US2012190485A1PendingUtilityA1

Impact-Indicating Athletic Court Target Device

16
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jan 25, 2011Filed: Jan 25, 2011Published: Jul 26, 2012
Est. expiryJan 25, 2031(~4.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Phillip S. Aurbach
A63B 69/0053A63B 2209/00A63B 2071/0625A63B 63/007A63B 69/385A63B 2210/50A63B 2071/0694
16
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

The portable athletic court target device includes, as a single unitary article, a flat, thin base mat having integrated multiple protrusions (preferably hemispherical) on its upper surface and having a generally non-slip lower surface. The inexpensive, weather-resistant, and easily-movable athletic court target device is preferably brightly colored to visually define the desired target location. The athletic court target device advantageously provides convenient, automatic feedback when the ball impacts the target location, as the protrusions cause the ball to rebound in an erratic, unexpected path. The athletic court target device is useful as a training aid in tennis and other sports.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An athletic court target device, comprising, as a single unitary article:
 a base mat;   a matrix of multiple protrusions integrated into the base mat to form a lumpy top surface, wherein when a ball lands on at least one of said multiple protrusions, the ball is reflected in an unexpected path.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said protrusions are hemispherical in shape. 
     
     
         3 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said protrusions are solid. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of said base mat is configured to have a non-slip character for reducing slippage of said athletic court target device on an athletic court surface upon ball impact. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat is formed of a rubber-like material. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat is configured with a fold line adapted to allow manual folding of said base mat into two halves. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said base mat is configured with a first handle opening inset from a center area of a first longitudinal edge and is configured with a second handle opening inset from a center area of a second longitudinal edge, wherein said first handle opening and said second handle opening are in symmetrical positions. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat is configured with at least one indicium. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said at least one indicium is a logo. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat is formed of a rubber-like material. 
     
     
         11 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat and said multiple protrusions are formed of a brightly colored material. 
     
     
         12 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat and said multiple protrusions are sized for use as a tennis training device. 
     
     
         13 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat and said multiple protrusions are sized for use as a table tennis training device. 
     
     
         14 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat and said multiple protrusions are sized for use as a volley ball training device. 
     
     
         15 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat and said multiple protrusions are sized for use as a racquet ball training device. 
     
     
         16 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said base mat and said multiple protrusions are sized for use as a squash training device. 
     
     
         17 . An athletic court target device comprising, in a single, unitary article:
 a thin base mat having an upper surface, a generally non-slip lower surface, two opposing lateral edges, and two opposing longitudinal edges; wherein said base mat is configured with a centrally disposed area parallel with the longitudinal edges that is adapted to allow manual folding; wherein said base mat is configured with two opposing handle openings each of which is disposed near, but inset from, the center of one of said longitudinal edges; and wherein said base mat is formed of a resilient material; and   a matrix of multiple solid, hemispherical protrusions incorporated into said upper surface, wherein when a ball lands on at least one of said hemispherical protrusions, the ball is reflected in an unexpected path.   
     
     
         18 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising handle reinforcements disposed between each of said handle openings and said longitudinal edge and configured to reinforce to said handle opening. 
     
     
         19 . The athletic court target device as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said base mat is imprinted with indicia. 
     
     
         20 . A method of practicing hitting a ball onto a specific area of the surface of an athletic court, comprising:
 providing an athletic court target device having a base mat configured with a matrix of multiple hemispherical protrusions;   placing said athletic court target device in a desired position on the surface on a first half of said athletic court;   focusing on said athletic court target device to aim a ball from the opposing half of said athletic court toward said athletic court target device;   serving said ball from the opposing half of said athletic court toward said athletic court target device; and   noting the rebound path of said ball, wherein said rebound path is an erratic, unexpected path if said ball is rebounding from the impact on said athletic court target device and wherein said rebound path is a standard, expected path if said ball is rebounding from the impact on said athletic court surface.   
     
     
         21 . The method of practicing hitting a ball onto a specific area of the surface of an athletic court, as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising noting the audible feedback from the impact of said ball, wherein said audible feedback can be differentiated between the impact sound on said athletic court target device and on said athletic court surface. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said method concerns hitting a tennis ball onto a specific area of a tennis court surface. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said method concerns hitting a table tennis ball onto a specific area of a table tennis surface. 
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said method concerns hitting a volleyball onto a specific area of a volleyball court.

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