Illuminated game ball apparatus

• US 5,403,000 A
• Filed: 06/02/1994
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Woosley
• Original Assignee: John Woosley
• Inventors: Woosley, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Steven B.
• Application Number:
  US08/252,924
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1.5 R, 273/1.5 A, 273/29 R, 273/29 A, 273/30, 273/DIG. 24, 273/407, 273/411, 273/424
• US Class Current: 473/447
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 61/00 Tennis nets or accessories for tennis or like games , e.g. volley-ball devices for holding or carrying balls A63B47/00; for table tennis A63B67/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/24 Luminescent, phosphorescent

Abstract

A game ball is disclosed herein having an inflatable bladder or shell with selected portions thereof reduced in thickness to provide transparent or translucent patterns separated by increased thickness to provide opaque portions. The interior of the ball is occupied by a breakable liquid illumination device held in a removable housing of transparent or translucent material for conveying illumination from the device to the selected portions of the ball thereby transmitting the illumination exteriorly of the ball for visual observation. The apparatus may include ancillary components, such as hoops or nets, which may support an elongated illumination device so that the visual glow from both the ball and component may be correlated during the play of a game.

Claims

1. Illuminated game apparatus comprising:

game equipment having an interior and an exterior;

illumination means carried on the interior of said game equipment;

means carried on said illumination means for selectively generating illumination;

means for removably mounting said illumination means on said game equipment; and

said game equipment mounting means is an elongated support composed of light transmitting material having a receptacle in which said illumination means is retained and a securement recess for releasably mounting said support onto athletic game devices.

2. Illuminated sports equipment comprising:

a holder;

a pair of retainers disposed on said holder;

chemiluminescent means detachably carried by one retainer of said pair of retainers;

athletic equipment detachably mounted on the other retainer of said pair of retainers;

said chemiluminescent means employing fluorescers to provide a light source.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said retainers are joined together and each retainer constitutes a spring clip.