U.S. patent application number 11/215035 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for swinging tee.
Invention is credited to Chen-Hui Huang.
Application Number | 20070049426 11/215035 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37805058 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070049426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Chen-Hui |
March 1, 2007 |
Swinging tee
Abstract
A batting tee for baseball is comprised of a base, a height
adjustable post erected on the base, a mechanical box containing a
swing mechanism and a return mechanism being disposed at the top of
the post, a rod being axially erected from one side of the swing
mechanical box, a baseball being connected to the top of the rod; a
swing for a preset angle being achieved when the baseball is
stricken; the baseball returning to its standby position for next
swing practice without spinning for 360.degree. to pay better
efficiency and results of swing practice by eliminating the return
problem of the prior art.
Inventors: |
Huang; Chen-Hui; (Changhua,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
37805058 |
Appl. No.: |
11/215035 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/417 ;
473/423; 473/427; 473/429 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2069/0008 20130101;
A63B 2225/093 20130101; A63B 69/0091 20130101; A63B 2071/026
20130101; A63B 69/0002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/417 ;
473/423; 473/427; 473/429 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/00 20060101
A63B069/00 |
Claims
1. A swinging tee for baseball is comprised of a base, a post in
proper height being erected at the center of the base, a mechanical
box containing a swing mechanism and a return mechanism
interconnected to each other being disposed at the top of the post,
a rod being erected and connect to the swing mechanism, and a
baseball being disposed on the tope of the rod.
2. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the swing
mechanism relates to a turntable, an axial hole being disposed at
the center of the turntable, the rod being inserted into the axial
hole and connected to the turntable; a pin being disposed at where
pre-designated on the inner circumference of the turntable, the
return mechanism being related to a coil, one end of the coil being
hooked to the pin of the turntable to connect the coil to the
turntable, and both of the turntable and the rod being enabled with
automatic return efficacy.
3. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the return
mechanism relates to a resilient rubber stick.
4. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the return
mechanism relates to a vortex spring disposed to the axial of the
swing mechanism.
5. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the return
mechanism relates to a spring in lieu of a rotation mechanism, the
spring being directly hooked to where between the rod and the
mechanical box to achieve the same automatic return purpose of the
rod.
6. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the return
mechanism relates to a spring, one end of the spring being hooked
to the swing mechanism, another end of the spring being hooked to
an adjustment bolt to adjust the tension of the spring.
7. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein a limiting
lever is disposed on one side of the mechanical box to limit the
swing angle of the rod.
8. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the base is
made hollow to be filled up with water or sandstone as a
weight.
9. The swinging tee for baseball of claim 1, wherein the post is
comprised of an inner tube inserted into an outer tube, and a
fastener is provided for height adjustment of the post.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is related to a swinging tee, and more
particularly, to one that promotes efficiency and results of
batting practice to advance his swing capability of a baseball
player.
[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Though as a game teamwork commitments matter most of all,
defensive, pitching and swing skills of an individual player in the
team are critical in winning the game. It makes training routines
related to practices of pitching, catching and swinging to hit the
ball very important.
[0005] Other than having the pitcher and the catcher available for
the batting practice, a swinging tee is used as an aid in the
training of batting. The swinging tee of the prior art is
essentially comprised of a post. A lever may be axially disposed to
the top of the post and a baseball being directly placed on the
free end of the lever; or alternatively, a cord may be provided to
tie the ball to keep it suspended at a given height to facilitate
swinging practice by the player. Once the ball is hit, the hitting
force of the bat applied to the ball causes both of the ball and
the lever or the cord to execute a rotation of 360.degree. and
greater hitting force means more rounds of spinning. The player has
to wait for the ball to return to its standby status for the next
batting once the spinning force is consumed by inertial.
[0006] Within such a structural operation mode of the prior art,
the ball when hit executes 360.degree. revolutions in cycle and the
round of spinning increases as the hitting force becomes greater.
Relatively, the time gets longer for the ball to be ready for next
batting practice at the expense of the practice efficiency and
expected training results are compromised by the failure in having
intensive practice of batting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide
to an improved construction of a swinging tee for achieving the
intensive swinging practice by eliminating the problem of longer
intermission due to the spinning of the ball.
[0008] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an
improved construction of a swinging tee to shorten the time of the
ball to automatically return to standby status after having been
hit for promoting swing training efficiency and results.
