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Device for enhancing bilateral dexterity and methods thereforRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Resilient Force Resistance, And User Supplied Counter Force, Having Pair Of HandlesDevice for enhancing bilateral dexterity and methods therefor description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060094573, Device for enhancing bilateral dexterity and methods therefor. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present applications claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/624,622, filed Nov. 3, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to exercise devices and more particularly relates to exercise devices and method for improving hand-eye coordination and bilateral dexterity. [0003] Numerous studies have shown that improving an individual's hand-eye coordination will result in an improved athletic performance. This relationship is particular true for sports such as baseball, basketball, golf and tennis. [0004] There are a wide variety of devices used for improving hand-eye coordination. One particular device, commonly sold under the trademark KETCH-IT, includes an elastic cord having a ball attached at one end and a wrist strap at the other end. The device is used by attaching the strap to a user's wrist, tossing the ball away from the user for stretching the elastic cord, and then catching the ball as the elastic cord returns the ball to the user. This device is typically used for baseball or softball training whereby a participant tends to throw and catch with designated hands for each task. Adjusting the strap can be cumbersome making this device less than ideal for bilateral dexterity exercises. [0005] Another device for improving hand-eye coordination uses a paddle and a rubber ball that is attached to the paddle by an elastic cord. In operation, the ball is hit by the paddle and returned by the elastic cord. The paddle/rubber ball device only allows one hand to be exercised at a time. [0006] Recent studies have shown that exercises that force an individual to develop hand-eye coordination with both hands will dramatically improve athletic performance. One study, conducted at Arizona State University by exercise scientist Debbie Crews, sought to prove that one key to success in golf is balancing the left and right hemispheres of the brain during the golf swing. The left hemisphere is the analytical and verbal side of the brain that allows an athlete to focus on body mechanics. The right hemisphere of the brain controls rhythm, timing, balance and imagery. During a golf swing, the left hemisphere of the brain is active, which allows a golfer to focus on his or her mechanics. However, Crews hypothesized that it is equally important for the right side of the brain to be active during the swing so that the two sides of the brain are synchronized. Crews sought to prove that a synchronized brain is in balance, and that an individual will become a better golfer as a result. [0007] In her study, Crews used actor Alan Alda, a non-golfer, to illustrate her concept of brain balance. She used a cap with electrodes to pick up and chart Mr. Alda's brainwaves. She then had Alda putt on a green located in an Arizona State University lab. After Alda used several techniques to balance his brain, his golf putting improved dramatically. Crews then had Alda engage in cardiovascular exercises to increase his heart rate. By continuing to use the brain balancing techniques, however, he maintained his improved level of putting. Crews later had Alda compete in a putting competition against a professional golfer. When Alda used the balancing techniques and the professional golfer used her regular methods, Alda out-putted the professional. [0008] Another study, reported in Nature, showed that the area of the brain associated with the processing and storage of complex visual motion will expand when an individual learns to juggle. Draganski, B. Nature, Jan. 22, 2004; vol 427: pp 311-312. In order to determine whether the structure of the brain changes in response to stimuli, the researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to examine the brains of two groups of adults. A first group of adults learned to juggle and a second group of adults did not learn to juggle. The juggling group had three different brain scans conducted: a first scan at the start of the study, a second scan after the jugglers could juggle for at least 60 seconds, and a third scan three months later. The adults in the juggling group did not juggle during the time between the second scan and the third scan. The first scan of the jugglers showed a baseline. The second scan, after the adults learned to juggle, showed that the juggler's had experienced significant expansion in the area of the brain associated with the processing and storage of complex visual motion. The amount of brain expansion also correlated with the juggler's performance level. In other words, the better the individual could juggle, the greater the expansion of the brain. By the third scan, after the period of inactivity, the increased areas seen on the brain scans had declined. In contrast, the non-jugglers showed no increase in brain structure during the study. [0009] One method for enhancing hand-eye coordination in both hands is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,254 to McCormick. The '254 patent teaches a method of enhancing bimanual dexterity of a person having a dominant arm and hand and a non-dominant arm and hand. The method involves a person participating in an athletic exercise whereby a bouncing ball is projected toward the person equipped in each hand with a paddle for striking the ball and returning it in the direction from which it was projected. The paddle held in the non-dominant hand has a larger ball-striking area than the paddle held in the dominant hand. The '254 patent teaches that the method may be used by an individual, such as a handicapped person, to improve the performance of an injured or defective arm. Unfortunately, a handicapped person may have a difficult time continuing the exercise if the ball does not return to the individual. This may occur if the ball is struck improperly or if the ball bounces erratically off a wall. [0010] In spite of the above advances, there remains a need for a device and methods for improving hand-eye coordination. In addition, there is a need for a device and methods for improving bilateral dexterity, which may result in the left and right hemispheres of the brain being in balance. Such methods of enhancing bilateral dexterity may result in expansion in the area of the brain associated with the processing and storage of complex visual motion, which may result in improved athletic performance. There is also a need for a device that is easy to use, whereby an individual can easily continue an exercise. This is particularly true for a handicapped person having limited mobility. