Molded hockey puck with electronic signal transmitter core

• US 10,343,042 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sportsmedia Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Mason, Kent, Cavallaro, Richard H., Doeden, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US16/027,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20180326276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 473446, 473570, 473588
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/14 Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A hockey puck is disclosed including an internal signal transmitter enabling instantaneous identification of its position as it moves around. The puck includes two molded subcomponents, which encapsulate the signal transmitter. The signal transmitter may include driver electronics and a number of signal transmitters which together generate and emit an electromagnetic signal. The electromagnetic signal may be emitted by a plurality of diodes mounted in cavities in the subcomponents, for example around an outer circumference of the hockey puck and through a top and bottom surfaces of the hockey puck. The puck may alternatively be formed of a material that allows electromagnetic radiation to be emitted through the subcomponents, and the diode cavities may be omitted.

Claims

1. A hockey puck, comprising:

a first subcomponent and a second subcomponent, wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent are matingly attached with finger joints along outer edges of the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent;

wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent form an interior void;

a capsule constructed and configured with a profile mated to contours of the interior void;

a signal transmitter operable to generate and emit electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the signal transmitter is sized and shaped to fit within a central void of the capsule;

at least one light pipe extending from the capsule to an exterior surface of the first subcomponent or the second subcomponent;

wherein the at least one light pipe is operable to receive at least one diode of the signal transmitter; and

wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent include detents corresponding to ridges on the at least one light pipe.

2. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the finger joints include stepped protrusions and mating slots.

3. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the finger joints are attached with first finger joints of the first subcomponent attached along an internal surface to second finger joints of the second subcomponent.

4. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent are attached with an applied adhesive material.

5. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises a first separately formed half and a second separately formed half.

6. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the capsule is formed of a single piece construction, molded around the signal transmitter.

7. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent include corresponding half-channels or half-holes that join to define at least one radially extending channel or at least one radially extending hole for receiving the at least one light pipe.

8. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the first and second subcomponents include at least one axially extending channel or at least one axially extending hole for receiving the at least one light pipe.

9. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent are molded from vulcanized rubber.

10. The hockey puck of claim 1, wherein the at least one light pipe is integrally formed on the capsule.

11. A hockey puck, comprising:

a first subcomponent and a second subcomponent, wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent are matingly attached along internal keyed surfaces of the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent;

wherein the internal keyed surfaces include a first keyed surface of the first subcomponent and a second keyed surface of the second subcomponent;

wherein first keyed surface includes a first plurality of concentrically arranged wedges arranged complimentary to a second plurality of concentrically arranged wedges of the second keyed surface, and wherein peaks of the first plurality of concentrically arranged wedges align with valleys of the second plurality of concentrically arranged wedges;

wherein the first subcomponent and the second subcomponent form an interior void;

a capsule constructed and configured with a profile mated to contours of the interior void;

a signal transmitter operable to generate and emit electromagnetic radiation; and

at least one light pipe, wherein the at least one light pipe is integrally formed on the capsule; and

wherein the at least one light pipe is operable to receive at least one diode of the signal transmitter.

12. The hockey puck of claim 11, wherein the at least one light pipe extends from the capsule to an exterior surface of the first subcomponent or the second subcomponent.

13. The hockey puck of claim 11, wherein the first keyed surface includes two rows of the plurality of concentrically arranged wedges, and wherein the second keyed surface includes two rows of the second plurality of concentrically arranged wedges.

14. A hockey puck, comprising:

a first outer subcomponent and a second outer subcomponent, wherein the first outer subcomponent and the second outer subcomponent are matingly attached;

wherein the first outer subcomponent and the second outer subcomponent form an interior void;

a capsule including a first capsule subcomponent and a second capsule subcomponent, wherein the first capsule subcomponent is constructed and configured with a first profile mated to contours of the interior void formed by the first outer subcomponent and the second outer subcomponent, and wherein the second capsule subcomponent is constructed and configured with a second profile mated to contours of the interior void formed by the second outer subcomponent;

wherein the first capsule subcomponent includes a first plurality of light pipes extending radially from the first capsule subcomponent, and wherein the second capsule subcomponent includes a second plurality of light pipes extending radially from the second capsule subcomponent;

wherein the first plurality of light pipes is integrally formed on the first capsule subcomponent and the second plurality of light pipes are integrally formed on the second capsule subcomponent;

a signal transmitter operable to generate and emit electromagnetic radiation; and

wherein first plurality of light pipes and the second plurality of light pipes are operable to receive a plurality of diodes, and wherein the first plurality of light pipes and the second plurality of light pipes extend from the capsule to an exterior surface of the first outer subcomponent or the second outer subcomponent.

15. The hockey puck of claim 14, further comprising a third plurality of light pipes extending axially from the capsule to the exterior surface of the first outer subcomponent or the second outer subcomponent, wherein the third plurality of light pipes are integrally formed on the first capsule subcomponent or the second capsule subcomponent.

16. The hockey puck of claim 14, wherein the first plurality of light pipes and the second plurality of light pipes are positioned in rotationally symmetrical positions on the first capsule subcomponent and the second capsule subcomponent, and wherein the first plurality of light pipes and the second plurality of light pipes are distributed evenly around the capsule.

17. The hockey puck of claim 14, wherein the first outer subcomponent is a cap that inserts into the second outer subcomponent;

and wherein the cap and second outer subcomponent abut with a toothed design.

18. The hockey puck of claim 14, wherein the first outer subcomponent is a cap, wherein a lip of the cap is operable to snap fit into a recess of the second outer subcomponent.

19. The hockey puck of claim 14, wherein the first outer subcomponent and the second outer subcomponent include corresponding half-channels or half-holes that join to define a plurality of radially extending channels or a plurality of radially extending holes for receiving at least one light pipe.