Soccer Training Device

Abstract

The present invention is a soccer training device built with elbow connectors, a frame with a top frame, a pair of upper frames, a pair of lower frames, and a bottom frame, all with opposite ends that fit into the elbows. The ends of said elbow connectors can have releasable connectors that mate with corresponding connectors on the ends of the frame pieces. A target area is attached to the frame and has aiming areas with numbers that can indicate point value. The aiming areas can be of equal sizes. The soccer ball has an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area can be attached to the frame a pair of fabric strips having hook and loop fabric or male and female clasps.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Many offerings exist by which the sports training is accomplished. The devices offered, however, do not solve all problems associated with training for soccer players. When standard goals are modified for training, then portability is lost. Additionally, when standard goals are used, the goals must be modified or changed in some manner increasing the effort and time involved and decreasing the potential time for practice.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a soccer training device for use in connection with goal shooting practice. The soccer training device has particular utility in connection with increasing the enjoyment and efficiency of goal shooting practice.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] The use of soccer training devices is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,043 to Vidinic discloses a game for practicing soccer skills. However, the Vidinic '043 patent does not provide the frame found in the present invention, and is more directed towards developing footwork and aiming skills through the use of a special shoe or additions to the player's shoe. The invention works to link the area of the foot the ball is struck with to the area of the target the ball strikes.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,725 to Leras et al. discloses a soccer shooting training target that has aiming areas. However, the Leras et al. '725 patent does not cover the entire area of a soccer goal, and additionally does not catch, or retain the ball where is hits.

[0007] Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,147 to Pallanca discloses a soccer target that provides aiming areas. However the Pallanca '147 patent is more difficult to assemble and is more likely to be permanently installed, therefore not conducive to quick assembly and easy storage.

[0008] While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a soccer training device that provides for the advantages of the present invention; therefore, a need exists for an improved soccer training device, particularly one that includes portability, ease of set-up and use, and the ability to increase the potential of players to enjoy soccer practice by the playing of scoring games.

[0009] In this respect, the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of soccer training device now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved soccer training device, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved soccer training device which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a soccer training device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.

[0011] To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a number of elbow connectors having main bodies and opposite ends. The frame is made from a top frame member, a pair of upper and lower frame members, and a bottom frame member. The frame members all have opposite ends that attach to the ends of the elbows. The ends of the elbow connectors can have releasable connectors that would mate with corresponding connectors on the opposite ends of the frame members. The frame can be made from tubular pipe, and could measure approximately 1.3 meters high by 1.6 meters wide. The frame supports a target area attached to the frame unit through connection means.

[0012] The soccer ball can have an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area is made from a flexible backing material and can be made from the hook fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area can be demarcated, or arranged into aiming areas. These lines demarcating the target area could be configured in a manner similar to a tic-tac-toe board to create a series of nine rectangular sections arranged in three columns and three rows. The aiming areas can be of equal sizes, or the areas can be of varied sizes. The target area would be sized to fit the frame, and given the above dimensions, would also measure approximately 1.3 meters high by 1.6 meters wide.

[0013] The connection means can be a pair of fabric strips on the outer edge of the target area. One of the fabric strips would have hook fabric and the other strip would have the mating loop fabric, or one of the fabric strips would have the male clasp and the other strip would have the mating female clasp.

[0014] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

[0015] The invention may also include numbers to indicate point value on the aiming areas of the target area. The numbers also serve to indicate the relative degree of difficulty in accurately aiming at and scoring in those regions of the goal. In this instance, the right and left columns could be labeled 80, 70, and 60 from top to bottom, while the center column could be labeled 60, 50 and 40 from top to bottom. Additionally, the aiming areas can be color differentiated to aide concentration and focus. There are of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

[0016] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved soccer training device that has all of the advantages of the prior art soccer training devices and none of the disadvantages.

[0017] It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved soccer training device that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

[0018] An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved soccer training device that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible to low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such soccer training device economically available to the buying public.

[0019] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new soccer training device that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

[0020] Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a soccer training device for practicing aiming and scoring skills that is marked with clear targets at which to aim. This allows honing of the motor skills involved in goal shooting.

[0021] An additional object of the present invention is to provide a soccer training device that has a soccer ball that adheres to the target area where it strikes, to clearly indicate the region of the target area that it struck.

[0022] Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a soccer training device that is portable. This makes it possible to practice shooting in areas that do not have soccer fields nearby. Additionally, the present invention is lightweight and easy to set-up, thus providing the opportunity to practice almost anywhere.

[0023] Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved soccer training device with numbers on the target aiming area to encourage players to practice aiming skills, either by attempting to score the most points, being the first to reach a set number of points using the least kicks, or as in the dart games 301 and the like, being the first player to score out by reaching zero through the subtraction of points.

