Patent Publication Number: US-2006003854-A1

Title: Practice device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/359,008, filed Feb. 5, 2003, and currently pending, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/206,460, filed Dec. 7, 1998, and now abandoned, and further claims the benefit of and priority to provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/067,988, filed Dec. 9, 1997, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein.  
      The present application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/388,199, filed Mar. 13, 2003, and currently pending, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/206,460, filed Dec. 7, 1998, and now abandoned, and further claims the benefit of and priority to provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/067,988, filed Dec. 9, 1997, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to athletic practice equipment, and in particular to athletic practice equipment that helps improve a user&#39;s eye-hand coordination.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Many sports require a participant to strike an object that is either moving or that has a small size. As a result, it is often necessary that such participants have good eye-hand coordination. For example, boxers need to be able to land punches on their opponents, and a boxer&#39;s training typically consists of refining their punches and punch combinations as well as developing their eye-hand coordination to improve punch accuracy.  
      There are many different types of equipment that boxers use to improve their eye-hand coordination. Two common pieces of boxing equipment include the heavy bag and the speed bag. The heavy bag is configured to simulate an opponent, and is usually large in size, weighing upwards of seventy pounds. The speed bag is configured to allow the boxer to practice repetition and punch form, and as a result is smaller in size than the heavy bag.  
      Both bags are usually mounted from a ceiling to simulate the appearance of an opponent and allow a user to hit them. While effective, this renders use in a place without strong support beams difficult. Further, while such bags are adapted to absorb the blows from the user, they usually respond to a blow by a loud popping or whamming sound, rendering use in a residential building, such as an apartment, difficult. Moreover, due to a combination of the weight and material that such apparatuses are made out of, they can cause injury to a participant when in use. As a result, participants have to wrap their hands or feet with a protective cloth hand wrap similar to an ace bandage or use a striking boot and/or padded gloves in order to prevent spraining or breaking the bones of the hands and/or feet.  
      Accordingly, there is a need for improved athletic equipment, and in particular athletic equipment that helps a participant improve eye-hand coordination.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present invention provides various methods and devices for improving the eye-hand coordination of a user while minimizing not only the chance bodily injury to the user, but also the disruption to the environment surrounding the user, namely the noise and vibration created as a result of the user practicing. In one aspect, a practice device is provided that includes a flexible elongate member having proximal and distal ends and a target. The proximal end can be adapted to be mounted on a support structure. While a variety of mounts can be used with the device disclosed herein, in an exemplary embodiment the mount can be a cleat.  
      A target can be formed on the distal end of the flexible elongate member, and preferably, the target serves to dissipate energy delivered by the user when the target is struck. Moreover the target can be adapted to exhibit a small range of lateral motion as well as effect a small amount of resistance in response to being struck by a user. While the target can have a variety of configurations, the target can be formed from rope, fabric, plastics, or other materials and, preferably, is deformable, elastic or resilient in nature. In one exemplary embodiment, the target can be a frayed member. Alternatively, the target can be a conical member.  
      The device can also include a variety of features to effect stabilization thereof when the target is struck by a user. In one exemplary embodiment, the device can include a weighted portion that is formed on the flexible elongate member and located proximal to the target. The weighted portion is adapted to provide inertia when the target is struck by the user, and can be a knot, a nut, a washer, a wooden member, a plastic member, or a ball bearing. The weighted portion can also be surrounded by a covering, such as a ball. In other exemplary embodiments, the covering can optionally be used as the target that is struck by the user.  
      The weighted portion can also provide additional mass to the device, preferably adding at least 5 grams, more preferably 25 grams or more. In one embodiment, the overall device can be at least 50 grams to provide greater stability.  
      In another aspect, a practice device is provided that includes a mount adapted to couple to a support structure and an anchoring member having a first end adapted to couple to a mount such that the anchoring member extends laterally therefrom. The device can further include an end cap that is adapted to be placed on a second end of the anchoring member and a flexible elongate member having a target formed at a distal end thereof that is adapted to have a small range of motion when struck by a user. The device can also have features to effect securement of the flexible elongate member within the anchoring member. In one exemplary embodiment, the flexible elongate member extends through at least one of a plurality of holes formed in the anchoring member, and is wrapped around an outer circumference thereof.  
      The device can also include a variety of features to effect stabilization thereof when the target is struck by a user. In one exemplary embodiment, the device can include a weighted portion that is formed on the flexible elongate member and located proximal to the target. The weighted portion is adapted to provide inertia in response to the target being struck by the user. In one exemplary embodiment, the weighted portion can be a knot, a nut, a washer, a wooden member, a plastic member, or a ball bearing. The weighted portion can also be surrounded by a covering, such as a ball. In other exemplary embodiments, the ball can be the target that is struck by the user.  
