U.S. patent application number 10/676209 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-07 for football kicking training aid.
Invention is credited to Horkan, Noel P..
Application Number | 20050075197 10/676209 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34393556 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050075197 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Horkan, Noel P. |
April 7, 2005 |
Football kicking training aid
Abstract
A football kicking training aid comprises a modified football
having an attached patch on one or both ends, with Velcro.RTM. loop
elements therein. The football is supported in place, for kicking
by another player, by a user wearing a thimble or glove having
Velcro.RTM. hook elements only at a fingerpad area thereof. The
restriction of the Velcro.RTM. elements to the football patch and
the fingerpad area of the glove or thimble urges the user to
support the football only at the patch, and to continue supporting
the football until the kicking action has been completed.
Inventors: |
Horkan, Noel P.; (New
Windsor, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James Russell Claybrook
P. O. Box 843
New Hampton
NY
10958
US
|
Family ID: |
34393556 |
Appl. No.: |
10/676209 |
Filed: |
October 1, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/438 ;
473/596 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 43/005 20130101;
A63B 69/0075 20130101; A63B 2243/007 20130101; A63B 69/002
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/438 ;
473/596 |
International
Class: |
A63B 069/00; A63B
043/00 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A football kicking training aid comprising in combination: a
football having at least one attached patch, said patch or patches
covering only one or both pointed ends of said football and not
having a diameter greater than two inches, said patch or patches
having a plurality of either male or female fastener elements
thereon; a flexible thimble having a lateral area which user can
position adjacent the fingerpad of said user wearing said thimble;
a pad on the said lateral area of said thimble, said pad having a
plurality of mating fastener elements thereon complementary to said
fastener elements on said patch or patches, said mating elements on
said thimble worn by a user releasably engaging said mating
elements on said patch located at the upper end of said football,
whereby said mating of said complementary fastener elements urges a
user to properly support said football, for kicking by another
player, at said patch only at said upper end by a user's fingerpad
within said thimble, and to continue supporting said football until
the kicking action has been completed.
11. The device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said mating fastener
elements disengage from said complementary mating elements upon a
player kicking said football.
12. The device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said mating elements
on said patch or patches comprise loop elements of the loop and
hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.
13. The device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said mating elements
on said patch or patches comprise hook elements of the loop and
hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.
14. The device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the material of said
thimble is natural or synthetic rubber.
15. A football kicking training aid comprising in combination: a
football having at least one attached patch, said patch or patches
covering only one or both pointed ends of said football and not
having a diameter greater than two inches, said patch or patches
having a plurality of either male or female fastener elements
thereon; a flexible glove having a plurality of fingers, said
fingers having lateral areas positioned adjacent the fingerpads of
a user wearing said glove; a pad on said lateral area of the index
finger of said glove, said pad having a plurality of mating
fastener elements thereon complementary to said fastener elements
on said patch, said mating elements on said glove worn by a user
releasably engaging said mating elements on said patch located at
the upper end of said football, whereby said mating of said
complementary fastener elements urges a user to properly support
said football, for kicking by another player, at said patch at said
upper end by a user's fingerpad within said glove, and to continue
supporting said football until the kicking action has been
completed.
16. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein said mating fastener
elements disengage from said complementary mating elements upon a
player kicking said football.
17. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein said mating elements
on said patch or patches comprise Velero.RTM loop elements of the
loop and hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.
18. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein said mating elements
on said patch or patches comprise Velero.RTM hook elements of the
loop and hook product sold under the trademark VELCRO.RTM.
Description
[0001] A football kicking training aid comprises a modified
football having an attached patch on one or both ends, with
Velcro.RTM. loop elements therein. The football is supported in
place, for kicking by another player, by a user wearing a thimble
or glove having Velcro.RTM. hook elements only at a fingerpad area
thereof. The restriction of the Velcro.RTM. elements to the
football patch and the fingerpad area of the glove or thimble urges
the user to support the football only at the patch, and to continue
supporting the football until the kicking action has been
completed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a training aid and, more
particularly, to a modified football and thimble or glove
combination which assists in teaching a player to correctly support
a football while another player kicks the football. The effective
supporting of a football, placed on the ground or a tee while it is
kicked, is not always readily learned, particularly in the case of
a young or novice football player. The younger or novice player is
more likely to withdraw support of the football or to flinch,
causing the football to fall or move from its preferable position,
as the other player approaches the football. This type of ball
movement results in incorrect football supporting techniques that
must later be corrected. Thus, the correct placement of the
supporter's fingerpad atop the football is an important aspect in
correctly supporting a football for kicking by another player and
maintaining that correct support. Accordingly, it is desirable to
present a training aid which urges an initial, correct interaction
between the supporter's fingerpad and the football which enhances
the development of a proper supporting action, and the continuation
of that support throughout the kicking action.
