Patent Abstract:
The present concept is a coaching board in combination with an image displayed thereon. The combination includes a planar coaching board with at least one erasable writing surface and a 3-D image displayed on the erasable writing surface. The 3-D image is a graphic depiction of a sports playing area and includes horizontal and vertical features. The image is a perspective view of at least a portion of the playing area shown at an angle of approximately 15° to 85° relative to the horizontal. The sports playing area is chosen from among ice hockey rink, baseball diamond, volleyball court, American football field, soccer pitch, and basketball court.

Full Description:
[0001]    The present invention claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/016,936 filed on Jun. 25, 2014, having inventors David Ronald Foxcroft and Gareth Edwards. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present concept relates to coaching boards and more particularly relates to coaching boards which include a 3-dimensional perspective view of the playing surface. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Within sporting situations Athletic Instructors and Coaches are called upon to deliver clear directives to their participants. These directives often include positioning, coordinating and moving multiple participants relative to one another on the playing surface. These directives may further include coordination of a ball, puck or other sporting equipment to implement a strategy. 
         [0004]    Presently, this coordination is either delivered through oral instruction, manually positioning players on the surface of play, or through a scaled coaching aid such as a miniature model or coaching board. 
         [0005]    These coaching boards minimize the number of independent parts and are often favored by coaches over miniature models for that reason. The boards further appear in various sizing from standard letter paper (8.5 by 11 inches) clip boards, slightly larger carry boards to large wall mounted surfaces. Additionally, these boards typically allow for erasable content on a blank surface or a surface with a two dimensional aerial view of a playing surface showing major markings scaled down appropriately. 
         [0006]    The benefit of a pre-printed two dimensional aerial image of a playing surface is that the instructor is not required to recreate the playing surface every time a new scheme is to be drawn as the playing surface is not erased along with the previous erasable content. 
         [0007]    The limitation of a two dimensional image of a playing surface on coaching aids is that it does not accurately represent the perspective participants have when they are physically on the playing surface. Specifically the depth of play. 
         [0008]    Additionally, the lack of a third dimension prevents instructors from visually delivering directives in the third dimension of play present in many athletic events. For example: a two dimensional board is incompatible with visual directives to play a volleyball to a certain height over the net during a volleyball match. 
         [0009]    Therefore there is a need for a coaching aid that better represents the depth of play a participant would encounter and also a need to facilitate instruction in the third dimension of play. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present concept of a 3-Dimensional Coaching Board having a realistic color, texture and layout designed to display a playing surface that is better representative of a participant&#39;s real-world experience, and unexpectedly allows one to develop a strategy and give meaningful directives in the vertical direction of the playing surface. 
         [0011]    The present concept of 3-dimensional coaching boards have a life-like playing surfaces. For example: the playing surface of the sport of hockey, a hockey rink, appears as a blue color with major marking lines to show skate marks on the ice; or the playing surface for the sport of soccer, a soccer field, shows a true to life grass texture. 
         [0012]    The 3-Dimensional Coaching Board Concept shows a 3 dimensional image allowing for instruction in three dimensions and provides participants with a consistent experience in both teaching and practice. 
         [0013]    The 3-dimensional image is especially important for teaching as it allows instructors to provide a more relevant and genuine demonstration compared to two dimensional images which force participants to rely on their own perception of depth once on the surface of play. 
         [0014]    The present concept a coaching board in combination with an image displayed thereon, the combination comprising:
       a) a planar coaching board with at least one erasable writing surface;   b) a 3-D image displayed on the erasable writing surface, the 3-D image is a graphic depiction of a sports playing area and includes both horizontal features and vertical features in a perspective view;   c) wherein the 3-D image is a perspective view of at least a portion of the playing area shown at a viewing angle of approximately 15° to 85° relative the horizontal.       
 
         [0018]    Preferably wherein the sports playing area is chosen from among ice hockey rink, baseball diamond, volleyball court, American football field, soccer pitch, and basketball court. 
         [0019]    Preferably wherein the horizontal feature includes a playing surface. 
         [0020]    Preferably wherein the playing surface is chosen from among, ice surface, basketball court, volleyball court, baseball diamond, soccer pitch, football field, and basketball court. 
         [0021]    Preferably wherein the vertical features is chosen from among, hockey boards, hockey safety glass, hockey net, soccer net, basketball net, football uprights, volleyball net, and baseball back walls. 
         [0022]    Preferably wherein the 3-D image is a perspective view of at least a portion of the play surface shown at an angle of approximately 35° to 55° relative the horizontal. 
         [0023]    Preferably wherein the playing surface including horizontal features selected from among boundary lines, face off circles, designated areas, and bases. 
         [0024]    Preferably wherein the planar coaching board including a clip board. 
