TRAPEZIUM-SHAPED FRONTAL LAUNCHER

Abstract

A device for manually sending and receiving an object such as a ball in the context of a sporting or leisure activity. This launcher is made up of two separate rigid parts (e.g. in the form of sticks) and a flexible trapezium-shaped surface by way of a sending and receiving zone. The object is received by holding the handles sufficiently close together to form a pocket to absorb the impact of the object striking the flexible surface. The object is sent by suddenly drawing the hands apart to the maximum distance permitted by the width of the flexible surface, using their natural fan-like parting movement. It is the tension created by the stretching of this surface which ejects the object and sends it very long distances with only the hands for motive force.

Description

The invention consists of a device known as a trapezium-shaped frontal launcher or TFL.

It is a manual apparatus which serves both to throw an object more or less high and more or less far into the air and to catch it—such as a ball, for example, within the context of a sporting or leisure activity.

The launcher is composed:

• • of two separate rigid parts, for example in the form of rods, which serve as tension bars or sleeves for maintaining the lateral rigidity of the device;
  • of a flexible part having a trapezium shape, which is fixed over the entire length of each of its equal-length sides to one of the two rigid parts; this flexible part serving as an area for throwing and catching the object;

Said rods also serve in part as handles (one for each hand) that can be located in the flexible part or outside the latter.

More precisely, the invention provides a device composed of a flexible part having a trapezium-shaped part such that the distance between the lower ends of the flexible surface is shorter than the distance between the upper ends of said flexible surface, thereby forming a trapezium having two lateral sides of equal length and an upper side parallel to a lower side and having a greater length than said lower side; of two separate rigid parts, for example in the form of rods, which serve as tension bars, and wherein the flexible part is fixed on its equal sides to each of the two rigid parts in order to maintain the lateral rigidity of the device; this flexible part serving as an area for catching and throwing an object.

The device is advantageously configured such that the rigid parts in part form handles, and the form of the flexible surface is designed to stretch uniformly under the action of a fan opening movement by the user moving his hands apart.

Preferably, the flexible part is fixed over the entire length of its equal sides to each of the two rigid parts.

According to one embodiment, said rods in part form handles located in the area of the flexible surface.

The launcher is frontal because it is grasped with one hand on each handle, and catching and throwing take place within the human field of view: it can thus be played with straight away because it is natural, unlike racket sports which are played laterally and with a single handle.

Existing inventions have a flexible surface which has a rectangular form. The tension exerted on the flexible surface is due to the hands being suddenly moved apart to the maximum extent. This tension is exerted over the entire flexible surface in parallel horizontal lines.

In the previous rectangular form, the moving apart that produces maximum tension over the entire flexible surface is a parallel movement. However, the natural way in which a person moves his hands apart to the maximum extent is by fan opening them, the upper arms remaining stuck to the body like the hands of a clock which are spaced apart from one another, and not by using a parallel movement.

The natural way of moving the hands apart them on a rectangular flexible surface thus produces maximum tension in the upper part (stretched and level surface) and very weak tension in the lower part (slack and wavy surface). The result of throwing a projectile is thus uncontrollable, namely it can have a backward or random trajectory with very little power.

Document DE G 93 13 815.6 is an example of such prior art, in which the flexible part is rectangular.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,183 also provides a rectangular flexible part which has the same abovementioned drawbacks.

The invention consists of a device for manually throwing and catching an object, for example a ball, within the context of a sporting or leisure activity.

This launcher is composed of two separate rigid parts (for example in the form of rods) and of an elastic or non-elastic, trapezium-shaped flexible part which serves as a throwing and catching area.

The object is caught by the handles being held close enough together to form a hollow that damps the impact of the drop onto the flexible surface.

The object is thrown by the hands being suddenly moved apart to the maximum extent allowed by the width of the flexible surface, following their natural moving-apart motion, namely by fan opening.

It is the tension created by the extension of this surface which ejects the object and throws it over very great distances with just the hands as driving force.