      Methods for improving eye-hand coordination are also disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes mounting a device that includes a flexible elongate member having a target that is adapted to exhibit a small range of lateral motion when struck to a support, adjusting a height of the target, and striking the target. The step of striking the target can include striking a frayed portion of the flexible elongate member that is formed on a distal end thereof or a conical member formed on the distal end of the flexible elongate member. Alternatively, the flexible elongate member can further include a weighted portion positioned proximally from the target, and the step of striking the target can include striking the weighted portion.  
      In another embodiment, the device can further include an anchoring member that is adapted to laterally extend from the support, and the step of adjusting the height of the target can include threading the flexible elongate member through a center hole in a cap adapted to be placed on an end of the anchoring member, threading the flexible elongate member through a lumen and at least one of a plurality of holes formed in the anchoring member, and mating the cap to the end of the anchoring member such that the flexible elongate member is securely held therein. The step of adjusting the height of the target can further include wrapping the flexible elongate member around an outer surface of the anchoring member and threading the flexible elongate member through at least one of the plurality of holes in the anchoring member, such that the flexible elongate member is securely positioned within the anchoring member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a practice device;  
       FIG. 1B  is a view of the proximal end of the device of  FIG. 1A ;  
       FIG. 1C  is another view of the proximal end of the device of  FIG. 1A ;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a practice device;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a practice device;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a practice device;  
       FIG. 5  is a view of a distal end of the device of  FIG. 1A  after being struck by a user;  
       FIG. 6  is a view of the distal end of the device of  FIG. 2  after being struck by a user;  
       FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a practice device;  
       FIG. 7B  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 7A ; and  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a practice device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and use of the devices and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the present invention is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.  
      The present invention provides methods and devices for improving the eye-hand coordination of a user. The present invention can be used for a variety of activities that require eye-hand coordination, such as punching and/or kicking techniques for boxing or any type of martial arts, or swinging techniques for golf, softball, and baseball. One skilled the art will appreciate the variety of uses of the devices and methods disclosed herein.  
      In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C , the device  10  includes a flexible elongate member  12  having proximal and distal ends  12   a ,  12   b . The proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  and is adapted to be mounted on a support structure  70 . A target  18  is formed on the distal end  12   b  of the flexible elongate member  12 , and the target  18  includes at least one energy dissipating element such that when the target  18  is struck by a user, it can exhibit a small range of lateral motion.  
      The flexible elongate member  12  can have a variety of configurations, shapes, and sizes, however in an exemplary embodiment, the flexible elongate member  12  can be a substantially spherical member having a length in the range of about 2 feet to 5 feet, and more preferably in the range of about 3 feet to 4 feet. The flexible elongate member  12  can also have a variety of widths, and as will be discussed in more detail below with respect to  FIGS. 7A-8 , the flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′ can have a width such that it can be threaded through a least one of a plurality of holes  537   a ,  537   b ,  537   c ,  537   d ,  537   a ′,  537   b ′,  537   d ′ in an anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′ and a hole  541 ,  541 ′ in an end cap  540 ,  540 ′ to effect securement thereof. However, in an exemplary embodiment, flexible elongate member can have a width in the range of about ⅜ inch to ⅞ inch, and more preferably about ⅝ inch.  
      The materials used to form the flexible elongate member can also vary. In certain exemplary embodiments, the flexible elongate member is formed from a fibrous material, such as rope, and in particular nylon rope. Other suitable materials for the flexible elongate member include chain link material or other metal, plastic, rubber, synthetics, or neutral materials. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of materials can be used to form the flexible elongate member.  
      Referring back to  FIGS. 1A-1C , the proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  can be adapted to be mounted on a support structure  18  in a variety of ways. In one exemplary embodiment, the proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  can be placed into a mount  16 , such as a cord clip or a cleat which is then be affixed to a support structure  70 . While the proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  can have a variety of features to help secure its placement into the mount  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1B , it can include a sleeve  14  that is formed thereon and adapted to be received into the mount  16 . The sleeve  14  can be made from a variety of materials, such as, by way of non-limiting example, plastic. Following placement of the proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  in the sleeve  14 , the sleeve  14  can then be secured within the mount  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1C . This is particularly advantageous in that it allows the user to adjust the height of the target  18  by sliding the flexible elongate member  12  through the sleeve  14  and positioning it within the mount  16 , as will be discussed in more detail below.  
      Alternatively, the proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  can be secured within the mount  16  using staples, nails, screws, adhesives, a suction cup, or any other techniques known in the art, either alone or in combination with the sleeve  14 . While the exemplary embodiment illustrates that the proximal end  12   a  of the flexible elongate member  12  is received into a mount  16  in order to effect mating with a support structure  70 , one skilled in the art will appreciate that the proximal end of the flexible elongate member can be mated to the support structure without the use of a mount using any one of the coupling techniques discussed above.  
