Baseball Swing Training Device

This utility conversion application is based upon pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/570,643, filed Mar. 27, 2024, by Walter Blackfox II et. al., that was entitled “Baseball Swing Training Device,” and priority therefrom is claimed.

The present invention relates generally to sports training devices and related methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to baseball or softball training, and to practice devices enabling players to learn a proper swing for hitting while “at bat.”

It has been recognized by players skilled in the games of baseball and softball, and by fans, that a proper swing is advantageous. In baseball, once the pitcher releases his pitch to the hitter, the ball descends at an angle that ranges between eight degrees to a maximum of around fifteen degrees, depending on the pitch type. In a perfect world the hitters objective is to intersect the pitch for as long as possible, leading the most elite hitters to swing at an angle of approximately ten degrees-a measurement known as the attack angle. Maintaining this angle increases the chances of success by influencing the ball's trajectory and spin upon contact.

The interaction between the swing angle and the pitch angle is crucial. Swinging downwardly too low, below ten degrees, can result in hitting high fly balls. A swing with an attack angle exceeding fifteen degrees often results in excessive top spin, contributing to the roll of ground balls.

A common flaw that most hitters is initiating their swing with the front side of their body, which causes the front shoulder to fly open and spin. This can and will become hugely detrimental to the development of a hitter's potential. This movement flaw limits the hitters opportunity to fight for that perfect angle at contact and drive the ball to their ultimate potential.

No known prior device addresses the latter problem. However, many forms of swing training devices have evolved over the years.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,772 discloses a baseball bat swing training device enabling a user to enhance his or her batting skills. The disclosed apparatus comprises a base adapted to sit on the ground that supports an upwardly, extending vertical post that mounts a bat swing guide. The vertical post telescopes, so height adjustments are facilitated. A ball holding cup is attached to a lower arm and a ball holder is attached to an upper arm. However, there is no separated stabilizer post with a handle for the user his or her form to maintain a proper shoulder stance.

Published application US2023/0330501 shows another swing trainer. This one has an adjustable base assembly connecting to a support, and a rotating carrier connected to the support. The device comprises an elongated guiding rail, one end of which defines a positioner for the rear foot of a batter, there being a moving foot guide which slides along the rail while controlling the straddling movement of the front foot. A stop positioned on the rail at a certain point defines the furthermost position that the batter's front foot should assume before the swing. A rear stop behind the front foot guide defines the position of the front foot before the straddling movement starts. Both stops are adjustable to accommodate the styles of different batters.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,276 discloses a bat swing guide with a vertical support holding an arcuate guide. The guide is generally semi-circular and may be positioned to accommodate either a right-handed or left-handed hitter. A pivoting tee is attached to the vertical support member for supporting a ball. An adjustable bat stop is attached to the distal end of the arcuate guide.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,402 shows a swing training machine for developing muscular strength and coordination to perform athletic swings typical of baseball. A drive arm pivotally carried on a frame is engaged and forcibly driven in rotation by a partially guided, hand-held swing implement, against a variable resistance developed by a resistance element and imparted through a linkage. Optimum training resistance is gradually maximized through the acceleration zone of the swing and tapers off during the follow-through, being effective for the full forward swing.

