PICKLEBALL TRAINING PADDLE, TRAINING BALL AND METHOD OF USE

Description

FIELD OF THE ART

The present disclosure relates to a training paddle, training ball and method of use for improving the ability of a user to play pickleball.

STATE OF ART

The game of pickleball has become increasingly popular. Estimates are that the number of people who play pickleball has increased 40 percent in the last 3 years. Across the United States pickleball courts are being added to parks and businesses are opening which provide access to indoor pickleball courts to allow play in inclement weather. Pickleball is liked because the game can be slower paced than tennis and there is less ground to cover. As the popularity of the sport grows, an increasing number of people desire to improve their play.

Thus, it is desirable to create a training paddle, a training ball and method for training in pickleball.

BACKGROUND

The following summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every possible implementation of the invention, but rather to give illustrative examples of application of principles of the invention.

According to pickleball rules, the combined length and width of the paddle may be 24 inches. Thus, is common for the paddle to be 15-17 inches long and 7-8 inches wide. Of the length, 4 to 6 inches typically is formed by the handle and the remaining length of 9-13 inches are typically part of the paddle playing surface. The handle is typically between 1 and 1.5 inches thick and 1.5 to 2 inches wide so that it has a 4 to 5.5 inch circumference. The playing surface of the paddle typically has an area of between about 70 and 96 square inches.

A regulation pickleball is 2.874-2.972 inches (73-75.5 mm) in diameter and a circumference of 9.03-9.34 inches (22.93-23.72 cm). According to regulations, the ball must be made of resin, must be smooth and have between 26 and 40 holes. The holes must be circular and spaced evenly and the ball must bounce between 30 and 34 inches when dropped from 78 inches high. In pickleballs designed for indoor use, it is common to have 26 holes with a diameter of 0.43 inches each. In contrast, pickleballs designed for outdoor use frequently have 40 holes with a diameter of 0.282 inches each. The pickleball must have a weight between 0.78 and 0.935 ounces and was required to have a hardness between 40 and 50 on a Durometer D Scale at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (+ or −5 degrees).

In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure a pickleball warm-up or training paddle may be provided with a handle portion and a paddle portion. Handle portion may be between 3 and 7 inches in length. (For convenience the paddle described herein will be referred to as a training paddle and the new ball will be referred to as a training paddle, even though either or both could also be used for practice or warming up before a pickleball match. The use of training is intended to include practice and warming up.) The paddle playing surface may be between 5 and 6.5 inches wide and 5-10 inches long to thereby provide a playing surface which is between 25 and 65 square inches.

In one or more embodiments, the playing surface may be substantially circular.

In one or more embodiments, the playing surface may be substantially rectangular.

In one or more embodiments the playing surface may be oblong.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the paddle may be used with a ball having a diameter of 2 inches or less.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a training ball may be formed from rubber or a rubber like material, such a thermoplastic elastomer, rather than a resin such as that used with regulation pickleballs.

In one application the thermoplastic elastomer is more flexible than the plastic or resin from which a conventional pickleball is made. Specifically, in one or more embodiments, the training pickleball may have a Shore A rating of between 60 and 80, and more preferably between about 65 and 75, wherein conventional pickleballs are 40 to 50 on a Shore D rating which roughly correlates with a Shore A rating over 90.

In one or more embodiments the ball may be between 1.70 and 2.25 inches in outer diameter, with a preferred range being between 1.75 and 2.15 inches, and with presently preferred sizes being 1.75 and 2 inches in diameter.

In one or more embodiments the ball may have between 12 and 20 holes with the holes being offset from one another at between 44 to 58 degrees and more preferably, 48 and 54 degrees and having between 14 and 18 holes, In one embodiment the warm-up or training pickleball may have 16 holes which are spaced apart between 51 and 52 degrees. While pickleball holes are generally evenly spaced, in one embodiment a top hole and a bottom hole are provided and then two parallel rows of holes (or holes disposed in a parallel array) are provided between the top hole and the bottom hole. In one embodiment, seven holes are provided in each row and the holes of both rows may be in alignment.

