Baseball Training Assembly

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIE THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to training devices and more particularly pertains to a new training device for training a proper swing of a baseball bat.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pair of elbow braces. Each of the elbow braces is worn around an associated one of a user's elbows. A belt is provided and the belt is worn around the user's waist. A connection unit is coupled to the belt. The connection unit is centrally positioned on the user's back when the belt is worn. A plurality of elastic bands is provided. Each of the elastic bands is coupled between the connection unit and an associated one of the elbow braces. Thus, each of the elastic bands retains the user's elbows in a selected position corresponding to a preferred geometry with respect to swinging a baseball bat.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baseball training assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure in a right handed configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure in a left handed configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new training device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the baseball training assembly 10 generally comprises a pair of elbow braces 12. Each of the elbow braces 12 may be worn around an associated one of a user's elbows 14. Each of the elbow braces 12 comprises a sleeve 16 that may be worn around the user's elbow 14. The sleeve 16 is comprised of a resiliently stretchable material and the sleeve 16 has an outer surface 18.

Each of the elbow braces 12 includes a plurality of bracings 20. Each of the bracings 20 is coupled to the outer surface 18 of the sleeve 16 of the corresponding elbow brace 12. The bracings 20 intersect each other on the sleeve 16. Each of the bracings 20 biases the sleeve 16 to form comfortably around the user's elbow 14 at approximately a right angle. Thus, each of the elbow braces 12 inhibits the associated user's elbow 14 from hyper extending.

Each of the elbow braces 12 includes a fastener 22 and the fastener 22 is coupled to one of the bracings 20. The fastener 22 is centrally positioned along the sleeve 16. Thus, the fastener 22 is aligned with the user's elbow 14 when the sleeve 16 is worn. The fastener 22 may be a loop, an ergonomically fitting connector or the like. Moreover, the fastener 22 may be comprised of a rigid material. The pair of elbow braces 12 includes a left brace 24 and a right brace 26. The left brace 24 is worn on the user's left arm. The right brace 26 is worn on the user's right arm.

A belt 28 is provided and the belt 28 is worn around the user's waist 30. The belt 28 has a first end 32, a second end 34, an outwardly facing surface 36, a top edge 38 and a bottom edge 40. The first end 32 is matable to the second end 34. An attachment may be coupled to the first end 32 of the belt 28 and the attachment may engage the second end 34 of the belt 28. The attachment may be a buckle and any other mechanical fastener.

A connection unit 42 is provided and the connection unit 42 is coupled to the belt 28. The connection unit 42 is centrally positioned on the user's back 44 when the belt 28 is worn. The connection unit 42 includes a panel 46. The panel 46 is coupled to the outwardly facing surface 36 of the belt 28.

The connection unit 42 includes a pair of attachments 48. Each of the attachments 48 is coupled to the panel 46. Moreover, the attachments 48 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed between the top edge 38 and the bottom edge 40 of the belt 28. Each of the attachments 48 is centrally positioned on the belt 28. The

The connection unit 42 includes a plurality of first couplers 50. Each of the first couplers 50 is coupled to the panel 46. Each of the first couplers 50 are centrally located on the belt 28. Moreover, each of the first couplers 50 is positioned between the attachments 48. Each of the first couplers 50 may include a plate and a pair of fasteners. Moreover, the plurality of first couplers 50 may include a right coupler 52 and a left coupler 54 and the plurality of first couplers 50 may be arranged and adjusted in variety of arrangements corresponding to maximum ergonomic efficiency.

A second coupler 56 is movably coupled to the outwardly facing surface 36 of the belt 28. The second coupler 56 is selectively positioned at a selected point between the first end 32 of the belt 28 and the second end 34 of the belt 28. A third coupler 58 is movably coupled to the outwardly facing surface 36 of the belt 28. The third coupler 58 is positioned closer to the second end 34 of the belt 28 than the first end 32 of the belt 28.

A plurality of elastic bands 60 is provided. Each of the elastic bands 60 is coupled between the connection unit 42 and an associated one of the elbow braces 12. Thus, each of the elastic bands 60 retains the user's elbows 14 in a selected position corresponding to a preferred physical relationship with respect to swinging a baseball bat 61. Each of the elastic bands 60 is comprised of a resiliently stretchable material. Moreover, each of the elastic bands 60 may have an elastic strength ranging between ten lbs. and one hundred lbs.

