U.S. patent application number 10/748640 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-30 for baseball batting practice device.
Invention is credited to Tsai, Peter.
Application Number | 20050143196 10/748640 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34700930 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050143196 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsai, Peter |
June 30, 2005 |
Baseball batting practice device
Abstract
A baseball batting practice device includes a home plate having
a top face in which a plurality of channels extending in different
direction are embedded. Each channel has top flanges spaced from
each other to define a slot therebetween. The top flanges are
substantially flush with the top face of the base plate. A slide is
selectively and movably received the channels. A threaded rod
extends from the slide and through the slot of the channel. An
upright stand has a lower end defining an inner-threaded hole
engageable with the threaded rod to attach the stand to the slide
whereby the stand is movable along and switchable between the
channels. The stand has an upper end forming a cavity for receiving
and supporting a baseball to be batted whereby a user may
selectively position the baseball at any desired location along the
channels for practicing ball batting.
Inventors: |
Tsai, Peter; (Hsinchu City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUPREME PATENT SERVICES
POST OFFICE BOX 2339
SARATOGA
CA
95070
US
|
Family ID: |
34700930 |
Appl. No.: |
10/748640 |
Filed: |
December 29, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/417 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2069/0008 20130101;
A63B 69/0002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/417 |
International
Class: |
A63B 069/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A baseball batting practice device comprising: a base plate
having a top face; a first channel formed in the top face and
extending in a first direction, the first channel having opposite
top flanges spaced from each other to define a slot therebetween; a
second channel formed in the top face and extending in a second
direction, the second channel having opposite top flanges spaced
from each other to define a slot therebetween, the second direction
being different from the first direction; a slide movably received
in one of the channels and switchable between the channels, the
slide forming a threaded rod extending through the slot of the
channel and beyond the flanges; and an upright stand having a lower
end defining an inner-threaded bore engageable with the threaded
rod to attach the stand to the top face of the base plate, the
upright stand having an upper end forming a cavity for receiving
and supporting a baseball.
2. The baseball batting practice device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the first and second directions are substantially
perpendicular to each other.
3. The baseball batting practice device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein three first channels are formed in the top face of the base
plate, including a central one and two side ones located on
opposite sides of the central one.
4. The baseball batting practice device as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the first and second directions are substantially
perpendicular to each other.
5. The baseball batting practice device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the flanges of the channels are substantially flush with
the top face of the base plate.
6. The baseball batting practice device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein each channel forms an opening in an edge of the base plate
for receipt of the slide therein.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a device for
practicing batting of baseball, and in particular to a baseball
batting practice device that allows for adjustment of the location
of a stand that supports a baseball to be batted in orthogonal
directions to suit the need of different batters.
[0003] 2. The Related Art
[0004] Baseball batting practice devices are known. The baseball
batting practice device comprises an upright holder that is
rotatably mounted to a home plate for supporting and positioning a
baseball. The upright holder is selectively retained at different
discrete angular positions by means of a rotation mechanism. Such a
rotatable construction of the baseball holder allows a player to
selectively set a baseball supported by the holder at different
positions. However, the structure of the baseball batting practice
device is complicated, for the holder is set at an angular position
by having a spring-biased pin removably fit into angularly discrete
retention holes defined in the home plate. Such a complicated
structure, apparently, leads to increase of manufacturing cost and
probably shortening the service life of the device.
[0005] Thus, it is desired to have a baseball batting practice
device that overcomes the problems encountered in the prior art by
employing a simple but effective construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is
to provide a baseball batting practice device that allows a user to
selectively position a baseball to be batted at different locations
on a base without employing a complicated structure.
[0007] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
baseball batting practice device that is low cost.