[0003] Known prior art devices have not addressed the above
problems. Various patents disclose devices and complex apparatus
designed to hold footballs in proper orientation for kicking. Such
devices and apparatus are aimed at training of the kicker, not of
the player supporting the football while it is kicked. (U.S. Pat.
No. 4,949,973; U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,572; U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,880;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,077; U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,395; U.S. Pat. No.
4,033,581; U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,855; U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,780; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,711,043; U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,922).
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In response to the needs described I have invented a
training aid in the form of a modified football and a modified
thimble or glove. The modified football has attached at one or both
pointed ends a patch or patches having one element of a Velcro.RTM.
fastener combination thereon. A flexible thimble or glove has the
complementary mating elements of the Velcro.RTM. fastener
combination only at one fingerpad area thereof. The use of the
Velcro.RTM. in a patch or patches only on the pointed end or ends
of the football forces the thimbled or gloved user to properly
support the football only at such patch. The Velcro.RTM. patch or
patches do not interfere with the normal game play by ungloved
players. It is therefore a general object of this invention to
provide a training aid in the form of a modified football and
modified thimble or glove combination which assists in proper
support of a football during a place kick action.
[0005] A further object of this invention is to provide a training
aid, as aforesaid, which does not interfere with normal game play
by ungloved players.
[0006] Still another object of this invention is to provide a
training aid, as aforesaid, which improves the user's support and
control of the football while it is being supported for
kicking.
[0007] Other objects and advantages of this invention will become
apparent from the following description taken in connection with
the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of
illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a user supporting a
modified football with one index finger in a modified flexible
thimble;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a user supporting a
modified football with one index finger in a modified flexible
glove.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] Turning more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the
football 1 modified by attachment of patches 2 at both pointed ends
of said football, having Velcro.RTM. fastener elements thereof
preferably of the loop-type design, the loop type elements being
less susceptible to damage or sticking to clothing or other items
during game play. FIG. 1 also shows the football 1 resting on the
ground 3 and being supported by the fingerpad of a user's index
finger 4 in a modified flexible thimble 5, having an attachment of
a pad 6 having Velcro RTM fastener elements complementary to the
fastener elements of the patches 2. The complementary Velcro.RTM
mating fastener elements of the pad 6 are preferably of the hook
type design.
[0011] An alternate design of the modified football 1 has one
Velcro.RTM. patch, which the user orients at the top of football
1.
[0012] It is also understood that a combination of hook and loop
elements may be used such that elements on the patch or patches 2
are of hook type design and elements on the pad 6 are of loop type
design.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows the football 1 modified by attachment of patch
or patches 2 having Velcro.RTM. fastener elements thereof
preferably of the loop-type design, the loop type elements being
less susceptible to damage or sticking to clothing or other items
during game play. FIG. 2 also shows the football 1 resting on the
ground 3 and being supported by the fingerpad of a user's index
finger 7 in a modified flexible glove 8, having an attachment of a
pad 9 having Velcro RTM fastener elements complementary to the
fastener elements of the patch or patches 2. The complementary
Velcro.RTM mating fastener elements of the pad 9 are preferably of
the hook type design.
[0014] It is also understood that a combination of hook and loop
elements may be used such that elements on the patch or patches 2
are of hook type design and elements on the pad 9 are of loop type
design.
[0015] The restriction of the Velcro.RTM. loop elements to the
patch or patches 2 of the football 1 is important. No Velcro.RTM.
materials are positioned elsewhere on the football as shown in
prior patents (U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,882; U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,263;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,745). Accordingly, the mating of the
Velcro.RTM. elements on the flexible thimble 5 or flexible glove 8
occurs only when the football 1 is properly supported by a thimbled
or gloved user at the patch 2 of football 1. This restriction urges
an initial proper FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 support of the football 1 by a
thimbled or gloved user only at the patch 2 as the thimbled or
gloved user cannot obtain the tactile feedback of attachment if
supporting the football elsewhere.
[0016] The flexible thimble 5 may be of any resilient material, but
the preferred embodiment is that the material be a natural or
synthetic rubber. It is important that the pad 6 be found only at a
lateral area of the thimble, said area being positioned by the user
adjacent to the fingerpad of the user's index finger. The glove 8
may be of any flexible material, it being important that the pad 9
is found only at the lateral area of the index finger adjacent to
the fingerpad. This placement of the pad 6 or 9 cooperates with the
above-described patch 2 of the football 1 to again assure that the
football is properly supported by the fingerpad of the index finger
of the user.
[0017] Accordingly, upon supporting the football 1 by the index
finger 4, as shown in FIG. 1, the ball 1 is properly supported and
not unstable as often found with the younger or novice user. Of
course, the degree of interaction between the mating Velcro.RTM.
elements on the patch 2 and pad 6 or 9 must be minimal so as to not
to interfere with the release of the football 1.
[0018] It is to be understood that while certain forms of this
invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited
thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the
following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
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