BASKETBALL TRAINING DEFENDER-REACH SIMULATOR APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus and method providing a pair of simulated arms and hands constantly upraised in a defensive position, to be worn by a trainer during on-court training in order to condition basketball players to anticipate and counteract the movements of defending guarders, having life-like characteristics of look, feel, posture or positioning, and movement, solving problems of providing training against defending guarders when the trainer is required to use the real arms and hands for other tasks, when the trainer is unable to keep arms raised for extended periods, or when the stature of the trainer prevents reaching a realistic height.

Claims

1. A basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus to be worn by a trainer having a torso with a right, left, front, and back side, and a standing posture with shoulders essentially above the pelvis and a concave curve in the middle back, the basketball-training defender-reach simulator comprising: (i) a torso unit adapted to fit about the torso of the trainer and having corresponding right, left, front, back, top, and bottom sides of said torso unit, further comprising: (a) a cushioned back pad adapted to conform comfortably to the back of the trainer's torso; (b) a cross brace attached to said cushioned back pad, adapted to conform to the concave curve in the middle back of the trainer in such a way as to provide an essentially vertical surface at the center of said cross brace; and (c) a harness attached to said cushioned pack pad, adapted to encompass the trainer's torso and to couple movement of said torso unit with movement of the trainer's torso; (ii) a right mount rail and a left mount rail arrayed essentially vertically and parallel each to the other upon the corresponding sides of the essentially vertical surface of said torso unit; (iii) a right simulated arm and a left simulated arm each having the look and feel of real arm and hand, having an interior structure with the stiffness of bone and an exterior surface, overlaying said interior structure, with the consistency of flesh, and having a hand end and an elbow end; and (iv) a right bar and a left bar securely and adjustably attached to said right mount rail and said left mount rail at a lower section, and to said right simulated arm and left simulated arm at the elbow end, adapted to provide strong but slightly flexible support to said simulated arms, having at least one side that is flat and resistant to rotating force; where in use said right and left simulated arms are adjustably attached via said right and left bars to said right and left mount rails on said torso unit such that said right and left simulated arms extend essentially vertically above the trainer's shoulders in positions simulating upraised arms.

2. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where the adjustable attachment of said right bar and left bar to said right mount rail and left mount rails further comprise provision for increasing and decreasing the heights of said simulated arms above the top of said torso unit.

3. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where the interior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of wooden sticks.

4. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where the interior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of plastic.

5. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where the interior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of metal.

6. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where the exterior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of plastic foam.

7. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where said right and left bar is made of a shape-retaining plastic capable of being temporarily slightly bent.

8. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where said right and left bar further comprise a bar having a wide, short cross section.

9. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where said right and left bar further comprise a combination of curves and bends adapted to allow flexibility in different directions at different locations.

10. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus of claim 1, where said right and left simulated arm is made from casts taken from real arms and hands.

11. A basketball-training defender-reach simulator method, comprising: (i) providing a basketball-training defender-reach simulator apparatus to be worn by a trainer having a torso with a right, left, front, and back side, and a standing posture with shoulders essentially above the pelvis and a concave curve in the middle back, the basketball-training defender-reach simulator comprising: (a) a torso unit adapted to fit about the torso of the trainer and having corresponding right, left, front, back, top, and bottom sides, further comprising: (1) a cushioned back pad adapted to conform comfortably to the back of the trainer's torso; (2) a cross brace attached to said cushioned back pad, adapted to conform to the concave curve in the middle back of the trainer in such a way as to provide an essentially vertical surface at the center of said cross brace; and (3) a harness attached to said cushioned pack pad, adapted to encompass the trainer's torso and to couple movement of said torso unit with movement of the trainer's torso; (b) a right mount rail and a left mount rail arrayed essentially vertically and parallel each to the other upon the corresponding sides of the essentially vertical surface of said torso unit; (c) a right simulated arm and a left simulated arm each having the look and feel of real arm and hand, having an interior structure with the stiffness of bone and an exterior surface with the consistency of flesh, and having a hand end and an elbow end; and (d) a right bar and a left bar securely and adjustably attached to said right mount rail and said left mount rail at a lower section, and to said right simulated arm and left simulated arm at the elbow end, adapted to provide strong but slightly flexible support to said simulated arms, having at least one side that is flat and resistant to rotating force; where in use said right and left simulated arms are adjustably attached via said right and left bars to said right and left mount rails on said torso unit such that said right and left simulated arms extend essentially vertically above the trainer's shoulders in positions simulating upraised arms.

12. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where the adjustable attachment of said right bar and left bar to said right mount rail and left mount rails further comprise provision for increasing and decreasing the heights of said simulated arms above the top of said torso unit.

13. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where the interior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of wooden sticks.

14. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where the interior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of plastic.

15. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where the interior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of metal.

16. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where the exterior structure of said right and left simulated arm is made of plastic foam.

17. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where said right and left bar is made of a shape-retaining plastic capable of being temporarily slightly bent.

18. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where said right and left bar further comprise a bar having a wide, short cross section.

19. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where said right and left bar further comprise a combination of curves and bends adapted to allow flexibility in different directions at different locations.

20. The basketball-training defender-reach simulator method of claim 11, where said right and left simulated arm is made from casts taken from real arms and hands.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective back view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a front view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a back view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a right side view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer; and

[0022] FIG. 7 is a top view of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator in use worn by a trainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Referring to all figures generally, an embodiment of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator method and apparatus 100 is illustrated.

