Catcher's chair

Abstract

The present invention relates to a catcher's chair useful for a person to assist a baseball or softball pitcher practicing throwing a ball to a catcher. The catcher's chair is at a height which allows the user to sit at the catcher's normal catching position, reducing strain on knees and legs. The catcher's chair comprises a horizontally placed seat, a front panel functioning as a leg to place the catcher's chair at a distance above the ground and also extending above the level of the seat to protect the groin of the catcher when straddling the catcher's chair and facing toward the front panel. A rear panel attached to the opposite end of the seat forms the second leg of the catcher's chair. Optionally a support panel may be attached to the front and back panels under the catcher's chair to provide stability. A kit may be provided containing unassembled parts which can then be assembled to form the catcher's chair.

1 . A catcher's chair that is useful for a person to assist a baseball or softball pitcher to practice throwing a ball to a catcher comprising:
 a horizontal seat panel, extending from a front end to a back end;   
       a front panel attached to the front end of the seat adapted to function as a leg to place the catcher's chair at a distance above the ground and also extending above the level of said seat panel to provide a groin protection area for protecting at least the groin of the catcher when straddling the catcher's chair and facing toward the front panel, and a support panel supporting said seat;
 said front panel having side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge, and being sufficiently wide between said side edges to provide the user with protection, but being sufficiently narrow that a user does not have to spread his or her legs to an uncomfortable degree in order to straddle catcher's chair, and having rounded lower corners, whereby said rounded corners and said narrowness make it possible for a user to tilt said catcher's chair to the left side or right side by the user, to facilitate catching balls thrown to the left or right of the user. 
 
     
     
         2 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which said support panel is located below said seat panel, and extending generally in a fore and aft direction with respect to the front and back ends of said seat panel; said support panel having a bottom edge, and including an opening through support panel, which extends sufficiently close to said bottom edge of said support panel to define a handhold portion near said bottom edge of said support panel, to facilitate carrying said catcher's chair from place to place. 
     
     
         3 . The catcher's chair of  claim 2  which includes a rear panel extending downwardly from or near said back end of said seat panel, generally parallel to said front panel; said rear panel having rounded bottom corners, also to facilitate the user's ability to tilt said catcher's chair to the left or right. 
     
     
         4 . The catcher's chair of  claim 3  wherein said front and rear panels each have a bottom edge located between said rounded lower corners, a major portion of each said bottom edge of said front and rear panels between said rounded corners is flat. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The catcher's chair of  claim 4  in which said front panel width is from about 6-12 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The catcher's chair of  claim 4  in which the height of said seat is sufficiently low to place the user in a typical catcher's crouch position when seated on said catcher's chair, but sufficiently high that a user can sit on and straddle said seat without significant discomfort in bending the knees. 
     
     
         8 . The catcher's chair of  claim 7  in which said seat height is from about 12 to about 18 inches, and the width of said seat panel is from about 6-12 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The catcher's chair of  claim 7  in which said front panel extends a distance above the level of seat sufficient to also protect the stomach and at least a portion of the user's chest area. 
     
     
         10 . The catcher's chair of  claim 8  in which said front panel extends above the level of said seat of from about 6-16 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The catcher's chair of  claim 4  in which the portion of said front panel from the top of said seat through the groin protection area is narrower than the widest portions of said front panel, to make it easier for the user to spread his or her legs when seated on said seat. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which said front panel width is from about 6-12 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which the height of said seat is sufficiently low to place the user in a typical catcher's crouch position when seated on said catcher's chair, but sufficiently high that a user can sit on and straddle said seat without significant discomfort in bending the knees. 
     
     
         15 . The catcher's chair of  claim 14  in which said seat height is from about 12 to about 18 inches, and the width of said seat panel is from about 6-12 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which said front panel extends a distance above the level of seat sufficient to also protect the stomach and at least a portion of the user's chest area. 
     
     
         17 . The catcher's chair of  claim 16  in which said front panel extends above the level of said seat of from about 6-16 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which the portion of said front panel from the top of said seat through said groin protection area is narrower than the widest portions of said front panel, to make it easier for the user to spread his or her legs when seated on said seat. 
     
     
         19 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which the height of said seat is sufficiently low to place the user in a typical catcher's crouch position when seated on said catcher's chair, but sufficiently high that a user can sit on and straddle said seat without significant discomfort in bending the knees. 
     
     
         20 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which said front panel extends above said seat to an upper portion located above said groin protection area, and includes a handle opening in said upper portion. 
     
     
         21 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  which includes a cushion on said seat panel. 
     
     
         22 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  which includes a rear panel extending downwardly from or near said back end of said seat panel, generally parallel to said front panel;
 said rear panel having rounded bottom corners, also to facilitate the user's ability to tilt said catcher's chair to the left or right; said rear panel being narrowed between its top and bottom edges, and said front panel being similarly narrowed in its lower portion which is opposite said rear panel. 
 
     
     
         23 . The catcher's chair of  claim 1  in which said support panel comprises a support panel located below said seat panel, and extending generally in a fore and aft direction with respect to the front and back ends of said seat panel; said chair including a rear panel extending downwardly from or near said back end of said seat panel, generally parallel to said front panel; said rear panel having rounded bottom corners, also to facilitate the user's ability to tilt said catcher's chair to the left or right; said rear panel being narrowed between its top and bottom edges, and said front panel being similarly narrowed in its lower portion which is opposite said rear panel; said support panel having a bottom edge which includes an upwardly extending semi-circular edge portion, extending from near the front and rear edges of said support panel, passing a sufficient distance from the top edge of said support panel to lighten the weight of said support panel, while still leaving it with sufficient supporting strength for said seat panel; said front panel including a handle opening in the upper portion thereof; said seat panel including a cushion thereon. 
     
     
         24 . A catcher's chair that is useful for a person to assist a baseball or softball pitcher to practice throwing a ball to a catcher comprising:
 a horizontal seat, extending from a front end to a back end;   a front panel attached to the front end of the seat adapted to function as a leg to place the catcher's chair at a distance above the ground and also extending above the level of the seat to protect at least the groin of the catcher when straddling the catcher's chair and facing toward the front panel, and a support panel supporting said seat; said support panel being located below said seat panel, and extending generally in a fore and aft direction with respect to the front and back ends of said seat panel; said support panel including a bottom edge, and an opening through support panel, which extends sufficiently close to said bottom edge of said support panel to define a handhold portion at the near said bottom edge of said support panel, to facilitate carrying said catcher's chair from place to place.   
     
     
         25 . A method of catching a ball thrown by a pitcher in softball or baseball, comprising: providing a catcher's chair comprising: a horizontal seat, extending from a front end to a back end; a front panel attached to the front end of the seat adapted to function as a leg to place the catcher's chair at a distance above the ground and also extending above the level of the seat to protect at least the groin of the catcher when straddling the catcher's chair and facing toward the front panel, and a support panel supporting said seat; said front panel having rounded lower corners, whereby said catcher's chair can be tilted to the left side or right side by the user, to facilitate catching balls thrown to the left or right of the user; and
 sitting on said seat of said catcher's chair, facing forward towards said front panel, and catching balls, tilting said catcher's chair to the left or right, by leaning to catch balls thrown to the left or the right.