Billiard training aid apparatus and method

Abstract

A billiard training air for promoting accuracy and consistency in contacting an object ball with a cue ball to effect and desired path for the object ball and a resultant path and position for the cue ball includes an alignment body supported above the object ball, an object ball laser projecting a forward beams that is positioned on the desired path along a longitudinal axis, a impact indicating laser downwardly projecting a contact line along the object ball for indicating a contact point for the cue ball, a light unit for projecting a ghost ball image on the longitudinal axis at the contact point for indicating the impact position for the cue ball, and a pair of transverse lasers for projecting lateral beam to indicate and reference post impact cue ball position.

1 . A pool training aid for use on a pool table having ball pockets comprising: 
 a body mounted on support means above the table and an object ball;    alignment means on said body for positioning the object ball with respect thereto along a longitudinal axis;    a first illumination device on said body downwardly projecting a visible at said object ball to indicate where the object ball is to be contacted by a cue ball;    a side laser device mounted on said body orthogonal to said first beam to reference the path of the cue ball after contacting the object ball; and    a front laser device on said body on said longitudinal axis in a vertical plane containing said longitudinal axis to highlight the path to a pool table pocket of the object ball when it is struck by the cue ball.    
   
   
       2 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said first illumination device includes a vertical laser unit for highlighting a line on the object ball along said vertical axis.  
   
   
       3 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said first illumination device includes a light unit illuminating an annulus tangential to said object ball.  
   
   
       4 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 3  wherein said light unit illuminates an indicia at the origin of said annulus.  
   
   
       5 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 4  wherein said light unit includes a refractive lens for defining said annuls.  
   
   
       6 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 5  wherein said support means include a plurality of legs transversely spaced with respect to said longitudinal axis and creating a passage for travel of the object ball to the pocket.  
   
   
       7 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 5  wherein the rearmost legs are adjacent the object ball in a location not interfering with the path of the cue ball.  
   
   
       8 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said side laser device comprises a pair of laser units projecting laser beams in opposed directions transversely outwardly from said longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       9 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said body and support means are formed in a shape suggestive of a spider.  
   
   
       10 . The pool training aid as recited in  claim 1  including switch means carried on said body for controlling operation of said illumination device and said laser devices.  
   
   
       11 . A method for training a player in contacting an object ball with a cue ball on a playing surface to achieve desired resultant locations, comprising the steps of: locating the object ball and the cue ball at desired initial locations on said playing surface; determining a desired resultant location for said object ball; providing a support member in aligned position above said object ball; providing a first laser unit on said body illuminating a forward beam along an axis; adjusting said support member to direct said forward beam to the desired resultant location of said object ball; providing a second laser unit on said body illuminating a transverse beam for referencing the desired resultant location of said cue ball; providing a third illumination unit projecting on the playing surface an impact location of said cue ball to effect travel of said object ball to the desired resultant location thereof; propelling said cue ball to said resultant location for impacting the object ball and traveling the cue ball to the desired resultant position thereof; and assessing the desired resultant position of the cue ball with respect to said transverse beam.  
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein said impact location is a circular shape illuminated by said third illumination unit/  
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein said circular shape includes indicia indicating the origin thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein said impact location is indicated by a vertical laser beam transverse to said axis and illuminating an impact location on said object ball.