U.S. patent application number 15/732219 was filed with the patent office on 2018-04-26 for telescoping football holder.
The applicant listed for this patent is John M. Carney. Invention is credited to John M. Carney.
Application Number | 20180111031 15/732219 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61971322 |
Filed Date | 2018-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180111031 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carney; John M. |
April 26, 2018 |
Telescoping Football Holder
Abstract
A compact device for assisting place kicking a football is
disclosed, including a module connecting telescoping legs and
football tip telescoping holding arm, with the legs connecting the
module for pivoting the legs from a ground engaging position to a
transport position beneath and parallel to the arm.
Inventors: |
Carney; John M.; (Encinitas,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Carney; John M. |
Encinitas |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
61971322 |
Appl. No.: |
15/732219 |
Filed: |
October 6, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62496492 |
Oct 20, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 69/0075 20130101;
A63B 2243/007 20130101; A63B 2210/50 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/00 20060101
A63B069/00 |
Claims
1. A compactable holder for a football to permit kicking of the
football with the football having one end touching the ground
comprising: a football tip holder arm which is telescopically
extendable and fixedly attached at a proximal end to an inverted
v-shaped module; the inverted v-shaped module having first and
second pivot shafts; a pair of legs which are telescopically
extendable to the ground to adjust the height of the inverted
v-shaped module; one leg of the pair of legs being connected to the
first pivot shaft and the other leg of the pair of legs being
connected to the second pivot shaft to permit pivoting of the legs
to a ground engaging position and to a position beneath the
inverted v-shaped module and the football tip holder arm whereby
the compactable holder is configured in a compactable stowage
form.
2. The compactable holder of claim 1 wherein each leg of the pair
of legs comprises at least two different diameter tubes telescopic
relative to each other having close tolerance there between to
permit adjustable telescopic length.
3. The compactable holder of claim 1 wherein the football tip
holder arm comprises at least two different diameter tubes
telescopic relative to each other having close tolerance there
between to permit an adjustable telescopic length.
4. The compactable holder of claim 3 wherein the smaller diameter
tube of the two different diameter tubes is fixedly attached at a
proximal end to the inverted v-shaped module and the larger
diameter tube of the two different diameter tubes has a football
tip engaging surface pattern at a terminal end farthest away from
the proximal end of the smaller diameter tube to thereby resist
slippage of the tip of the football.
5. The compactable holder of claim 4 wherein the football tip
engaging surface pattern is a knurled pattern.
6. The compactable holder of claim 1 wherein the football tip
holder arm has a memory recovering soft material covering a
terminal end farthest away from the proximal end of the football
tip holder arm to thereby resist slippage of the tip of the
football.
7. The compactable holder of claim 1 wherein the football tip
holder arm has an attachment to a terminal end farthest away from
the proximal end which attachment has a semi-elliptic or
semi-spherical surface for holding the tip of the football in
multiple angled positions as well as a straight vertical
position.
8. A compactable holder for a football to permit kicking of the
football with the football having one end touching the ground
comprising: a football tip holder arm which is telescopically
extendable and attached at a proximal end to a module mounting
first and second pivot shafts; a pair of legs which are
telescopically extendable to the ground to adjust the height of the
module; one leg of the pair of legs being connected to the first
pivot shaft and the other leg of the pair of legs being connected
to the second pivot shaft to permit pivoting of the legs to a
ground engaging position and to a position beneath both the module
and the football tip holder arm whereby the compactable holder is
configured in a compactable stowage form.
9. The compactable holder of claim 8 wherein the football tip
holder arm comprises at least two different diameter tubes
telescopic relative to each other having close tolerance there
between to permit a readily adjustable telescopic length.
10. The compactable holder of claim 9 wherein the smaller diameter
tube of the two different diameter tubes is fixedly attached at an
end proximal to the module and the larger diameter tube of the two
different diameter tubes has a football tip engaging surface
pattern at a terminal end farthest away from the proximal end of
the smaller diameter tube.
11. The compactable holder of claim 8 wherein each leg of the pair
of legs comprises at least two different diameter tubes telescopic
relative to each other having close tolerance there between to
permit a readily adjustable telescopic length.
12. The compactable holder of claim 8 wherein the football tip
holder arm has a knurled pattern at a terminal end farthest away
from the proximal end for contacting the tip of the football to
resist slippage.