         [0025]    Preferably wherein the planar coaching board includes a carry board. 
         [0026]    Preferably wherein the planar coaching board includes a wallboard. 
         [0027]    Preferably wherein at least one half of playing area is depicted on the planar coaching board. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]    The present concept will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a clipboard displaying a partial 3-Dimensional image of a hockey rink. 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of a front face of a clip board displaying a 2-dimensional image of a hockey playing surface. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a clipboard displaying a partial 3-D image of a hockey rink at a 20 degree angle relative to the horizontal. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a clipboard displaying a partial 3-D image of a hockey rink at a 45 degree angle relative to the horizontal. 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a clipboard displaying a partial 3-D image of a hockey rink at a 85 degree angle relative to the horizontal. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a carry board displaying a partial 3-D image of a football field at a 45 degree angle relative to the horizontal. 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a carry board displaying a partial 3-D image of a volleyball court at a 45 degree angle relative to the horizontal. 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  is a schematic plan view of a back face of a carry board displaying a partial 3-D image of a basketball court at a 45 degree angle relative to the horizontal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]    The present concept a 3-dimensional coaching board is shown generally as  100  in  FIG. 1 . Coaching board  100  may be a clip board, a larger carry board or a very large wall board. In each case the coaching board  100  includes at least one surface which is an erasable writing surface such as a dry erase white board. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1  shows a planar coaching board which in this example is clipboard back face  102  which is an erasable writing surface of a clipboard  101  which has a clipboard periphery  104  and as well shows clipboard fasteners  106 . Clipboard fasteners  106  are normally rivets however they may be any fastening means that are used in the art for fastening the clip mechanism  107  shown in  FIG. 2  to the clipboard  101 . 
         [0039]    The planar coaching board may be a clip board, a carry board as depicted in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  or a wallboard which generally is a planar surface mounted onto a wall. These boards would have at least one dry erasable surface upon which the 3-D image is depicted. 
         [0040]    Depicted on the clipboard back face  102  is a graphic which includes a playing area which in this case is a three dimensional partial depiction of a hockey rink  110  on a two dimensional surface referred to as 3-D image  108 . 
         [0041]    3-D image  108  is a schematic partial view of hockey rink  110  and includes the entire neutral zone  112  as well as the attacking zone  114 . The reader will note that the attacking zone could also be the defending zone depending upon the direction of play. In other words 3-dimensional board  100  could be used to show players that are attacking net  120  or for showing players that are defending net  120 . 
         [0042]    3-D image  108  of hockey rink  110  depict the following features of ice playing surface  122  namely attackers blue line  116 , defenders blue line  124 , center face-off spot  126 , center face-off circle  128 , referees crease  130 , face off spots  132  and center line  134 . 
         [0043]    3-D image  108  also shows an attacking zone  114 , face off spots  136 , face-off circle  138 , goal line  140 , net  120 , goalie restricted area  142  which is sometimes also called the trapezoid as well as goal crease  144 . 
         [0044]    3-D image depicts horizontal features such as the ice playing surface  122  face off circles  138  and  126  and also vertical features such as the backboard  150 , the side boards  146 , and the side and back safety glass  148  and  152 . 
         [0045]    3-D Image  108  also shows peripheral area  111  which includes side boards  146 , side safety glass  148 , back boards  150  and back safety glass  152 . 
         [0046]    Referring now to  FIG. 2  which shows a 2-D image  160  of a hockey playing surface  162  on clipboard front face  164  as well as clip board periphery  104  of clipboard  101 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  also shows clipping mechanism  107  as well as the front portion of clip fasteners  106 . 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  which show schematically a plan view of a back-face of clipboard displaying a partial 3-D image of a hockey rink at different viewing angles relative to the horizontal. 
         [0049]      FIG. 3  for example shows the hockey rink  110  at a viewing angle of 20 degrees relative to the horizontal and the reader will take reference to the back height  302  of the rink length  304  the circle depth  306  and the circle width  308 . 
         [0050]    In  FIG. 4  the back height is shown as  312 , the rink length  314 , the circle depth  314 , the circle depth  316 , and the circle width  318 .  FIG. 4  shows the hockey rink  110  at an angle of about 45 degrees. 
         [0051]    In  FIG. 5  the back height is shown as  322 , the rink length as  324 , circle depth as  326  and the circle width at  328 .  FIG. 5  shows the hockey rink  110  at an angle of about 85 degrees. 
