Bizarre Patents
A fork with timer for providing a cue to a user after an elapsed period of time for indicating that another bite of food using the fork may be taken.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8016699 | Baseball pitch stop with ball return An air driven ball return pitching apparatus that is unique in that the motor, when activated creates a vacuum zone on part of the system and a pressurized zone on the remainder of the system. The motor housing is equipped with a blower that acts upon the system thr... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7393290 | Sport ball storage and retrieval apparatus A combination of a ball storage rack and a ball feeder track provide an apparatus for basketball storage and consistent position retrieval of sport balls, such as basketballs and volleyballs, by a player. The apparatus comprises a frame configured with an upper port... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7344457 | Retention of weighting on athletic striker Apparatus to add weight to an athletic ball striking bat, having a taper along the bat length, comprising in combination a sleeve sized to extend about the bat at the taper location, the sleeve having associated retention means to engage the bat at a zone along said... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7341530 | Virtual strike zone A system adds a graphical image of the strike zone to a video or other image of a baseball game. The system determines location of the strike zone and the ball in real space. The locations of the strike zone and the ball are depicted in the video. Based on knowing t... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7278934 | Baseball catching and throwing system A baseball training device includes a target net from which balls will be fed to a unit that will throw the balls back to a player. The unit can be set to throw the balls in the air or on the ground so a variety of situations can be practiced. ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273428 | Baseball retrieval apparatus An apparatus for supporting a tethered baseball in position for batting practice and automatically retrieving the ball after it has been hit with a bat, which includes an adjustable height stand, a fishing reel and a variable speed motor connected thereto. Tethered ... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7264245 | Portable ball retriever A ball retriever comprising a main member forming a first closed loop, a base member forming a second closed loop with the main member foldably attached to the base member, a fabric portion smaller in area than a spatial plane defined by the first loop, straps conne... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7229366 | Batting system A batting system wherein the ball hopper is located proximate a batting position and a pitching machine is located at a pitching position with a ball transport system for conveying baseballs from the ball hopper to the pitching machine. The system provides for the c... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7226372 | Batting tee The present invention provides a batting tee comprising a hollow tubular vertical stand having a first end through which at least one ball can be loaded inside said tubular vertical stand, and a second end, a means for pushing the ball upwardly just above the first ... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7213724 | Table tennis ball delivery device A table tennis ball delivery device adapted to be secured to or adjacent the side of a table tennis table for directing a ball to a player upon the activation of a switch by the player. The device includes a chamber for carrying a supply of table tennis balls, a bal... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7175548 | Universal, position-adjustable backstop net system A multiple sports, universally positionable, adjustable net-type backstop system mounted to a pole, such as a basketball hoop pole, comprising an outrigger assembly that is vertically and horizontally adjustable and rotatable 360° on a vertical axis, so that the ne... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7166045 | Installation for a competitive game with hockey stick and hockey puck Disclosed is an installation for competitive play with an ice hockey stick and an ice hockey puck. The installation includes a game platform, a goal with targets, target identifiers and a computer. A computer controlled puck circuit includes a puck magazine (30 | 01/23/2007 |
| 7156761 | Air actuated soft toss batting practice apparatus The instant invention relates to a training device for batting practice. More specifically, the instant invention provides a catch net in combination with an air powered ball return assembly. The ball return assembly delivers a lightweight polymeric ball to a batter... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7137910 | Rotating wheel return mechanism A practice machine for receiving a thrown ball and returning it to a user is generally provided with a backstop for stopping the thrown ball, a pan disposed below the backstop for collecting the ball, a ball return adjacent the backstop for expelling the ball, and a... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7066845 | Baseball training system and method A baseball training system and method for training a player is shown. The baseball system and method includes a collector for collecting thrown balls and directing them to a throwback unit which has multiple adjusters for adjusting various characteristics of a ball ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7051900 | Gas operated particle feed apparatus The gas operated particle feed apparatus may feed particles to an outlet port. There may be a fixed member having a bottom with a particle aperture centrally disposed therein, an annular wall upstanding from the bottom and a plurality of gas apertures. The fixed mem... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7040310 | Paintball projectile drop compensator A barrel adaptor for a paintball gun is provided to induce spin onto a paintball exiting the barrel of the paintball gun thereby providing selected projectile drop compensation. The adapter consists of a structure having an elongated aperture with a first end adapte... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7000922 | Ball projector for surface projectile game A mechanical projector for use with an existing table bowling game allows players a choice of speeds at which a projectile is launched along a lane towards a target. This launcher may comprise a relatively soft speed-up roller rotatable about an axis transverse to t... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6941693 | Paintball guns A paintball gun is disclosed which includes a data link for transferring data to and/or from a remote terminal. The link may be a contact or contactless one. A removable data carrier may be used. ... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6776732 | Simulated tennis ball trajectory & delivery system A tennis training simulation system is disclosed that improves both reaction time and ground stroke techniques within a limited physical training environment. This training system combines simulated service of a tennis ball from a service line over a virtual net, an... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6746348 | Basketball backstop net assembly and kit therefor The present invention provides a backstop net assembly and kit for use in combination with a basketball hoop assembly, which comprises a multi-socketed mounting block, a plurality of net extension rods, and a ball-gathering net assembly. In a basketball playground, ... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6733403 | Basketball return apparatus A basketball return apparatus designed to return a thrown basketball substantially in the direction of the player shooting the ball is mounted beneath a basketball goal assembly and includes a resilient rebound panel, a panel retainer assembly, and a panel support a... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6620064 | Return net device A portable return net device for receiving, arresting and returning a ball to a central collection point for pitched, thrown or batted balls in a ball practice system. The return net apparatus comprises; a net supporting frame, a net for receiving a proje... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6595877 | Basketball return net assembly with adjustment bracket A basketball return net assembly is attachable to a basketball hoop support having a post extending upwardly from the ground and carrying a basketball hoop adjacent an upper end thereof. The return net assembly includes a flexible foldable return net and ... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6585610 | Portable stoopball playing device A portable stoopball playing device comprising a playing panel and a support panel connected to said playing panel. The playing panel and the support panel are moveable relative to each other between at least one open deployed position and a closed storag... | 07/01/2003 |
| 6565460 | Foldable basketball frame assembly A foldable basketball frame assembly includes a backboard having four flanges extending from four sides of the backboard and a cover is connected to the bottom flange of the backboard. A ring is connected to the top flange. A first transverse bar is conne... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6537161 | Portable basketball return apparatus A portable basketball return apparatus adapted to be attached to a rim attached to a backboard by a bracket, comprising, a holding clamp for attachment of the apparatus to the bracket, a spine attached to said holding clamp, a return panel attached to sai... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6458037 | Self-training batting practice machine A self-training batting practice machine includes an upright support member, lower and upper support members, flexible ball suspension rod and at least one elastic member. The lower support member is attached to the upright support member close to a lower... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6406386 | Ball size adjustment mechanism for table tennis robot An automatic table tennis ball serving device is disclosed as having a generally vertically extending enclosure with a table tennis ball feeding passageway including a lower ball entrance and an upper ball dispensing outlet. Ball feeding arms are mounted ... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6402640 | Ball throwing device A ball throwing device capable of throwing or pitching balls at more than one speed without having to readjust the device. The ball throwing device generally includes a base, a motor and at least two ball throwing assemblies. The motor is supported on the... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6379272 | Backstop and sports ball return assembly A backstop and sports ball return assembly for facilitating building a users skill and accuracy by providing the return of a selectable sports ball to the user includes a base assembly. The base assembly includes a collection well and a chute extending fr... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6241628 | Projectile machine with remote control for basketball practice and the like A projectile machine for use in practicing various activities including the practice of basketball shots from various positions on a basketball court. The projectile machine when practicing basketball shots automatically returns the basketballs to the per... | 06/05/2001 |
| 6224504 | Basketball practice assembly A basketball practice assembly a case including a box-like receptacle which is open at a front side thereof, and a pair of doors hingedly connected with two lateral sides of the box-like receptacle, a pair of fixing members fastened in the box-like recept... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6045463 | Basketball practice device The apparatus of the within invention is quite sophisticated. Its primary purpose was to adapt a rotatable return of ball on an existing basketball hoop. The principal feature is an inverted L-shaped circular ring that conforms to the locus of the hoop. T... | 04/04/2000 |
| 5853334 | Practice driving device for golfers A golf practice apparatus which comprises: a base; an elongated support arm coupled to the base and having a free end; a tether guide including an eyelet coupled to the elongated support arm adjacent the free end; and a reel attached to the elongated support arm ne... | 12/29/1998 |
| 5707304 | Hockey puck shooting range A hockey puck shooting range including a planar surface for accommodating sliding movement of hockey pucks; a collection system disposed at a peripheral edge portion of the planar surface and arranged to collect hockey pucks propelled off the planar surfa... | 01/13/1998 |
| 5566936 | Electronic table tennis game A table tennis game is provided that can be used with an automatic table tennis ball serving device, the game including a plurality of sensors which can be arranged on the surface of the table to serve as targets, the sensors having means for detecting th... | 10/22/1996 |
| 5566934 | Baseball trainer A baseball trainer includes a target apparatus set at a predetermined distance from a practicing ballplayer. The target apparatus includes a plurality of panels for indicating a "strike" or a "ball" which indication is communicated to a microcomputer in a... | 10/22/1996 |
| 5556106 | Soccer training device and method of training A soccer training device that permits soccer kicking practice from one or more kicking locations and includes a generally vertical screen that is adapted to receive and absorb the kinetic energy of the soccer balls kicked into the screen. A trough is loca... | 09/17/1996 |
| 5419549 | Baseball pitcher game and trainer apparatus A baseball pitcher game and training apparatus includes a free swinging target receptacle which is positioned at one end of an elongate enclosure with a player's station positioned at the opposite end of the enclosure. A target is removably positioned in ... | 05/30/1995 |