13. The compactable holder of claim 8 wherein the football tip
holder arm has a memory recovering soft material covering a
terminal end farthest away from the proximal end of the football
tip holder arm to thereby resist slippage of the tip of the
football.
14. The compactable holder of claim 8 wherein the football tip
holder arm has an attachment to a terminal end farthest away from
the proximal end which attachment has a semi-elliptic or
semi-spherical surface for holding the tip of the football in
multiple angled positions as well as a straight vertical
position.
15. A compactable holder for a football to permit kicking of the
football with the football having one end touching the ground
comprising: a football tip holder arm which is telescopically
extendable and attached at a proximal end to an inverted v-shaped
module mounting first and second pivot shafts having heads thereon
larger in diameter than the diameter of each shaft; a pair of legs
which are telescopically extendable to the ground to adjust the
height of the inverted v-shaped module; one leg of the pair of legs
having a bore hole through which the first pivot shaft extends and
the other leg of the pair of legs having a bore hole through which
the second pivot shaft extends to permit pivoting of the legs to a
ground engaging position and to a compactable position beneath both
the inverted v-shaped module and the football tip holder arm; and
wherein each of the pair of legs are biased by a compression spring
mounted between the shaft heads and the bore holes to control the
pivoting positions of the legs.
16. The compactable holder of claim 15 further comprising two sets
of shallow positioning grooves on the inside of the surfaces
forming the v of the inverted v-shaped module to aid in guiding and
retaining the positioning of the legs in the ground engaging
position and in the compactable position.
17. The compactable holder of claim 16 wherein the shallow
positioning grooves of each set intersect.
18. The compactable holder of claim 17 wherein the axis of each
pivot shaft is located at the center of where each set of shallow
positioning grooves intersect.
19. The compactable holder of claim 16 wherein each set of shallow
positioning grooves are mirror images of the other set.
20. The compactable holder of claim 16 wherein each set of shallow
positioning grooves are mirror images with a first groove of each
set formed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the football tip
holder arm and another groove of each set intersects the first
groove at an angle.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION/INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE
[0001] This application makes reference to, claims priority to, and
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
62/496,492 filed Oct. 20, 2016 entititled "Telescoping Football
Holder". The above stated application is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to football holding devices.
More particularly, the present invention is directed to devices for
assisting in training football kickers of American/Canadian style
footballs. Still more particularly, the present invention relates
to easily compactable and simple telescoping ground engaging legs
connected by a module at their proximate ends by pivot posts
mounted on an inverted v-shaped module which also rigidly mounts a
telescoping arm for engaging the tip of the football which
simulates a person holding the football,
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In preparation for playing the game of football, place
kickers spend many hours in practicing for accuracy as to distance
and ball placement, as for example practicing to either kick the
ball into/through the end zone or to force a kick returner to field
the ball before the ball enters the end zone. In practice it has
been the practice to utilize a second person to hold the football
for place kicking to simulate game conditions. Many devices have
been invented to replace the second person by which the place
kicker can practice without the place holder person.
[0004] These devices include, for example, the device shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,505,445 to Treadwell et al. This device includes two
ground engaging legs mounted in a pivotal manner to extend
outwardly from a center module which center module also mounts a
third leg which is pivotal on the center module and extends
horizontally to hold the tip of the football in kicking position.
The three legs are mounted to be pivotal so as to be collapsible
for ease of transport and storage. This device lacks any
telescoping features of the legs.
[0005] Another football holding device is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 8,342,987 to Shaw et al. This device has two ground engaging
legs and a horizontally extending third leg all connected to a
center module. The legs are formed of multiple tubes with each leg
being disclosed as "hollow tubes that nest with its adjacent
section by way of a telescopic, nesting interface arrangement." An
inverted v-shaped module has guide holes for receiving the
proximate ends of the three legs. A bungee cord extending through
the hollow tubes and the module is used to secure the three legs in
place relative to the holes of the connecting module. The place
kicker pulls the ends of the three legs away and out of the
mounting holes against the retaining spring force of the bungee
cord to thereby de-nest and fold the device in a compact
disassembled form. No telescopic adjustment of the lengths of the
legs along the axis of the lengths of the three legs is taught.
This lack of a telescopic adjustment feature limits the device to
the type and size of the football used for a particular level of
competition as the Patent does state "the device could also be
downsized, in the event it were to be used for juvenile-sized
football."
