FR2593708A1 - Device for improvement of a movement used by tennis players and known as "first-ball serve" - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for training people in the serve, known as first-ball serve, in tennis. The invention relates to a device enabling one to train oneself alone in the serve, known as the "first-ball" serve, in tennis. It consists, particularly, of a panel 2, of a trap door 1, of a base on which the panel 3 and 4 can rest, as well as a ball recovery device 5, so as to create an artificial ball-throwing angle. The device according to the invention is intended particularly for tennis players who wish to train or to improve alone.

Description

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a device for improving a movement used by tennis players called "first ball service".

Hitherto nothing similar in the state of the art existed except by far the traditional walls still in place at present in many tennis clubs, and on which walls is drawn a symbolic line representing the upper part of the net. Certain players still use these walls to train for forehands and backhands.

The object of the present invention is to allow training to execute this movement alone and outside a tennis court. Thus the player can train either in a garden, or in an ad hoc room or at least of sufficient dimensions or still near a tennis court while waiting for it to become available.

Figure A shows a preferred form of the device; the player will have to stand approx. five meters from the machine, either opposite point 4 to serve on the right, or opposite point 3 to serve on the left.

 To succeed in his service, he must send his ball as hard as possible into hatch 1 located in panel 2.

In the event of successful service, the ball will be directly guided towards the exit hatch 5. An automatic ball return system towards the player can also be provided as additional equipment to the apparatus.

Figure 8 is a top view of the apparatus, it being in this case located on a tennis court. Here, player 6 is placed five meters from device 7 and opposite point 3 in Figure A (to serve on the left
The hatched area 8 is the area through which the tennis ball must pass to obtain a successful service. The apparatus 7 being on the trajectory of a successful ball, the player will therefore have the assurance of having given his ball a correct trajectory if this ball passes in frame 1 of figure A.

To practice doing services on the right, the player will also stand five meters from the device in front of point 4 in Figure A.

The device can also be fitted with a horizontally and vertically adjustable hatch depending on the size of the player and his position on the baseline.

Whatever the version, the present invention has the advantage of being able to initiate players of low level as well as of improving players of higher level.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described or represented above; we can indeed make many modifications without departing from the principle of said invention such as for example an assembly on casters facilitating storage in a garage or shed or on the contrary be fixed to the ground, be foldable or removable, or even build the device in transparent material in order to better see the whole court. The device can also be provided with a net or other means of retrieving balls, have an oblique or adjustable frame at will, have a small or large wheel base on a heavy base . It can also be provided with an external reflective protection or any other reflective system so that the player can, without any assistance, control his own movements himself.
The panel can also be deleted: the pass-r: <area of the ball represented by the hatch, which can be alone represented by a metal tube tracing its outline and erected on a vertical foot from the ground.

The panel can be either wooden, metal or
PVC or any other material, either opaque, translucent or transparent.

Said panel may include two horizontal hatches so as to be able to provide the first bullet service either to the right or to the left, thus avoiding the movement of the device.

The metal tubes can be made of solid metal as well as being hollow, can also be made of PVC or any other material.

Claims (6)

RE \ iE! \ DI CTI ONS 1 / Device for personal training in so-called "first ball" tennis services, characterized in that it consists of a vertical or oblique panel fixed to the ground, in which there is a hatch for the passage of balls, creating with the position point of the player an artificial launching angle corresponding to the launching angle naturally formed usually on the tennis court 2 / Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the panel can either rest on a base either be mounted on casters. 3 / Device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the panel can be foldable and removable. 4 / Device according to one of the three preceding claims characterized in that the panel may be either of wood, or of metal, or of PVC or any other material, or opaque, or translucent or transparent.  5 / Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the bale passage hatch can be adjustable either in length or in width or both together. 6 / Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the panel can comprise two horizontal hatches so as to be able to provide the first bullet service either to the right or to the left without moving the device. 7 / Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the device can be made of metal tubes so that only the area of passage of the ball is shown without the existence of the panel. 8 / Device according to the preceding claim characterized Q that the metal tubes can be solid metal or PVC or any other material.