Patent Application
20120190481
The present invention relates generally to athletic training devices and more specifically to a device that restricts the vision of an athlete during training or practice or learning of a sport in order to improve skill.
Recreational or professional sports often require the development of certain skills related to the sport. Skills may include, for example, running, jumping, coordination, concentration, confidence, or handling a sport element. For purposes of this application, a sport element is anything used in conjunction with playing the sport such as a ball, a puck, or a racquet.
Skills associated with a particular sport include, for example, dribbling a basketball, catching or throwing a baseball, directing a hockey puck or gripping a tennis racquet. Initially, skills are usually learned through instruction from a coach or a friend, from watching others perform the skill, or from a book.
Skills typically include one or more elements such as a mechanic element of bending the knees slightly. As an example, the mechanic element of bending the knees slightly may assist in the skills of shooting a basketball or swinging a racquet “low to high” in tennis groundstrokes. Mastering certain elements associated with a skill typically increases the likelihood of successfully performing the skill altogether.
Generally, mastering a skill requires learning and training—otherwise known as practice—such that it can be performed proficiently and consistently. Practice may allow an athlete to develop the ability to perform the skill with little or no conscious effort, which advantageously allows the athlete to focus on strategy or other aspects of the sport.
The prior art includes certain vision restriction devices to obscure portions of the vision of an athlete for training purposes. One such device according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,869 is an eyeglasses frame where a lower part of the frame protrudes such that the wearer's view is obstructed in the downwardly direction. A disadvantage of this device is interference with prescription glasses or goggles worn by an athlete. An additional disadvantage is that the device may slip off of the athlete's face or slip out of a desired position when an athlete perspires causing the skin to become slippery. A further disadvantage is that a one-size-fits-all frame may not accommodate athletes with various sized heads, i.e., too tight on a large head and too loose on a small head, thereby causing discomfort.
Another vision restriction device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,648,430. With this prior art device, adhesive is used to adhere two separate small devices below the eyes of an athlete. To function properly, these small devices must be appropriately positioned to block the athlete's vision in the downwardly direction. A disadvantage of these devices is that they are not well adapted to multiple uses since adhesive loses its effectiveness after one or more uses.
Practicing a skill with restricted vision assists in training an athlete to direct his or her vision in a particular direction. This is beneficial when, for example, an athlete can benefit from viewing the “field of play” instead of a sport element such as a ball, puck, or racquet. To illustrate, an athlete may wish to practice dribbling a ball with partial vision restriction, so as to improve the ability to dribble without looking at the ball and simultaneously view the field of play. When an athlete views the field of play while dribbling, the athlete may be able to make a more informed decision about making a pass to a teammate, dribbling around an opposing player, taking a shot, or making another move. An athlete with well-developed dribbling skills who consistently views the field of play, and not the basketball, is often a more strategic and improved player.
A demand therefore exists for an improved vision restriction device that facilitates multiple uses, allows an athlete to wear glasses or goggles, maintains a desired position on the athlete, accommodates athletes of all sizes, and assists in training, practicing and learning various skills. The present invention satisfies the demand.
For purposes of this application, the present invention is discussed in reference to a vision restrictor device which may be used during sports, but the discussion is merely exemplary. The vision restrictor device according to the present invention also may be used in any endeavor in which restricting a portion of a person's field of vision may improve a skill or the ability to perform a task. For example, a vision restrictor device may be used for learning to play the piano without looking at the keys or learning to type without looking at a keyboard. For purposes of this application, the term “field of vision” is the angular and linear and areal extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment and includes the line of sight and all peripheral views.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a device for practicing a skill of a sport by restricting or limiting a portion of the person's field of vision. The device trains an athlete to use the skill of straight-ahead vision and to preclude reliance on vision in the downwardly direction. In one example, the vision restrictor device of the present invention permits an athlete to learn and practice the skill of dribbling a basketball without monitoring or looking at the ball. It is well known that it is more efficient for an athlete to look up and ahead while dribbling a basketball without having to look down to follow the ball.
The present invention includes a vision restrictor device formed from a restrictor component and a control component. The vision restrictor device is in an “engaged position” when the control component is positioned in the mouth of an athlete and the attached restrictor component extends outward from the face of the athlete to limit a portion of an athlete's field of vision. Embodiments of a vision restrictor device are generally formed of a simplified construction such that the embodiments can be easily cleaned, stored, and reused.
Embodiments of the restrictor component include a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a back surface along with a first side surface and a second side surface. The front surface of a restrictor component may include a contour portion that is sized and shaped to accommodate the face of an athlete such that when the control component is in an engaged position, the front surface is comfortably positioned in front of or resting near or against the athlete's face. It is contemplated that the contour portion may be of any size such as or small, medium, and large, or may be a one-size-fits-all. The contour portion may be customized for a particular athlete such that the contour portion accommodates the specific shape of his or her face.
