U.S. patent application number 11/483284 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-10 for sports trainer.
Invention is credited to Dar'Rell McDonald.
Application Number | 20080008984 11/483284 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38919508 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080008984 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McDonald; Dar'Rell |
January 10, 2008 |
Sports trainer
Abstract
A simulated human torso is provided with a lateral slot and
latch which permits the torso to be mounted on and slideable along
the perimeter ropes of a boxing ring. The simulated human torso may
also be provided with adjustable arms, target identifiers and the
like to simulate defensive positions and training targets. Since
the simulated human torso is slideably mounted on perimeter ropes,
it may move laterally along the ropes in response to actions of the
trainee.
Inventors: |
McDonald; Dar'Rell; (Dallas
County, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JACK A. KANZ
502 SOUTH COTTONWOOD DRIVE
RICHARDSON
TX
75080
US
|
Family ID: |
38919508 |
Appl. No.: |
11/483284 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
434/247 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/06 20130101;
A63B 69/34 20130101; A63B 2210/50 20130101; A63B 69/004 20130101;
A63B 69/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
434/247 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/00 20060101
A63B069/00 |
Claims
1. A training device comprising a simulated human torso adapted for
mounting on and lateral movement along perimeter ropes defining the
perimeter of a sports arena.
2. A training device as defined in claim 1 wherein said sports
arena is a boxing ring.
3. A training device as defined in claim 1 wherein said simulated
human torso defines a slot passing laterally therethrough adapted
to accommodate at least one perimeter rope of a sports arena.
4. A training device as defined in claim 3 including latch means
for securing said at least one perimeter rope in a slideable
relationship within said slot.
5. A training device as defined in claim 1 further comprising at
least one simulated arm supported by and projecting from said
simulated human torso.
6. A training device as defined in claim 5 wherein said simulated
arm comprises at least two segments.
7. A training device as defined in claim 5 wherein said simulated
arm comprises at least one adjustably articulated segment.
8. A training device as defined in claim 1 further comprising
designated target identifiers on said simulated human torso.
9. A training device as defined in claim 1 wherein said simulated
human torso comprises a head portion and a body portion.
10. A training device as defined in claim 9 further comprising at
least one designated target identifier on the head portion of said
simulated human torso.
11. A training device as defined in claim 9 further comprising at
least one designated target identifier on the body portion of said
simulated human torso.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to training devices. More
particularly, it relates to reactive training devices for use in
combat sports training which simulate movement of a sparring
partner.
[0002] An essential part of training for combat sports such as
boxing, etc., is competition against an opponent. Since live
opponents are not always available and since practice and training
against live opponents can be unnecessarily dangerous for both
parties, dummy or simulated opponents are frequently used. While
conventional dummies and the like can provide valuable training
assistance, their usefulness is somewhat limited by their inability
to react to or anticipate attacking actions taken by the trainee.
For example, a suspended punching bag reacts to a boxer's punches
by predictably moving in the opposite direction and then
gravitating toward its original position. Similarly, a stationary
dummy (a dummy supported on a fixed base) can only react to
attacking actions by bending in the direction in which force is
applied. Likewise, training devices suspended from overhead
mounting racks and the like also fail to satisfactorily simulate an
active sparring partner.
[0003] Most conventional training dummies and the like are in the
form of a fixed target which is not adjustable to simulate
different defensive positions or targets and do not react to
offensive attacks. Thus the trainee merely attacks fixed,
indefensible targets. Inanimate apparatus which overcomes these
shortcomings would, of course, be highly desirable as a training
device.
[0004] In accordance with the present invention, training devices
for combat sports such as boxing, wrestling and the like are
provided which react to a trainer's actions in a manner simulating
the defensive reactions of a live sparring partner. The training
devices of the invention may also include adjustable and/or
re-locatable parts which may be arranged as desired to simulate
defensive positions and may also include target identifiers which
designate selected targets for attack in response to defensive
positions assumed by the training device. The training devices of
the invention may be inexpensively fabricated and adapted to be
temporarily mounted on the perimeter ropes of a conventional sports
arena such as a boxing ring, wrestling ring or the like. The
trainee may thus engage in active training against an inanimate
reactive sparring partner in a competitive ring setting. Other
features and advantages of the invention will become more readily
understood from the following detailed description taken in
connection with the appended claims and attached drawing in
which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the training device of the invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the training device
illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of
the training device of the invention; and
[0008] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another alternative
embodiment of the training device of the invention illustrating the
active relationship between a trainee and the training device.
[0009] The drawing is incorporated into and forms part of the
specification to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention.
For clarity of illustration, like reference numerals designate
corresponding elements throughout the drawing. It will be
recognized that the principles of the invention may be utilized and
embodied in many and various forms. In order to demonstrate these
principles, the invention is described herein by reference to
specific preferred embodiments. The invention, however, is not
limited to the specific forms illustrated and described in
detail.
[0010] The embodiment of the training device illustrated in FIG. 1
comprises a simulated human torso 10 having a body portion 11 which
supports a head portion 12. The simulated human torso 10 may
support one or more simulated body parts such as arms 13 projecting
from the body portion 11.
