Pickleball Training Apparatus

Abstract

A pickleball training apparatus comprising a strap, a chord, and a pickleball ball wherein the chord is interposedly connected to the strap and the pickleball ball. The strap comprises a hook and loop fastener, thereby enabling a user to secure the strap to a pickleball paddle by wrapping the strap around the handle of the paddle. The chord, being an elastic band, enables the user to volley the pickleball ball off of the paddle, such that the material properties of the chord return the pickleball ball back to the user.

Claims

1. A pickleball training apparatus comprising: a strap; and a chord; wherein: the strap is an elongated member comprising a flap; the flap comprises an eyelet and a slot; the slot is inwardly offset from the eyelet; the chord is coupled to the eyelet of the strap.

2. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the strap further comprises a distal end wherein said distal end is an end of the strap opposite the flap; and the slot comprises a width wherein said width is greater than a width possessed by the distal end such that the distal end is traversable through the slot.

3. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the strap comprises a first side and a second side such that said sides are opposing surfaces of the strap; and each of the first side and the second side comprise a hook and loop fastener mechanism such that each opposing sides comprise complimentary mechanisms of the hook and loop fastener mechanism.

4. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the chord comprises a first distal end wherein said distal end is coupled to the strap.

5. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first distal end of the chord comprises a loop wherein said loop traverses the eyelet of the trap, thereby coupling the chord to the strap.

6. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the chord further comprises a fastener wherein said fastener secures the loop.

7. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the chord further comprises a second distal end wherein said distal end is coupled to a pickleball ball.

8. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second distal end comprises a loop and a fastener, wherein: the loop is coupled to the pickleball ball and the fastener secures the loop.

9. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the loop traverses a plurality of holes in the pickleball.

10. A pickleball training apparatus comprising: a strap; a chord; and a pickleball ball; wherein: the strap is an elongated member having a first side and a second side, wherein said sides are opposing surfaces, each comprising a hook and loop fastener mechanism such that the hook and loop fastener mechanism on each respective side is complimentary; the strap further comprising a slot; the chord being interposed between the strap and the pickleball ball such that the chord is coupled to the strap and further coupled to the pickleball ball.

11. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the strap further comprises an eyelet; and the chord is coupled to the eyelet.

12. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the slot is inwardly offset from the eyelet.

13. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the chord comprises a first distal end wherein said distal end comprises a loop; the loop traverses the eyelet of the trap; and a fastener secured the loop.

14. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the chord further comprises a second distal end; the distal end comprises a loop wherein said loop couples to the pickleball ball; and the distal end further comprises a fastener wherein said fastener secures the loop.

15. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the loop traverses a plurality of holes of the pickleball ball.

16. A pickleball training apparatus comprising: a strap; a chord; and a pickleball ball; wherein: the strap is an elongated member having a first side and a second side, wherein said sides are opposing surfaces; the strap further comprising a flap, an eyelet, and a slot; the eyelet and the slot traversing through the flap; the chord being interposed between the strap and the pickleball ball such that the chord is coupled to the strap and further coupled to the pickleball ball.

17. The pickleball training apparatus, as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the first side and the second side of the strap comprise a hook and loop fastener mechanism such that the hook and loop fastener mechanism on each respective side is complimentary, thus enabling the first side to secure to the second side.

18. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the chord further comprises a first distal end and a second distal end, wherein: the first distal end and the second distal end of the chord being opposite distal ends of the chord; the first distal end comprising a loop; the second distal end comprising a loop; the loop of the first distal end coupling to the eyelet of the strap; and the loop of the second distal end coupling to the pickleball ball.

19. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the slot is inwardly offset from the eyelet.

20. The pickleball training apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein the loop traverses a plurality of holes of the pickleball ball.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention coupled to a pickleball paddle.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the strap of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0014] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0015] As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being preferred is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0016] Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

[0017] Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used hereinas understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term-differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

[0018] Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, a and an each generally denotes at least one, but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, or denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, and denotes all of the items of the list.

[0019] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

[0020] Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below.

[0021] Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms horizontal, vertical, left, right, up, down and the like, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., horizontally, rightwardly, upwardly, radially, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms inwardly, outwardly and radially generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.

