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Apparatus and method including hand controlling and ball tossing features

Apparatus and method including hand controlling and ball tossing features description/claims

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/918,533 filed Mar. 16, 2007 and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/955,849, filed Aug. 14, 2007, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to methods and devices useful for training, such as for training proper form. More specifically, the present invention is directed towards a method and device for training a user to properly toss a ball.

Several flaws are common among racket game players when making a service toss. Many of these flaws occur in the toss due in part to that player having improper positioning and/or movement of the wrist, fingers, body lean or jerky speed when tossing the ball. Examples of this can be seen when a player flexes the wrist, fails to keep body weight on the front foot and/or fails to release ball consistently with the hand/fingers.

The recommended hand position for the service toss is one with the wrist laid back and the body weight on the front foot while allowing the ball to come out freely from the hand at the proper ball release point giving a rhythmic, slow, predictable trajectory of the ball. A large majority of top tennis professionals release their toss with the wrist laid-back and the palm facing straight up so that the ball lifts directly upward into the player's desired service contact point time after time. Pros use this tossing motion for good reason because it greatly helps the consistency of their toss. Players can emulate this tossing motion by use of the present invention.

For most tennis players, a repeatable service toss is both challenging and often extremely frustrating, as most players never learn a proper tossing motion, especially the proper wrist, hand and finger position and release point of the tossed ball. These nuances of the toss are important factors to learn to have a consistent toss.

Common problems that cause inconsistent tosses are players incorrectly flexing the wrist or fingers upwards/backwards during the toss, which causes the toss to navel too far behind the player and can create a very inconsistent toss height. Many players also fail to keep weight on the front foot throughout the toss or lean back excessively, and/or release the ball at an improper release point, all of which can cause the ball to travel too far behind the player. The ball traveling erratically or too far behind the player causes a service motion problem that can adversely affect the player's placement of the serve, power and consistency of the serve, and eventually can affect that player's success and enjoyment of the game. This problem is found in all levels of tennis players from beginners to some touring tennis pros and is often difficult for a player to correct.

Illustrations of some of these common problems with respect to tossing a ball are provided in FIGS. 1A-1B. In FIG. 1A, for example, an illustration of an undesirable wrist angle 40 is shown, wherein wrist angle 40 is measured relative to an axis parallel to the user's forearm. As illustrated, an undesirable wrist angle 40 tends to cause ball 10 to veer away from desired trajectory 20, and instead towards undesired trajectories 30. Similarly, FIG. 1B shows how, even if a user achieves a desirable wrist angle 50 (wherein wrist angle 50 is again measured relative to an axis parallel to the user's forearm), ball 10 may still veer away from desired trajectory 20 if his/her fingers are not properly extended.

It is desirable to provide a tennis training aid that is light weight, intuitive to use, operable in multiple usage modes and allows a player to easily, effectively and comfortably practice different styles of service tosses to find the one that suits the player best.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a ball-toss training aid is provided. The ball-toss training aid includes a base piece shaped to configure to a user's wrist and having an axis parallel to the user's wrist. Within such embodiment, the base piece includes a first end having a curvature that is at an offset angle from the axis such that the curvature protrudes into a palm of a hand of the user so as to hold the wrist back at a desirable wrist angle for tossing a ball. The ball-toss training aid also includes a member coupled to the base piece and configured to be releasably attached to a user's forearm.

In another embodiment of the present invention, another ball-toss training aid is provided. Within such embodiment, the ball-toss training aid includes a base piece shaped to configure to a user's wrist and having an axis parallel to the user's wrist. The base piece includes a first end having a curvature that is at an offset angle from the axis such that the curvature protrudes into a palm of a hand of the user so as to hold the wrist back at a desirable wrist angle for tossing a ball. The ball-toss training aid further includes a second piece having a first end and a second end such that the first end is configured to be releasably attached to the base piece and has a contour substantially parallel to the axis of the base piece, and where the second end includes a curvature, and where the curvature of the second end protrudes over a ball held by the user so as to keep the index and middle fingers of the hand in a desirable extension. The ball-toss training aid also includes a member coupled to the base piece and configured to be releasably attached to a user's forearm.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, another ball-toss training aid is provided. The ball-toss training aid includes a base piece shaped to configure to a user's wrist and having an axis parallel to the user's wrist. Within such embodiment, the base piece includes a first and second portion. The first portion includes a first end having a curvature that is at an offset angle from the axis of the base piece such that the curvature protrudes into a palm of a hand of the user so as to hold the wrist back at a desirable wrist angle for tossing a ball. The second portion of the base piece extends from the first end of the first portion and includes a curvature, where the curvature protrudes over a ball held by the user so as to keep the index and middle fingers of the hand in a desirable extension. The ball-toss training aid also includes a member coupled to the base piece and configured to be releasably attached to the user's forearm.

These and other features, advantages and embodiments will be appreciated by a review of the following detailed description and related drawings.

FIG. 1A is an illustration of an unassisted ball toss technique, wherein an undesirable wrist angle is shown.

FIG. 1B is an illustration of an unassisted ball toss technique, wherein an undesirable lack of finger extension is shown.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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