The holes in the pickleball may be, for example, between 0.20 and 0.26 inches in diameter. In one embodiment the holes are 0.25 inches in diameter. The thickness of the ball may be between 0.03 and 0.06 inches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows plan view of a pickleball training paddle;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a pickleball training paddle;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a pickleball training paddle;

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a pickleball training paddle;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a pickleball training paddle and a ball;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a pickleball training paddle being used to hit a ball to improve eye hand coordination; and

FIG. 7 show a plan view of a pickleball training paddle made in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a training pickleball made in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 shows a side view of another training pickleball;

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the training pickleball of FIG. 9 taken along the plain A-A and looking downwardly;

FIG. 11 shows a top view of the training pickleball of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the training pickleball of FIG. 11 taken along the line B-B;

FIG. 13 shows a view of a target for use in helping a person to improve his or her shot placement; and

FIG. 14 shows a side view of the target of FIG. 13 and FIG. 15 shows a plan view of a pickleball court having the targets of FIG. 13 disposed thereon.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the present disclosure in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of different aspects of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not all configurations or embodiments described herein or covered by the appended claims will include all the aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the apparatus and methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of examples of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures, etc.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “one configuration,” “an embodiment,” or “a configuration” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment, etc., but need not be included in any particular embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places may not necessarily limit the inclusion of a particular element of the invention to a single embodiment, rather the element may be included in other, or all embodiments discussed herein.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details may be provided, such as examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may be used, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments discussed in the disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular structures, process steps, or materials discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art. More specifically, the invention is defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be understood that terminology contained herein is used for the purpose of describing particular aspects of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or embodiments shown unless expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the discussion of any particular aspect of the invention is not to be understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be present apart from an express inclusion of that aspect in the claims.

It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, singular forms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a bracket” may include an embodiment having one or more of such brackets, and reference to “the plate” may include reference to one or more of such plates.

As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to function as indicated. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context, such that enclosing the nearly all of the length of a lumen would be substantially enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the lumen had a slit or channel formed along a portion thereof. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, structure which is “substantially free of” a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it completely lacked a bottom.

As used herein, the term “generally” refers to something that has characteristics of a quality without being exactly that quality. For example, a structure said to be generally vertical would be more vertical than horizontal, i.e., would extend greater than 45 degrees from horizontal. Likewise, something said to be generally circular may be rounded like an oval but need not have a consistent diameter in every direction.

As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.

As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member.

Concentrations, amounts, proportions, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value as a minimum or a maximum. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range, or the characteristics being described.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a plan view of a pickleball training paddle 4 having a handle potion 8 and a playing surface 12. As shown in FIG. 1 the playing surface 12 may be generally circular and is preferably smaller than the size of the playing surface on a conventional pickleball paddle. Thus, for example, the playing surface 12 may be between 5 and 6.5 inches in diameter. This provides a playing surface which is about ⅕^th to ⅓^rd the size of the playing surface of a conventional pickleball racket. Using the pickleball training paddle 4 for practice forces the trainee to focus on eye-hand coordination because the area for impacting the ball is considerably less than that on a conventional racket. After considerable practice with the pickleball training paddle 4, the trainee is trained to better focus on the ball hitting the paddle and is more likely to hit the ball with the center part of the regular pickleball paddle rather than along one of the edges.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of another pickleball training paddle 4. The pickleball training paddle 4 has a handle 8. Preferably the handle 8 is sized and formed to be similar to the handle of a conventional pickleball paddle so that the trainee gets comfortable with the grip of the handle.

Instead of using a circular playing area as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows a pickleball training paddle 4 with a generally rectangular playing surface 12. While the corners are shown as being rounded, such is not necessary for use of the paddle. In such a configuration, the pickleball training paddle 4 may be between 5 and 6.5 inches wide and between 5 and 10 inches tall. This provides playing surface 12 which is roughly ¼^th to ½ that of a conventional pickleball paddle.

FIG. 3 show a plan view of a pickleball paddle 4 which has a handle portion 8 and a playing surface 12 which is oblong with the end opposite the handle being generally wider than the end of the playing surface 12 nearest the handle. The wider portion of the playing surface 12 may be 5-6.6 inches, while the portion adjacent to the handle may only be about 3 inches wide. Ideally, the wider portion is disposed in the general area of the “sweet spot” of a regulation pickleball paddle so that the user is trained to position the point of impact with the ball in the area of the sweet spot and away from the edges of the paddle.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a pickleball training paddle 4 with a handle portion 8 and a playing surface 12. The shape of the playing surface 12 is generally rectangular with an arched upper boarder. This correlates to the sweet spot of many standard pickleball paddles.

FIG. 5 shows a pickleball paddle 4 with a handle 8 and a playing surface 12. Also shown is a ball for use in training. A conventional pickleball is between 2.874 and 2.972 inches in diameter and it is made of plastic. In contrast, the training ball 2 as a diameter of between 0.75 and 2 inches, with a ball between 1 and 1.25 inches in diameter being preferred. Moreover, the ball is preferably not made of plastic. Rather, the training ball 16 is made of rubber or similar elastomeric material.