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0011] One aspect of the invention relates to bola-like devices, which generally consist of a cord having opposite ends and balls attached to the opposite ends of the cord. In the past, bolas were developed as hunting tools and typically consisted of two, three, or more weighted objects tied together by a cord or string. When hunting, the bola is thrown at prey in order to ensnare and capture the prey. [0012] Many games use bola-like devices whereby the bola-like devices are tossed back and forth between participants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,348 discloses a bola-like device including two rubber balls attached together by an elastic cord, with a tab located midway between the two rubber balls. The tab is used to hold the bola device and throw it toward a catching post. In this game having a scoring system similar to that found in darts, points are awarded based upon where the bola-like device is ensnared on the catching post. The '348 patent, however, does not teach a device and method that encourages uniform bilateral usage of a person's body, whereby both hands and arms alternately reverse roles and perform similar functions. [0013] Although the present invention is not limited by any particular theory of operation, it is believed that exercises that encourage uniform bilateral usage of both sides of the body are particularly beneficial because the uniform bilateral usage encourages the development of ambidexterity and "whole-brain" thinking conducive to better performance in many activities including athletics. One example of an exercise/activity that accomplishes this objective of developing hand-eye coordination while encouraging uniform bilateral usage of the body is juggling. While juggling is a very useful training technique, there exists the need for an exercise/activity using the present invention that allows the participant to benefit from alternating bilateral usage of the body while increasing the range and scope of exercises beyond what is currently known and that accommodates various levels of skill of different participants. [0014] The present invention provides an improved bola-like device and method of use. The bola-like device preferably includes an elastic member that allows an individual to engage in alternating bilateral tossing and catching activities to develop hand-eye coordination and ambidextrous bilateral usage of the body. [0015] In certain preferred embodiments, the present invention includes a device having two moderately weighted balls attached to either end of an elastic member to form a bola-like device for the specific method of use described below. The weighted balls do not have to be actual balls and may be beanbags, hacky sacks or juggling beanbags. The weighted balls may also be molded balls that are hollow, solid rubber, foam rubber, sponge-like balls, PVC balls, or the like. The balls may be similar in weight and dimension to tennis balls. In certain preferred embodiments, the balls have a diameter of approximately 1.5-4 inches. Larger balls may make the exercise activities easier while smaller balls may make the exercises more challenging. The balls may be asymmetrical or uneven (i.e. not round). It is believed that balls that are not round will tend to fly through the air in a less predictable manner thereby increasing the challenge to the participant. The balls are preferably softer than a baseball to reduce the risk of injury during use. The hardness of the balls may vary. The hardness of the balls may also vary between a first bola-like device and a second bola-like device. The harder the ball, the faster one can engage in the exercises. The balls in a bola-like device are preferably similar to one another. However, the balls in a device may vary in weight and shape for particular uses. [0016] In preferred embodiments, the balls have a weight similar to the weight of a hacky sack or a tennis ball or a baseball or softball. The balls are preferably substantial enough in weight to fly through the air with some speed as the participant develops hand-eye coordination and ambidexterity. If the ball is too light, speed may be compromised and the snapping/bouncing action of the elastic member and ball described herein will be difficult. If the balls are too heavy, for instance if they are made of solid metal or stone, the risk of injury may be too great for most individuals. The balls may be brightly colored to facilitate easy spotting by the eyes. [0017] In certain preferred embodiments, the elastic member is approximately two to four feet in length. In more preferred embodiments, the elastic member is about three feet in length, which is preferred for the alternating bilateral exercises disclosed herein. The elastic member may be shorter or longer depending upon the particular activity and the size of the participant, however, a cord one foot in length may be too short and a cord five feet in length may be too long for engaging in effective exercises. The elasticity of the elastic member may be increased or decreased for controlling the bounce or snap action of the device. In certain preferred embodiments, the length of the elastic member may be adjustable so as to accommodate growing individuals or individuals of various sizes. In further preferred embodiments, the balls are detachable and different length elastics are provided. These elastics can also have different tensile properties depending upon the intended application. In yet further preferred embodiments, portions of the balls or weighted objects are detachable such that the size, weight, and/or firmness of the balls or weighted objects can be easily modified by attaching different coverings or ball bodies to change the properties of the device. [0018] In preferred embodiments, the balls are attached to the elastic member so that nothing projects out from the ball or cord (i.e. a seamless attachment). If the attachment includes a projecting element, there may be an unnecessary risk of injury to a participant's eyes. In certain preferred embodiments, the elastic member is molded into a ball for providing a seamless attachment. In other preferred embodiments, the balls are molded with an attachment area countersunk into the ball. The balls may be constructed such that two or more elements are put together around the cord to facilitate attachment. In other preferred embodiments, however, the elastic member may be attached by taping, stitching, gluing, tying a knot, using a knotted cord countersunk into the ball, clamping, welding, or by other known attachment techniques. In further preferred embodiments, the attachment involves a swivel device to help prevent tangling the elastic cord. [0019] In one particular preferred embodiment, a method of using the bola-like device to participate in an alternating bilateral tossing and catching pattern includes holding a first ball in a first hand and a second ball in a second hand. The first hand and first ball are then moved in a direction away from the second hand and second ball for stretching the elastic member. The second hand then releases the second ball at the appropriate time to allows the second ball to snap outwardly toward the first ball. The participant allows the second ball to continue outwardly past the first ball until the second ball reaches its farthest point away from the participant at which time the participant then pulls back the first hand that is holding the first ball, which places the elastic member under tension and causes the second ball in motion to return back toward the participant. The participant then catches the second ball with the second hand. If the second ball is caught, the participant then repeats the same action to the other side reversing roles of the hands. This action can be done in multiple planes of movement simply by twisting the body or by using the arms to direct the ball in motion in different planes. In certain preferred embodiments, the balls are directed side to side to side, front to back to front, back to front to back, up to down to up, and down to up to down and various combinations thereof. The possible combinations are nearly infinite. One preferred pattern may include performing the action to the right, then the left, then to the back on the right side, then to the left, then to the right, then to the back on the left side, etc. While the bola-like device of the present invention may be used to develop only one side of the body, it is believed that a participant is much more likely to significantly benefit by being capable of performing the action in an alternating bilateral pattern and thus should practice in this manner in addition to any unilateral training. [0020] Exercises for a new user may be broken down into simple steps until one sequence to either side can be performed. One preferred teaching method may include having an individual perform a simplified version that involves dropping one ball and using the other hand holding onto one of the balls to bounce the free ball back up so as to be caught with the free hand. This simple exercise gets the participant accustomed to bouncing the free ball back in a controlled manner and is very easy to learn when simply dropping the ball. If the participant is unable to catch the free ball, he/she need not chase it around the room as he/she maintains a grasp on one ball, keeping the device under their control despite a miss. This is particularly useful for beginners and makes the learning process easier and more user friendly than juggling. [0021] In certain preferred embodiments an exercise for enhancing bilateral dexterity includes holding a first ball in a first hand and a second ball in a second hand and moving the balls away from one another for stretching the elastic member. The user then releases the second ball from the second hand. The tension in the stretched elastic member is transferred to the second ball, which directs the second ball on a path including a first segment in which the second ball moves toward the first ball and a second segment in which the second ball continues in a direction away from the participant. As the second ball reaches its furthest point from the body, the participant pulls on the first ball, which re-tensions the elastic member. The tension in the elastic member is transferred to the second ball, which changes the direction of the second ball and directs the second ball back toward the participant. The participant then releases or drops the first ball from the first hand and catches the approaching second ball with the first hand. The participant then switches the roles of the first and second hands and repeats the process to the other side. After a period of practice, a participant should be able to time his or her movement so as to simultaneously initiate the movement with one hand and dropping the ball with the other hand for stretching the elastic member. Additionally, with much practice this technique can be performed while only manipulating one ball with one hand at a time. In other words, the participant can perform this technique and alternate sides only touching one ball at a time. Continue reading about Device for enhancing bilateral dexterity and methods therefor... Full patent description for Device for enhancing bilateral dexterity and methods therefor Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Device for enhancing bilateral dexterity and methods therefor patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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