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,855 to Balestrieri discloses a vertical
telescopic support wherein the vertical hollow tubing 27 and 29 are
slide relative to each other and the length locked and controlled
by a knob turned to press against a flexible collar trapped between
the inner wall of tube 27 and the outer wall of smaller tube 29 as
best viewed in FIG. 3. Three legs 13a, 13b and 13c are used to
support the vertical hollow tubing and can be pivoted to align with
the vertical axis of the vertical hollow tubing but are not
telescopic. Further, an arm 49 used to support the tip of the
football is not telescopic. This device is compactable as both arm
49 and the three support legs are pivotal relative to the vertical
hollow tubing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,974 to Brown discloses
vertically telescoping hollow square tubes with a locking detent
extending through a vertical slot in an outer tube wall as part of
a height adjustable place kick holder.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
football place kicker holder which takes the place of a player
holder during practice of the place kicker.
[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide the
place kicker holder the ability to be adjustable as to the angle at
which the football is tilted so as to better accommodate the
kicker's style such as a side kicking soccer style leg swing as
contrasted with a straight on leg swing.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to have the
place kicker holder compact for storage and transportation.
[0010] It is another object of the present invention to have the
place kicker holder easily adjustable to accommodate different
sizes of footballs.
[0011] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a inexpensive but durable to manufacture place kick holder.
[0012] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a place kick holder which is easy to set up quickly and operate and
adjust.
[0013] These and other objects of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a football place kicker
holder in accordance with the present invention, supporting a
football for kicking in a tripod form.
[0015] FIG. 2 is the place kicker holder of FIG. 1, shown in a plan
view, nested or collapsed form for stowage.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along section X-X of FIG.
2.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the place kicker holder
of FIG. 1, showing the football engaging arm with a variable
telescoping length with the football vertically mounted on a
kicking tee.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the place kicker holder
with the football engaging arm's surface having a pattern holding
the football tip at an angle.
[0019] FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing details of the mounting
of the telescopic legs and football holder arm of the place kicker
holder of FIG. 1.
[0020] FIGS. 7 and 8 depict alternate add on elliptical and
spherical friction tips to the place kick holder arm end of FIG.
1.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a front view of the place kick holder of FIG.
1.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a side view of an add-on elliptically contoured
tip showing mounting engagement with an end cap for securing to the
end of the football hold arm of the FIG. 1 embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 11 is a side view of a contour tip variation in
spherical form of that shown in FIG. 10.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a front view of a different embodiment of module
14 mounting a hexagonal fastening nut for receiving an end portion
of the football holder arm 3.
[0025] FIG. 13 is a front view of another embodiment of module 84
having a diamond shaped holder 41 for the football holder arm and
showing leg positioning grooves cut in the underside of the module
84.
[0026] FIG. 14 is a rear view of the module 84 of FIG. 13 lying on
one side.
[0027] FIG. 15 is a top view of the module 84 of FIG. 14 lying on
one side showing in detail the positions of the leg positioning
grooves of FIG. 14.
[0028] FIG. 16 is a top view along the arrow AA of one side of the
module 84 depicted in FIG. 14 showing in phantom outline the
positions of one of the two telescopic legs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, a football 5 is supported by a
telescopic arm comprising an outer hollow tube 2 which telescopes
over a smaller diameter hollow tube 3 and an optional third yet
smaller diameter hollow tube 9 over which both tubes 2 and 3
telescope. In the preferred embodiments only tubes 2 and 3 are
deployed. The outer surface of tube 2 may be knurled or covered
with a soft memory recoverable deformable material which permits
the tip of the football to slightly depress the soft material so as
to better engage the tube 2 to simulate the touch of a human
holder. The soft material is memory recoverable and spring-like and
returns to its normal state after being removed from contact with
the football tip. Also, the surface of the soft material
facilitates the grip the kicker has for ease of adjusting the
sliding action of the telescoping tube 2, especially useful on a
rainy/snowy outdoor practice day.
[0030] In this description, the terms "tube" and "tubular" are used
in their broadest generic sense to encompass the preferred cross
sectional round tubes shown in FIG. 3 and non-round forms, such as
by way of non-limiting example, triangular or square telescoping
tubes (not shown).
[0031] Also disclosed in FIG. 1 are two telescopic ground engaging
hollow leg pairs 10,12 and 11,13 preferably tubular in form. The
outer surface of the legs 10 and 11 maybe covered with enclosed end
caps 80 to prevent entry of foreign objects and to ensure a better
grip by the place kicker in adjusting the telescopic sliding action
of tubes 10 and 11. An inverted v-shaped module 14 connects the
innermost proximal ends of tubes 3, 12 and 13 as shown in FIG.
6.
[0032] While FIG. 1 depicts the football place kicker holder in
operative deployment, FIG. 2 shows the compact nested form in a
stowage position. The kicker has telescopically collapsed the
football holder tube 2 partially over the smaller diameter tube 3.
Also, the two leg pairs 10, 12 and 11, 13 are telescopically
partially collapsed. Additionally, the kicker has pivoted the
tubular leg pairs 10, 12 and 11, 13 about pivot rivets or shafts 19
and 20 (shown in FIGS. 6 and 9) attached to the underside of the
inverted v-shaped module 14.
[0033] A smooth adjustment of the desired lengths of the telescopic
arm and the telescopic legs is achieved by providing tight
clearance tolerances between the inner surface of the outer
diameter tube and the outer surface of the smaller diameter tube.
The tight tolerances permit use of air drag as a resistance to hold
the position of the tubes. The tubes are easily moved to different
relative positions against the pressure of air drag between the
surfaces. A more secure twist-lock in the desired position can be
achieved by twisting the tubes as is commonly done, for example
with telescoping boat hooks. A metal of light weight, such as
anodized aluminum or steel, is the preferred material for the tubes
but plastics such as polypropylene, fiberglass or nylon may also be
used.
[0034] Both tubes 12 and 13 swing underneath the horizontally
extending hollow tube 3 as shown in FIG. 2. The end caps 80 shown
in FIG. 1 may optionally be replaced by modified end caps 81 having
elliptical tips 27. Spherical tips 28 can also be used. Tips 27 and
28 are discussed in detail in connection with FIGS. 7 and 8. Also
tip 27 or 28 maybe mounted at the end of telescopic holder arm 2.
This arrangement allows the kicker the option to switch between
spare tips 27 and 28 on legs 10 and 11 and the tip mounted at the
end of telescopic holder arm 2.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the X-X plane
as shown in FIG. 2 showing the stowage positioning for the tubes 12
and 13 before they are telescopically collapsed. Tube 3 is fixed
against movement by two fastening rivets or screws 18 only one of
which is shown in FIG. 6 attached to the peak of the underside of
the module 14. The inner end of tube 12 has a pivot hole 24 for
securing the tube 12 to pivot about a fixed rivet or shaft 20
mounted on the underside of the module 14. Likewise, the inner end
of tube 13 has a pivot hole 23 for securing the tube 13 to pivot
about rivet or shaft 19 fixed to the underside of the module 14.
Shafts 19 and 20 have heads 21, 22 to retain the arms 12,13.
[0036] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9, the inner ends of tubes 12 and
13 have angled planar surfaces 25 and 26 which abut each other when
the tubes 12 and 13 are in the football holding tripod position
shown in FIG. 1. The inner end of tube 3 is located under module 14
in front of the inner ends of tubes 12 and 13 and abuts the inner
ends of tubes 12 and 13 thereby limiting rotation of the leg pairs
10, 12 and 11, 13 to the position shown in FIG. 1.
[0037] FIG. 4 is an example of using a kicking tee 8 with the
present invention. Opening 7 permits the telescoping of outer
diameter tube 3 relative to the inner tube 2 as shown by the double
arrow in FIG. 4.
[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates the maximum telescoping extension (double
arrow A) of the tube 2 with a different pattern for the exterior
surface pattern of tube 2 than that shown in FIG. 1 which showed a
wavy pattern. Other forms of patterns (not shown) are also within
the purview of the present invention. In this way the place hold
kicker has a choice between patterns depending on a variety of
factors such as wind and rain/snow conditions at the practice
field.
[0039] The patterns in tubular form may be slipped on/off over an
existing pattern to economize on the number of telescoping football
holders needed for practice.
[0040] Some place holder kickers prefer the football's longest axis
to be held at a more extreme angle from the vertical due to the
player's leg kicking style. An add-on, such as an elliptical end 27
shown in FIG. 7 or a semi-spherical end 28 shown in FIG. 8, may be
fastened or adhered to the end of the tube 2 to provide for such
extreme angle football tip placement. The surfaces of ends 27 and
28 may also have other patterns, such as a knurled pattern or a
deformable material pattern which may or may not be similar to the
surface pattern of tube 2 shown in the previously discussed FIG. 1
invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,209 to Sang teaches gum as a known
deformable material used to hold a football tip.
