Patent Application
20220314094
The present invention is in the technical field of sports training devices. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of devices meant to train players to shoot a basketball at a basketball goal more accurately.
Basketball was invented by a Canadian man living in New England in 1891 as way of keeping his players in shape during the cold new England winters. It has become popular worldwide and even became an Olympic Sport in 1904. Deceptively simple, the game requires years of practice to become an effective player.
Teaching the mechanics of the shooting process generally involves an emphasis on proper foot alignment, leg position, hand position, arm angle, and follow through. Traditionally, the process of learning to shoot a basketball with a high degree of accuracy has depended heavily on the player's own intuition, i.e., their touch or feel for the shot. This process begins and ends with the player's eyes on the target which of course is the basketball goal. A number of devices have been invented to attach to a basketball goal to help the player visualize or aim their shot. Typically, these devices consist of some form of target that attaches to the goal and gives the player something else to aim for other than the basketball rim. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,381 issued to Mark Hackett describes a ball that attaches to the basketball goal rim such that the ball is suspended over or in the approximate center of the basketball rim thereby giving the player a target that otherwise would not exist. U.S. Pat. No. 9,782,650 issues to Alex Holcomb describes a device that attaches to the rim of a basketball goal and provides targets hung from slits in the device. Other devices are designed to obstruct the goal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,927 issued to Timothy Cahill describes a device that fits over the basketball rim and provides a platform off which players are to bounce the ball. These devices have a number of drawbacks, but most relevant to this particular invention, is the failure to teach the player to focus on the arc of their shot towards the goal.
As a result, none of these devices teach the player how to shoot the ball. They merely teach the player how to aim the ball at the goal. The mechanics of getting the ball to the goal are not even addressed by such devices. What is needed in the field is a device that trains a player to shoot the ball at the goal properly rather than just giving them another target at which to aim their shot.
Not surprisingly a lot of research has gone into training people to shoot a basketball through a hoop effectively. Alan Marty is one such individual that has gathered information from professional and amateur players alike regarding how they throw the ball through the hoop. What Marty and his team found is that most good shooters have a consistent arc to their shots. First, they discovered, not surprisingly, that good shooters shoot the ball straight at the goal. Second, they discovered that most of these players' shots entered the basketball rim at an angle of 45 degrees (to the flat plane in which the rim of the goal rests).
Alan Marty and his team developed the Noah system for basketball training which uses a computer operated device that sits on the wall and can detect a player's shot, measure the angle of the player's arc when they release the ball and announce that angle to the player in real time. However, this system costs thousands of dollars and depends on delicate electronics. Moreover, while this device provides players with feedback, it does not give them a target to aim for when practicing their shot. The present inventor saw a need in the field for a more cost-effective device that doesn't merely monitor a player's shooting but serves to help the player aim their shot properly, thereby helping them develop the muscle memory necessary to be an effective shooter.
The inventor has created a stand-alone device that can be movably positioned in front of a goal to provide an elevated target between the player and the goal thereby giving the player a target positioned where the arc of a properly aimed shot would peak. More specifically, the inventor's basketball training device provides an elevated target over which the player shoots the ball. In providing such a target, the player learns to aim their shot, not just by looking at the goal or something that is attached to the goal but rather by focusing on the arc of the shot itself. This is a critical feature of the presently disclosed device as the inventor has determined this teaching method to be far superior to any taught by the prior art.
The device is an elevated target which in most embodiments is supported by a base and/or an elongated mast. Preferred embodiments of the device feature a bar or “arm” extending horizontally away from the rest of the device. In most embodiments, the horizontal arm presents the target over which the player is trained to shoot the ball. When positioned correctly, the bar forces the player to aim their shot with the correct arc, thereby allowing the ball to enter the goal at approximately a 50-to-70-degree angle—the optimal angle as determined by the inventor.