         [0052]    As the viewing angle is lower relative to the horizontal for example at 20 degrees there is significant compression of the rink length  304  and distortion of the centre face-off circle  128  due to the compression of horizontal features. Centre face-off circle  128  actually appears as an ellipse due to the distortion wherein the circle depth  306  is significantly less than the circle width  308 . Additionally the entire rink length  304  is also compressed. Vertical features such as back height  302  however is less distorted since the angle is only 20 degrees from the horizontal and back height  302  almost appears proportionally as the normal height. Back height  302  is comprised of backboard  150  and back safety glass  152 . 
         [0053]    Comparing  FIG. 3  to  FIGS. 4 and 5  one will note that as the viewing angle increases from 20 to 45 and then to 85 the back height  312  in two dimensions decreases significantly such that the back height becomes very small at an 85 degree angle. 
         [0054]    In contrast the rink length  314  and  324  increases on the two dimensional clipboard surface relative to rink length  304  shown in  FIG. 3  as the angle increase from 45 degrees to 85 degrees. 
         [0055]    Centre faceoff circle  128  at the 45 degree viewing angle still appears somewhat elliptical wherein the circle depth  316  is less than the circle width  128  however the rink length  314  is somewhat longer and the back height  312  is somewhat less than back height  302 , on the two dimensional clipboard surface. 
         [0056]    Looking however at the 85 degree viewing angle one will see that the back height  322  has diminished significantly however the centre faceoff circle  128  now looks almost completely circular wherein the circle depth  326  is very close to the circle width  328  and the rink length  324  is at a maximum compared to the other views. 
         [0057]    Therefore in summary at a small viewing angle such as 20 degrees or less there will be significant distortion of the horizontal features shown in the diagram in particular the ice playing surface  122  is length compressed such that the rink length  304  appears shorter and the centre faceoff circle  128  appears more of an ellipse than a circle. The vertical portions of the drawing however such as the backboards  150  and the back safety glass  152  will look more normal and have a relatively normal back height  302 , at 20 degrees as in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0058]    At the 45 degree angle there is some distortion of both the back height  312  and the rink length  314  and the centre faceoff circle  128  however the distortion in both the horizontal and the vertical portions is not extreme. 
         [0059]    In  FIG. 5  for example the back height  322  of back safety glass  152  and back boards  150  is extremely compressed and distorted however the rink length  324  and the centre faceoff circle  128  are less distorted wherein the circle depth  326  compared to the circle width  128  looks more circular and normal. 
         [0060]    Therefore in selecting a viewing angle for 3-D image  108  one can see that at a very low viewing angle such as 20 degrees shown in  FIG. 3  the ice playing surface  122  is badly distorted however the back safety glass  152  and back board  150  is less distorted. At the other extreme for example at a very high viewing angle relative to the horizontal namely 85 degrees shown in  FIG. 5  one will see that the back height  322  is compressed and distorted namely the back safety glass  152  and the back boards  150  appear compressed and short whereas the ice playing surface  122  appears normal having a relatively normal looking rink length and centre faceoff circle. 
         [0061]    The viewing angle of 45 degrees relative to the horizontal depicts a compromise between distortion of the horizontal features of the playing surface namely the ice playing surface  122  and distortion of the vertical features shown in the diagrams namely the backboard and the back safety glass  152 . 
         [0062]    In practice it has been found by the inventor that an angle somewhere between 20 and 80 degrees in usable however the most usable range is roughly between 30 and 70 degrees and the most preferred viewing angle is between 35 degrees and 55 degrees 
       In Use 
       [0063]    3-D image  108  has a number of advantages over for example 2-D image  160  shown in  FIG. 2 . 3-D image  108  shown in  FIG. 1  allows for better depth perception and helps the user visualize the location on the ice. In other words there is a better feel for location and depth with the use of 3-D image  108  as opposed to a 2-D image  160  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0064]    With the use of a 2-D image  160  it is only possible to give a 2-D direction such as to show a 2-D shot and/or instructions in other words on the plane of the ice, in the present example. 
         [0065]    With the use of 3-D image  108  shown in  FIG. 1  it is possible to show not only shot direction and location on for example ice playing surface  122  but one could also show for example use of a shot off of back board  150 , off of back safety glass  152 , off of side boards  146  and/or off of side safety glass  148 . One could for example depict the height and location of the shot on the side  146  or backboards  150  to have the puck rebound to a certain location. These are shots which may in fact be used from time to time depending upon the situation that a team is confronted with. For example it is possible that one may want to use the safety glass  148  or  152  or for example the boards  150  or  146  in attempting to clear out a puck from your own end when you are confronted with a power play situation. It may be possible that one also wants to put the puck off of the back safety glass  152  near the net  120  in order to obtain a rebound which comes just in front of goal crease  144  of net  120 . These types of shots are difficult or impossible to depict with a 2-D image  160  shown in  FIG. 2  however are very possible and easily shown and depicted with 3-D image  108  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0066]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6