Portable pitching rubber

The present invention relates generally to athletic equipment and more specifically to a portable pitching rubber for training and sporting activities, such as softball, baseball and other sports, which can be stationarily mounted to a variety of surfaces, including artificial or synthetic surfaces such as artificial turf, carpeting and matting materials, but can be easily moved from place to place without damaging the surfaces or any underlying substrates.

Certain indoor and outdoor training and sporting exercises require the use of a designated area for a person to deliver (e.g., pitch, throw, kick) a ball or other similar object to another person. For example, pitching mounds are a traditional part of the games of baseball, and a pitching rubber is typically mounted at generally the center portion of the pitching mound. Similarly, softball utilizes a pitching circle in which a pitching rubber is typically mounted at generally the center portion of the circle. Traditionally, pitching rubbers have been designed to be stationarily mounted to a surface so that a pitcher can push off the rubber when throwing the ball to a batter. If appropriately designed and used, these devices can also promote the development of proper pitching fundamentals.

The pitching rubber is typically made of a hard rubber material of elongated rectangular shape, and in accordance with the rules of the games, the pitcher must be in contact with the pitching rubber while throwing, e.g., a baseball or softball. While U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,653 of Wright describes some differences between baseball and softball as they relate to pitching technique and pitching mounds, pitching rubbers in both sports are typically similar in size, shape and material. In both baseball and softball, pitching rubbers are subjected to a high degree of force, notwithstanding that the forces in the two sports are somewhat different due to differences in pitching motion (i.e., wind-up). As a result, a pitching rubber must be secured to, for example, a pitching mound or some other surface in order to prevent the rubber from moving during each pitch sequence.

Traditionally, pitching rubbers used for playing baseball outdoors have been secured to pitching mounds by driving relatively large, metal posts or spikes attached to the underside of the rubber a sufficient distance into the ground which forms the pitching mound. As a result, such pitching rubbers are typically not easily removed from the ground and doing so often requires the use of tools to force the posts out of ground. Such rubbers also cannot be used effectively indoors without providing a sufficient amount of ground material (e.g., soil, sand, dirt) so that the posts can be hammered into the material to secure the rubber.

Several pitching rubbers have been patented including, for example, the pitching rubber described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,357 of Barnum. However, this pitching rubber has flanges secured at each end of the rubber for receiving a post. As is the case with other known pitching rubbers having posts or large spikes, the post of the Barnum pitching rubber must be driven or pounded into the ground to secure the pitching rubber in place and be pried out of the ground to remove and relocate the rubber.

Similarly, Bartoli also describes pitching rubbers in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,769,745, 5,827,140 and 5,919,103. However, the Bartoli pitching rubbers include a metal plate secured to the rubber surface, a post extending from the plate for inserting into a ground anchor, and a pair of spikes also extending from the plate to prevent movement of the outer edges of the pitching rubber. Also, a principal feature of the Bartoli pitching rubbers is the provision of having a stationary mounting portion and a removable portion such that the pitching rubber assembly can be mounted at various pitching distances to accommodate different game requirements.

While athletes, including baseball and softball pitchers, often train indoors, the use of traditional outdoor pitching rubbers is often impossible and, at best, difficult and inconvenient. Many known pitching rubbers cannot be mounted or otherwise attached to most indoor surfaces, including artificial or synthetic surfaces. While it may be possible to remove the metal posts from traditional pitching rubbers in order to use them inside, doing so requires using some attaching means (e.g., tape, glue, etc.) so that the rubber does not move during pitch deliveries. While doing so could be considered marginally effective, this type of training can lead to problems, including injuries to athletes and the development of poor pitching technique, as pitching rubbers which are not adequately secured to a surface have a tendency to shift or move. While U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0181269 A1 of Griffin describes a portable pitching rubber for indoor use, the rubber comprises a plurality of suction devices for securing the rubber to hard, smooth surfaces, such as hardwood, concrete and tile flooring. The pitching rubber of Griffin is ineffective when the suction devices are unable to secure the rubber to an underlying surface, including surfaces which are not hard and/or smooth, such that the rubber is prevented from moving or slipping during a pitch sequence.

Thus, there remains a need for an improved portable pitching rubber which can be mounted stationarily to a variety of surfaces for practicing by and training of athletes in sports, especially baseball and softball pitchers.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a removable and portable, pitching rubber which can be firmly but removably mounted to a variety of surfaces, including artificial or synthetic surfaces, but can be easily moved from place to place without damaging the surfaces or any underlying substrates.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a removable and portable, pitching rubber which can be stationarily mounted to artificial turf, carpeting and matting materials, but can be easily moved from place to place without damaging these mounting materials or any underlying substrates.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a removable and portable, indoor pitching rubber which performs in a manner nearly identical to traditional outdoor pitching rubbers and thereby provides the user with a safe and effective means for training year round.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a removable and portable pitching rubber which is durable and easily adaptable for use on various types of indoor surfaces or flooring materials.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable pitching rubber that enables athletes to develop a proper pitching technique.

For all of the reasons indicated above, there has been a continued need to provide a portable pitching rubber which can be stationarily but removably mounted to a variety of surfaces. A principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a pitching rubber which can be firmly and stationarily mounted to an artificial or synthetic surface during use but be easily removed following play without damaging the surface. The pitching rubber of the present invention includes spikes which form part of the rubber and which extend downwardly at an angle and are received by an underlying surface.

The general method for making the pitching rubber of the present invention includes the steps of forming rubber or other similar types of material into the shape of a rectangular pad, for example, by cutting or molding a piece of rubber material to a desired size and shape to form the pad and attaching spikes to the pad. The spikes can be attached to the pad either during the process of forming the pad or after the pad has been formed. For example, if the material is molded to form a pad, then the spikes can be an integral part of the molding process such that, when the process is complete, the spikes are partially integrally contained in or partially integrally connected to the pad. Alternatively, if the spikes are not integral to the pad at the time the pad is manufactured, then the spikes can be later attached to the pad. These and other embodiments of the present invention are further described below. Once the spikes are attached to the pad, the pitching rubber can be placed in contact with a surface, such as artificial turf, carpeting or matting, and, if necessary or desired, pressure can be applied to the top surface of the pitching rubber to secure the rubber to the surface.

Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, schematically illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Continue reading about Portable pitching rubber...
Full patent description for Portable pitching rubber

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims

Click on the above for other options relating to this Portable pitching rubber patent application.
###


How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents
1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored.
3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords.  
Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Portable pitching rubber or other areas of interest.
###


Previous Patent Application:
Batting practice set
Next Patent Application:
Arrow for hunting
Industry Class:
Games using tangible projectile

###

Design/code © 2009 FreshContext LLC/Freshpatents.com. Website Terms and Conditions - Also read: About this Page
Patent data source: patents published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Information published here is for research/educational purposes only (and in conjunction with our Keyword Monitor) and is not meant to be used in place of the full USPTO patent document/images or a comprehensive patent archive search. Complete official applications are on file at the USPTO and often contain additional data/images (Freshpatents is currently text-only). FreshPatents.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO or firms/individuals or products/designs/ideas related to listed patents.

FreshPatents.com Support
Thank you for viewing the Portable pitching rubber patent info.
IP-related news and info


Results in 2.21642 seconds


Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories:
Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf paws