[0009] To achieve the purposes, the present invention is
essentially comprised of a base, a post, a mechanical box, and a
ball. The post is erected on the base and the mechanical box is
disposed on the top of the post. The mechanical box contains a
swing mechanism and a return mechanism. On one side of the swing
mechanism is axially disposed an upright rod and the ball is
connected to the top end of the rod. Once the ball is hit during
the swing practice, the ball swings for a preset angle due to the
linkage between the rod and the swing mechanism, and both of the
swing mechanism together with the rod and the ball returns by
operating the return mechanism to its standby status to facilitate
the next swing practice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2A is another schematic view showing constructional
relationship among some of those members of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing operational relationship
of the construction of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is another schematic view showing operational
relationship of the construction of the first preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of a second preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is another schematic view showing operational
relationship of the construction of the second preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of the third preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 8 is another schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of the third preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of the third preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of a fourth preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0021] FIG. 11 is another schematic view showing constructional
relationship among members of a fourth preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0022] FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing operational relationship
of the construction of the fourth preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, 3, and 4, a first preferred
embodiment of the present invention is essentially comprised of a
base (10), a post (20), a mechanical box (30) and a ball (40).
Wherein, the base (10) is made solid or filled up with sandstone or
water as a weight. The post (20) in a proper height is inserted
into or secured with a fastener to the base. The post (20) may be
made retractable by having an inner tube (21) inserted into an
outer tube (22) for the adjustment of the height of the post by
means of a fastener (23). The mechanical box (30) is disposed on
the top of the post (20) and contains a swing mechanism and a
return mechanism. The swing mechanism is related to a turntable
(31) and an axial hole (32) is disposed at the center of the
turntable (31) for an L-shaped upright rod (33) to be inserted into
and thus linked to the swing mechanism. A bearing (331) is further
disposed at where between the rod (33) and the mechanism box (30),
and a pin (34) is disposed at where pre-designated on the inner
circumference of the turntable (31). The return mechanism relates
to a spring (35) with one end of the spring (35) hooked to the pin
(34) of the turntable (31) thus to realized the linkage between the
turntable (31) and the spring (35), and another end of the spring
(35) hooked to an adjustment bolt (36) fastened to one side of the
mechanical box (30) for the adjustment bolt (36) to adjust the
tension of the spring (35). The ball (40) is connected to the top
of the rod (33).
[0024] Accordingly, with the ball (40) being fixed to the top of
the rod (30), the rod being linked to the turntable (31) when
axially provided from the mechanical box (30) by means of the
bearing (331), once the ball (40) is hit by the player in the swing
practice, the hitting force applied by the bat causes the ball (40)
and the rod to pivot to one side while driving the turntable (31)
to revolve. In the course of revolving, the turntable (31) pulls
the spring (35) to accumulate return kinetics. An additional
limiting rod (301) is disposed to one side of the mechanical box
(30) to limit the swing amplitude of the ball (40) and the rod (33)
thus to pull back the turntable (31) by taking advantage of the
return exercised by the spring (35) while driving both of the rod
(33) and the ball (40) to return to its standby position to
facilitate the next swing practice.
[0025] Now referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 for a second preferred
embodiment of the present invention essentially comprised of the
same base (10), the retractable post (20), the mechanical box (30),
the turntable (31), the rod (33) and the ball (40) as that
disclosed in the first preferred embodiment, a resilient rubber
stick (37) is provided in lieu of the spring (35) to yield the same
automatic return efficacy for the turntable (31), the rod (33) and
the ball (40).
[0026] As illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 for a third preferred
embodiment of the present invention essentially comprised of the
same base (10), the retractable post (20), the mechanical box (30),
the turntable (31), the rod (33) and the ball (40) as that
disclosed in the first preferred embodiment, the return mechanism
is related to a vortex spring (38) inserted to one side of the
turntable (31). One end of the vortex spring (38) is fixed to the
turntable (31) while the other end of the vortex spring (38) is
fixed to the mechanical box (30). Once the ball (40) is hit, both
of the rod (33) and the turntable (31) swing to rewind the vortex
spring (38). After the rod (33) and the ball (40) having swung for
a certain angle, the return exercised by the vortex spring (38)
controls the automatic return of the turntable (31), the rod (33)
and the ball (40) to be ready for the next swing practice.
[0027] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 for a
fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially
comprised of the same base (10), the retractable post (20), the
mechanical box (30), the rod (33) and the ball (40) as that
disclosed in the first preferred embodiment, the spring (39) of the
return mechanism is hooked to where between the rod (33) and the
mechanical box (30) to enable the rod (30) and the ball (40) the
automatic return efficacy; so that once the ball (40) is hit, the
ball (40) and the rod (33) swing for a pre-designated angel before
being pulled back by the return force of the spring (39).
[0028] The present invention by taking advantage of the functional
configuration comprised of the base (10), the retractable post
(20), the mechanical box (30), the swing mechanism, the return
mechanism, the rod (33), and the ball (40) causes the ball (40) and
the rod (33) to swing only for a pre-designated angle, instead of
360.degree. revolution for the ball (40) and the rod (33) to
automatically return in conjunction with the return mechanism and
the swing mechanism to effectively shorten the intermission between
swings during the practice. Therefore the present invention helps
promote efficiency and results of swing practice for significantly
improving the swing capability of the player, and the purpose of
intensive training for the team.
* * * * *