In some embodiments, the arm itself serves as the player's target. However, the inventor has found that aiming the ball such that it would pass right over the horizontal bar was intimidating or difficult for most players as it is rather natural for them to refrain from shooting the ball at an object that will deflect the shot away from the goal. As a result, preferred embodiments of the arm include a physical structure of some kind integrated into the arm and serving as the target. Preferred embodiments of the target include one or more posts or rods extending vertically from a portion of the arm. The two posts extending vertically up from the horizontal bar form a target with an open top, similar to the field goal posts on a football field. Still other versions of the device include coloring the portion of the horizontal bar between the two upright vertical posts and/or the vertical posts themselves such that they are a different color than the rest of the device. Such a configuration gives the shooter a means of lining up the shot to produce a straight shot to the goal even with the player not aiming their shot directly at the goal when taking their shot.
Other features of the device include means to raise and lower the target. In preferred embodiments, the arm is connected to a mast that is configured to telescope or extend and retract. In some embodiments, the means to adjust the height of the bar includes a winch operably connected to a portion of the mast. In preferred embodiments, the mast is a two-part structure made of a mast and a sleeve. The mast extends vertically up and away from the base of the device. The sleeve inserts over the exterior of the mast and is operably connected to a winch such that turning a crank on a winch causes the sleeve to move up or down with respect to the mast, which is stationary.
More specifically, the device features a winch that winds and unwinds a cable running from the winch over a pulley to a point of connection to the sleeve that fits over the mast. Turning the winch has the effect of pulling the cable and providing tension at the point of connection between the cable and the sleeve. The sleeve is thus pulled up over the mast as the winch is tightened and is lowered back over the mast when the winch is unwound and the tension on the cable is at least partially released. The winch thereby allows someone to raise and lower the sleeve with respect to the mast.
One entirely optional feature of the device would include height measurements or some other means of marking on the outside of the telescoping pole so that its height can be easily ascertained. As a skilled artisan could imagine, any number of means could be used to mark the outside of the pole including decals and engravings in the surface of the pole itself. The markings need not be height measurements and are used to keep track of the position of the horizontal bar from one use to another. Doing so allows the user to keep a record of the height of the device so they can return the device to the same position with ease the next time they use the device.
The telescoping mast supports the horizontal arm featuring the target and thereby supports it while it is hung in front of the player. More specifically, the arm is attached to the sleeve that fits over the outer surface of the mast so that when the sleeve is raised, the arm featuring the target is raised. In embodiments that eliminate the arm, the target can be connected directly to the slide tube. Either configuration allows the winch to raise or lower the target through manipulation of the winch.
This configuration also facilitates the positioning of the arm with respect to the player once the height of the arm has been adjusted. Attaching the arm to a sleeve that is capable of pivoting or turning around the central axis of the mast allows the user to spin the sleeve around to position the arm as desired. Another purely optional feature of the device is a pull strap attached to the rotating arm. This pull strap makes it easy for the user to adjust the position of the horizontal bar. Pulling on the strap allows the user to pivot or rotate the horizontal bar around the mast thereby moving it out of the way or into position in front of the shooter.
The base can take on many variations, but at a minimum it is a base that can physically hold the mast (and horizontal arm) securely in place. Preferred embodiments of the base have wheels to allow the stand to be rolled into place. In addition, the base can have locking mechanism on the wheels to lock the stand and device in place once positioned where desired. The device can be wheeled out of the way when not in use.
The device is designed to be disassembled and stored. The mast and horizontal arm can be separate structures that are joined together, or they can be one unitary piece. In preferred embodiments, the lower end of the mast engages with a bracket located on the base. The mast is engaged with the bracket and raised into place. A locking mechanism can be used to lock the mast into the bracket and thus in an upright position. The base can also feature additional angled supports that connect at one end to the base and at the other end to the mast to provide additional support to the mast. In some versions, there are four such angled supports that attach to the mast from four different positions on the base.
The following discussion will illustrate the use of the device. If a player is training to shoot from the free throw line for example, then one or more coaches, trainers or other players can line up on either side of the foul line while the player shoots a couple of baskets. That gives the observers a chance to observe where the arc of the player's shot is at its peak. The device is then positioned at a point on the floor located above the point where the arc of the player's shot should be at its peak.
