Training bat assembly
OwnerRiley R. Umbrellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A training bat assembly for improving a user's swing of a baseball bat is provided. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a bat portion and a plug or cap portion, where the plug or cap portion is configured to mate with a distal end of the bat portion. For example, the bat may include a circular opening, and the plug may include a circular rod that is configured to fit within the opening. Alternatively, a cap with a circular opening can be used, where the cap is configured to fit over a distal end of the bat. By mating the plug or cap with the bat, and swinging the bat from a first position to a second position, the plug or cap is propelled from the bat, where the resulting location of the plug or cap can be used to determine the correctness of the user's swing was.
Claims20
A training bat assembly, comprising:
- a bat portion comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein a first portion at said proximal end of said bat portion is configured to be gripped by both hands of a user, said bat portion comprising an inner shaft that is accessible via an aperture in said distal end of said bat portion;
- and
- a plug portion comprising a cylindrical rod and a top, wherein said plug portion is configured to mate with said bat portion by sliding said cylindrical rod through said aperture and into said shaft, allowing said top to contact said distal end of said bat portion;
- wherein said top is configured to remain in contact with said distal end of said bat portion when said user holds said bat portion in a first position, and to separate from said distal end of said bat portion when said user swings said bat portion from said first position to a second position, said first position comprising said distal end of said bat portion being behind said user and at a first elevation, and said second position comprising said distal end of said bat portion being in front of said user and at a second elevation, said second elevation being lower than said first elevation;
- and
- wherein said separation results in said plug portion being thrown away from said bat portion, at least one of a direction and a distance of said thrown plug portion indicative of said user's swing of said bat portion from said first position to said second position;
- wherein a diameter of said shaft is larger than a diameter of said cylindrical rod, thereby providing a loose mating between said shaft and said cylindrical rod, allowing gravity to separate said ping portion from said bat portion at least when said bat portion is oriented vertically and said distal end of said bat portion is pointed downward;
- and
- wherein said cylindrical rod has a portion underneath said first portion of said bat portion when said plug portion is mated with said bat portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.