# US 11,439,883 B2 · Football sled adapter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,883 B2 - Document ID: US11439883B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/070,792 - Filed: 2020-10-14 - Published: 2021-04-15 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-15 - Assignees: Double J Inventors LLC - Applicants: Double J Inventors LLC - Inventors: Jeremy Felt; Jesse Hoisington - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439883B2 ## CPC - A63B 69/34: {Tackling, blocking or grappling dummies, e.g.} boxing or {wrestling or American-} football dummies - A63B 71/023: {Supports, e.g. poles} - A63B 2071/009: {Protective housings covering the working parts of the apparatus} - A63B 2214/00: Training methods - A63B 2225/09: Adjustable dimensions - A63B 2243/007: American football - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract An adapter for a football sled may enable multi-directional movement of a pad of the football sled. That is, the disclosed adapter may comprise a joint coupled between a base and a pad support of the football sled, and the joint may facilitate multi-directional movement of the pad, which is mounted to the pad support, relative to the base. The adapter may also comprise a biasing member coupled to the joint that is configured to bias the joint toward a non-deflected position (e.g., a standard, at rest position). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adapter for a football sled, the adapter comprising: a joint configured to be coupled between a base and a pad support of the football sled, the joint configured to enable multi-directional movement of a pad, mounted to the pad support, relative to the base; and a biasing member coupled to the joint and configured to bias the joint toward a non-deflected position; wherein the football sled is configured to be pushed from a front side of the football sled parallel to an impact axis extending through a front surface of the pad support; wherein the joint comprises: a first portion rotatably coupled to the base via a first pin; and a second portion rotatably coupled to the pad support via a second pin, wherein the first pin is oriented orthogonal with respect to the second pin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises at least one of a shock and a strut. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The adapter of claim 3, wherein the at least one of a shock and a strut comprises a plurality of shocks or a plurality of struts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, wherein the joint comprises a u-joint. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, wherein the joint comprises a ball joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a deflection limiter coupled to the joint. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein the deflection limiter is adjustable to provide a variable range of motion. ### Claim 9 A football sled comprising: a base configured to engage a ground surface; a pad support extending from a pad; and an adapter coupled between the base and the pad support, wherein the adapter comprises a joint, a first portion of the joint is rotatably coupled to the base via a first pin, and a second portion of the joint is rotatably coupled to the pad support via a second pin, wherein the first pin is oriented orthogonal with respect to the second pin, the adapter configured to enable multi-directional movement of the pad relative to the base; wherein the football sled is configured to be pushed from a front side of the football sled parallel to an impact axis extending through a front surface of the pad. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The football sled of claim 9, wherein the multi-directional movement comprises at least pitch and roll of the pad relative to the base. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The football sled of claim 9, wherein the multi-directional movement further comprises yaw of the pad relative to the base. ### Claim 12 A method of assembling a football sled, the method comprising: coupling a first portion of a joint of an adapter to a base of the football sled with a first pin; and coupling a second portion of the joint of the adapter to a pad support of the football sled with a second pin, wherein the first pin is oriented orthogonal with respect to the second pin, the adapter is configured to enable multi-directional movement of the first portion of the joint relative to the second portion of the joint, and the football sled is configured to be pushed parallel to an impact axis extending through a front surface of the pad support. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising coupling a biasing member to the joint of the adapter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising coupling a deflection limiter to the adapter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein the deflection limiter comprises an adjustable leg and a corresponding stop configured to limit the deflection of the pad support. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, wherein the biasing member surrounds the joint. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The adapter of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a coil spring and the joint is configured to be received at least partially within the coil spring. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The adapter of claim 3, wherein the joint comprises a ball joint, and the at least one of a shock and a strut comprises a plurality of shocks or a plurality of struts circumferentially distributed around the ball joint. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The adapter of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is configured to be compressed between a first surface of the second portion and a second surface of the base, and the first surface and the second surface are opposing facing surfaces.