US4607842A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Exercising apparatus for use by hockey players to practice their slap and wrist-shots
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1984-08-06
•
Granted: 1986-08-26
•
Expires: 2004-08-06
Abstract
Abstract An exercising apparatus for use by hockey players to practice their shots and improve the accuracy of these shots. The apparatus comprises a lane structure, and a goal structure fixed at one end of the lane. This goal structure includes targets located in each of its corners and lamps associated with each target. A device is provided at the other end of the lane for dispensing pucks one by one on an endless belt. At least one platform is positioned adjacent the endless belt for receiving a hockey player who wants to practice his shots with the dispensed pucks. The platform on which stands the hockey player has an upper surface slightly heightened with respect to the endless belt for simulating, during the exercise, the height of the skates that the hockey player will put on when actually playing on a rink. A control circuit operates the lamps one after the other in any sequential order at substantially the same speed as the one at which the pucks are dispensed, for visually indicating to the players to which target they must try to aim at. This excercising apparatus is particularly interesting in that it allows hockey players to practice their shots as long as they want out of a rink.
Inventors
- 👤 Real Daoust
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:42
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B24/00; A63B24/0021; A63B47/00; A63B47/002; A63B63/00; A63B69/00; A63B69/0024; A63B69/0026; A63B2024/0037; A63B2024/004; A63B63/06; A63B2063/065; A63B2102/00; A63B2102/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
An exercising apparatus for use by hockey players to practice their shots, comprising: a lane structure made of a plurality of modular elements provided with fixation means for connecting them end to end; a goal structure mounted at one end of the lane, said goal structure comprising (a) two vertical posts and a horizontal bar of regular dimensions (b) four vertical targets respectively mounted in the internal corners of the goal structure, and (c) four visual means associated with said four targets, respectively; a puck dispensing device located at the other end of the lane for dispensing a plurality of pucks one by one; at least one platform positioned adjacent to the puck dispensing device for receiving a hockey player who wants to practice his shots and allowing this hockey player to throw each dispensed puck toward the goal structure with a hockey stick, said platform having an upper surface positioned for simulating during the exercise, the height of the skates that the hockey player puts on when actually playing on a rink; and an electronic control circuit for operating said visual means one after the other in any sequential order, even repetetively, at substantially the same speed as the one at which the pucks are distributed by the dispensing device, for visually indicating to the players which target amongst said four targets they must try to aim at.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
An exercising apparatus for use by hockey players to practice their shots, comprising: a lane structure made of a plurality of modular elements provided with fixation means for connecting them end to end; a goal structure mounted at one end of the lane, said goal structure comprising (a) two vertical posts and a horizontal bar of regular dimensions (b) four vertical targets respectively mounted in the internal corners of the goal structure, and (c) four visual means associated with said four targets, respectively; a puck dispensing device located at the other end of the lane for dispensing a plurality of pucks one by one; at least one platform positioned adjacent to the puck dispensing device for receiving a hockey player who wants to practice his shots and allowing this hockey player to throw each dispensed puck toward the goal structure with a hockey stick, said platform having an upper surface positioned for simulating during the exercise, the height of the skates that the hockey player puts on when actually playing on a rink; and an electronic control circuit for operating said visual means one after the other in any sequential order, even repetetively, at substantially the same speed as the one at which the pucks are distributed by the dispensing device, for visually indicating to the players which target amongst said four targets they must try to aim at.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the puck dispensing device comprises: a container for storing pucks; an endless belt extending between the puck container and the end of the lane opposite to the goal structure for moving each puck delivered from the container to the said end of the lane, said endless belt having an upper surface substantially at the same plane as the upper surface of the lane; and a pusher operated by a motor for dispensing the pucks one by one from their container onto the endless belt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 2, wherein the motor is set to rotate at constant speed and operate the pusher at constant interval by means of a cam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
98 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 3, wherein the container for storing pucks consists of a vertical hollow tube in which may be stacked up several pucks, said hollow tube being mounted at the end of the endless belt which is opposite to the end of the lane, said hollow tube comprising an opening in its lower end through which the pusher may push the lower puck stacked up onto the endless belt, the pushed puck being immediately replaced by fall of the puck immediately superior thereto when the pusher moves back and reaches the end of its stroke.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 4, wherein the motor operating the pusher also operates the endless belt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 2 wherein two platforms are positioned on both sides of the endless belt of the puck dispensing device respectively to allow the players to practice either from right or left and wherein the endless belt of the puck dispensing device further comprises a rigid reinforcing plate extending under its upper surface to prevent any deformation of said upper surface by impact with the hockey stick.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modular elements forming the lane structure include at least one connecting element for positioning the lane right in front of the goal structure or at angle with respect thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic control circuit comprises an audible signaling system electrically connected to a set of contacts mounted on each of the targets to give an audible signal to the hockey player every time his puck hits a target designated by the visual means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic control circuit includes means for adjusting the speed at which the visual means associated to each target are successively operated to take into account the player's speed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The exercising apparatus of claim 1, wherein said four visual means are each externally mounted onto one of said two posts and/or onto the horizontal bar close to the associated target.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2210557A
Cited
US3419272A
Cited
US3665910A
Cited
US3709489A
Cited
US3765675A
Cited
US3856298A
Cited
US3794318A
Cited
US3955815A
Cited
US3933354A
Cited
US3970310A
Cited
US4245843A
Cited
US4266776A
Cited
US4333657A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-25 | 1990-02-24 | 1990-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-25 | 1994-02-24 | 1994-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-25 | 1998-02-24 | 1998-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |