# US 10,946,260 B1 · Sporting apparatus training aid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,946,260 B1 - Document ID: US10946260B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/816,970 - Filed: 2020-03-12 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-12 - Applicants: Anthony John Ludovici - Inventors: Anthony John Ludovici - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10946260B1 ## CPC - A63B 69/0002: {for baseball} - A63B 21/0088: {by moving the surrounding air} - A63B 69/38: for tennis {(A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence)} - A63B 60/52: with slits - A63B 2069/0008: {for batting} - A63B 2102/02: Tennis - A63B 2102/18: Baseball, rounders or similar games - A63B 2102/182: {Softball} - A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials - A63B 2225/01: Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages - A63B 2225/09: Adjustable dimensions - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A sporting apparatus training aid having a central wall with an inner surface, an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the cylindrical central wall, and with one or more plate-like side fin(s) radially extending outwardly from the outer surface of the central wall, the training aid also having a plate-like base fin coupled to the side fin(s) at an angle to create air resistance thereon and in multiple directions when a sporting apparatus and the training aid are swung together. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sporting apparatus training aid comprising: a unitary and portable body having a proximal end defining an enclosed proximal opening, a distal end opposing the proximal end and defining an enclosed distal opening, a body length separating the proximal and distal ends, a cylindrical central wall having an inner surface, an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the cylindrical central wall, having a plurality of plate-like side fins radially extending outwardly from the outer surface of the cylindrical central wall, and having a plate-like base fin with an upper surface disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the outer surface of the cylindrical central wall and defining the distal end of the body, interposed between each of the plurality of plate-like side fins, the plurality of plate-like side fins and the plate-like base fin each having a length and a width greater than a thickness of said plurality of plate-like side fins and plate-like base fin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of plate-like side fins are of uniform thickness of approximately 2-10 mm and are disposed at approximately 90° with respect to one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of plate-like side fins span at least 70% of the body length. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spoiling apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein: the cylindrical central wall of the body defines a central placement channel separating the enclosed proximal opening and the enclosed distal opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 4, wherein: the central placement channel tapers in diameter from the enclosed distal opening to the enclosed proximal opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein: the lower surface of the plate-like base fin defines a recessed cavity disposed at the distal end of die body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of plate-like side fins are disposed at equi-distant radial angles to one another and section the plate-like base fin into equal sections. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical central wall extends outwardly passed the lower surface of the plate-like base fin and defines a terminal distal end of the body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 1, wherein: the upper surface of the plate-like base fin extends a length from the outer surface of central wall at least substantially equal to a radial length of the plurality of plate-like side fins. ### Claim 10 A sporting apparatus training aid comprising: a unitary and portable body having a proximal end defining an enclosed proximal opening, a distal end opposing the proximal end and defining an enclosed distal opening, a body length separating the proximal and distal ends, an enclosed central wall having an inner surface, an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the central wall, having a plurality of plate-like side fins radially extending outwardly from the outer surface of the central wall, and having a plate-like base fin interposed between each of the plurality of plate-like side fins and having an upper surface and a lower surface opposing the upper surface of the plate-like base fin and disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the outer surface of the central wall, the plurality of plate-like side fins and the plate-like base fin each having a length and a width greater than a thickness of said plurality of plate-like side fins and plate-like base fin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 10, wherein: the central wall is cylindrical. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 11, wherein: the plate-like base fin also defining the distal end of the body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 12, wherein: the lower surface of the plate-like base fin defines a recessed cavity disposed at the distal end of the body and the plurality of plate-like side fins are disposed at equi-distant radial angles and at approximately 90° with respect to one another to one another and section the plate-like base fin into equal sections. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 13, wherein the central wall is cylindrical and extends outwardly passed the lower surface of the plate-like base fin and defines a terminal distal end of the body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 10, further comprising: a proximal end on each of the plurality of plate-like side fins, a distal end on each of the plurality of plate-like side fins opposite the proximal end on the plate-like side fin, and opposing side surfaces on each of the plurality of plate-like side fins each respectively defining an outer side-fin plane; a lower surface, on the plate-like base fin defining the distal end of the body and the upper surface on the plate-like base fin opposite the lower surface, of the plate-like base fin, the upper surface of the plate-like base fin having the distal end of each of the plurality of plate-like side fins directly coupled thereto. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The sporting apparatus training aid according to claim 10, wherein: the upper surface of the plate-like base fin extends a length from the outer surface of central wall at least substantially equal to a radial length of the plurality of plate-like side fins. ### Claim 17 In combination with a handheld sporting apparatus having an elongated shaft for gripping by a user and defining a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal plane oriented in a shaft direction and through a centroid on the longitudinal axis, wherein the improvement comprises: a unitary body coupled to the sporting apparatus and having a proximal end, a distal end opposing the proximal end, a body length separating the proximal and distal ends, a central wall having an inner surface, an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the central wall, having at least one plate-like, side fin radially extending outwardly from the outer surface of the central wall, with a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end of the at least one plate-like side fin, and opposing side surfaces defining outer side-tin planes oriented in the shaft direction, and having a plate-like base fin with a lower surface and an upper surface opposite the lower surface of the plate-like base fin, the upper surface of the plate-like base fin having the distal end of the at least one plate-like side fin directly coupled thereto and with the upper surface of the plate-like base fin oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the outer surface of central wall, the at least one plate-like side fin and the plate-like side fin and plate-like base fin. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The improvement according to claim 17, wherein: the unitary body is selectively removably coupled to the sporting apparatus. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The improvement according to claim 17, wherein: the upper surface of the plate-like base fin defines a base-fin plane traversing each of the outer side-fin planes, the upper surface of the plate-like base fin extending a length from the outer surface of central wall at least substantially equal to a radial length of the at least one plate-like side fin, the lower surface of the plate-like base fin defining the distal end of the body. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The improvement according to claim 19, wherein the body further comprises: a plurality of plate-like side fins radially extending outwardly from the outer surface of the central wall, the plate-like base fin interposed between each of the plurality of plate-like side fins.