing guide. 
     
    
    
     EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF A BEST MODE 
     Interpretation Considerations 
     When reading this section (An Exemplary Embodiment of a Best Mode, which describes an exemplary embodiment of the best mode of the invention, hereinafter “exemplary embodiment”), one should keep in mind several points. First, the following exemplary embodiment is what the inventor believes to be the best mode for practicing the invention at the time this patent was filed. Thus, since one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from the following exemplary embodiment that substantially equivalent structures or substantially equivalent acts may be used to achieve the same results in exactly the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way, the following exemplary embodiment should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to one embodiment. 
     Likewise, individual aspects (sometimes called species) of the invention are provided as examples, and, accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from a following exemplary structure (or a following exemplary act) that a substantially equivalent structure or substantially equivalent act may be used to either achieve the same results in substantially the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way. 
     Accordingly, the discussion of a species (or a specific item) invokes the genus (the class of items) to which that species belongs as well as related species in that genus. Likewise, the recitation of a genus invokes the species known in the art. Furthermore, it is recognized that as technology develops, a number of additional alternatives to achieve an aspect of the invention may arise. Such advances are hereby incorporated within their respective genus, and should be recognized as being functionally equivalent or structurally equivalent to the aspect shown or described. 
     Second, the only essential aspects of the invention are identified by the claims. Thus, aspects of the invention, including elements, acts, functions, and relationships (shown or described) should not be interpreted as being essential unless they are explicitly described and identified as being essential. Third, a function or an act should be interpreted as incorporating all modes of doing that function or act, unless otherwise explicitly stated (for example, one recognizes that “tacking” may be done by nailing, stapling, gluing, hot gunning, riveting, etc., and so a use of the word tacking invokes stapling, gluing, etc., and all other modes of that word and similar words, such as “attaching”). 
     Fourth, unless explicitly stated otherwise, conjunctive words (such as “or”, “and”, “including”, or “comprising” for example) should be interpreted in the inclusive, not the exclusive, sense. Fifth, the words “means” and “step” are provided to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the invention and do not mean “means” or “step” as defined in §112, paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.C., unless used as “means for—functioning—” or “step for—functioning—” in the Claims section. Sixth, the invention is also described in view of the Festo decisions, and, in that regard, the claims and the invention incorporate equivalents known, unknown, foreseeable, and unforeseeable. Seventh, the language and each word used in the invention should be given the ordinary interpretation of the language and the word, unless indicated otherwise. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Overview 
     The invention is a baseball swing guide (BSG). The BSG is a guide that is used to develop a baseball player&#39;s swing to develop better habits and produce better results. The Guide holds a players bat in proper swing starting position. The player places his bat&#39;s hitting end into a guide such as chute. The guide&#39;s height should be set to the proper position to achieve the desired results. The player practices swinging his bat while pulling it out of the guide in the process. The guide restricts the movement of the bat while the swing is being performed so as to allow the player to perform “perfect” swings. 
     Using this guide and performing many swings with the guide help the player develop the proper technique and muscle memory needed to perform the “perfect” swing consistently. The player should be able to perform the “perfect” swing while at the plate in baseball games. This swing will produce better hitting results for the player. 
     Shown in  FIG. 1  is an exemplary embodiment of the Baseball Swing Guide  100 . The base  110  is the support for the BSG  100 . It adds support to keep the structure from falling over in average winds. Secured to the base is the support structure  115 . The support structure comprises of a bottom support arm  120  and a top support arm  130 . The top support arm is connected to a chute  150  via a bracket  140 . 
     The Base  110  is a self-supporting. It is preferably tubes spread out to support the weight of the entire structure and add stability. The base may be as shown as tubes in L-Shapes opposite each other connected at the support point of the bottom arm  120 . Another alternative base  110  may be a hollow tank that can be filled with a substance such as water or sand to add weight and additional stability. Another base is affixable in the ground such as a longer bottom arm  120  that can be buried in ground with or without concrete to add additional support. The benefit of the self-supporting arm is the mobility of the entire BSG. The Base  110  is not limited to being affixed to the ground; it may also be an affixed to an upright wall where the bottom support arm  120  stands horizontally rather than telescopically. 
     The bottom support arm  120  is connected to a top support arm  130  so that the overall height of the structure can be adjustable and fixed at several different heights, such as every 2 inches over about a 48-inch range. The support arms  120 ,  130  may be cylindrical in shape or polygonal. The adjustability can be created by many means. In  FIG. 1 , the top support arm  130  is smaller in size and fits inside of a hollow bottom support arm  120 . The top support arm  130  has holes in the middle of its side (not shown but understood to one with ordinary skill in the art) that allows for pegs or a pin to slide into them and the hole  125  in the bottom support arm  120  and lock the BSG at a desired height. There are several holes at different heights, which can be lined up and secured. Alternatively, the telescoping height may be fixed at any height via a lock-nut or the supports are tight enough to stay at a the height needed. 
     The bracket  140  that connects the top support arm  130  to the chute  150  is secured in a fixed position to the top support arm  130 . The chute  150  limits the movement of the baseball bat during the swing. The chute  150  fits securely around a standard baseball bat, 2¾ inch diameter. 
     The chute  150  is secured to the bracket  140  but can rotate in a vertical direction creating different angles, preferably ranging from 90 degrees to 0 degrees, of entry for a baseball bat into the entrance end  165  of the chute  150 . Opposite of the entrance end is the counter balance end  155  which moves down when the entrance end  165  rotates up for different angles. The bracket  140  allows for the angle adjustability and can secure the chute at different angles. The adjustability is used for the same reason as the height adjustability in order to fulfill the needs of players of all sizes. The bracket can have the rotational adjustability secured with a spring, a pin, or counter balance weight added to the counter balance end  155 . 
     Furthermore, though the invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment, many advantages, variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present application. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims and their equivalents be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications.