SLIDING IMPULSE DEVICE
First Claim
1. An apparatus motivated by an interaction to slide over a support surface, comprising:
- an upper interaction receiving portion for receiving the interaction when applied by a person interacting with said interaction portion with a body appendage of said person, wherein said interaction receiving portion has a diameter in a range of about two inches to about fifteen inches, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball; and
a lower sliding portion for sliding contact with the support surface responsive to the interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said interaction-receiving portion, wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when striking an object;
wherein a center of gravity of said interaction-receiving portion and said sliding portion is shifted towards the surface by use of a low-density material for said interaction-receiving portion and a high-density material for said sliding portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for an impulse-driven sliding device primarily for use by young children to simulate desired attributes of ball or puck games while adapting specified attributes to promote safe, effective use for those having reduced training and/or motor-skills. The apparatus includes a structure motivated by an impulse to slide over a surface, including: an impulse-receiving portion for receiving the impulse, the impulse-receiving portion defining a section of a generally semi-hemispherical structure and produced from a foam material patterned to represent at least a portion of a sports ball; and a sliding portion, coupled to the impulse-receiving portion, for sliding contact with the surface on a contact surface of the sliding portion responsive to the impulse the contact surface having a generally planar smooth surface having a periphery surrounded by an extension of the impulse receiving portion, wherein a tumbling of a coupled combination of the impulse-receiving portion and the sliding portion is inhibited by shifting a center of gravity downward by a greater weighting of the sliding portion relative to the impulse-receiving portion. The method includes a) receiving an impulse at a top portion of a device including the top portion coupled to a bottom sliding plate and converting the impulse to a non-tumbling, non-rolling, non-launching translating force; and b) sliding, responsive to the non-tumbling, non-rolling, non-launching translating force, the device over a generally planar surface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus motivated by an interaction to slide over a support surface, comprising:
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an upper interaction receiving portion for receiving the interaction when applied by a person interacting with said interaction portion with a body appendage of said person, wherein said interaction receiving portion has a diameter in a range of about two inches to about fifteen inches, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball; and a lower sliding portion for sliding contact with the support surface responsive to the interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said interaction-receiving portion, wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when striking an object; wherein a center of gravity of said interaction-receiving portion and said sliding portion is shifted towards the surface by use of a low-density material for said interaction-receiving portion and a high-density material for said sliding portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus motivated by a physical interaction between a person and the apparatus to slide over a support surface, comprising:
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an upper interaction-receiving portion for receiving the physical interaction from the person, wherein said interaction-receiving portion has an interaction-receiving portion diameter in a range of at least about two inches to no more than about fifteen inches and, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball used in athletic events; and a lower sliding portion for sliding contact with the support surface responsive to the physical interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said impulse-receiving portion; and wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when interacting with an object; and wherein a center of gravity of said interaction-receiving portion coupled to said sliding portion is shifted towards the support surface by use of a low-density material for said impulse-receiving portion and a high-density material for said sliding portion. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for motivating an object by an interaction to slide over a support surface, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving the interaction at an upper interaction-receiving portion applied by a person interacting with said interaction portion with a body appendage of said person, wherein said interaction receiving portion has a diameter in a range of about two inches to about fifteen inches, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball; and (b) contacting slidingly a lower sliding portion with the support surface responsive to the interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said interaction-receiving portion, wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when striking an object.
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Specification