[0024] Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the soccer training device so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

[0025] Numerous objects, features and advantages of the soccer training device will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the soccer training device when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the soccer training device in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0026] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the soccer training device. It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0027] These together with additional objects of the soccer training device, along with various novel features that characterize the invention are particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part of this disclosure. For better understanding of the soccer training device, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, refer to the accompanying drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set 8 forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed 9 description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the soccer training device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, showing the device in use.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the soccer training device, with the target area removed, and optional frame stabilizers in use.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the elbow connector of the soccer training device disconnected from the frame, and showing the use of mating connectors on the elbow and frame ends.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the soccer training device, showing the target area disconnected from the frame, the soccer ball, and sandbags used as stabilizers.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the soccer training device, taken essentially along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing the attachment of the target area to the frame.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the storage bag of the soccer training device.

[0035] The same reference numbers refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0036] Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the soccer training device of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

[0037] In FIG. 1, a new and improved soccer training device 10 of the present invention for goal training for soccer players is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the soccer training device 10 has a plurality of elbow connectors 12 that connect the frame unit 20. The frame unit 20 is a top frame member 22 having opposite ends 24 and 26, a pair of upper frame members 28a and 28b having opposite ends 30 and 32, a pair of lower frame members 34a and 34b having opposite ends 36 and 38, and a bottom frame member 40 having opposite ends 42 and 44. The opposite ends 16 and 18 of the elbow connectors 12 attach to the opposite ends 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 38, 42, and 44 of the members of the frame unit 20. The ends of the elbow connectors 16 can have releasable connectors 52 that mate with corresponding connectors 54 on the opposite ends 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 38, 42, and 44 of the members of the frame unit 20. The target area 46 is attached to the frame unit 20 through connection means 48, and the target area 46 can be the hook fabric of hook and loop fabric. The connection means 48 can be a pair of fabric strips on the target area 46, and one of the fabric strips has hook fabric and the other strip has the mating loop fabric. Alternatively, the connector means 48 can be fabric strips having male and female clasps. The soccer ball 50 can have an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area 46 can be demarcated into aiming areas 56, and the aiming areas 56 can have numeric indicia 58, for example to indicate point value of striking that area. The aiming areas 56 can be of equal sizes, or can be larger or smaller than each other, as desired, to increase the relative difficulty of the point accrual.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the soccer training device, with the target area 46 removed, and optional frame stabilizers in use. The elbow connectors 12 have a main body 14, and opposite ends 16 and 18, that connect to the opposite ends 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 38, 42, and 44 of the frame unit 20. The frame unit 20 is a top frame member 22, having opposite ends 24 and 26, a pair of upper frame members 28a and 28b having opposite ends 30 and 32, a pair of lower frame members 34a and 34b having opposite ends 36 and 38, and a bottom frame member 40 having opposite ends 42 and 44.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the elbow connector 12 of the soccer training device disconnected from one of the frame members of the frame unit 20. The elbow connectors 12, main body 14 and opposite ends 16 and 18 are shown, and one of the opposite ends 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 38, 42, and 44 of the members of the frame unit 20 is shown. The ends of the elbow connectors 16 can have releasable connectors 52 that mate with corresponding connectors 54 on the opposite ends 24, 26, 30, 32, 36, 38, 42, and 44 of the frame unit 20.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the soccer training device, showing the target area 46 disconnected from the frame unit 20, the soccer ball 50, and sandbags used as stabillizers. The soccer ball 50 can have an outer covering of the loop fabric from hook and loop type fabric. The connection means 48 can be a pair of fabric strips on the target area 46, and one of the fabric strips has hook fabric and the other strip has the mating loop fabric. Alternatively, the connection means 48 can be fabric strips having male and female clasps. The soccer ball can have an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area 46 can be the hook fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area 46 can be demarcated into aiming areas 56, and the aiming areas 56 can have numeric indicia 58, to indicate point value for example. The aiming areas 56 can be of equal sizes, or can be larger or smaller than each other to increase the relative difficulty of the point accrual.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the soccer training device, taken essentially along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing the attachment of the target area 46 to the frame unit 20. The connection means 48 can be a pair of fabric strips on the target area 46, and one of the fabric strips has hook fabric and the other strip has the mating loop fabric. Alternatively, the connection means 48 can be fabric strips having male and female clasps. The target area 46 can be the hook fabric and the soccer ball 50 can have an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric. The soccer ball 50 is shown adhered to the target area 46 through the interlocking mechanism inherent in the interaction between hook and loop fabric.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the storage bag of the soccer training device, and is used to store the frame unit 20, the target area 40 and the soccer ball 50 when not in use.