Once the device has been positioned in front of the player and at the correct distance between the player and the goal, the trainer uses a winch to extend the sleeve until the horizontal arm is at a desired height. As mentioned above, preferred embodiments of this training device include one or more straight rods extending vertically from the horizontal arm. In preferred embodiments, there are two such rods extending upward from the horizontal arm. In the inventor's anticipated best mode of the training device, there are two rods extending 24 inches above the horizontal arm, that are located 18 inches apart from each other and are painted a bright color or a color that contrasts with the color of the rest of the device. Most players, the inventor has found, do not feel comfortable aiming their shot right above the horizontal arm itself or trying to shoot the ball between the two posts. Most players are not used to a structure being positioned between them and the basket that serves as both an obstacle and a target. Therefore, if the player's shot is lined up correctly, it will pass a spot that is above the center of the portion of the arm that features the two vertical rods and will not contact any portion of the device when being shot.
The device trains the player to aim the shot by focusing on the arc the ball makes as it travels from the player's hands to the goal. When positioned correctly, the ball passes above the horizontal arm without touching the device. The height at which the device is set will vary depending on the height and the arm length of the player. Normally a player only has the goal itself to aim at and does not have any point of reference for analyzing the arc of their shot. With this device, the player or their coach can raise or lower the horizontal arm such that the player's arc changes as they shoot the ball over the horizontal arm. The height and position of the device can be changed until the player's shot demonstrates the correct arc and the player, when lining up the shot correctly, consistently makes a basket.
As the player continues to shoot the ball, the observers can adjust the position of the device on the court as well as the height of the arm and target. The base of the device includes a sliding indicator or post, that extends vertically downwards toward the floor from the underside of the base and contains a measuring device such as a measuring tape. When the observers and/or player conclude that the device has been positioned properly on the court, then the indicator can be used to measure the location of the device on the court with respect to another landmark on the court. That way, when the player desires to use the device on a later date, there is a record of how the device was positioned when last used.
Accordingly, the principal object of the invention is to provide a device that trains a player to shoot a basketball at a basketball goal by focusing on the arc the ball makes when shot.
Another object of the invention is to provide a basketball training device that can be disassembled and stored when not in use.
Another object of the present invention to provide a basketball training device that can be customized to the individual player's physiology, for example, their height and arm length.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the figures and the following description.
In some embodiments, the horizontal arm 15 is an L-shaped structure that has one arm of the “L” resting on a plate 20 that is connected to the sleeve 13. In some embodiments, the arm 15 is attached in more than one location. For example, some embodiments have a separate plate 20 that fixes the “corner” of the “L” to the sleeve 13 near the top of the sleeve 13 in addition to the support plate 20 that attaches the lower end of the L-Shaped arm to the rest of the sleeve 13. The horizontal arm 15 must be attached to the sleeve 13 to raise and lower the horizontal arm 15 using the winch.
Preferred embodiments of the arm 15 include an axle 22 running vertically through the center or longitudinal axis of the vertical portion of the L-shaped arm 15 (see
In addition,
The configuration of the base 11 can be varied as desired, but preferred embodiments of the device include a base with four bracing angles 32 extending away from the center of the base 11. The center of the base 11 features the bracket 27 or other means of attaching the mast 12 to the base. While the mast 12 could be permanently fixed to the base 11 doing so would be undesirable as one of the objects of the invention is to provide a device that can be disassembled for storage. The bracing angles 32 provide additional stability to the rest of the device 10, which can be rather top heavy. Some embodiments of the base 11 also include weights added to or integrated into the base 11 for more stability.
The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, the ability to train a basketball player to shoot the ball by focusing exclusively or almost exclusively on the arc of the shot, i.e. the path of the ball to the goal. Other advantages include ease of use and the ability to move the device and/or partially disassemble it for storage or transport. In addition, since the device does not directly attach to or interact with the basketball goal making it universally adaptable to any court or basketball goal. The device described in this invention is not specific to amateur, college or professional play, but rather can be used on virtually any sized basketball court.
Reference throughout the specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout the specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
It is understood that the above described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment, including the best mode, is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, if any, in conjunction with the foregoing description.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.