[0008] To achieve the above objectives, in accordance with the
present invention, there is provided a baseball batting practice
device comprising a home plate having a top face in which a
plurality of channels extending in different direction are
embedded. Each channel has top flanges spaced from each other to
define a slot therebetween. The top flanges are substantially flush
with the top face of the base plate. A slide is selectively and
movably received the channels. A threaded rod extends from the
slide and through the slot of the channel. An upright stand has a
lower end defining an inner-threaded hole engageable with the
threaded rod to attach the stand to the slide whereby the stand is
movable along and switchable between the channels. The stand has an
upper end forming a cavity for receiving and supporting a baseball
to be batted whereby a user may selectively position the baseball
at any desired location along the channels for practicing ball
batting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art by reading the following description of preferred
embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in
which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a baseball batting practice
device constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a home plate of the baseball
batting practice device of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the baseball batting
practice device of the present invention; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the baseball batting practice
device constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1
and 2, a baseball batting practice device constructed in accordance
with the present invention, generally designated with reference
numeral 10, comprises a home plate 12 positionable on for example
the ground of a practice field. The home plate 12 has a top face 14
on which an upright stand 16 is removably and position-adjustably
mounted. The stand 16 has a lower end removably attached to the top
face 14 of the home plate 12 and an opposite upper end forming a
conical cavity 20 for receiving and supporting a baseball (not
shown) therein.
[0015] A plurality of channels is defined in the top face 14 of the
home plate 12. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the
channels are divided in two groups, the first channels 22 and the
second channels 24, extending in perpendicular directions. However,
the channels 22, 24 can be extended in directions that are
different but not perpendicular. The channels 22, 24 may have
different lengths but each starts from an edge (not labeled) of the
home plate 12 whereby an entrance opening is defined in the edge.
Each channel 22, 24 has opposite top flanges 26 spaced from each
other to define a slot 28 therebetween.
[0016] In the embodiment illustrated, the home plate 12 is made of
rubber or plastics by molding, while the channels 22, 24 are made
of metal. The channels 22, 24 are embedded in the top face 14 of
the home plate 12 whereby the flanges 26 of the channels 22, 24 are
substantially flush with the top face 14 of the home plate 12.
[0017] A slide 30 is sized and shaped to be selectively and movably
received in one of the channels 22, 24 through the associated
entrance opening. The slide 30 can be switched between different
channels 22, 24. A threaded rod 32 extends from the slide 30 and
through the slot 28 to get beyond the flanges 26.
[0018] The lower end of the stand 16 defines an inner-threaded hole
34, see FIG. 3, engageable with the threaded rod 32 of the slide 30
with the opposite flanges 26 of the channel 22, 24 in which the
slide 30 is movably received interposed between the lower end of
the stand 16 and the slide 30. The friction between the flanges 26
of the channel 22, 24 and the slide 30 and the lower end of the
stand 16 helps to securely fix the stand 16 to the top face 14 of
the home plate 12, while allowing selectively moving the slide 30
and the stand 16 to any desired position along the channel 22, 24,
or re-positioning the slide 30 into other channels 22, 24, by
loosening the threading engagement between the stand 16 and the
slide 30.
[0019] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, three first
channels 22 are defined in the top face 14 of the home plate 12. A
central channel extends from an apex of the pentagonal home plate
12, while two side channels extend from the edge opposite to the
apex and located on opposite sides of the central channel. A single
second channel 24 is formed in the top face 14 of the home plate 12
and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the
first channels 22. The second channel 24 extends between opposite
edges of the home plate 12 and divides each side channel into two
sections of which one has both ends closed. To allow attachment of
the stand 16 to the section having both ends closed, an additional
slide can be positioned in the section of the channel in advance.
It is apparent that the number, position, and direction of the
channels 22, 24 are simply a matter of design choice. Modification
and variation on the channels 22, 24 can be done easily. For
example and as shown in FIG. 4, in which a home plate, also
designated with reference numeral 12, constructed in accordance
with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown, only a
single first channel 22' and a single second channel 24' are formed
in the home plate 12 of the second embodiment, illustrating a
simplified arrangement of the channels for position-adjustably
securing the stand 16.
[0020] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
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