FIG. 6 shows a method for using the pickleball training paddle 4 and training ball 16 to improve eye-hand coordination while playing pickleball. The pickleball training paddle is used to hit the training ball 16 against a wall 20. The rubber-like training ball 16 bounces back to the trainee who then hits the training ball 16 back against the wall. Because the pickleball training paddle 4 has a playing surface which is substantially smaller than a conventional paddle and because the training ball 16 is about ⅓ to ½ the size of the conventional pickleball ball, the user is forced to improve their eye-hand coordination to continue to continue hitting training ball 16 against the wall. Further training could also include playing pickleball games with the pickleball training paddle 4 and the training ball 16.

A training ball 8 as described below is advantages in that it is quieter when impacting surfaces than a conventional pickleball. It has been found that a child of an adult can practice pickleball by hitting the ball against a wall of a variety of materials ranging from concrete to sheetrock without creating substantial sound. Additionally, the ball will bounce appropriately on a hardwood or vinyl floor 23. Thus, a person can practice their pickleball within a house without creating excessive noise.

Turning now to FIG. 7, there is shown a plan view of a pickleball training paddle 4. The training paddle 4 includes a handle potion 8 and a playing surface 12. The handle portion 8 may be, for example, between 4 and 6 inches long-with a length of 5.5 inches being shown. The handle 8 has a base portion which is between 1 and 1.5 inches wide at the base and about 1 inch thick so as to have a circumference of between about 4 and 5.5 inches at the bottom. The bottom portion of the handle 12 may have a chamfered section of about 0.25 inches about 0.25 inches from the bottom so that the handle narrows. The handle 8 may also have flat portions on either side and chamfered or rounded sides, and the entire handle may be coated with rubber, neoprene or the like.

The play surface 12 is preferably smooth and may be made of wood, as shown in FIG. 7, or a smooth composite material. The playing surface 12 may be about 6-7 inches long and between about 5 and 6 inches wide so as to provide a playing surface area which is about 42 square inches or less. As shown the paddle has a length of 7 inches (prior to attachment to the handle 8) and 5.32 inches wide. The paddle may be curved, so as to further reduce the total playing surface area 12 to between about 30 and 35 square inches. This is between ⅓^rd and ½ the playing surface area of a conventional pickleball paddle. By using wood to form the playing surface a paddle which is between 6 ounces and 8.5 ounces in weight may be formed. This matches the weight of most pickleball paddles, to thereby condition muscle memory to be used to the weight of the paddle being used.

Turning now to FIG. 8, there is shown a cross-sectional view of a ball for practicing with. A regulation pickleball is between 2.874 and 2.972 inches in diameter and is typically made from a resin material which is generally hard and rigid. For example, the competition rules for pickleball used to require that the ball have a Shore D rating of 40-50. This results in pickleballs which are hard, and which often crack over time.

In contrast, in accordance with the present disclosure is it preferred to practice with a training ball which is between 1.70 and 2.25 inches in diameter, with a presently preferred range of 1.75 to 2.0 inches in diameter and 0.03 and 0.06 inches in thickness, with 0.04 inches being presently preferred. The training ball 16 shown in FIG. 8 is 1.75 inches in diameter. It may be made from a rubber or rubber-like material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, and preferably has a Shore A rating of 60-80, and most preferably from 65 to 75. This provides the ball 16 with additional flexibility. The material provides a little additional bounce and requires a little greater force when hitting the ball which ultimately encourages a user to provide better follow through on the stroke. If the ball 16 were made at a similar size to that shown in FIG. 8 and out of conventional material used for pickleballs, the ball would act more similarly to a ping pong ball. Specifically, the ball would provide less ball control when being bounced off the smooth surface of a pickleball paddle.

The practice ball 16 is 0.04 inches in thickness and has a structure which defines a plurality of holes 24 which are about 0.26 inches in diameter. The ball 16 has 12 holes, one on the top, one on the bottom and two evenly spaced rows of 5 halfway between the top and the center of the ball.

Turning now to FIG. 9, there is shown a side view of an alternate ball. The ball 16a has a sidewall 22 which defines sixteen holes 24 in the ball with holes being between 0.20 and 0.26 inches in diameter. For example, the holes may be 0.25 inches in diameter. It will be appreciated that the size of the holes 24 may be adjusted depending on the size of the ball 16a and the number of holes being used. The aerodynamics of the ball are different than those of a conventional pickleball because of the substantially smaller diameter.