[0024] The basketball training defender-reach simulator 100 provides a torso unit 1 to be worn on the torso of the trainer. It is desirable that the trainer's movements be conveyed to the basketball-training defender-reach simulator 100, so the vest can either be made of a semi-rigid material that will be moved by the trainer's movements within it, or made of a flexible material that is worn tightly against the trainer's torso.

[0025] The torso unit 1 has a cross brace 10 which, in use, conforms to the concave curve of the trainer's back by the placement of the upper ends in relation to the trainer's shoulders and of the lower ends in relation to the trainer's middle back, and provides an essentially vertical surface at the central portion when the trainer is standing straight. The cross brace is attached to a cushioned back pad 8 which separates the stiff cross brace 10 from the trainer's upper and middle back. The cushioned back pad 8 prevents the stiff cross brace 10 from digging into the trainer's back, and also provides for a slight amount of movement and springiness of the cross brace 10 in relation to the trainer's torso when in use. The cushioned back pad 8 with the attached cross brace 10 is adjustably and removably secured to the trainer's torso by a harness 9, as shown.

[0026] Affixed to the back of the torso unit 1, at the vertical, central portion of the cross brace 10 are a right mount rail 2 and a left mount rail 3. The mount rails 2, 3 are meant to have an essentially vertical orientation when in use by a standing trainer. The mount rails are meant to provide mounting points for the right and left bars 4, 5 to which are affixed the right and left simulated arms 6, 7. A right bar 4 and a left bar 5 are provided for the adjustable mounting of simulated arms and hands. The right and left bars 4, 5 correspond to the right and left mount rails 2, 3. Significant rotation of the bars 4, 5 and attached simulated arms 6, 7 is prevented by having one or more flat sides on the bars, with corresponding flat sides on the mount rails 2, 3. The bars 4, 5 are optimally made of material that is able to be temporarily bent by a slight amount, with shape retention to allow a return to position. Such slight bending contributes to a realistic movement of the basketball-training defender-reach simulator 100 in response to a trainer's movement. A more rigid material could be used as well. The right and left bars 4, 5 are adjustably mounted on the right and left mount rails 2, 3 in such a way that the vertical extension of the simulated arms 6, 7 can be adjusted in relation to the height of any given trainer. Many basketball players are tall, and a realistic training regime will use the basketball-training defender-reach simulator at a realistically representative height, which might be higher or lower in relation to the shoulders and stature of any given trainer. In an embodiment, the adjustable mounting is effected with threaded knobs 11 passing through openings in the right and left bars 4, 5 and engaging with corresponding threaded portions of the mount rails 2, 3.

[0027] Securely attached to the respective right and left bars 4, 5 are the right simulated arm 6 and left simulated arm 7. The attachment is made at the top of the right and left bars 4, 5 and the bottom, or toward-the-elbow end of the simulated arms 6, 7, so that the resulting combination has a long axis running essentially vertically from the bottom of the bars and continuing through the simulated arm to the simulated hand at the top. The simulated arms 6, 7 are made of materials that simulate the look, feel, and movement of real arms and hands. An interior structure corresponds to the skeletal bones, and an exterior surface corresponds to flesh. The interior structure can be made of wooden sticks or dowels, or of the corresponding forms of metal such as aluminum or sufficiently rigid plastic. The exterior surface can be made of a plastic foam having a moderate amount of flexibility and shape-retaining properties that allow a return to form after slight deformation. The exterior surface can comprise more than one material, such as a latex or polyurethane skin over a closed-cell-foam musculature. It is desirable to make the basketball-training defender-reach simulator as realistic as possible regarding look, feel, and movement, in order to better condition basketball players against actual defenders. In a preferred embodiment, the simulated arms 6, 7 are made with reference to casts taken of actual arms and hands.

[0028] In embodiments where the right and left bars 4, 5 present substantial flat faces only sufficient to stabilize flexing in one direction, the bars 4, 5 can be twisted about their axes to stabilize flexing in another direction.

[0029] The right and left mount rails 2, 3 are affixed close to each other and close to the center line of the torso unit 1, so that movement of the simulated arms 6, 7 tracks the center of the back of the trainer. The desired spacing of the simulated arms 6, 7, when in use, is wider than the spacing of the left and right mount rails 2, 3. Also, the location of the mount rails 2, 3 stands off from the back of the trainer by the combined thickness of the cross brace 10 and the cushioned back pad 8. A straight extension upward from the mount rails 2, 3 would place the simulated arms 6, 7 too far back from a natural position above the shoulders. In moving the simulated arms 6, 7 outward and forward, care must be taken to avoid placing any structural component in a place that would not be occupied by a real raising of the arms. In other words, the right and left bars 4, 5 must not block any area that real raised arms would not block. In an embodiment of the basketball training defender-reach simulator 100 of the invention, the right and left bars 4, 5 are provided with a combination of curves or bends which offset the simulated arms 6, 7 forward and away from each other, while providing greater forward-backward stability near the mount rails 2, 3 and greater side-to-side stability near the simulated arms 6, 7. As a consequence, a slight amount of side-to-side flex is allowed near the mount rails 2, 3 and a slight amount of forward-backward flex is allowed near the elbow ends of the simulated arms 6, 7.

[0030] Many changes and modifications can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.