Lighted sports game

• US 20040220001A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Classic Sport Companies, Inc. (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Classic Sport Companies, Inc. (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Schmitt, David, Boettcher, William C., Doherty, Thomas M., Oister, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/429,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220001A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/36 Croquet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0011 Grooves or lines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0024 Materials other than ionomers or polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/00 Stringed rackets, e.g. for tennis strings therefor A63B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/357 for golf cups or holes, e.g. flags
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/40 Golf cups or holes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/00 Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/60 of mallet type, e.g. for croquet or polo
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/70 with bent or angled lower parts for hitting a ball on the ground, on an ice-covered surface, or in the air, e.g. for hockey or hurling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 61/00 Tennis nets or accessories for tennis or like games , e.g. volley-ball devices for holding or carrying balls A63B47/00; for table tennis A63B67/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/004 Goals of the type used for football, handball, hockey or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/14 : Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/18 : Badminton or similar games with feathered missiles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/197 : with special functions, e.g. light emission or sound generation
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/18 : Throwing or slinging toys, e.g. flying disc toys discs used in athletics A63B65/10as part of a game A63F9/02; sling weapons F41B3/00; spring toy guns F41B7/08
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 3/00 : Targets for arrows or darts, e.g. for sporting or amusement purposes targets for shooting or hurling games A63F9/0204
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/38 : of tracer type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/003 : Darts

Abstract

The present invention provides sporting equipment having lights.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a ball;

the ball having an outer surface;

at least one lighting element;

the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member;

the elongated member capable of radiating light from the light source; and

the at least one lighting element is couple to at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ball comprises at least one of a baseball, a soccer ball, a football, a volley ball, a basketball, a lacrosse ball, a shot-put, a discus, a hockey puck, a horseshoe, a golf ball, a bowling ball, a tennis ball, a racket ball, a softball, a squash ball, a handball, shuttlecock, a bocce ball, a croquet ball, and a ping pong ball.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least one of a florescent light, an incandescent light, a halogen light, a light string, a lcd, a led, a laser, an electroluminescent light source, a chemical light source, a light tube, or a flexible light wire.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element forms a design on the outer surface of the ball.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one channel residing on at least a portion of the outer surface of the ball; and

the at least one lighting element held in at least part of the at least one channel.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a handle portion;

a striking surface portion;

the handle portion is couple to the striking surface portion;

at least one lighting element;

the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member; and

the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least one the handle portion and the striking surface portion.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the handle portion and striking surface portion form at least one of a baseball bat, a softball bat, a cricket paddle, a tennis racket, a badminton racket, a hockey stick, a golf club, croquet mallet, a racket ball racket, a lacrosse stick, and a field hockey stick.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the light source comprises at least one of a florescent light, an incandescent light, a halogen light, a light string, a lcd, a led, a laser, an electroluminescent light source, a chemical light source, a light tube, or a flexible light wire.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least one of a handle outer surface and a striking surface outer surface.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

at least one translucent portion;

the at least one translucent portion forming at least a portion of at least one of the handle portion and the striking surface portion;

wherein the at least one lighting element resides internal to at least one of the handle portion and the striking surface portion and light is radiated out the at least one translucent portion.

11. A sports game, comprising:

a goal;

the goal having at least a frame;

at least one lighting element;

the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member; and

the at least one lighting element coupled to the goal to provide lighting effects.

12. The sports game according to claim 11, wherein the goal comprises at least one of a football goal, a soccer goal, a lacrosse goal, a golf hole, a dart target, a hockey goal, a field hockey goal, water polo goal, a polo goal, and a rugby goal.

13. The sports game according to claim 11, wherein the goal comprises:

a net; and

the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least one of the frame and the net.

14. The sports game according to claim 11, wherein the goal comprises:

a backboard; and

the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least the backboard.

15. The sports game according to claim 13, wherein the goal further comprises a backboard and the at least one lighting element is coupled to the backboard.

16. A sports game, comprising:

at least one accessory;

the at least one accessory comprises at least one of a net, a flag, a pylon, a boundary, a bow, a flag, a pole, and a target;

at least one lighting element;

the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member; and

the at least one lighting element coupled to the at least one accessory to provide lighting effects.

17. The sports game according to claim 16, wherein the at least one accessory comprises a target, wherein the target is at least one of a lawn dart target, a dart target, and an archery target.

18. The sports game according to claim 16, wherein the at least one accessory comprises a flag, wherein the flag is at least one of a golf hole flag, a soccer corner flag, and a flag football flag.

19. The sports game according to claim 16, wherein the at least one accessory comprises a net, wherein the net is a volley ball net, a badminton net, a tennis net, and a ping-pong ball net.

20. The sports game, comprising:

at least one piece of sporting equipment;

means for providing light; and

means for attaching, wherein

the means for attaching couples the means for providing light to the at least one piece of sporting equipment.