1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a batting practice apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional vertical batting practice apparatus, as shown in
The objective of this invention is to offer a batting practice apparatus, which includes a base, a batting unit, an air-pump unit and at least one suction unit. The base is formed with a fixed portion, a tubular portion formed to extend from an upper side of the fixed portion, and a recessed accommodating groove formed under the upper side of the fixed portion. The tubular portion has its free end bored with an internal hole communicating with the accommodating groove and having its circumferential side defined by a circumferential wall, which is bored with an exhaust aperture. The batting unit is mounted on the free end of the tubular portion, having one end positioned in the internal hole of the tubular portion. The air-pump unit is installed in the interior of the internal hole of the tubular portion and connected with one end of the batting unit for carrying out interaction. The suction unit is set in the accommodating groove of the base, connected and communicated with another end of the air-pump unit.
The batting practice apparatus in the present invention can be installed on any flat surface for use. When receiving external force, the batting unit will be driven to swing bias and actuate the air-pump unit to pump air out of the suction unit and then exhaust the air out of the base through the exhaust aperture to form a vacuum chamber between the suction unit and the flat surface for increasing the suction strength of the suction unit, needless to add necessary weight to the batting practice apparatus and able to elevate mobility of the batting practice apparatus.
This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A first preferred embodiment of a batting practice apparatus in the present invention, as shown in
The base 10 is formed with a fixed portion 11, a tubular portion 12 formed to extend upward from an upper side of the fixed potion, and an accommodating groove 13 formed under the upper side of the fixed portion. The tubular portion 12 has a free end provided with an internal hole 14 bored downward axially to communicate with the accommodating groove 13 and defined by a circumferential wall 121 of the tubular portion. An exhaust aperture 122 is bored in the circumferential wall 121 to communicate with the outside.
The interconnecting unit 20 is pivotally assembled on the interior side of the circumferential wall 121 of the tubular portion 12, consisting of a pivotal rod 21 and a universal joint 22. The pivotal rod 21 is rotatably combined with the circumferential wall 121 via the universal joint 22.
The batting unit 30 is fixed on the topside of the base 10 and used for batting. The batting unit 30 is formed with a batting target portion 31 made of elastic material and shaped as an oval ball. The batting target portion 31 has a lower side extended downward to bond with an elastic post 32 whose free end is positioned in the internal hole 14 and pivotally connected with the pivotal rod 21 at a location adjacent to the universal joint 22. When receiving external force, the batting target portion 31 will be actuated to bend upward and swing elastically.
The air-pump unit 40 is installed in the internal hole 14, and formed with a seat 41 having an interior hollow chamber 42. The seat 41 has its upper portion bored with a through hole 43 communicating with the hollow chamber 42, its lower portion provided with an air-pump valve 44 communicating with the hollow chamber 42 and its circumferential wall provided with an exhaust valve 45 corresponding to the exhaust aperture 122. The hollow chamber 42 is assembled therein with a pull member 46, an elastic member 47 and a piston 48 having its outer surface closely contacting with the wall of the hollow chamber 42. The pull member 46 is inserted through the through hole 43 and has two ends respectively connected with the free end of the pivotal rod 21 and the piston 48 so that the piston 48 can be actuated to interact with the batting unit 30 by means of the pivotal rod 21 and shift up and down axially in the hollow chamber 42, while the elastic member 47 is positioned between the through hole 43 and the piston 48. In this preferred embodiment, the air-pump valve 44 and the exhaust valve 45 are non-return valves while the pull member 46 is a pull rope, and the elastic member 47 is a spring.
The suction unit 50 is disposed in the accommodating groove 13 of the base 10, connected and communicated with the air-pump unit 40, and composed of a suction cup 51 and a connecting pipe 52. The suction cup 51 contains a cup body 511 and a valve 512 firmly connected together, having an air chamber 513 formed between the cup body 511 and the valve 512. The cup body 511 has a topside bored with a through hole 514 communicating with the air chamber 513, while the connecting pipe 52 has two ends respectively communicating with the air-pump valve 44 and the through hole 514.
In use, referring to
A second preferred embodiment of a batting practice apparatus in the present invention, as shown in
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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