      A target  18  is formed on the distal end  12   b  of the flexible elongate member  12  that can be struck by a user to practice eye-hand coordination. The target  18  can have any configuration that allows it to absorb and/or dissipate energy when it is struck by a user, as well as result in a small range of lateral motion and create a small amount of resistance thereto. Referring back to  FIG. 1A , the target  18  can be formed integrally with the flexible elongate member  12 , and can be a frayed or separated portion thereof. The target  18 , for example, can be formed from rope, fabric, plastics or other materials, and preferably is deformable, elastic, or resilient in nature. By way of non-limiting example, where the flexible elongate member is made out of a fibrous material such as rope, the target can be a frayed portion thereof. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the target  118  can be a conical member that is adapted to couple to the distal end  112   b  of the flexible elongate member  112 . While the conical member can be made of a variety of materials, such as plastic or fabric, in an exemplary embodiment the conical member is a piece of fabric. The target  118  can coupled to the flexible elongate member  112  by adhesives, knots, string, or any other coupling techniques known in the art. The target is particularly advantageous in that it results in minimal disruption to the environment, that is, produces a small amount of noise, vibration, and motion when struck by a user.  
      One skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of other features can be incorporated with the devices disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, and still referring to  FIG. 2 , the device  110  can include features to effect stabilization thereof when the target is struck by a user. One such feature is a weighted portion  125  that is adapted to produce inertia in response to the target being struck by the user. While the weighted portion  125  can be located at a variety of places on the flexible elongate member  112  in an exemplary embodiment, it can be located just proximal to the target  118  on the distal end  112   b  of the flexible elongate member  112 . The weighted portion can also provide additional mass to the device, preferably adding at least 5 grams, more preferably 25 grams or more, such that the overall device can be at least 50 grams to provide greater stability.  
      The weighted portion can be formed integrally with or attached to the flexible elongate member. In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the weighted portion can be a knot  224  that is formed on flexible elongate member  212 . Alternatively, a variety of objects can be attached to the flexible elongate member, such as tape, rubber, plastic members, metal nuts, washers, ball bearings, and wooden members to effect stabilization of the device. The weighted portion can also be any combination of the objects noted above. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the weighted portion can include a metal nut  327  placed just proximal to a knot  324  formed on the flexible elongate member  312 . One skilled in the art will appreciate the variety of ways to provide stabilization of the device when the target is struck by the user.  
      The weighted portion can also be surrounded by a covering that protects the user from injury if the user to contacts the weighted portion, and also allows the user to optionally strike the weighted portion as a target. The covering can have a variety of configurations, and in an exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , it is a ball  26 ,  126 ,  226 ,  326 . Alternatively, the covering can be a member having a square, octagonal, pentagonal, or ovular shape. While the exemplary covering can have a hollow inside; in other embodiments it can include a weighted material, such as sand or water, encased therein to further effect stabilization of the device.  
      In use, the device can be mounted to a support structure such as a tree, stand, fence, wall, ceiling, rail, pole, etc., using any of the mounting techniques discussed above. Once mounted, a user can adjust the height of the target by positioning the flexible elongate member within a sleeve that is received into the mount, and sliding the sleeve therein to achieve the desired target height. Alternatively, for embodiments where a sleeve is not used, the height of the target can be adjusted based upon the placement of the proximal portion of the flexible elongate member within the mount or with respect to the support structure. Moreover, the height of the target can be determined by the length of the flexible elongate member, and the present invention can also include a kit that has flexible elongate members of varying lengths. One skilled in the art will appreciate that there are variety of ways that a user can achieve a desired target height. Once the height is adjusted, the user can strike the target, e.g., the frayed member  18  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), conical member  118  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) and/or the ball  26 ,  126  that covers the weighted portion. As a result, when the device  10 ,  110  is struck, it will absorb and/or dissipate the energy created by the user such that the motion thereof is constrained to a small lateral range, as shown in  FIGS. 5-6 .  
       FIGS. 7A-8  illustrate another exemplary embodiment of the invention. While this is similar to the device  10  as disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6 , it has an anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′ that is adapted to extend from a mount (mount  516  is shown in  FIGS. 7A-7B ). One skilled in the art will appreciate that this embodiment can be used with a variety of target configurations, such a frayed member, a conical member, and/or a covered or uncovered weighted portion. In particular,  FIGS. 7A-7B  illustrate an embodiment where the target can include a frayed member  518  formed on the distal end  512   b  of the flexible elongate member  512 , as well as a covered weighted portion  526  located proximal thereto for stabilization of the device  530 .  FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment where the target can include a conical member  518 ′ formed on the distal end  512   b ′ of the flexible elongate member  512 ′, as well as a covered weighted portion  526 ′ located proximal thereto.  
