Patent Application
20150360108
The present invention is related to sporting equipment in general and in particular to a device for practicing bowling.
Many persons interested in learning a sport or in improving their proficiency in a sport with which they are familiar employ practice devices. The sport of bowling has been played for thousands of years. Bowling today generally involves rolling a bowling ball down a bowling lane towards ten bowling pins arranged at the end of the lane. With better technique and warm-up, a bowler may be able to knock down more or even all of the pins. Therefore, a person who desires to learn the game or practice and improve certain skills in bowling, such as, for example, the swing, the release and the follow-through, have had to attend a conventional bowling alley.
When attending a conventional bowling alley, it is frequently necessary to pay for each lane of bowling and, as is the case in many sports, the cost of the lanes is increasing and in many cities has increased to a level where it is becoming impractical, or at least highly burdensome to pay the cost in order to practice certain skills. Moreover, with the ever-increasing popularity of the sport of bowling, which has given rise to an ever-increasing number of leagues which use the available bowling alleys, it is becoming more and more difficult to obtain the use of a bowling alley at a convenient time. The present invention solves these and other problems in a novel and unique fashion.
A bowling practice device which allows individuals a means by which to practice those techniques required to improve their bowling abilities is disclosed. The bowling practice device comprises an inflatable frame that houses a separate floor piece, panel pieces and a rear wall which once inserted and placed interiorly within the inflatable frame add the appropriate stiffness and structure for placement of a targeting cushion wherein a user may throw a bowling bowl into for practicing.
In use, the bowling practice device may be set up for the beginning bowler, league bowler, or the advance bowler. By placing the targeting cushion in a proper orientation within the inflatable bowling practice device frame, it allows more targeting for the beginning bowler, who has to attain proficiency in their release and targeting. The targeting cushion may also have imprinted targeting markers for allowing a league to practice ball placement at a particular board, as is typically displayed on a bowling lane.
In view of the foregoing, a principal object of the present invention is a bowling practice device suitable for home use.
Another object of the present invention is a bowling practice device which may be used on a conventional home floor, rug or carpet.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the drawings in which:
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In use, the bowling practice device 10 may be set up for the beginning bowler, League bowler, or the advance bowler. By placing the Targeting Cushion 12 at a proper location within the bowling practice device 10, it allows more targeting for the beginning bowler, who has to attain proficiency in their release and targeting. The targeting cushion 12 may also have imprinted targeting markers (not shown) for allowing a league bowler (not shown) to practice ball placement at a particular board, as is typically displayed on a bowling lane.
The targeting cushion 12 and bowling practice device 10 are sized to allow for a 10″×10″ area for the advanced Bowler to place an 8½″ Bowling Ball. As described above, the targeting markers (not shown), may be utilized to indicate different board targeting for the different bowling lane patterns. The bowling practice device 10 may be utilized by either left or right handed bowlers, by standing on the left or right of the bowling practice device 10 and adjusting the targeting cushion 12 to the appropriate board as it would be on a bowling lane.
There are numerous ways the bowling practice device 10 may be fabricated, As an example and described above, the bowling practice frame 186 may be made to from a material such that it is inflatable. Alternatively, the bowling practice frame 18 may be made from wood or other hard material with walls made of cushions to absorb the impact of a bowling ball during use. An additional pad may be placed behind the targeting cushion 12 thereby causing the bowling ball to roll back to the bowler. The targeting cushion 12 could hang down from a rod or hooks. Lastly, the floor piece 24 of the bowling practice device 10 may be fabricated to appear like wood thereby resembling a bowling alley.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, but to include as many substitutions as may be incorporated in the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention incorporated therein. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited to the embodiments described but be determined by reference to the claims hereinafter provided and their equivalents.
