Illuminated jump rope

• US 5,087,034 A
• Filed: 01/24/1991
• Issued: 02/11/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ropics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kenneth M. Solis
• Inventors: Solis, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSO, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US07/645,105
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 272/74, 272/75, 273/DIG. 24, 446/219, 446/243, 40/546, 362/34
• US Class Current: 482/82
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/20 Skipping-ropes or similar devices rotating in a vertical plane

Abstract

A jump rope is made of a hollow translucent, flexible plastic tube and includes a plurality of light sticks inserted in the tube and spaced along the length of the jump rope for providing a jump rope which glows when the light sticks are activated. The light sticks may be readily removed and replaced when they are expended.

Claims

1. A jump rope, comprising:

a. a hollow, elongated, flexible, translucent tube of sufficient length to be used for jumping, said tube having an outer wall and an inner wall and open outer ends;

b. a plurality of discrete light emitting elements of a predetermined length and having opposite outer ends and an outer periphery which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube, the light emitting elements inserted in the tube and spaced along its length, and held in place by friction between the inner wall of the tube and the periphery of the light emitting element, the tube further including through slits communicating the outer wall of the tube of the hollow interior, each of said slits of approximately the same length as one of the light emitting elements, whereby light emitting element may be inserted in and removed from the tube through the slits; and

c. handles, one each attached to the outer ends of the tube.

2. The jump rope of claim 1, wherein the light emitting elements are each of a predetermined length and have opposite outer ends and wherein the tube includes through slits communicating the outer wall of the tube with the hollow interior, each of said slits of approximately the same length as one of said light emitting elements, whereby a light emitting element may be inserted in and removed from the tube through the slit.

3. The jump rope of claim 2, wherein said slits are longer than said light emitting elements.

4. The jump rope of claim 2, wherein said slits are shorter than said light emitting elements.

5. The jump rope of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises an extruded, transparent, plastic material having an inside diameter of approximately 3/8 inch.

6. The jump rope of claim 1, wherein each of said handles further includes a spool having a hollow cylindrical core with open ends, said core having an inside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the tube, and wherein there is further included a cylindrical retainer plug having an outer diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of the tube, wherein said retainer plug is adapted to be inserted in an open outer end of the tube to expand the outside diameter thereof for retaining a handle thereon.

7. The jump rope of claim 6, wherein each of said handles includes an enlarged recess in one end of and coaxial with the core for receiving the enlarged outer end of the tube resulting from the insertion of said retainer plug.

8. The jump rope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete light emitting elements are of different colors.

9. A jump rope comprising:

a. a hollow, elongated, flexible, translucent tube of sufficient length to be used for jumping, said tube having an outer wall and including a plurality of predetermined slits spaced along its length, each slit of predetermined length and communicating the outer wall of the tube with the hollow interior;

b. a plurality of light sticks each having an outer periphery which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube, each of said light sticks of a predetermined length and adapted to be received by and inserted in and removed from the tube through said slits, whereby the light stick is retained in the tube by the friction between the inside wall of the tube and outer periphery of the light stick;

c. a pair of handles, each including a spool having a hollow cylindrical core with open ends, said core having an inside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the tube, whereby said handle may be placed on an open outer end of the tube and the tube may be received by said core; and

d. a retainer plug having an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube and adapted to be inserted in an open outer end of the tube for expanding the outside diameter thereof for retaining a handle on the tube.

10. The jump rope of claim 9, wherein each of said handles includes an enlarged recess in one end and coaxial with the core for receiving the enlarged outer end of the tube resulting from the insertion of the retainer plug.

11. The jump rope of claim 9, wherein the tube comprises an extruded, transparent, plastic material having an inside diameter of approximately 3/8 inch.