It is also contemplated that a liner element may be positioned along the contour portion. The liner element may be constructed of foam such as memory foam or neoprene to name a few. The liner element may provide flexibility such that it can easily form to match the shape of an athlete's face. The liner element may be releasably or fixedly fastened to the restrictor component. In embodiments where the liner element is releasable fastened to the restrictor component, the liner element is releasably attached with a fastener element, such as a pin, hinge, button, screw, bolt, clip, joint, hook, adhesive, VELCRO®, spring, string, male/female configuration, or swivel, to name a few. The liner element may be releasably attached so that it can be washed or replaced or such that various sized liner elements can be interchanged.
In certain embodiments, the restrictor component may include a communication element. Any surface, such as the top surface, may include information to be communicated to the athlete wearing the vision restrictor device. It is also contemplated that information may be communicated through surfaces of the device such as the bottom surface, back surface, or side surfaces to those around the athlete wearing the vision restrictor device. The communication element may communicate information regarding the field of play, an inspirational message, or advice about performing a skill. Additionally, the communication element may be a graph, a play, instructions, design, logo or a chart that can be used to draft plays and illustrate how they are set up and executed.
It is also contemplated that the restrictor component may include a noisemaker element. A noisemaker element provides sounds or audibles such as crowd noises, opponent noises, or natural noises for outdoor sports to name a few. It is contemplated that practicing a skill with audibles from a noisemaker element may improve the athlete's ability to concentrate on performing the skill.
It is also contemplated that the restrictor component may include a support structure element and a filler element such that various filler elements can be interchanged within the support structure element.
Embodiments of a restrictor component may be formed from any material that is sufficiently lightweight such that an athlete may comfortably support it with his or her mouth. Such materials may include, for example, cardboard, foam, Styrofoam®, metal, metal alloy, wood panel, plastic, paper, vinyl, or any combination, to name a few.
The control component secures and controls the position of the vision restrictor device. Embodiments of a control component may be sized and shaped for positioning the control component in an athlete's mouth such that the athlete may control the position of the vision restrictor with, for example, his or her teeth, tongue, or lips.
Embodiments of a control component may be sized and shaped such that the athlete may bite down on a portion of the control component. The control component may be a stick or plate for example. In one embodiment, the control component is a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums, known as a mouthguard such that all or part of an athlete's upper teeth or lower teeth fit within a receptacle. In certain embodiments, the control component may also allow all or part of the tongue or gums of the athlete to be positioned within the receptacle.
Embodiments of a control component may be configured for a specific person or may be sized and shaped for use by any athlete. Embodiments of a control component configured for a specific person may be formed from a mold of an athlete's mouth, mouth roof, teeth, gums, tongue, or any combination thereof. The control component may be of any size such as or small, medium, and large, or may be a one-size-fits-all.
The control component is formed from any non-toxic material that is safe to position in the mouth. Such materials include, for example, plastics such as thermoplastic, ethylene vinyl acetate, poly (vinyl acetate-ethylene) copolymer thermoplastic, polyurethane, and thermoplastic. Edible materials are also contemplated, for example, an edible material that does not disintegrate quickly in the mouth of an athlete in order to allow for use during an extended period of time. It is further contemplated that the control component may be disposable such that it is discarded after use.
Embodiments of an attachment component include any means by which the control component and the restrictor component may be attached. Embodiments of an attachment component may include, for example, pin, hinge, button, screw, bolt, clip, joint, hook, adhesive, weld, VELCRO®, spring, string, male/female configuration, or swivel, to name a few. It is contemplated that that attachment component may fixedly attach the restrictor component with the control component. It is also contemplated that the attachment component may removably attach the restrictor component with the control component so that various sized components may be interchanged. For example, an athlete may attach a selected embodiment of a control component to a selected embodiment of a restrictor component. As another example, the athlete may remove the restrictor component such that the control component can be used as a protective device (i.e., mouthguard).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for efficiently restricting a portion of the field of vision of an athlete, such that the athlete may train, practice and learn various skills.
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the hours of practice necessary to become proficient and consistent at performing skills without viewing a sport element such as a ball or puck.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a training device that is comfortable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a training device that can be easily cleaned, stored, and reused.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a training device that includes components that are interchangeable if desired.
The present invention and its attributes and advantages will be further understood and appreciated with reference to the detailed description below of presently contemplated embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to the limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:
As shown in
In the embodiment of
Embodiments of a control component 104 may be configured such that the athlete 10 is able to control the position of the restrictor component 102. For example, a control component 104 may be sized and shaped such that the control component 104 fits within an athlete's 10 mouth such that the athlete 10 may control the restrictor component 102 with the position of his or her teeth, tongue, or lips. In one embodiment, the control component 104 is known to those skilled in the art as a mouthguard, or a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums.
The embodiments of a control component 104 shown in
Embodiments of a restrictor component 102 may be comprised of a surface configured to convey information through a communication element 143. Such a surface may be viewed by the athlete and include information including, for example, the field of play, an inspirational message, advice about performing a skill, a graph, a play, instructions, design, logo or a chart that can be used to draft plays and illustrate how they are set up and executed.
In the embodiment shown in
As mentioned above, the embodiment of
The attachment component of
Embodiments of a vision restrictor device 100 further may include a liner element 140 as shown in
Also shown in
As shown in
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have herein been described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
