Overspeed trainer system
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Dieter, Patricia Eiting, Polly James
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A single-handed overspeed trainer system that detachably tethers an athlete to a trainer through a substantially quiet, non-hook and loop material, release structure is disclosed. In one embodiment, the athlete wears a belt with a substantially rigid loop extending therefrom. The trainer holds one end of a tether that contains a retractable pin toward its opposite end. The pin holds the rigid loop of the belt until the pin is retracted by the trainer, preferably when the tether's handle is released by the trainer.
Claims19
An overspeed training system for detachably tethering an athlete to one hand of a trainer, the overspeed training system comprising:
- an elongate flexible tether having a first end configured to be detachably secured to a belt worn by the athlete and a second end having a handle grippable by one hand of the trainer;
- a release mechanism configured to detachably connect said first end of the elongate tether from the belt, wherein said release mechanism is configured to be automatically activated upon the trainer releasing the one hand from said handle resulting in a tension on a biasing structure of the release mechanism;
- and
- wherein the first end of the elongate tether comprises a flap portion having:
- a first aperture located on a first end of the flap portion;
- a second aperture located on a second end of the flap portion, wherein the first and the second apertures are substantially aligned along a longitudinal length of the tether, such that the first end of the flap portion is configured to be traversed through a portion of the belt and substantially vertically realigned with the second end of the flap portion, such that the first and the second apertures are aligned along a vertical axis;
- and
- a rigid structure extending over the first aperture along the vertical axis and configured to extend through the second aperture when the first and the second ends of the flap portion are vertically aligned.
An overspeed training system for detachably tethering an athlete to one hand of a trainer, the overspeed training system comprising:
- an elongate flexible tether having a first end configured to be detachably secured to a belt of an athlete, wherein the first end of the elongate tether comprises a flap portion having:
- a first aperture located on a first end of the flap portion;
- a second aperture located on a second end of the flap portion, wherein the first and the second apertures are substantially aligned along a longitudinal length of the tether, such that the first end of the flap portion is configured to be traversed through a portion of said belt and substantially vertically realigned with the second end of the flap portion, such that the first and the second apertures are aligned along a vertical axis;
- and
- a rigid structure extending over the first aperture along the vertical axis and configured to extend through the second aperture when the first and the second ends of the flap portion are vertically aligned;
- a handle proximate to a second end of the tether, said handle grippable by one hand of a trainer;
- and
- a release mechanism configured to detachably connect said first end of the elongate tether from said belt, wherein the release mechanism comprises:
- a pin having an engaged position in which the pin traverses through the rigid structure in a direction along the longitudinal length of the tether configured to retain the first and the second apertures in alignment along the vertical axis;
- wherein said release mechanism is configured to be automatically activated upon a trainer releasing one hand from said handle, thereby permitting the pin to move to a disengaged position in which the first and second apertures are no longer retained in vertical alignment and permitting said belt to separate from the first end of the flap portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.