Each of the elastic bands 60 has a first end 62 and a second end 64. Each of the elastic bands 60 includes a mating member 66. The mating member 66 is coupled to the first end 62 of the associated elastic band 60. The plurality of elastic bands 60 includes a right elastic band 68 and a left elastic band 70. Each of the right 68 and left 70 elastic bands is coupled between the connection unit 42 and an associated one of the right 26 and left 24 braces. The mating member 66 may be a mating member, a mechanical engagement or any other conventional mating member.

In an alternative embodiment 72 as shown in FIG. 5, a vest 74 may be provided and the vest 74 may be worn on the user's torso. The vest 74 may have a rear side 76 and the rear side 76 may abut the user's back 44. The connection unit 42 may be coupled to the rear side 76 of the vest 74. A pair of adjustment straps 78 may be provided. Each of the adjustment straps 78 may be coupled to the vest 74 to adjust a size of the vest 74.

The connection unit 42 may have a vertical portion 80 extending upwardly from the connection unit 42. The vertical portion 80 may be selectively positioned at a selected point on the connection unit 42. A second attachment 82 may be slidably coupled to the vertical portion 80 thereby facilitating the second attachment to slid upwardly and downwardly on the vertical portion 80. A selected one of the elastic bands 60 may be extended upwardly through the second attachment 82. Thus, the selected elastic band 60 retains an associated one of the user's elbows 14 in the selected position. The second bridge 82 may be oriented perpendicular to the pair of attachments 48 on the connection unit 42.

In use, each of the right 68 and left 70 elastic bands is engaged with the fastener 22 on the associated right 26 and left 24 braces. The mating member 66 on each of the right 68 and left 70 elastic bands engages the fastener 22. Thus, each of the right 68 and left 70 elastic bands are inhibited from being removed from the associated left 24 and right 26 braces. Each of the right 68 and left 70 elastic bands are coupled to the connection unit 42 in a left handed configuration and a right handed configuration.

The right handed configuration is accomplished in the following steps: The second end 64 of the right elastic band 68 is extended through the third coupler 58 and engages each of the attachments 48. The second end 64 of the right elastic band 68 may be coupled to the right coupler 52. The second end 64 of the left elastic band 70 may be extended through the second coupler 56 and to engage each of the attachments 48. The second end 64 of the left elastic band 70 is coupled to the left coupler 54.

The left elastic band 70 extends around the user's rib cage and extends to the user's left elbow. The left elastic band 70 urges the user to rotate at the hips to position the user's left elbow in a batting position. The right elastic band 68 urges the user to rotate at the hips to follow through when the user swings the baseball bat 61. The right elastic band 68 inhibits the user's right elbow from leading the user's right hand when the user swings the baseball bat 61. Thus, bat drag is inhibited when the baseball bat 61 is swung. Moreover, the left 70 and right 68 elastic bands guide and assist the user to swing the baseball bat 61 using the user's core strength including the user's hips, abdominal muscles, the user's back and the user's legs.

The left handed configuration is accomplished in the following steps: The second end 64 of the right elastic band 68 may be extended through the third coupler 58 and engage each of the attachments 48. The second end 64 of the right elastic band 68 is coupled to the right coupler 52. The second end 64 of the left elastic band 70 is extended through the second coupler 56 and engages each of the attachments 48. The second end 64 of the left elastic band 70 is coupled to selected ones of the left coupler 54 and the second attachment 82 on the vest.

The right elastic band 68 extends around the user's rib cage and extends to the user's right elbow. The right elastic band 68 urges the user to rotate at the hips and guide the user's right elbow into a preferred batting position. The left elastic band 70 urges the user to rotate at the hips and follow through when the user swings the baseball bat 61. The left elastic band 70 inhibits the user's left elbow from leading the user's left hand when the user swings the baseball bat 61. Thus, bat drag is inhibited when the baseball bat 61 is swung. Moreover, the left 70 and right 68 elastic bands urge the user to swing the baseball bat 61 with the user's core muscle groups.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.