Patent Publication Number: US-2006014597-A1

Title: Bob stick

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      See Application Data Sheet.  
      Not Applicable  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates in general to an improved batting practice aid and methods of using and making the batting aid. The invention more particularly relates to a batting practice aid, the use of which is fatigue-resistant and easy, for professionals as well as little leaguers. The invention will be best understood by reference to the following discussion and the associated figures.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      Until recently batting practice was resigned to ball parks or training centers, or to sessions requiring a lot of effort on the part of the batting trainee or trainer. Batting tee&#39;s and other widely used batting machines required mounting the machines to the ground or structures and occupied a considerable amount of space. Consequently, such batting aids are still largely found in baseball or softball training centers. As a result, batting trainees for the most part could only access such batting aids at such facilities.  
      However, the advent of portable batting aids liberated batting trainees from dependency on batting training centers for use of batting aids. The latest class of such portable batting aids are designed for private use by a batter or with the assistance of a second person. Examples of such aids include, the Hit-N-Stick, Hit2Win, and the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,989, all of which involve an apparatus comprising a handle and a ball, the size of a baseball or softball, connected by a sturdy bar. The usual weight of such apparatuses weigh several pounds.  
      The main advantage to this class of batting aids is obvious-batters may use the aids almost anywhere. The disadvantages are several. First, for solo use of such devices the batter is restricted to places with sturdy structures. To use such batting aid solo, the batter must securely mount the device to a sturdy structure, because such devices transfer a great deal of impact to the proximal end of the device through the rod. Secondly, in lieu of mounting the portable batting aids, the devices had to be held by a sturdy person gripping the device securely, to withstand the impact transferred by the bat; thereby limiting the choice of people who could effectively assist the batter.  
      Another disadvantage of the recited devices is that the devices require the user to swing the device across the strike zone of a trainee, repeatedly. Each time the user swings the ball across the strike zone, the batter attempts to swing at a baseball- or softball-size ball. The construction of these devices are lightweight enough to be held by an average user. And the devices possess some vibration absorption properties. However, the design of these and many other portable batting aids are not designed lightweight and shock-absorbent enough to prevent the fatigue experienced by a user, who is required to repeatedly swing a rod directly attached to a heavy baseball or softball, in one hand. All three of the devices cited are designed to be operated in one hand of the user. Invariably, the user&#39;s strength to operate such batting aids and assist the trainee is depleted through fatigue. And valuable batting practice time is lost. The present invention overcomes these recited disadvantages. The invention and manner of its use to overcome these disadvantages are described below.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a batting aid that overcomes these disadvantages. A batting aid having features of the present invention comprises a hollow handle made of a shock absorbent material, the diameter and length of the handle being small enough so that the hand of an average adult could wrap around the handle; a hollow hose, the outside diameter of which is smaller than the inside diameter of the handle, the length of the hose being approximately equal to the length of the handle;  
      A hollow plastic pipe, the outside diameter of which being smaller than the inside diameter of the hose, the length of the pipe being around 2 to 3 feet; a spring, the outside diameter of which being smaller than the inside diameter of the pipe, the length of the spring being anywhere from around 3 to 5 inches; a flexible plastic tube, the outside diameter of which being smaller than the inside diameter of the spring, a plastic tube whose length being between approximately 12 to 18 inches; a rope, the diameter of which being smaller than the inside diameter of the plastic tube, the rope containing a knot at each end, the length of the rope being longer than the plastic tube by no more than a couple to a few inches;  
      A golf-size, lightweight, shock-absorbent ball, selected from the group (yellow foam, holed wiffle, or solid dimpled), the ball containing a hole bored through its center larger than the rope but smaller than the knot at either end of the rope; a bead, the diameter of which being larger than the inside diameter of the spring, the bead containing a hole bored through the bead&#39;s center, the bead&#39;s hole being larger than the rope diameter but smaller than the knot at either end of the rope; two pieces of tape; and two pieces of shrink tube.  
      The hose is completely inserted inside the handle. One end of the pipe is inserted into the hose approximately flush with the hose. The spring is partially inserted into the other end of the pipe. One end of the plastic tube is inserted partially into the other end of the spring. One end of the rope is inserted through the plastic tube and completely through and protruding out the other end of the spring. The bead is inserted into the rope between the knot at the end of the rope and the spring end. The other end of the rope hangs out of the other end of the plastic tube. This tube end hangs as well when a user holds the apparatus by the handle. The hanging end of the rope is inserted through the hole in the ball, where the ball is inserted between the hanging end of the tube and the knot. A piece of tape is wrapped around the spring and plastic tube overlap. And another piece of tape is wrapped around the spring and pipe overlap. And there is a piece of shrink tube wrapped around each piece of tape.  
      The hollow handle, hose, plastic pipe, plastic tube, rope, bead, ball, tape, and shrink wrap are small, in length and thickness, and all are made of low density material and are hollow (except the rope which is nonetheless small in size). Consequently, the mass of the assembled apparatus is very light in weight. Therefore, a user may easily hold up the apparatus requiring little effort.  
