Illuminated ball

• US 5,080,359 A
• Filed: 02/04/1991
• Issued: 01/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spearhead Industries, Inc. (IG Design Group Plc)
• Original Assignee: Spearhead Industries, Inc. (IG Design Group Plc)
• Inventors: Thill, Gerald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/650,186
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 273/DIG. 24, 273/58 G, 273/65 E, 273/65 EC, 273/65 ED, 273/65 EE, 273/58 B, 273/58 BA, 273/58 F, 273/58 K, 446/219, 446/484, 446/485, 446/438, 446/439
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/24 Luminescent, phosphorescent

Abstract

A toy ball formed of a single, thin skin and being of light passing material having a source of chemilluminescent light retained therein. The chemilluminescent element is activated prior to insertion or placement into the ball and the element is either positively retained within a structural element integral to surface of the ball or is allowed to lie loosely within the ball. Such a light increases the play effect and useability of the ball during twilight or night hours. For positive placement of the element, the skin is cut to form a door which remains hinged at the uncut portion and normally urged closure of the door results in a holding force applied to the element. Several skin cuts will result in several doors which interact to retain the element.

Claims

1. A toy ball providing a generally curved surface entirely thereover constructed to receive a source of illumination interiorally thereof to increase the useability and toy effect thereof, said ball including:

a. a hollow, thin shelled, generally rigid and resilient plastic body having the desired ball shape;

b. a door forming opening provided through said body to define at least a single door and providing a living hinge connection of said defined door to said body; and

,

c. said formed door being shiftable from the normal curved surface of the body to permit shifting thereof to allow insertion of a light source into said body and being normally biased to be in curved conformance to the body surface.

2. The toy ball as set forth in claim 1 and said door forming opening defining at least a pair of doors connected through a living hinge to said body, said doors being normally biased through said living hinge into alignment with the curved surface of said body.

3. The toy ball as set forth in claim 2 and said formed doors being arranged and constructed to retain a light source between themselves to frictionally position the light source interiorally of said body.

4. The toy ball as set forth in claim 1 and said door opening defining a plurality of doors, said doors being normally biased into conformance with the curved surface of said body.

5. The toy ball as set forth in claim 4 and said formed doors being arranged and constructed to frictionally retain a light source between themselves to position the light source interiorally of said body.

6. The toy ball as set forth in claim 1 wherein the light source includes a chemiluminescent member.