LIGHT TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR A LIGHT EMITTING GAME BALL

• US 20130337948A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carson K. Smith
• Original Assignee: Carson K. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Carson K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,192,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces

Abstract

A light transmission system for a light emitting game ball provides light passageways extending outwardly from an elongate cavity within the game ball adapted for containing an elongate light source. The shape of each passageway at the exterior surface of the ball is substantially different from the shape of the corresponding joining aperture formed by the intersection of the passageway and the cavity.

Claims

1. A game ball, comprising a substantially opaque game ball body having an elongate cavity and a plurality of elongate passageways therein, each passageway extending from a distinct opening defined on the exterior surface of the body to a cavity joining aperture defined at the cavity, wherein the shape of the opening is substantially different from the shape of the cavity joining aperture.

2. The game ball of claim 1, wherein the elongate cavity defines an elongate cavity axis, wherein any given joining aperture has dimensions (A_JA, B_JA), where A_JA is the maximum size of the given joining aperture measured parallel to the cavity axis, and B_JA is the maximum size of the given joining aperture measured perpendicular to the cavity axis, wherein the dimension A_JA is substantially larger than the dimension B_JA.

3. The game ball of claim 2, wherein the elongate passageways define corresponding elongate passageway axes, each passageway axis striking a corresponding angle θ

relative to the cavity axis, each passageway defining an unobstructed path for light to travel from the cavity through the passageways and out the openings to points outside the game ball body, any given passageway having a series of dimensions (A_n, B_n) measured in a respective series of cross-sectional planes P_n taken perpendicular to the passageway axis for the given passageway, where A_n is the maximum size of the given passageway measured parallel to the cavity axis, and B_n is the maximum size of the given passageway measured perpendicular to the cavity axis, where, at the openings, the cross-sectional plane P_n is P₀ and the corresponding dimensions are (A₀, B₀), where the value of A_JA corresponding to any given passageway is no less than 80% of the value A₀/(cos θ

) for the given passageway, and where the value of B_JA corresponding to any given passageway is no more than 70% of the value B₀ for the given passageway.

4. The game ball of claim 3, where the value of A_JA corresponding to any given passageway is no less than 90% of the value A₀/(cos θ

) for the given passageway, and where the value of B_JA corresponding to any given passageway is no more than 60% of the value B₀ for the given passageway.

5. The game ball of claim 4, including at least two passageways at different angles θ

, and the dimensions A₀ are the same for each.

6. The game ball of claim 3, including at least two passageways at different angles θ

, and the dimensions A₀ are the same for each.

7. The game ball of claim 6, including at least two passageways at the same angle θ

, the passageway axes thereof being collinear.

8. The game ball of claim 5, including at least two passageways at the same angle θ

, the passageway axes thereof being collinear.

9. The game ball of claim 4, including at least two passageways at the same angle θ

, the passageway axes thereof being collinear.

10. The game ball of claim 3, including at least two passageways at the same angle θ

, the passageway axes thereof being collinear.

11. The game ball of claim 10, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

12. The game ball of claim 9, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

13. The game ball of claim 8, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B_n for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

14. The game ball of claim 7, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

15. The game ball of claim 6, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

16. The game ball of claim 5, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

17. The game ball of claim 4, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

18. The game ball of claim 3, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the plane P₀ for the given passageway and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway do not decrease to less than 90% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the dimensions B_n for the given passageway decrease to an amount at the joining aperture for the given passageway that is less than 70% of the value of B₀ for the given passageway, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

19. The game ball of claim 2, wherein the elongate passageways define corresponding elongate passageway axes, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the opening and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the size of the passageway measured perpendicular to the cavity axis does not decrease to less than 90% of its corresponding size at the opening, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the size of the passageway measured perpendicular to the cavity axis decreases no less than 70% of its corresponding size at the opening, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

20. The game ball of claim 1, wherein the elongate passageways define corresponding elongate passageway axes and the elongate cavity defines an elongate cavity axis, where any given passageway defines at least two distinct regions R₁ and R₂ thereof along the corresponding passageway axis, where the region R₁ for the given passageway begins at the opening and extends toward the cavity a distance L₁, where the region R₂ for the given passageway extends a distance L₂ and ends at the cavity, where, over the region R₁ of the given passageway, the size of the passageway measured perpendicular to the cavity axis does not decrease to less than 90% of its corresponding size at the opening, and where, over the region R₂ of the given passageway, the size of the passageway measured perpendicular to the cavity axis decreases no less than 70% of its corresponding size at the opening, where the distance L₁ is at least 1″

.

21. A method for removing a light source from a game ball having an elongate cavity therein, the cavity having an elongate axis, the cavity extending to the exterior surface of the game ball and thereby defining an insertion/removal aperture therein, the light source being installed in the cavity, the method comprising:

applying a compressive force to the game ball so as to compress the game ball along the elongate axis with the result that a portion of the light source that did not previously extend through the insertion/removal aperture now extends through the insertion/removal aperture;

grasping said portion; and

pulling on said portion and thereby removing the light source from the game ball.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, after said step of pulling, releasing the compressive force, thereby allowing the game ball to decompress.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of applying results in expanding the insertion/removal aperture by means of said portion extending therethrough.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of applying results in expanding the insertion/removal aperture by means of said portion extending therethrough.