      Of significance is the relative sizes of the spring and bead, the knot in both ends of the rope, the holes in the ball and the bead. The bead is larger than the inside diameter of the spring, whereby the bead cannot pass through the spring. The knots at the end of the rope are larger than the holes in the bead and the ball, whereby the knotted rope ends cannot pass through the ball or the bead. When a batter hits the ball end of the apparatus, the ball presses against the knot at one end of the rope causing a tension in the rope which pulls the bead against the spring, causing the spring to compress.  
      The spring compresses until the flexible tube and rope gives way moving transverse to the length of the rope. This combination of the flexible rope and flexible plastic tube moving transversely when hit by a bat and the spring compressing from the pressure of the bead and the tension in the rope created thereby absorbs virtually all of the impact of the bat hitting the ball and/or plastic tube.  
      Consequently, whatever residual vibration from the impact which remains in the apparatus is small and virtually completely absorbed by the absorbent properties inherent in the other components. The result is that the user would not feel any vibration shock, each time the batter impacts the ball end of the apparatus. Thus, no fatigue would result from repeated impacts of the bat, and neither would fatigue result from the user wielding the apparatus, because the apparatus is so lightweight, and the user is not required to swing the apparatus. Therefore, using the present invention is fatigue-resistant not only for adult users, but also for much smaller and less strong children as well. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above mentioned and other objects and features of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a exploded view of a batting aid, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are sectional views of the ball.  
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are top and side views the flanged bearings.  
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the electrical shrink tube.  
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the seal wrap repair tape.  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the rope.  
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are transverse and longitudinal views of the polyethylene tube.  
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  are transverse and longitudinal views of the spring.  
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  are transverse and longitudinal views of the hose.  
       FIGS. 10A and 10B  are transverse and longitudinal views of the pipe.  
       FIGS. 11A and 11B  are transverse and longitudinal views of the handle  FIGS. 12A and 12B  are sectional and holed views of the bead.  
       FIG. 13  is a diagrammatical plan view of the batting aid of  FIG. 1  illustrated in use with a batter and a user.  
       FIG. 14  is a diagrammatical plan view of the batting aid of  FIG. 1  illustrated in use with a batter. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is presented in  FIG. 1 . Apparatus  41  is formed of a hollow rubberized molded handle  28  of a length of 4½ inches, an inside diameter of ⅞ of an inch; a circular handle cap  29  at one handle end; the handle cap  29 , comprising: a thickness of ¾ of an inch; a flanged handle end  26 ; and a handle grip  30 , including: raised ribs designed to absorb shock transferred to the handle  28 . The apparatus includes a black hollow hose  27 , the hose  27  comprising: a length of 4 inches, an outside diameter of 6/8 of an inch, made of a rubberized material capable of absorbing shock transferred to the hose  27 ; the hose inserted into the handle  28  through the flanged handle end  26  until the hose  27  contacts the handle cap  29 .  
      The apparatus includes CPVC pipe  25  comprising: an outside diameter of ⅝ of an inch; an inside diameter of ½ of an inch; a length of 2 feet and 7 inches; the pipe end  38  inserted into the handle  28  through the flanged handle end  26  inside the hose  27  until the pipe  25  contacts the handle cap  29 . The apparatus includes a joggled spring  22 , comprising: a length of 3⅜ inches; a joggled end  24 , comprising: a length of 1 inch; an outside diameter of 7/16 of an inch; an inside diameter of 5/16 of an inch; a non-joggled end  42 , comprising: a length of 2⅜ inches; an outside diameter of ½ inch; an inside diameter of ⅜ of an inch; with the joggled end  24  of the spring inserted into the pipe end  37 , until the pipe  25  contacts the non-joggled end  24 .  
      The apparatus includes a flexible polyethylene tube  18 , comprising: 14 inches in length; an outside diameter of ⅜ of an inch; an inside diameter of ¼ of an inch; a working pressure of 120 psi at 70 degrees Fahrenheit; with polyethylene tube end  32  inserted into the non-joggled spring end  42  until the polyethylene tube  18  contacts the joggled spring end  24 . The apparatus includes a nylon braided rope  13 , comprising: 18 inches in length; a slip knot  12  and  23  at rope end  33  and  34  respectively; with the rope  13  diameter of 7/16 of an inch; with both knots having diameters of ⅛ of an inch; rope end  34  inserted in and through the polyethylene tube  18 , in and through the spring  22 , where slip knot  23  protrudes out of the joggled spring end  24 ; being that the length of the rope  13  is longer than the polyethylene tube  18 , the rope end  33  protrudes out the polyethylene tube end  31 .  
