Precision basketball-handling training tool
View Patent ↗A precision ball-handling training tool develops accuracy and proficiency in basketball control of an athlete performing no-look dribbling of a basketball. A non-opaque tubular member terminating in a body member forms a ring having a perimeter that defines an open space inside the perimeter. A light source is positioned within the tubular member to emit light from and along its length. The emitted light is sufficiently intense to be perceived by the athlete performing no-look dribbling of the basketball within the open space. Opposed light beam switch components positioned at the perimeter of the ring define a line-of-sight across the open space. Power supply and processor circuitry contained in the body member responds to instances of a basketball obstructing the line-of-sight during a basketball dribbling exercise by causing momentary light emissions from the light source to indicate whenever the athlete dribbles the basketball within the open space of the ring.
1. A precision ball-handling tool for use by an athlete performing basketball dribbling training drills to develop proficiency in no-look basketball control and thereby to enhance the athlete's basketball court vision, comprising:
a non-opaque tubular member having a length and first and second ends terminating in a body member having an inner exterior surface, the tubular member and the inner exterior surface of the body member shaped to form a ring having a perimeter to define an open space inside the perimeter;
a light source positioned within and configured to emit light from, and along the length of, the tubular member, the light, when emitted, being of sufficient intensity to be perceived by the athlete while not looking directly at the ring and dribbling a basketball within the open space;
first and second light beam switch components positioned in opposition to each other at the perimeter of the ring, the first and second light beam switch components defining between them a line-of-sight across the open space of the ring; and
power supply and processor circuitry contained in the body member and operatively connected to the light source and the first and second light beam switch components, the power supply and processor circuitry, in response to instances of a basketball obstructing the line-of-sight during the basketball dribbling exercise, causing momentary light emissions from the light source to indicate whenever the athlete dribbles the basketball within the open space of the ring.
2. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which the light source includes a string of spaced-apart light-emitting devices.
3. The ball-handling tool of claim 2 , in which the light-emitting devices are light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
4. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which the tubular member is formed of optically translucent, flexible material.
5. The ball-handling tool of claim 4 , in which the tubular member is made of polyethylene.
6. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which the first and second light beam switch components include, respectively, a light emitter and a light detector that produce between them an optical beam path as the line-of-sight across the open space of the ring, and in which the dribbling of a basketball within the open space of the ring causes beam breaks in the optical beam path.
7. The ball-handling tool of claim 6 , in which the light emitter emits infrared light and the light detector detects infrared light.
8. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which the power supply and processing circuitry includes a counter that records a number of instances of the obstruction of the line-of-sight during a basketball dribbling exercise.
9. The ball-handling tool of claim 8 , in which the body member houses a display screen on which appears a count corresponding to the number of instances of the obstruction of the line-of-sight.
10. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which the ring is of generally circular shape.
11. The ball-handling tool of claim 10 , in which the ring has a diameter of between about 15 in. (38.1 cm) and about 16 in. (40.64 cm).
12. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which each of the momentary light emissions has a duration that is less than a duration between two successive instances of dribbling the basketball within the open space of the ring during the basketball dribbling exercise.
13. The ball-handling tool of claim 1 , in which one of the instances of a basketball obstructing the line-of-sight causes a momentary light emission from the light source and no other momentary light emission can occur before cessation of the incidence of a basketball obstructing the line-of-sight.
14. A method of enhancing basketball player ball control skill development, comprising:
placing on a floor a ring having a perimeter that defines an open space inside the perimeter, the ring including first and second light beam switch components positioned in opposition to each other at the perimeter to define a line-of-sight between them and cooperating with a powered light source to produce emission of light from the perimeter of the ring in response to an obstruction of the line-of-sight;
providing a basketball to a basketball player who is to assume a player's stance and position the basketball above and over the open space inside the perimeter of the ring in preparation to dribble the basketball; and
performing a basketball dribbling exercise by the basketball player attempting to dribble the basketball within the open space and thereby repetitively obstruct the line-of-sight across the open space, and, in response to each obstruction of the line-of-sight, produce a momentary emission of light from the perimeter of the ring to indicate an instance of dribbling the basketball within the open space.
15. The method of claim 14 , in which the light source includes a string of spaced-apart light-emitting devices.
16. The method of claim 14 , in which the first and second light beam switch components include, respectively, a light emitter and a light detector that produce between them an optical beam path as the line-of-sight across the open space of the ring, and in which the dribbling of a basketball within the open space of the ring causes beam breaks in the optical beam path.
17. The method of claim 14 , in which the ring includes a non-opaque tubular member having first and second ends terminating in a body member, the body member including a counter that records a number of instances of the obstruction of the line-of-sight during the basketball dribbling exercise and a display screen on which appears a count corresponding to the number of instances of the obstruction of the line-of-sight.
18. The method of claim 14 , in which the ring is of generally circular shape and has a diameter of between about 15 in. (38.1 cm) and about 16 in. (40.64 cm).
19. The method of claim 14 , in which each of the momentary light emissions has a duration that is less than a duration between two successive instances of dribbling the basketball within the open space of the ring during the basketball dribbling exercise.
20. The method of claim 14 , in which one of the instances of a basketball obstructing the line-of-sight causes a momentary light emission from the light source and no other momentary light emission can occur before cessation of the incidence of a basketball obstructing the line-of-sight.