[0043] The soccer training device has a plurality of elbow connectors that connect the frame unit together. The frame unit is a top frame member, a pair of upper frame members, a pair of lower frame members, and a bottom frame member. The opposite ends of the elbow connectors attach to the opposite ends of the members of the frame unit. The ends of the elbow connectors can have releasable connectors that mate with corresponding connectors on the opposite ends of the members of the frame unit. The target area is attached to the frame unit through connection means. The connection means can be a pair of fabric strips on the target area, and the fabric strips have hook and loop or the strips can have male and female clasps. The soccer ball can have an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric and the target area can be the hook fabric of hook and loop fabric. The target area can be demarcated into equally sized aiming areas, and the aiming areas can have numeric indicia, for example to indicate point value of striking that area.

[0044] In one way to play using the soccer training device to practice aiming and scoring skills, the players would stand at a predetermined distance from the goal frame and take turns kicking the soccer ball at the target area. When the soccer ball strikes the target area, the loop fabric covering the ball would adhere to the hook fabric covering the target area. The player would then be awarded the number of points displayed in the section in which the ball struck. The player who scores the most points within a predetermined number of kicks, or who reaches a predetermined score in the fewest kicks, would be declared the winner.

[0045] In use, it can now be understood that the soccer training device is useful for practicing soccer skills through the demarcation of the target area into discrete target zones. The soccer training device also increases the players enjoyment of practice through the addition of the challenge of scoring higher point values for the harder to hit targets, as indicated by higher point values. The soccer training device is also lightweight and easily assembled, thus increasing the opportunities for practice.

[0046] While a preferred embodiment of the soccer training device has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, the tubes used for the frame may be made of metal, heavy-duty plastic, or similar material. Furthermore, a wide variety of games may be played instead of the scoring games described.

[0047] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A soccer training device comprising a plurality of elbow connectors having a main body and opposite ends; a frame unit being a top frame member having opposite ends, a pair of upper frame members having opposite ends, a pair of lower frame members having opposite ends, and a bottom frame member having opposite ends; a target area attached to said frame unit through connection means; a soccer ball.

2. The soccer training device of claim 1 wherein said ends of said elbow connectors have releasable connectors that mate with corresponding connectors on said opposite ends of said frame members.

3. The soccer training device of claim 1 wherein said target area is the hook fabric of hook and loop fabric.

4. The soccer training device of claim 1 wherein said target area is demarcated into aiming areas.

5. The soccer training device of claim 4 wherein said aiming areas have numeric indicia.

6. The soccer training device of claim 4 wherein said aiming areas are of equal sizes.

7. The soccer training device of claim 1 wherein said connection means are a pair of fabric strips on said target area, wherein one of said fabric strips has hook fabric and the other strip has the mating loop fabric.

8. The soccer training device of claim 1 wherein said connection means are a pair of fabric strips on said target area, wherein one of said fabric strips has the male clasp and the other strip has the mating female clasp.

9. The soccer training device of claim 1 wherein said soccer ball has an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric.

10. A soccer training device comprising: a plurality of elbow connectors having a main body and opposite ends; a frame unit being a top frame member having opposite ends, a pair of upper frame members having opposite ends, a pair of lower frame members having opposite ends, and a bottom frame member having opposite ends; a target area attached to said frame unit through connection means; a soccer ball, wherein said soccer ball has an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric.

11. The soccer training device of claim 10 wherein said ends of said elbow connectors have releasable connectors that mate with corresponding connectors on said opposite ends of said frame members.

12. The soccer training device of claim 10 wherein said target area is demarcated into aiming areas.

13. The soccer training device of claim 12 wherein said aiming areas have numeric indicia.

14. The soccer training device of claim 12 wherein said aiming areas are of equal sizes.

15. The soccer training device of claim 10 wherein said connection means are a pair of fabric strips on said target area, wherein one of said fabric strips has hook fabric and the other strip has the mating loop fabric.

16. The soccer training device of claim 10 wherein said connection means are a pair of fabric strips on said target area, wherein one of said fabric strips has the male clasp and the other strip has the mating female clasp.

17. A soccer training device comprising: a plurality of elbow connectors having a main body and opposite ends; a frame unit being a top frame member having opposite ends, a pair of upper frame members having opposite ends, a pair of lower frame members having opposite ends, and a bottom frame member having opposite ends; a target area attached to said frame unit through connection means; a soccer ball, wherein said soccer ball has an outer covering of the loop fabric of hook and loop fabric.

18. The soccer training device of claim 17 wherein said target area is demarcated into aiming areas, wherein said aiming areas have numeric indicia.

19. The soccer training device of claim 18 wherein said aiming areas are of equal sizes.

20. The soccer training device of claim 17 wherein said connection means are a pair of fabric strips on said target area, wherein one of said fabric strips has hook fabric and the other strip has the mating loop fabric or one of said fabric strips has the male clasp and the other strip has the mating female clasp.