The trapezium-shaped frontal launcher of the present invention, an example of which is shown in the single FIGURE, remedies this problem on account of the trapezium shape of its flexible surface 1 which is designed such that the distance between the lower ends of the flexible surface is shorter than the distance between the upper ends, the moving-apart motion then being a fan opening movement, following the natural moving-apart motion of the hands.

The rigid parts 2 in the form of rods serve as tension bars following the movement of the hands and stretch the flexible surface 1 until the upper side 1a and the lower side 1b of the flexible surface, the upper side being longer than said short side, are stretched.

The rigid parts in the form of rods according to the example in part form handles 2a, 2b located in the area of the flexible surface, for example in lateral cutouts 3a, 3b in the flexible surface 1.

The device is advantageously configured such that the form of the flexible surface is designed to stretch uniformly under the action of a fan opening movement.

On account of the trapezium-shaped and not rectangular form of the flexible surface, the tension is exerted maximally over the entire surface of the launcher of the present invention in horizontal lines parallel to the two bases (opposite sides of different lengths). The tension is thus at a maximum over all the lines of the flexible surface, the impact of the final spacing apart of the hands being produced at the same time everywhere.

This results in controlled throwing of an object by way of an action, the force and direction of which can be changed.

The projectile is caught by the rigid parts being held close enough together to form a hollow that damps the impact of the projectile dropping onto the flexible surface.

The projectile is thrown by the hands being suddenly moved apart to the maximum extent allowed by the width of the flexible surface, following a natural fan opening movement of the hands and forearms: it is the tension created by the extension of this surface which ejects the projectile over very great distances with just the hands as driving force.

The distance and height of throwing are controlled by the power of the impact of moving the hands apart and the angle produced by inclining the launcher being changed at the moment of ejection of the object thrown.

The invention thus consists of a device for manually throwing and catching an object, for example a ball, within the context of a sporting or leisure activity.

This launcher is composed of two separate rigid parts and of a trapezium-shaped flexible surface that serves as a throwing and catching area.

The object is caught by the handles being held close enough together to form a hollow that damps the impact of the drop onto the flexible surface.

The object is thrown by the hands being suddenly moved apart to the maximum extent allowed by the width of the flexible surface, following their natural moving-apart motion, namely by fan opening.

It is the tension created by the extension of this surface which ejects the object and throws it over very great distances with just the hands as driving force.

Claims

1. A device composed: of a flexible part (1) having a trapezium-shaped part such that the distance between the lower ends of the flexible surface is shorter than the distance between the upper ends of said flexible surface, thereby forming a trapezium having two lateral sides of equal length and an upper side (1a) parallel to a lower side (1b) and having a greater length than said lower side (1b), of two separate rigid parts (2), for example in the form of rods, which serve as tension bars,and wherein the flexible part is fixed on its equal sides to each of the two rigid parts in order to maintain the lateral rigidity of the device; this flexible part serving as an area for catching and throwing an object.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid parts in part form handles (2a, 2b), and the form of the flexible surface is designed to stretch uniformly under the action of a fan opening movement by a user moving his hands apart.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible surface is fixed over the entire length of its equal sides to each of the two rigid parts.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rods in part form handles (2a, 2b) located in the area of the flexible surface.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the handles are located in the area of the flexible surface in lateral cutouts (3a, 3b) in the flexible surface (1).

6. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flexible surface is fixed over the entire length of its equal sides to each of the two rigid parts.

7. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rods in part form handles (2a, 2b) located in the area of the flexible surface.

8. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rods in part form handles (2a, 2b) located in the area of the flexible surface.

9. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said rods in part form handles (2a, 2b) located in the area of the flexible surface.

10. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the handles are located in the area of the flexible surface in lateral cutouts (3a, 3b) in the flexible surface (1).

11. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the handles are located in the area of the flexible surface in lateral cutouts (3a, 3b) in the flexible surface (1).