      The apparatus includes a bead  21 , comprising: a diameter of 7/16 of an inch; a ⅜ of an inch hole through the bead center; with the bead  21  inserted through the rope  13  between the joggled spring end  24  and the slip knot  23 . The apparatus includes a golf size, lightweight ball  15 , selected from the group (yellow foam, holed wiffie, or solid dimpled); the ball comprising: a ⅜ inch hole through the center of the ball; two flanged bearings  14 , sized to fit inside the hole through the ball  15  at both ends of the ball  15 ; the ball  15  with the two bearings  14  inserted therewith is inserted through the rope end  33 , the ball inserted between the polyethylene tube end  31  and the knot  12 .  
      The apparatus includes a nylon washer (not shown) sized to fit around the rope  13 ; with the washer inserted through the rope end  33 , with knot  12  tied around the washer. The purpose of the washer with the rope tied around the washer as such is to facilitate ball replacement. Eventually, the ball will wear out and must be replaced. To do so, the user may easily unravel the knot from the washer. In the art of window blind making, makers utilize washers in this fashion at the end of the window blind ropes.  
      The apparatus includes two rubberized, seal-wrap, repair tapes  20 ; each comprising: a length of 2 inches; a width of 1 inch; with the first tape  20  wrapped lengthwise around the non-joggled spring end  42  and polyethylene tube  18  overlap, with the center of the short side of the first tape  20  at the point of overlap between the polyethylene tube  18  and the non-joggled spring end  42 ; with the second tape  20  wrapped lengthwise around the joggled spring end  24  and pipe end  37 , with the middle of the short side of the second tape  20  at the point of contact between the non-joggled spring end  42  and the pipe end  37 . The purpose of the tapes  20  is to prevent the spring  22  from separating from the polyethylene tube  18  and the pipe  25 .  
      The apparatus includes two electrical shrink tubes  19 , each comprising: a length of 1 inch; a width of ¾ of an inch; with the first electrical shrink tube  19  lengthwise wrapped around the first repair tape  20 ; with the second electrical shrink tube  19  wrapped lengthwise around the second repair tape  20 . The purpose of the shrink tubes  19  is to prevent the tapes  20  from unraveling.  
      Still referring to  FIG. 1 a  method of making apparatus  41 , comprises: the step of placing glue on pipe end  38 , the step of inserting the pipe end  38  into the hose end  35 , until the hose end  36  is flush with the pipe end  38 ; the step of placing glue on the exterior surface of the hose  27 ; the step of inserting the hose  27 , inserted with pipe end  38 , into handle end  26 ; the step of inserting polyethylene tube end  32  into non-joggled spring end  42  to where polyethylene tube end  32  contacts joggled spring end  24 ; the step of inserting rope end  34  into the polyethylene tube end  31  through and out the joggled spring end  24 ; the step of inserting rope end  34  through the hole in bead  21 ; the step of tying slip knot  23 ; the step of inserting the joggled end of the spring  24 , out of which the bead protrudes, into pipe end  37  to where pipe end  37  contacts non-joggled spring end  42 ; the step of inserting the flange bearings  14  into hole in the ball  15  at both ends of ball  15 ; the step of inserting rope end  33  through the hole in the ball  15  inserted with bearings  14 ; the step of tying slip knot  12  around the nylon washer (not shown); the step of lengthwise wrapping a piece of tape  20  around the spring  22  and polyethylene tube  18  overlap; the step of lengthwise wrapping a piece of tape  20  around the spring  22  and pipe  25  overlap; the step of lengthwise wrapping a piece of shrink tube  19  around each piece of tape  20 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 13 , a method of using apparatus  41 , comprises: the step of a user  46  gripping the apparatus  41  by the handle  28 ; the step of the user pointing the apparatus  41  away from the user  46  toward a nearby batter  43 , with the ball  15  hanging within the strike zone  47  of the batter  43 , while the batter  43  is poised to swing a bat  44  at the ball  15 ; the step of, while the user  46  is performing the previous step, the user standing outside the bat path  45  of the batter  43 ; the step of the batter  43  swinging the bat  44  at the ball  15 . Since the user  46  is not in the bat path  45  of the batter  43 , the user  46  is not struck by the bat  44  by virtue of the user  46  being in the bat path  45 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 14 , an alternative method of using apparatus  41 , comprises: the step of a batter  43  connecting the handle  28  to a piece of furniture, such as a chair  49 , by tying a piece of rope  50  around the handle  28  and the chair back  51 , the chair  49  being situated several feet away from any other furniture, walls, and obstructions; the step of the batter  43  arranging apparatus  41  tied to the chair  49 , so that the apparatus  41  cantilevers somewhat horizontally, with the ball  15  hanging several feet above the floor, with the apparatus  41  pointing away from the chair  41 ; the step of the batter  43  positioning himself to swing at the ball  15 , the batter  43  standing a distance from the ball  5 , where the position of the ball  15  being in the strike zone  47  of the batter  43 , and where the bat path  45  will not come into contact with any furniture, walls, and obstructions; the step of the batter  43  swinging at the ball  15 .  
      While particular embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that various different modifications are possible and are contemplated within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims. There is no intention, therefore, of limitations to the exact abstract or disclosure herein presented.