Football sled

Abstract

An improved football sled for training football players has a frame with one or more upwardly extending blocking units attached thereto, an action signal device for signaling to the player to strike the blocking unit and a control unit for operatively controlling the action signal device. Each of the blocking units has a force measurement device disposed at the striking area thereof that is operatively connected to the control unit. The control unit is configured to measure, display and analyze the player's reaction time in response to the signal from the action signal device and the amount of force the player is able to impact against the blocking unit. The action signal device can be a visual or an audible signal. In the preferred embodiment, the action signal device comprises a mechanism for slideably moving a football so as to best simulate the hiking conditions experienced during a football game.

1 . A football sled for use in training a football player, said football sled comprising: 
 a frame;    a generally upwardly extending blocking unit attached to said frame, said blocking unit having a striking area adapted for impact by said football player;    a force measurement device at said striking area, said force measurement device adapted to measure an impact force imparted against said striking area by said football player;    an action signal device configured to generate a signal to said football player; and    a control unit operatively connected to said force measurement device to display and/or analyze said impact force and operatively connected to said action signal device and said force measurement device so as to measure, display and/or analyze a reaction time.    
   
   
       2 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said frame comprises a base and one or more outwardly extending sled-like runners, said football sled configured to slide over a supporting surface.  
   
   
       3 . The football sled according to  claim 2 , wherein said blocking unit is attached to said base of said frame.  
   
   
       4 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said force measurement device is disposed inside said blocking unit at said striking area.  
   
   
       5 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said blocking unit comprises a covering pad, said force measurement device behind said covering pad.  
   
   
       6 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said signal is a light.  
   
   
       7 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said signal is the movement of said action signal device.  
   
   
       8 . The football sled according to  claim 7 , wherein said action signal device comprises a slidable mounting mechanism configured to slidably move said action signal device.  
   
   
       9 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said signal is an audible signal.  
   
   
       10 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said control unit is configured to remotely transmit said impact force and said reaction time.  
   
   
       11 . The football sled according to  claim 10 , wherein said control unit is adapted to wirelessly transmit said impact force and said reaction time.  
   
   
       12 . The football sled according to  claim 1 , wherein said control unit comprises a visual display for displaying said impact force and said reaction time.  
   
   
       13 . The football sled according to  claim 12  further comprising a platform for review of said visual display of said control unit.  
   
   
       14 . A football sled for use in training a plurality of football players, said football sled comprising: 
 a frame having a base and one or more outwardly extending sled-like runners, said football sled configured to slide over a supporting surface;    a plurality of generally upwardly extending blocking units attached to said base of said frame, each of said blocking units having a striking area adapted for impact by one of said plurality of football players;    a force measurement device at each of said striking areas, said force measurement device adapted to measure an impact force imparted against said striking area;    an action signal device configured to generate a signal to said plurality of football players; and    a control unit operatively connected to each of said force measurement devices to display and/or analyze said impact force and operatively connected to said action signal device and said force measurement device so as to measure, display and/or analyze a reaction time.    
   
   
       15 . The football sled according to  claim 14 , wherein said force measurement device is disposed inside said blocking unit at said striking area.  
   
   
       16 . The football sled according to  claim 14 , wherein said signal is a light.  
   
   
       17 . The football sled according to  claim 14 , wherein said signal is the movement of said action signal device.  
   
   
       18 . The football sled according to  claim 14 , wherein said control unit is configured to remotely transmit said impact force and said reaction time for each of said plurality of football players.  
   
   
       19 . The football sled according to  claim 14 , wherein said control unit comprises a visual display for displaying said impact force and said reaction time for each of said plurality of football players.  
   
   
       20 . A football sled for use in training a plurality of football players, said football sled comprising: 
 a frame having a base and one or more outwardly extending sled-like runners, said football sled configured to slide over a supporting surface;    a plurality of generally upwardly extending blocking units attached to said base of said frame, each of said blocking units having a striking area adapted for impact by one of said plurality of football players;    a force measurement device disposed inside said blocking unit at each of said striking areas, said force measurement device adapted to measure an impact force imparted against said striking area;    an action signal device configured to generate a signal to said plurality of football players; and    a control unit operatively connected to each of said force measurement devices to display and/or analyze said impact force and operatively connected to said action signal device and said force measurement device so as to measure, display and/or analyze a reaction time, said control unit having a visual display for displaying said impact force and said reaction time for each of said plurality of football players, said control unit configured to remotely transmit said impact force and said reaction time for each of said plurality of football players.