Football Sled Mounted Training Aid Pad with Independent Arms

Abstract

A sled mounted training aid is disclosed including independently pivotable shoulder members and independently movable arm members for use in various training exercises. The training aid may be formed of opposing spring-loaded shoulder members that may be independently pivoted outwardly in response to a user's applied force. The training aid may also include independent arm members that include integrated coil springs attached to each of the shoulder members respectively, such that the arm members may be deflected in any direction in response to an exerted force. The combined range of motion of the shoulder members and arm members is approximately 200 degrees, and sufficient for a user to run past the pivoted arm without obstruction. Methods of using such a training aid also are disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A training aid configured to be mounted to a support, comprising:
 a rigid frame having a first frame member extending in a generally horizontal direction and having a first end and a second end, and a second frame member extending generally perpendicular to the first frame member and having a first end and a second end; wherein the first frame member is affixed to the second frame member at a mid-point between the first end and second ends of the first frame member;   a first shoulder member pivotably affixed to the first frame member adjacent the first end of the first frame member;   a second shoulder member pivotably affixed to the first frame member adjacent the second end of the first frame member;   a first movable arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first arm extends outwardly from a front surface of the first shoulder member and is movable relative thereto; and   a second movable arm having a first end and second end, wherein the first end of the second arm extends outwardly from a front surface of the second shoulder member and is movable relative thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The training aid of  claim 1 , wherein, the first shoulder member is pivotably affixed to the first frame member at a first axis that is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first frame member; and wherein the second shoulder member is pivotably affixed to the first frame member at a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first frame member. 
     
     
         3 . The training aid of  claim 2 , further comprising a first torsion spring disposed about the first axis and a second torsion spring disposed about the second axis, wherein the torsion springs are configured to exert a return force on the first and second shoulder members, respectively, sufficient to return the first and second shoulder members to a neutral position absent the application of an external force. 
     
     
         4 . The training aid of  claim 3 , further comprising a first stop affixed to the first frame member adjacent the first end thereof and a second stop affixed to the first frame member adjacent the second end thereof, and wherein in the neutral position, the front surface of the first shoulder member engages the first stop and the front surface of the second shoulder member engages the second stop respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The training aid of  claim 4 , wherein, each shoulder member is configured to individually pivoted outwardly about its respective axis to a fully pivoted position in response to receiving an external force applied to the corresponding movable arm. 
     
     
         6 . The training aid of  claim 5 , wherein, in the fully pivoted position of the first and second shoulder members, a side of the first shoulder member engages the first stop and a side of the second shoulder member engages the second stop respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The training aid of  claim 5 , wherein each shoulder member has a set range of motion of less than or equal to 90° from the neutral position. 
     
     
         8 . The training aid of  claim 5 , wherein the external force required to overcome the return force of the corresponding torsion spring of either movable arm is greater than 20 pounds 
     
     
         9 . The training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the support is a movable football training sled. 
     
     
         10 . The training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the support is a fixed support structure. 
     
     
         11 . The training aid of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first movable arm further comprises a coil spring disposed at a first portion of the first movable arm adjacent the first end thereof and an elongated length at a second portion of the first movable arm between the coil spring and the second end of the first movable arm; and wherein   the second movable arm further comprises a coil spring disposed at a first portion of the second movable arm adjacent the first end thereof and an elongated length at a second portion of the second movable arm between the coil spring and the second end of the second movable arm.   
     
     
         12 . The training aid of  claim 11 , further comprising a first post extending outwardly from the front surface of the first shoulder member and a second post extending outwardly from the front surface of the second shoulder member, wherein the coil spring of the first arm is disposed about an exterior surface of the first post; and the coil spring of the second arm is disposed about an exterior surface of the second post. 
     
     
         13 . The training aid of  claim 12 , wherein the coil spring of each movable arm is configured to move independently relative to the exterior surface of the respective post in response to an application of an external force to the second portion of the corresponding movable arm. 
     
     
         14 . The training aid of  claim 13 , wherein the second portion of each movable arm is individually moveable in any direction relative to the first end of the corresponding movable arm in response to the application of the external force to the second portion of the corresponding movable arm. 
     
     
         15 . The training aid of  claim 14 , wherein the second end of each movable arm is individually movable to a fully extended position defining a set range of motion in response to the application of receiving the external force to the corresponding movable arm. 
     
     
         16 . The training aid of  claim 14 , wherein the set range of motion of each movable arm is less than or equal to 110° from a neutral position defined by a longitudinal axis of each corresponding post. 
     
     
         17 . The training aid of  claim 15 , wherein the external force applied to and end of either movable arm must be greater than 25 pounds in order to extend the corresponding movable arm to the fully extended position thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The training aid of  claim 1 , further comprising a sled mount provided on the second frame member. 
     
     
         19 . The training aid of  claim 18 , wherein the sled mount is adjustably affixed to the second frame member, such that a height of the sled mounting point may be altered between the first end and second end of the second frame member. 
     
     
         20 . The training aid of  claim 2 , wherein the sled mount is affixed at the second end of the second frame member, and wherein the first frame member is adjustably affixed to the second frame member, such that a height of the mid-point of the first frame member may be altered between the first and second ends of the second frame member. 
     
     
         21 . A training aid configured to be mounted to a sled, comprising:
 a rigid frame having a first frame member extending in a generally horizontal direction and having a first end and a second end, and a second frame member extending generally perpendicular to the first frame member and having a first end and a second end; wherein the first frame member is affixed to the second frame member at a mid-point between the first end and second ends of the first frame member;   a sled mount extending from the second frame member;   first and second independently movable arm assemblies, each arm assembly comprising:
 a shoulder member pivotably affixed to a corresponding end of the first frame member; 
 a torsion spring engaging the shoulder member to provide resistance to the shoulder pivoting; 
 a post extending outwardly from a front surface of the shoulder member; and 
 an arm having a first end and second end, wherein the first end of the arm comprised a coil that is affixed to the front surface of the shoulder member and that is disposed about an exterior surface of the post, and wherein the second end of the arm extends outwardly from the front surface of the shoulder member and is movable relative thereto; and 
 wherein each of the two independently movable assemblies is movable through an approximate 200° range of motion respectively. 
   
     
     
         22 . The training aid of  claim 21 , wherein the sled mount comprises a plurality of walls forming a socket that is configured to receive a sled mount post therein. 
     
     
         23 . The training aid of  claim 22 , wherein a cross-section of the socket perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the socket is polygonal. 
     
     
         24 . A method of using a sled mounted training aid, comprising the steps of:
 providing a height-adjustable pad-covered rigid frame having first and second independently movable arm assemblies mounted thereon, wherein each arm assembly defines a pivoting shoulder mounted on the frame and a movable arm having a coil spring at a first end of the movable arm affixed to the pivoting shoulder;   affixing a sled mount of the height-adjustable pad-covered rigid frame to a sled,   a user exerting an external force on at least one of the arm assemblies;   moving the movable arm to a fully extending position relative to the shoulder under the external force; and   pivoting the shoulder to a fully-pivoted position relative to the rigid frame, wherein a range of combined motion of each arm assembly, including the combination of moving the movable arm of the corresponding movable arm assembly and pivoting the shoulder of the corresponding movable arm assembly, is approximately 200° from a neutral position.