[0041] A variation of the add-on shape is shown in FIG. 10 wherein
the elliptical tip 30 is part of a removable flexible rubber plug
29 inserted in an end cap 35 shown in section with an open end 36.
The prong shaped end 31 of the plug 29 is retained behind the end
cap open end 36 as shown by phantom prong shaped end 31. The end
cap 35 may be fastened or placed over the end of tube 2 in a secure
manner.
[0042] In like fashion, the add-on of FIG. 11 has a semi-spherical
tip 33 as part of a removable flexible rubber plug 32 having a
prong shaped end 34 to engage the end cap shown in FIG. 10. The
teaching of a prong shaped end is only meant as an example and
other forms of flexible retaining ends are also within the purview
of the present invention.
[0043] The compact holder in the deployed form depicted in FIG. 1
resembles a tripod and in a collapsed compact telescopic stowage
form the legs and football holding arm are in the same horizontal
direction shown in FIG. 2. The present invention solves many of the
prior art place kick holder drawbacks by providing a compactable,
durable, simple to deploy, inexpensive, and add-on modifiable
configuration thereby allowing the place kicker to customize the
compactable holder to the kicker's preference as to kicking
style.
[0044] Although not shown, it is to be understood that internal
conventional devices are used to limit the maximum extent of the
telescoping action of the tubes described above so as to prevent
tube separation. Also employed to prevent separation are several
annular grooves (not shown) in the tube 2 outer surface near the
inner end of the tube 2.
[0045] Close tolerance to avoid unwanted slippage is essentially
between the inner cylindrical surface of tube 2 and the outer
cylindrical surface of the smaller diameter tube 3 to maintain an
air sleeve between the cylindrical surfaces allowing precise
telescoping positioning relative tubes 2 and 3.
[0046] In a variation shown in FIG. 12, an elongated hexagonal
holding nut 3 is secured to the underside of the inverted v-shaped
module 14 as a means of securing the proximal end of the football
tip holder arm 3.
[0047] In a preferred variation shown in FIGS. 13 - 16, a diamond
shaped holder 41 is made integral as a portion of a modified
inverted v-shaped module 84. FIG. 13 is a frontal view wherein
ground engaging legs 12, 13 are shown in cross section as is the
football tip holder arm 3 shown secured in a bore hole 83 (FIGS. 14
and 15) in the diamond shaped holder 41. FIG. 14 is a rear view
illustrating the inverted v-shaped module 84 lying on one side of
the module. FIG. 15 is a top view of FIG. 14. The bore hole 83
extends along the length of the diamond shaped holder 41 but does
not extend all the way along the length of the sides constituting
the inverted v-shaped module 84.
[0048] To secure the legs 12, 13 in the stowage position parallel
to the football tip holder arm 3 shallow grooves 85, 86 are located
on the inner sides of the module 84. Similar shorter shallow
grooves 87, 88 are made in the inner sides of the module 84 which
secure the legs 12, 13 when pivoted around the rivets or shafts 19,
20 to the ground engaging position. Compression springs 90, 91
(best shown in FIG. 14) are placed between the underside of the
heads 21, 22 and the bore hole extending through the legs 12, 13 to
firmly pressure the legs 12, 13 in the selected groove.
[0049] FIG. 16 shown viewed from the direction of arrow AA of FIG.
14 depicts one side of the module 84 with leg 12 in the stowage
position parallel to the football tip holder arm 3 and in the
phantom line position when in the ground engaging position.
[0050] In the embodiment depicted by FIGS. 13-16, the shaft heads
19, 20 are positioned at the intersection of the longer grooves
with the shorter angled grooves as shown by FIG. 15. To disengage
the legs 12, 13 from the shallow positioning grooves the user
slightly rocks the leg end farthest away from the pivot shaft and
then pivots the leg to the desired position in the other groove of
the pair.
[0051] While this invention has been described as having preferred
design, it is understood that it is capable of further
modification, use and/or adaptations following in general the
principle of the invention and including such departures from the
present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in
the art to which the present invention pertains, and as may be
applied to the essential features set forth, and fall within the
scope of the invention or limits of the appended claims.
* * * * *