[0011] The body portion 11 is provided with a mounting slot 14
which passes laterally through the simulated human torso 10. In the
preferred embodiment the slot 14 extends from the bottom or lower
end 11a of the body portion 11 to approximately the vertical
mid-point of the body portion 11 and is sufficiently wide to
loosely accommodate perimeter ropes 15 passing therethrough. The
base of the slot 14 (the upper terminus of the slot) is preferably
positioned to extend horizontally through the body 11 so that the
body 11 is supported upright on the top perimeter rope 15 of a
boxing ring or the like. In order to support the body portion 11 in
the upright position as illustrated in the drawing, the depth of
slot 14 (the distance from lower end 11a to the base of the slot)
is sufficient to accommodate at least the top two (2) perimeter
ropes 15 of the sports arena.
[0012] In the embodiments illustrated, the slot 14 extends from the
lower end 11a to approximately the vertical mid-point of the body
portion 11 and encloses the top three (3) ropes 15. The simulated
torso 10 is thus maintained in the vertical upright position and
moveable laterally along the perimeter ropes 15. It will be
appreciated, of course, that the simulated torso 10 need not employ
a single slot 14 as illustrated. Alternative mounting means, such
as individual slots with appropriate closure means; mounting
brackets; hooks or the like affixed to either the front or the back
of the body portion 11; or any other equivalent means which
supports the simulated human torso 10 in an upright position on the
perimeter ropes and permits the training device to move laterally
along the perimeter ropes, will serve the same functions as slot
14.
[0013] In the embodiment illustrated, the training device includes
a strap 16 which extends from the back side of the simulated body
portion 11 to the front side between two (2) of the perimeter ropes
15. This strap 16 serves as a latch to secure the simulated human
torso on the perimeter ropes 15 while permitting uninhibited
lateral movement of the training device along the perimeter rope
15. In the preferred embodiment, the strap 16 may be a simple
flexible strap with at least one end thereof removable securable to
the body portion 11 with conventional attachment means such as
Velcro.TM., snaps, buttons, buckles, hooks or other suitable
attachment means. Since the function of the strap 11 is to prevent
unintended removal of the training device from the perimeter ropes
15, any such conventional latch means will suffice.
[0014] In accordance with this invention, the simulated human torso
10 is removably mounted on the perimeter ropes of a competitive
sports arena and is readily moveable laterally along the supporting
perimeter ropes. When used as a boxing dummy as illustrated, the
simulated human torso 10 reacts to the strikes of a trainee by
lateral movement along the perimeter ropes 15. For example, a blow
delivered to any portion of the simulated human torso 10 which
imparts a force in any direction other than perpendicular to the
supporting perimeter ropes 15 will cause the training device to
move horizontally along the perimeter ropes 15 a distance and at a
speed proportional to the horizontal vector of the force applied.
Thus, if the trainee strikes the training device on either side,
the training device will move in the opposite direction. Similarly,
any striking force applied in any direction other than
perpendicular to the supporting ropes 15 will cause the training
device to move along the supporting ropes instead of in the
direction directly opposite to the direction of the striking force.
Thus, striking a series of blows at various angles will cause the
training device to move at various speeds and for various distances
along the supporting ropes 15, simulating an opponent which dodges
and moves in reaction to the attacking actions of the trainee.
[0015] As illustrated in the drawing, the simulated human torso 10
may be fitted with components simulating body parts such as arms
13. The arms 13 may be permanently affixed or removable and
replaceable as desired and positioned to present a defensive
posture for the training device. By appropriately positioning the
arms 13, the training device may present various positions and
defensive stances against which the trainee is taught to attack. In
order to present more life-like and protective defensive positions,
the arms 13 may be positioned and/or shaped to simulate defensive
positions and may be comprised of articulated segments which may be
adjustable to simulate various defensive positions as illustrated
in FIG. 3. Similarly, multiple structures simulating arms 13 may be
placed at various fixed locations on the training device as shown
in FIG. 4 to define defensively protected areas near the training
device which the trainee must learn to avoid when attacking the
simulated human torso 10.
[0016] As an additional instructional feature, the simulated human
torso 10 may be provided with identifiers 17 which mark specific
target areas for the trainee. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the target
identifiers 17 may be number spots on the simulated human torso 10
or head portion 12. The numbered spots may be used, for example, to
identify the respective locations on which the trainee is directed
to land a specific series of combination punches or to identify
particularly vulnerable locations on the simulated human torso 10.
If desired, the head portion 12 may be provided with a
forward-projecting portion 22 simulating forwardly exposed facial
features or the like which prevent a particular target for directed
strikes such as an uppercut or the like.
[0017] While the invention has been described with particular
reference to a simulated sparring partner supported on the
perimeter ropes of a boxing ring for training boxers, the invention
is not so limited. Various modifications of the devices illustrated
may be made and supported on the perimeter ropes of various other
sports arenas to simulate a sparring partner for training in other
sports such as wrestling, kickboxing and the like.
[0018] All components of the training devices of the invention may
be fabricated from readily available materials using conventional
techniques and the shapes of various components may be modified to
satisfy the particular needs of the sport for which the training
device is to be used. Accordingly, the principles of the invention
may be used to make training devices of various designs, only some
of which are illustrated and described in detail herein. It is to
be understood, therefore, that even though numerous characteristics
and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the
foregoing description together with details of the structure and
function of the various embodiments, this disclosure is to be
considered illustrative only. Various changes and modifications may
be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size,
arrangement and combination of parts, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended
claims.
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