[0022] The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in the context of a pickleball training apparatus 1, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a pickleball training apparatus 1 comprising a strap 10, a chord 20, and a pickleball ball 30. In the context of the present invention, the chord 20 is connectably interposed between the strap 10 and the ball.

[0024] Furthermore, within the context of the present invention, the strap 10 is an elongated member having a plurality of surfaces, specifically two surfaces such that said surfaces, a first side 151 and a second side 152, are opposing surfaces. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the opposing surfaces comprise a hook and loop fastener mechanism such that each surface comprises a portion of the hook and loop fastener that is complimentary to the opposite side. For example, in one embodiment, the first side 151 of the strap 10 may comprise the hooks of the hook and loop fastener, while the second side 152 may comprise the loops of the hook and loop fastener.

[0025] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the strap 10 comprises a flap 11, an eyelet 12, and a slot 13. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flap 11 is a portion of the strap 10 that comprises the eyelet 12 and the slot 13. In the context of the present invention, the slot 13 is proximally offset from the eyelet 12. In the context of the present invention, proximal is understood to mean towards the center, wherein distal is understood to mean, towards the end. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flap 11 is located at one end of the strap 10, wherein a distal end 14 of the strap 10 extends from the flap 11. In the context of the present invention, the strap 10 comprises a distal end 14 such that said distal end is the end of the strap 10 opposite the flap 11. Furthermore, the strap 10 of the present invention comprises at least two widths, a major width and a minor width, such that the major width is possessed by the flap 11, the minor width is possessed by the distal end 14 of the strap 10, and the major width is greater than the minor width.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the eyelet 12 is a reinforced through-hole traversing the flap 11 of the strap 10. The slot 13, in the context of the present invention, is a through channel traversing the flap 11 wherein the width of the slot 13 is greater than the minor width of the strap 10, thereby enabling the portions of the strap 10 comprising the minor width (i.e. the distal end 14 of the strap 10) to be able to traverse through the slot 13.

[0027] As further shown in FIG. 1, the chord 20 is an elongated member comprising a first distal end 21 and a second distal end 23 wherein said distal ends 21,23 are opposing distal ends of the chord 20. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chord 20 is composed of an elastic material. In the context of the present invention, the first distal end 21 of the chord 20 is coupled to the strap 10, wherein the second distal end 23 is coupled to the pickleball ball 30. As shown in FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the distal ends 21,23 of the chord 20 comprise a loop 211,231 and a fastener 212,232. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the loop 211 of the first distal end 21 traverses to the eyelet 12 of the strap 10 and said loop 211 is secured by the fastener 212. Likewise, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the loop 231 of the second distal end 23 of the chord 20 is coupled to the pickleball ball 30. As it is understood by one in the art that a pickleball ball 30 comprises a plurality of holes, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the loop 231 of the second distal end 23 of the chord 20 traverses through two of the holes in the pickleball ball 30 and is secured with the respective fastener 232. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chord 20 is seven feet in length.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment, the pickleball training apparatus is coupled to a pickleball paddle 2, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, such that the strap 10 is wrapped around the handle of the pickleball paddle 2. In the preferred embodiment, the distal end 14 of the strap 10 is fed through the slot 13, pulled tightly, and secured with the hook and loop fastener mechanism. In the context of the present invention, a portion of the flap 11 comprising the eyelet 12 extends outward from the pickleball paddle 2. In some embodiments, the present invention enables a user to shorten the length of the chord 20 by wrapping the chord 20 around the handle of the pickleball paddle 2 and securing the strap 10 over the wrapped section of chord 20, thus tightly securing the wrapped portion of chord 20 beneath the strap 10. In the intended use of the present invention, upon fastening the pickleball training apparatus 1 to the pickleball paddle 2, a user may then practice hitting the pickleball ball 30 as the chord 20 repeatedly returns the pickleball ball 30 back to the user. In some embodiments of the present invention, the user may connect the strap 10 to a door or a similar structure, and thereby practice volleying the pickleball ball 30 using a unique connection point from the user.

[0029] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.