| Interchangeable soccer training system -> Monitor Keywords |
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Interchangeable soccer training systemRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Playing Field Or Court Game; Game Element Or Accessory Therefor Other Than Projector Or Projectile, Per Se, Practice Or Training Device, For Game Using Apertured Or Pocketed Goal Or Target (e.g., For Hockey, Soccer, Polo, Lacrosse, Etc.)Interchangeable soccer training system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060189417, Interchangeable soccer training system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/493,871 entitled "Apparatus and Method for Soccer Training and Practice", filed 28 Jan. 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/162,976 entitled "Apparatus and Method for Soccer Training and Practice", filed 29 Sep. 1998. This application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/664,253 entitled "Handheld Bungee Winder", filed 22 Mar. 2005. The contents of each of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to ball sports devices and more particularly to a soccer training device and accessories. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Soccer is a team sport and serious players practice long hours with a team. However, when an individual player wishes to practice on his or her own, difficulty arises. Kicking the ball a distance from the player creates a ball retrieval problem. [0004] A device to facilitate soccer practice for a single player, which returns the soccer ball to the player after it is kicked, has obvious benefits. Two such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,620,186 and 4,147,353. Both devices, however, have shortcomings in the anchoring means and the ball holding means. Both the '186 and the '353 devices use a "tent stake" for anchoring the device. Anchoring by means of a simple tent stake in the ground might be suitable for young children, but does not work for stronger players. It is possible for a strong junior high school, high school, college, or professional player to dislodge an ordinary "tent" stake with a few powerful kicks. This makes these soccer practice devices ineffective, and also potentially dangerous. Further, the prior art devices lack freedom of movement of the ball's tether around the stake. The tether in the prior art devices wraps around the "tent stake" anchoring means and prohibits the free movement of the ball around and over the anchoring means. This lack of freedom of movement of the ball also inhibits the ball from rolling back to the player freely, smoothly and without the tangling of the tether cord. [0005] The problems in the ball holding means are also significant. To a soccer player, the feel of the ball when kicking is an important element of feedback and a vital aspect of training and practice. Existing prior art devices use straps, sewn overlapping fastenings, metal rings or Velcro closings to hold the ball. All of these coverings on the ball cause an uneven, bumpy feel upon kicking the ball and impede the rolling of the ball when it returns to the player. [0006] Additionally, players may need to purchase multiple soccer trainers in order to practice all of their necessary skills. For instance, hand-held trainers such as SoccerPal.RTM. and Brine Skillmaster.TM. are specifically directed to dribbling and juggling. If a player wishes to improve their kicking and shooting, they would need to buy a different device, such as Star Kick.TM., Penalty Master.RTM., Soccix.TM., Kwik Kick.TM. or Iso-Trainer.TM.. Some modifications have been made to address this problem, such as an additional wrist-strap and cord that can be used with Iso-Trainer.TM. to allow dribbling and juggling. Star Kick.TM. purportedly can be used to dribble, however, as with the wrist strap approach, the cord length cannot be easily shortened, thus a player must deal with the awkwardness of at least a 10 foot length of cord at their feet. Until now, an inexpensive, interchangeable system for combining multiple ways to train, namely a secure ground anchor for shots, a hand-held, adjustable length device for ball control skills and a waist-attached system for indoor use, has not been available. [0007] It remains desirable to have a soccer practice device for strong players that approximates normal game play. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The problems of anchoring a tether and holding a soccer ball are solved by the present invention of a soccer practice device having a stable anchoring means and a tethering means that resists tangling and allows the soccer ball to roll smoothly. [0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that allows a player to easily switch a soccer training device between being ground-mounted, hand-held, and mounted on the player's body in order to practice different skills. [0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide an incorporated kicking, shooting, dribbling and juggling soccer training device. [0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to firmly and securely tether a soccer ball to an anchor such that the tether does not become entangled with the anchor during play. [0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to hold a soccer ball in a practice device such that the ball retains the feel of a ball in normal soccer play. [0013] The present invention provides a soccer training system for holding and retrieving a soccer ball including a detachable tether mechanism that is capable of easily switching between being ground-mounted, hand-held, and belt-mounted, depending on what practice skills are desired. [0014] The present invention provides a ground anchoring means that includes a spiral tie down stake or a unitary structure comprised of multiple, spaced apart, legs extending from a common central point arranged, for example, in an "X" pattern, wherein each of the legs has at its distal end an eye for receiving an associated tent-type stake. A ring is disposed through a circular upper portion of the tie down stake or X-shaped (for example) ground unit such that the ring moves freely along the circular upper portion. A tether cord is connected at one end to the ring via a detachable link and, at the other end, to a net that holds a soccer ball. The detachable link includes a swivel-eyebolt connection that permits the net and soccer ball to spin 360.degree. about the axis of the tether cord. The circular upper portion, ring, and swivel-eyebolt on the detachable link allow the soccer ball great freedom of movement, thus simulating real soccer play. [0015] The present invention also provides a handheld bungee winder, to which the tether cord can be connected and about which the tether cord can be wound in order to shorten the freely moveable section of the tether cord to a desired length for dribbling, juggling and/or trapping the ball. A player can then hold onto the bungee winder to control the relative movement of the netted soccer ball. [0016] The present invention also provides a belt that can be mounted on a player's waist, to which the detachable tether mechanism can be attached. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The present invention together with the above and other advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein: [0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a ground-mounted ball anchoring means according to principles of the invention; [0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tie down stake, a rotating ring, a rotating loop and a detachable link such as may be utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 1; Continue reading about Interchangeable soccer training system... Full patent description for Interchangeable soccer training system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Interchangeable soccer training system 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. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Interchangeable soccer training system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Soccer (or association football) goalkeeping game Next Patent Application: Deviation measuring apparatus Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Interchangeable soccer training system patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.37787 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry 174 |
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