The holes 24 are positioned with a hole 24 on top and a hole 24 on the bottom. A plurality of holes 24 are disposed around the ball 16a. As shown in FIG. 9, the holes are in a first line and a second line, generally parallel to one another with the holes in alignment between the two rows. This is in contravention to a competition pickleball where the holes are generally spaced substantially equidistant from one another.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view taken along plane A-A in FIG. 9 and looking down. As shown in FIG. 10, the line may have seven holes, resulting in a total of 16 holes in the ball. The holes 24 may be spaced apart between 51 and 52 degrees from one another. FIG. 10 shows a side view of the ball 16a and the holes, while FIG. 11 shows a top view of the ball 16a with the holes 24.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show the ball 16a from a top view and a cross-sectional view taken along plane B-B in FIG. 11, respectively. As shown, the holes 24 which are aligned around the side of the ball may be spaced apart between 48 and 54 degrees, with a spacing of 51-52 degrees being presently preferred. It has been found that using a ball that in preferably between 1.70 and 2.25 inches, and more preferably between 1.75 and 2.0 inches, made from a more rubber like material provides performance similar to that of a competition pickleball, while facilitating training in eye-hand coordination and stroke technique that assists players in improving their pickleball skills.

In use, the paddle 8 (FIG. 1-7) and the ball 16 or 16a (FIGS. 8-12) provide an improved method for training people to improve their pickleball performance during training, practice or for warming up before a pickleball match. The smaller size of the playing surface 12 of the paddle and the smaller ball help pickleball players to improve their eye-hand coordination and the player must concentrate more to hit the ball 16, 16a with the proper part of the paddle 8. Additionally, the ball 16, 16a has different response characteristics than a conventional pickleball. Because the ball 16, 16a is made from a more rubber-like material than the resin of conventional pickleballs, the player must give the paddle 8 a little harder push when impacting the ball 16, 16a. This, in turn, helps the player to develop improved follow-through with the paddle 8 when he or she strikes the ball. This, in turn, facilitates better shot placement as the player's stroke moves more naturally and power is better transferred to the ball 16, 16a.

Beginning players may wish to use the paddle 8 and ball 16 or 16a for training practice or during warm-up, but to use the conventional paddle and ball when playing a game. More advanced players, however, may wish to use the paddle 8 and ball 16, 16a during games against each other as it will make the game more challenging for both players. At the same time the player is improving his or her eye hand coordination to improve their play when using a conventional sized paddle and ball.

Turning now to FIG. 13, there is shown a front view of a target 30. The target includes backing material 34 and a front material 38 to form a pocket 42. A stand 46 may be used to hold the backing material upright. When teaching students to play pickleball, it is common for coaches to place small traffic cones on the court and encourage the student to try and hit the traffic cone. While repeatedly aiming for a traffic coach can improve shot placement, it is difficult to determine whether and how much improvement is being made. A student has to remember how many times he or she has hit the desired traffic cone. This can be difficult if one is focusing more on shot placement than counting. The target 30 of the present discloser forms a basket into which the student can hit the balls. Shots which are hit into the target engage the backing material 34, such as a net, and fall into the pocket 42 formed by the backing material and the front material. After engaging in a drill, a student can go to the target and count the balls in the pocket 42 to know how well he or she did during the exercise. This allows the student to focus on shot placement and not try to count how many times they have hit the cone. After the exercise is over, the student can count the number of balls in the target and compare the number with pass attempts to see how much he or she has improved.

FIG. 15 shows a top view of a pickleball court 50 with two target 30 disposed thereon. During practice the coach can call out which target the student is to hit with their next shot. For example, each forehand shot may be required to go to target 30a while each backhand shot is required to go to target 30b. By looking at the number of balls which successful made it into the target the coach can determine how much time to allocate to improving the students forehand and backhand. Similarly, one target may be placed in the kitchen 50a and another near the baseline 50b to work on dink shots and lobs.

Between using the training paddle, the training ball and the targets, a student can make significant improvements in their play of pickleball. While all of these aspects of the present disclosure can be used together, they may also be used independently. For example, the training paddle can be used with a conventional pickleball and still helps to improve eye-hand coordination and proper striking of the pickleball. The use of the training pickleballs can be done with the paddles discussed herein or with conventional paddles to improve hand/eye coordination and/or to make a game more challenging. Similarly, the targets can be used with conventional paddles and balls to improve ball control and shot placement.

Thus, there is disclosed a pickleball training paddle and method of use. Numerous modifications to the various embodiments discussed herein will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications.