Indoor/outdoor ball control training device

Abstract

A variety of training boards and panel assemblies are supported by an indoor floor base to provide targets with rebound capability for developing and improving ball handling skills. Panel supporting uprights extend upwardly from a base housing to provide backing and necessary stability for a rebound panel. The supporting uprights are configured to provide supporting surfaces to which the rebound panels are attached, with the supporting surfaces aligned to position the rebound panels in a desired orientation. To provide stability, the base housing includes frictional elements to help hold in place for while in a gym floor. Also, the base housing is configured to hold weights of a desired configuration, thus cooperating with the frictional elements to hold the training board in place while being subjected to forces from balls. In addition, the supporting uprights have multiple support surfaces capable of aligning the panels in a desired orientation, thus providing multiple rebound characteristics to the user.

1 . An indoor athletic training device positionable on a floor surface to provide a ball return for practicing ball handling and ball control skills, comprising:
 a floor contact housing with a bottom surface having frictional components thereon to interact with the floor surface;   a supporting structure coupled to the floor contact housing, the supporting structure having a plurality of supporting uprights movable between an upwardly extending support position and a folded position, wherein the upright extends upwardly from the floor in a predetermined orientation when in the support position, with each supporting upright having at least one panel supporting surface; and   a rigid rebound panel coupled to the supporting structure such that a first panel surface is adjacent the at least one panel supporting surface of each supporting upright and a ball return surface of the panel on a side opposite the supporting structure so as to allow the ball return surface to be exposed to users thereby providing the ball return in response to the ball contacting the ball return surface.   
   
   
       2 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of uprights further comprises a second supporting surface on a side opposite the at least one panel supporting surface of each supporting upright. 
   
   
       3 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 2  wherein the panel supporting surface and the second supporting surface are both oriented to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the floor contacting housing when in the supporting position. 
   
   
       4 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 1  wherein the rebound panel is separate from the supporting structure and is selectively coupled to the supporting structure using connectors. 
   
   
       5 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 1  wherein the rebound panel, supporting structure and the floor contacting housing are permanently coupled to one another and adjustable wherein the panel is movable between a use position wherein the panel is aligned with the supporting surface thereby achieving the desired orientation for the panel and a storage position wherein the panel is aligned in a storage orientation. 
   
   
       6 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 2  further comprising a second panel coupled to the supporting structure at a location opposite the rebound panel such that the training device is capable of interacting with users from both the rebound panel and the second panel. 
   
   
       7 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 2  wherein the at least one panel supporting surface and the second supporting surface are oriented at angles with respect to the bottom surface which are unequal to one another. 
   
   
       8 . The indoor athletic training device of  claim 1  wherein the support surface includes a resilient member attached thereto for absorbing shock produced by the ball contacting the ball surface. 
   
   
       9 . An indoor/outdoor training device for providing ball rebounds to user, comprising:
 a multiuse panel having a substantially planar rebound surface configured to receive a ball and produce a desired rebound;   a support structure attached to a back side of the multiuse panel, the back side being opposite the rebound surface, the support structure comprising a plurality of support members with each support member movable between a support position and a transport position, the support position being oriented to hold the multiuse panel in a desired orientation by having a portion of the support member contacting the ground while also having a portion of the support member affixed to the back side of the multiuse panel; and   an indoor base coupleable to the multiuse panel for indoor use, the indoor base having a floor contact housing and a plurality of uprights movably coupled thereto, each of the plurality of uprights having a panel support surface and an attachment structure, with the back side of the multiuse panel positioned adjacent the support surface and the attachment structure coupling the upright and the multiuse panel when used for indoor use, wherein the floor contact housing has frictional elements on a bottom surface to increase friction between the bottom surface and the indoor surface supporting the indoor base.   
   
   
       10 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 9  wherein the attachment structure includes a plurality of threaded posts and related connectors. 
   
   
       11 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 9  wherein the uprights include two opposite support surfaces on opposite sides thereof, each independently capable of receiving the multiuse panel. 
   
   
       12 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 11  further comprising a second multiuse training panel, wherein the multiuse training panel and the second multiuse training panel are each attached to the support surfaces on opposite sides of the upright. 
   
   
       13 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 9  wherein one of the plurality of support members is coupled to the indoor base when the indoor base is coupled to the multiuse panel thereby providing additional support to hold the rebound surface in the desired position. 
   
   
       14 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 11  wherein the two opposite support surfaces of the uprights include a first support surface which is oriented at approximately 90 degrees with respect to the floor contact surface and wherein a second support surface which is oriented at approximately 105 degrees with respect to the floor contact surface. 
   
   
       15 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 9  wherein the support structure comprises at least three support members, and wherein each of the support members includes an aperture in an end thereof to receive an anchoring stake to be placed into the ground. 
   
   
       16 . The indoor/outdoor training device of  claim 9  wherein the support members are adjustable to allow the rebound surface to be easily positioned at various angles when used outdoor and staked to the ground. 
   
   
       17 . The indoor/outdoor athletic training device of  claim 9  wherein the support surface includes a resilient member attached thereto for absorbing shock produced by the ball contacting the ball surface. 
   
   
       18 . The indoor/outdoor athletic training device of  claim 9  wherein the indoor base comprises support surfaces for supporting additional weights. 
   
   
       19 . An indoor/outdoor training device for use in athletic training activities involving a ball, wherein the ball is propelled toward the training device and the training device provides the capability of returning the ball in a predictable manner, the training device comprising:
 a multiuse panel having a rebound surface and a back surface on an opposite side from the rebound surface, the rebound surface having the strength and rigidity to withstand the force of the propelled ball;   a support structure adjacent the back surface for supporting the multiuse panel in a desired orientation when the support structure is in its supporting position, the supporting structure further capable of being positioned in a storage position adjacent the back surface; and   an indoor base structure having a bottom surface with a plurality of frictional contact elements positioned thereon for providing increased frictional force when positioned on an indoor floor surface, the indoor base structure further having a pair of supporting uprights movable between an upright position and a folded position, each upright having a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface on substantially opposite sides of the supporting upright, each supporting surface further having a resilient member attached thereto for absorbing shock created by the propelled ball, and each supporting surface capable of supporting the multiuse panel;   wherein the supporting structure and the indoor base are independently capable of supporting the multiuse panel in the desired orientation with the indoor base being coupled to the multiuse panel and the supporting structure being in the folded position when the training device is used indoors, and wherein the indoor base is removed and the supporting structure is in the supporting position when the training device is used outdoors, where the supporting a supporting portion of the supporting structure is in contact with the ground surface.   
   
   
       20 . The training device of  claim 19  wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of legs foldable between the support position and the storage position, wherein each leg has a first end hingedly attached to the back surface and a second end extendable to contact the ground when in the supporting position, wherein the second end further includes an aperture therein configured to receive an anchoring stake which is extended into the ground to provide further anchoring. 
   
   
       21 . The training device of  claim 19  wherein the first support surface which is oriented at approximately 90 degrees with respect to the bottom surface of the indoor base and wherein the second support surface is oriented at approximately 105 degrees with respect to the bottom surface of the indoor base. 
   
   
       22 . The indoor/outdoor athletic training device of  claim 19  wherein the indoor base comprises support surfaces for supporting additional weights.