      Referring back to  FIGS. 7A-7B , the mount  516  can have variety of configurations such that it can couple to a support structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the mount  516  can be in the form of an elongate base portion and can include any combination of hooks, screws, cord clips, suction cups, cables, staples, nails, or adhesives that are either attached thereto or applied thereon to effect coupling with the support structure. As shown, the mount  516  includes screws  532  and hooks  531  that are attached thereto.  
      The mount  516  can also be adapted to receive the anchoring member  530 . While this can be effected in a variety of ways, in an exemplary embodiment, the mount  516  can include a female mating feature  550  that is adapted to receive a proximal portion  530   a  of the anchoring member  530 . Once the anchoring member  530  is received within the female mating feature  550 , it can be further secured using, for example, a fastener, adhesives, or any other securement techniques known in the art. Alternatively, and not shown, the anchoring member can also be integrally formed with the mount and extend therefrom.  
      Extending from the mount  516  is an anchoring member  530 . While the anchoring member  530  can have a variety of configurations, in an exemplary embodiment, it can be adapted to receive the flexible elongate member  512  such that a user can adjust the height of the target  518 . For example, the anchoring member  530  can be a substantially tubular member having a lumen extending therethrough, such as a PVC pipe, metal pipe, fiberglass pipe, or a square tube.  
      The anchoring member can have a variety of lengths depending upon the needs of the user, however in an exemplary embodiment, the anchoring member has a length in the range of about 6 inch to 3 feet, more preferably in the range of about 1 foot to 2 feet. Moreover, the device can include a plurality of anchoring members having different lengths. This is particularly advantageous in that it allows the device to be used for a variety of activities.  
      The anchoring member  530  can also have features to effect a secure hold of the flexible elongate member  512 . For example the anchoring member  530  can include a plurality of holes formed therein that are adapted to receive the flexible elongate member  512  therethrough. While the holes can have a variety of configurations, in an exemplary embodiment they are substantially spherical, and have a diameter that allows the flexible elongate member  512  to be threaded therethrough. Once the flexible elongate member  512  is received through the hole(s), as will be discussed in more detail below, the flexible elongate member  512  can be wrapped around the outer circumference of the anchoring member  530  at least once in a circular fashion and threaded into at least one of the holes formed therein to effect a secure hold thereof. While the anchoring member  530  can have any number of holes formed therein, as shown  FIGS. 7A-7B , it has four holes,  537   a ,  537   b ,  537   c ,  537   d . Moreover, the holes can be arranged in a variety of ways, and in an exemplary embodiment holes are diametrically opposed to one another around the circumference of the anchoring member. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the device can have three holes  537   a ′,  537   b ′,  537   d′.    
      One skilled in the art will appreciate that the device can have a variety of other features to help secure the flexible elongate member within the anchoring member. In one exemplary embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 7A-8 , the device  510 ,  510 ′ can include an end cap  540 ,  540 ′ that is adapted to be placed on the distal end  530   b ,  530   b ′ of the anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′. The end cap  540 ,  540 ′ can have a variety of configurations, and in an exemplary embodiment it has a hole  541 ,  541 ′ formed therein to receive the flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′. While the hole  541 ,  541 ′ can be located in a variety of places on the end cap  540 ,  540 ′, in an exemplary embodiment it is located at the center thereof. This prevents and assures that the flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′ will be free from any entanglements when struck by a user, and can move in a circular motion.  
      This device  510 ,  510 ′ can also be used similarly to that of the devices of  FIGS. 1-6 , however a user can adjust the height of the target  518 ,  518 ′ by moving the position of the flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′ relative to the anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′. In an exemplary embodiment, the flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′ can be threaded through the hole  541 ,  541 ′ in the end cap  540 ,  540 ′. Following the securement of the end cap  540 ,  540 ′ to the anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′, the flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′ can be threaded through at least one hole (for example hole  537   a ,  537   a ′) and be wrapped around the outside of the anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′ in a circular direction, e.g., clockwise, or counter clockwise. This can be done at least once, all the way around. The flexible elongate member  512 ,  512 ′ can then be inserted into another hole (such as hole  537   b ,  537   b ′, for example) formed in the anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′. As a result, the flexible elongate member  530 ,  530 ′ will be secured within the anchoring member  530 ,  530 ′ and the target  518 ,  518 ′ set at a height desired by a user.  
      One skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the invention based on the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims. All publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.