U.S. Pat. No. 11,311,785 shows a baseball and softball swing trainer that can be adjusted for height, for angular relationship with ground and batter, and to selected angular relationships accommodating strike zones for different batters.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,147,357 discloses a training device with a swing guide disposed at a selected height above the ground, and a swing implement comprising a handle for gripping by a user.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,755 discloses a stretch training device with a seat on which the athlete sits. An axle extends in an upwardly vertical direction from the area between the athlete's thighs. The athlete then grips a handle which is located at the end of a “swing” arm of the stretching device, which extends outwardly from the upright axle frame, away from the athlete, at approximately chest-level. Spring mechanisms enable tension to be varied.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,512,171 reveals another batter training apparatus for attaining optimal bio-mechanics for most effectively hitting a ball, with a proper rotation of a batter's hips and proper follow-through with a batter's arms, wrists and shoulders. The training apparatus includes a belt worn over the hips that has a cable extending behind and between the hips. A tether connects the belt to a support post, preventing forward motion of the batter's body, but allowing the hips to rotate. The support post sits at the rear of a platform that is about the size of a batter's box. An elastic cord connected to a forward arm and attached to the front of the platform, pulls a batter's wrists, arms and shoulders forward during proper follow through, conditioning the batter to swing the bat efficiently.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,317 discloses an athletic swing trainer consisting of a belt to be worn by the athlete having a tangentially attached elastomeric web section. The web section is attached to the belt tangentially opposite the swing of the athlete; in the case of a right-handed athlete, the attachment would be physically at the left hip opposite the swing.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,243 a training device for training an athlete, such as a baseball pitcher, to accurately repeat a sequence of coordinated leg, arm and torso movements.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,925 discloses a batting practice device for coaching and training a youngster how to stand at home plate, how to keep his eyes on a real baseball which is caused to sweep in varying paths (high, low, and otherwise) across the plate, how to time his batting swing and, also how to acquire the feel of batting the ball. It comprises a suitably elongated hollow barrel through which a flexible nylon or similar tethering line is slidingly threaded. This barrel provides a line stabilizing and whirling holder designated as a control stick. A regular baseball is captively mounted on the outward end of the line. A first hand-grip is provided on the inward end. A second spring biased hand grip is slidingly mounted on the flanged inner end of the barrel. These hand-grips, when properly grasped and used, will enable the user to swing the tethered ball in a circular path and to deliver the ball to the wary but eager batter.

There is a need for a machine that completely eliminates the opportunity for the hitter to open the front shoulder while swinging, which forces the initiation of the swing to come from the backside of the body (back hip). This allows hitter to have a better chance to adjust to where the pitch is going. therefore giving the hitter a better chance of creating and maintaining a great angle for ball contact.

Despite the many features and variations within the prior art, no known device requires that a batter-trainee swing with one hand. The instant invention requires a user to hold onto a mounted grip with one hand while standing properly and swinging the bat with the user's other hand. This forces a player to keep their shoulders square at the beginning of the swing which, in turn, ensures that a proper swing path and stance are executed.

We have invented a baseball and softball swing training apparatus for correctly learning a proper baseball or softball swing along with a proper stance during batting.

The preferred swing training apparatus disclosed herein includes a base resting upon the ground supporting an adjustable, vertically upright post secured to the base. The post supports an outwardly extending horizontal bar that is preferably telescopically adjustable. A barrel path guard arm accessory may be attached to the horizontal bar so “bat path guard sensors” may be hung at varying intervals to reinforce the “Knob to the Ball” swing style and keep the barrel of the bat in the proper swing circumference. The device may be adjusted to accommodate either a right-handed or left handed hitter.

Thus a fundamental object of our invention is to provide a training machine for enhancing athletic movements encountered in baseball, softball and other physical sports.

It is also an important object to provide a swing-training device that requires one of the batter's hands to grip a handle, while the other hand holds and swings a bat.

Another basic object is to provide a training machine of the character described that helps batters develop a proper stance and swing.

A related object is to help stabilize the batter and ensure proper shoulder positioning.

Still another object is to provide a swing training device of the character described that helps develop proper muscle memory.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent in the course of the following descriptive sections.

With initial reference directed toof the appended drawings, a baseball swing training device constructed in accordance with the best mode of the invention has been generally identified by the reference numeral. The training deviceis adapted to facilitate one-armed or “single handed” swing training by allowing the preferred batter's arm (i.e., left arm or right arm) to swing while the user's opposite arm is maintained stationary, while his or her free hand firmly grasps by a rigid handle disposed in a spaced-apart, out of the way location on the frame structure.

