Ball-like article

• US 4,943,066 A
• Filed: 02/02/1989
• Issued: 07/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Research & Development of North Carolina A Partnership Consisting of TING LIU and Charles F Foley
• Original Assignee: Research Development Corporation Of Japan (Japan Science And Technology Agency)
• Inventors: Liu, Ting, Lathim, Delbert L., Foley, Charles F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/305,518
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 273/415, 273/428, 273/58 F, 272/67
• US Class Current: 473/576
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/02 with a handle

Abstract

A ball-like article includes a flexible outer skin of a size and shape adapted to be readily grasped within the palm of one hand. The skin has a plush outer surface and defines an interior approximately fifty percent (50%) of which is occupied by a quantity of plastic pellets or other granular material to be movable in a generally fluidic fashion within the interior. The article has a characteristic kneadable quality adapted for therapeutic manual manipulation, light manual tossing and catching, and other non-impactive recreational activities.

Claims

1. A ball-like article comprising a flexible permeable outer skin presenting a relatively soft and smooth peripheral surface which has a plush feel and defining a substantially enclosed interior volume, said skin being of a size and shaped adapted to be readily grasped within the palm of one hand, a quantity of a granular material occupying only a portion of said interior volume with the remainder thereof occupied by air for generally fluidic movability within said interior volume in response to centrifugal, inertial, gravitational, manual and other externally imposed forces to enable said article to assume varied configurations, said article being characterized by a kneadable quality to be adapted for therapeutic manual manipulation, light manual tossing and catching, and other non-impactive recreational activities, and a tail portion attached to said outer skin for grasping and tossing said article.

2. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said granular material occupies less than about sixty percent (60%) of said interior volume.

3. A ball-like article according to claim 2 and characterized further in that said granular material occupies less than about fifty percent (50%) of said interior volume.

4. A ball-like article according to claim 3 and characterized further in that said granular material occupies more than about thirty-five percent (35%) of said interior volume.

5. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said outer skin is fabricated of a two-ply sheet material having a fabric substrate and a resilient polymeric plastic layer bonded thereto.

6. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said granular material comprises a quantity of pellets of a relatively low density, non-resilient plastic material having a relatively low coefficient of friction.

7. A ball-like article according to claim 6 and characterized further in that said plastic material is polypropylene, polyethylene or polystyrene.

8. A ball-like article according to claim 6 and characterized further in that said pellets have a generally rounded exterior shape.

9. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that the largest cross-sectional dimension of said outer skin is in the range of approximately three inches to six inches.

10. A ball-like article according to claim 9 and characterized further in that said outer skin is generally spheroidal in shape.

11. A ball-like article according to claim 9 and characterized further in that said outer skin is generally ellipsoidal in shape.

12. A ball-like article according to claim 9 and characterized further in that said ball-like article is of a total weight in the range of approximately four ounces to five ounces.

13. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said ball-like article is of a total weight in the range of approximately four ounces to five ounces.

14. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said outer skin is generally ellipsoidal in shape, said tail being attached to one end of said outer skin.

15. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said tail portion comprises a pair of tail segments attached to said outer skin at a common location.

16. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said tail portion is of a length extending approximately twenty (20) to twenty-four (24) inches outwardly from said outer skin.

17. A ball-like article according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said tail portion is formed of a generally non-stretchable material.

18. A ball-like article comprising a main body of a rounded three-dimensional configuration and size adapted to be readily grasped by a hand, and a tail portion attached to said main body for grasping and tossing said article, said ball-like article being of a total weight in the range of approximately four ounces to five ounces.

19. A ball-like article according to claim 18 and characterized further in that the largest cross-sectional dimension of said main body is in the range of approximately three (3) inches to six (6) inches.

20. A ball-like article according to claim 18 and characterized further in that said main body is generally ellipsoidal in shape, said tail being attached to one end of said main body.

21. A ball-like article according to claim 20 and characterized further in that said tail portion comprises a pair of tail segments attached to said main body at a common location.

22. A ball-like article according to claim 18 and characterized further in that said tail portion is of a length extending approximately twenty (20) to twenty-four (24) inches outwardly from said main body.

23. A ball-like article according to claim 18 and characterized further in that said tail portion is formed of a generally non-stretchable material.