TOUCH ACTIVATED LIGHTED SPORTS BALL

• US 20170333761A1
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edward David Lewis, I Pee Holding, LLC
• Original Assignee: I Pee Holding, LLC
• Inventors: Lewis, Edward David
• Application Number:
  US15/443,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20170333761A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0005 Protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0485 the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/008 Leisure, hobby or sport articles, e.g. toys, games or first-aid kits; Hand tools; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A touch activated lighted sports ball is formed as a sphere having a core and an outer layer. A pair of electrodes are exposed on an exterior surface of the outer layer. An electronic circuit is disposed within the core. The electronic circuit has a battery, a lamp, an active circuit element, and an electronic switch. The electronic switch is connected to the pair of electrodes, and is responsive to current flowing through a low resistance path between the electrodes to energize the lamp.

Claims

1. A sports ball, comprising:

a core and an outer layer;

a pair of electrodes exposed on an exterior surface of the outer layer;

an electronic circuit disposed within the core, the circuit including a battery, a lamp, an active circuit element, and an electronic switch connected to the pair of electrodes, the electronic circuit responsive to current flowing through a low resistance path between the electrodes, to energize the lamp.

2. The sports ball of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes are arranged on opposite sides of the ball.

3. The sports ball of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes are arranged adjacently on the same side of the ball.

4. The sports ball of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of dimples defined by exterior surface of the outer layer.

5. The sports ball of claim 4, wherein the pair of electrodes are flush with the exterior surface of the outer layer and each of the pair of electrodes are located centrally within one of the plurality of dimples.

6. The sports ball of claim 5, wherein the outer layer is translucent.

7. The sports ball of claim 6, wherein the active circuit element includes a timer, initiated by the electronic switch.

8. The sports ball of claim 7, wherein the lamp turns off when the timer expires.

9. The sports ball of claim 7, wherein the electronic switch disconnects the active circuit from the battery when the timer expires and thereby deenergizes the lamp.

10. The sports ball of claim 1, wherein the lamp is a light emitting diode (LED).

15. The sports ball of claim 1, wherein the sports ball is a golf ball.

16. The sports ball of claim 2, further comprising a soft conductive material electrically coupled between the electrode and the exterior surface of the outer layer.

17. The sports ball of claim 2, further comprising a conductive bend electrically coupled to the electrode between the exterior surface and the electronic circuit.

18. The sports ball of claim 6, wherein the active circuit element includes a voltage detector initiated by the electronic switch.

19. The sports ball of claim 18, wherein the lamp turns off when a predetermined change in battery discharge voltage is detected by the voltage detector.

11. The sports ball of claim 11, wherein the LED includes a plurality of different color LEDs.

12. The sports ball of claim 11, wherein the plurality of different color LEDs rotate through each color LED independently, in a sequence in response to repeated presentment and absence of electrical low resistance across the pair of electrodes.

13. The sports ball of claim 12, wherein the sequence includes the electrical low resistance between the pair of electrodes, followed by a high electrical resistance between the pair of electrodes, and repeating the cycle until the lamp deenergizes.

14. The sports ball of claim 13, wherein the low resistance path occurs when the pair of electrodes are simultaneously touched by human skin.