The preferred training devicecomprises an upright rigid frame, comprising several elements that define a strike zone through or into which balls travel. The frame comprises rigid, detachable lower base assemblycomprising a rigid, horizontal base plateadapted to be disposed upon a preferably flat supporting surface(). Base assemblycomprises a rigid, elongated hollow stanchionextending upwardly from base plateto support structure described hereinafter. Stanchionis supported and reinforced at its bottom by a pair of spaced apart, angled wings,that are all welded in place. Wingsandrespectively support a pair of rear transport wheels,() mounted to the frame wings by rigid bracketsA andA respectively. These wheels enable and simplify machine transportation when, for example, a swing trainee (i.e., the user) grabs the stanchionand tilts the machine towards the left (i.e., as viewed in) over the wheels,, removing ground contact of the base plate.

The frame comprises an upright stanchiontelescopically, adjustably receives a rigid elbow(), comprising a lower vertical portionand an integral, normally horizontal portion. Elbow portionis coaxially and slidingly received within base stanchionto enable vertical adjustments. Adjustments to the elbow vis-a-vis the stanchionare enabled by tightening or loosening a threaded stanchion lockthat frictionally secures the elbowand stanchiontogether. Locking orificesare optional. The preferred lock mechanisms comprise retractable, bolt style levers that may penetrate and engage one of the several optional locking orificesdrilled into the lower vertical portionof elbow.

The outwardly projecting elbow portionis normally horizontally disposed in operation, and it slidably, telescopically receives and stabilizes an accessory mounting tube. Selected adjustable positions of the mounting tubecan be secured with another lever lock, that may penetrate and engage optional locking orifices(). Thus the accessory mounting tubecan slide towards or away from stanchionfor preferred adjustment.

Importantly, there is a user-grasped handle assemblythat is removably supported at the end of mounting tube. This handle assemblypreferably comprises a foot portion() that is integral with a right-angled vertical portionsupporting an arched portionthat terminates in a preferably rotatable handlesupporting a knob. Training handlecan be tightly grasped by a free hand of the swing trainee. The handleis rotatable about its longitudinal axis to facilitate movement of the hitters palm as the palm would actually rotate, from vertical to horizontal, during a swing. Multiple sizes and shapes of the hitter's handle apparatus may be accommodated.

Referencing, a right-handed trainee batterstanding by our swing training deviceupon support surfacehas his left handaffixed to the machine handlewhile his right handgrasps a baseball batfor a practice swing. The swing typically commences somewhat behind the back of the batter, and moves counter-clockwise along a pathwhich occurs within a strike zone volumedefined generally between stanchion, above surfaceand below mounting tubeand handle. It is important to note that the swing arcpictured indefines a generally circular, hypothetical planewhose longitudinal axisthat forms an angle of approximately thirty degrees relative to the horizontal (i.e., surface). Additionally, because the training deviceenables the batterto keep his “unused” shouldersubstantially stationary during the swing, the hitters batting handis encouraged to enter the strike zonewith the knob of the bat facing towards an in-flight ball presumably entering the strike zone.

Training devicealso enables hitter, by keeping their leading shoulder stationaryduring the swing to facilitate a proper “barrel path” angle entry of the bat into the strike zone, ensuring the swing makes contact with regular “middle” and “outer 3rd” portion of strike zone pitches. This also encourages bat swing “deceleration” on pitches that reach the outer 3rd of the strike zonewith the intent of hitting balls to the opposite side of the field.

For comparison purposes, batterB is seen inmaking a conventional right-handed swing. The swing traces an arcthat circumscribes a hypothetical planar, substantially elliptical surface. The longitudinal axisof surface

is angled at approximately forty-five degrees relative to the playing surfaceB. The oval-shaped or elliptical hypothetical somewhat planar surfacethat has been twisted about its major axis; as a result the bat end assumes an end position well above the batters head, whereas it is positioned beneath the batters left arm in.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.