Golf ball including sound-emitting means

• US 5,480,154 A
• Filed: 11/07/1994
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dave Smitson, Jerry D. Weddell, William R. Barnhill
• Original Assignee: Dave Smitson, Jerry D. Weddell, William R. Barnhill
• Inventors: Smitson, Dave, Barnhill, William R., Weddell, Jerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US08/334,950
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 273/213, 273/187.3, 273/58 G
• US Class Current: 473/199
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements

Abstract

A golf ball having internal parts which provide sound-emission upon the ball being struck, the sound continuing until the ball is found and the golfer releases the actuation switch, that action also cocking the device for the next golf shot which re-starts the sound-emission.

The sound-emission parts are all carried internally by the ball body; and they include an electric sound-emitter, a movable carrier member, a metallic inner cap for the carrier member, and a metallic actuator member. A spring both biases them into sound-emission contact and also serves as a conductor in the sound-emitter circuit. Frictional and releasable holding means provide for establishing and maintaining a sound-silent condition, against the bias of the spring.

An actuator tool is provided, having both an actuator shaft and a torque lug, for convenience of manual actuation of the device details.

Claims

1. A golf ball including a sound-emitting device, comprising, in combination:

a carrier member carried by the golf ball interiorly thereof;

a battery;

a sound-emitting means, electrically activatable, and having a first electric circuitry means and a second electric circuitry means which activate the sound-emitting means when impressed with different voltage;

electric circuitry operatively connecting in series the respective ones of the first electric circuitry means and the second electric circuitry means of the sound-emitting means and the battery;

switch means in said circuitry in operative series with the battery and the sound-emitting means'"'"' first electric circuitry means and second electric circuitry means;

a movable actuator member movably carried by the carrier member in a chamber provided therein;

an inner cap member connected into an assembly with the carrier member, and having electrically conductive means connected to one of the first electric circuitry means and second electric circuitry means of the sound-emitting means;

the movable actuator member and the carrier member/cap member assembly being relatively movable into and between a sound-silent condition in which the switch means is in an open-circuit condition, and a sound-emitting condition in which the switch means is in a closed-circuit condition;

the switch means comprising a relative movability of the inner cap member'"'"'s electrically conductive means and the movable actuator member, that relation being such that in a first relative position they are in a closed-circuit operatively touching condition, and providing electrical contact therebetween, and in a second relative position they are operatively in an open-circuit condition not operatively touching, and not providing electrical contact therebetween;

a conductive body member;

a spring means operatively interconnecting the conductive body member and the movable actuator member, and biasing them apart, and biasing the movable actuator member toward a relative position having sound-emitting closed-circuit condition of the switch means, and maintaining that sound-emitting condition until circuit-opening opposing force is applied as specified below;

releasable holding means operative to hold the carrier member/cap member assembly and the movable actuator member in a relative holding position of operative electrical open-circuit non-engagement which releasably maintains the sound-silent condition of the switch means;

the releasable holding means being releasingly operative, by impact force by a golf club upon the ball, to release its said holding operativity, the spring means then being operative, due to the said release by the releasable holding means, to cause the movable actuator member and the carrier member/cap member assembly to move relatively to one another, to operatively electrically engage one another to achieve sound-emitting closed-circuit condition of the switch means;

there being provided a conductor means between the movable actuator member and the conductive body member, serving as a conductor of electrical energy between the movable actuator member and the conductive body member;

the conductive body member operatively electrically engaging the battery;

and the inner cap member is provided with an inner cap aperture which provides operative access through the inner cap member to the movable actuator member for manual force to be operatively applied to the movable actuator member, opposing the bias force of the spring means thereupon, to achieve open-circuit silencing of the sound-emitting means, and also to establish said releasably held holding condition of the releasable holding means to hold and maintain the silence of the sound-emitting means, and also to cock the device for the subsequent impacting of the ball by a golf club to re-start the sound-emitting operativity of the sound-emitting means, by a single manual force impact by the user;

the golf ball being provided with a primary receiving chamber, into which the carrier member is disposed;

in a combination in which the movable actuator member comprises a generally cylindrical body having, as a part of the switch means in said electric circuitry, electrical conductivity means on a first face of the movable actuator member, that being the face thereof which, when the carrier member is disposed in the golf ball, is the movable actuator member'"'"'s face facing the direction which the movable actuator member is being biased by the said spring means;

the movable actuator member also having electrical conductivity means on a second face thereof, which electrical conductivity means is in electrical conductivity contact with the said conductor means;

and the movable actuator body provides electrical conductivity operatively between the electrical conductivity means on its first and second faces;

the electric circuitry including portions which provide components of the said switch means which are operatively in electrically conductive engagement with the said electrical conductivity means on the said first face of the movable actuator member when the movable actuator member is released from the sound-silent condition of the switch means.

2. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the releasable holding means comprises a fractional contact provided by and between the outer side surfaces of the movable actuator member and the inner side of the carrier member chamber.

3. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 2, in a combination in which a face of the conductive body member is of convex form, for achieving good electrical conductivity between it and the battery as the said conductive body member is being biased by the biasing force of the said spring means.

4. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the movable actuator member is provided to have an outwardly tapering outer side surface which enlarges in the direction which the movable actuator member is being biased by the said spring means, for frictionally engaging the inner wall of the carrier member chamber for achieving the releasable holding means'"'"' holding operativity.

5. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which a face of the conductive body member is of convex form, for achieving good electrical conductivity between it and the battery as the said conductive body member is being biased by the biasing force of the said spring means.

6. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the primary receiving chamber is provided with a resilient body adjacent the primary receiving chamber end to which the inner cap member is adjacent.

7. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the golf ball is provided with an opening through which the carrier member is insertable into the golf ball'"'"'s primary receiving chamber, and the opening is provided with a removable outer closure cap.

8. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 7, in a combination in which the outer closure cap is provided with a hole which provides audible communication of the primary receiving chamber with the exterior of the golf ball even though the closure cap operatively covers the said opening.

9. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 7, in a combination in which the closure cap is provided to have a surface substantially identical to the portions of the ball'"'"'s surface other than its surface portion which provides the opening to which the cap covers.

10. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 7, in a combination in which the golf ball is also provided with an access aperture adjacent the end of the primary receiving chamber to which the inner cap member is adjacent;

and there is also provided an associated actuator body which is provided with a shaft member which is insertable into the interior of the golf ball by extending through said access aperture, and the shaft member is of a length such that, when so inserted, and then moved to extend further inwardly of the golf ball, the shaft member operatively engages the movable actuator member and moves the movable actuator member to a position in which the releasable holding means is providing open-circuit condition of silence of the sound-emitting means, and the releasable holding means is cocked for re-starting sound-emitting operativity, the said associated actuator body thus providing for the said single manual force action;

the outer closure cap being provided with a transverse recess by which the associated actuator body may achieve rotation of the closure cap by manual rotational movement of the associated actuator body by a user;

and said associated actuator body is provided with a torque-imposing body portion by which the outer closure cap may be rotated;

said associated actuator body, as a single associated tool, thus providing for and accommodating operativity of both the rotational opening and closure of the outer closure cap, as well as providing the actuation of the movable actuator member and its releasable holding means to move to open-circuit sound-silent condition of the switch means.

11. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 10, in a combination in which the said shaft is of a length which exceeds the distance from the exterior of the ball at the location of the body aperture to the adjacent face of the movable actuator member, when the carrier member and sound-emitting means are disposed within the primary receiving chamber.

12. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 11, in a combination in which the primary receiving chamber is provided with a resilient body disposed at the end of the primary receiving chamber adjacent the body aperture, the resilient body being provided with an axial opening, and the length of the shaft also including the length of the axial opening of the resilient body.

13. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the inner cap member is formed from metal, and integrally provides its said electrically conductive means and a contact with the movable actuator member and electrical conductivity means therebetween.

14. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the said spring means provides the said conductor means which serves as the said electrical conductivity means.

15. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 14 in a combination in which the conductive body member is formed from metal, and integrally provides electrical contact with the spring means and with the battery.

16. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 15, in a combination in which the conductive body is provided with an integral flange against which the spring means seats and provides electrical conductivity therebetween.

17. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the movable actuator member is provided with a recess extending inwardly of its said second face, an end of the spring means being received within the said recess.

18. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the spring means is fixedly connected to both the conductive body member and movable actuator member.

19. A golf ball including a sound-emitting device, comprising, in combination:

a carrier member carried by the golf ball interiorly thereof;

a battery;

a sound-emitting means, electrically activatable, and having a first electric circuitry means and a second electric circuitry means which activate the sound-emitting means when impressed with different voltage;

electric circuitry operatively connecting in series the respective ones of the first electric circuitry means and the second electric circuitry means of the sound-emitting means and the battery;

switch means in said circuitry in operative series with the battery and the sound-emitting means'"'"' first electric circuitry means and second electric circuitry means;

a movable actuator member movably carried by the carrier member in a chamber provided therein;

an inner cap member connected into an assembly with the carrier member, and having electrically conductive means connected to one of the first electric circuitry means and second electric circuitry means of the sound-emitting means;

the movable actuator member and the carrier member/cap member assembly being relatively movable into and between a sound-silent condition in which the switch means is in an open-circuit condition, and a sound-emitting condition in which the switch means is in a closed-circuit condition;

the switch means comprising a relative movability of the inner cap member'"'"'s electrically conductive means and the movable actuator member, that relation being such that in a first relative position they are in a closed-circuit operatively touching condition, and providing electrical contact therebetween, and in a second relative position they are operatively in an open-circuit condition not operatively touching, and not providing electrical contact therebetween;

a conductive body member means abuttingly engageable with the carrier member;

a spring means operatively affixed to the conductive body member means, and engaging the movable actuator member, and biasing the movable actuator member toward a relative position having sound-emitting closed-circuit condition of the switch means, and maintaining that sound-emitting condition until circuit-opening opposing force is applied as specified below;

releasable holding means operative to hold the carrier member/cap member assembly and the movable actuator member in a relative holding position of operative electrical open-circuit non-engagement which releasably maintains the sound-silent condition of the switch means;

the releasable holding means being releasingly operative, by impact force by a golf club upon the ball, to release its said holding operativity, the spring means then being operative, due to the said release by the releasable holding means, to cause the movable actuator member and the carrier member/cap member assembly to move relatively to one another, to operatively electrically engage one another to achieve sound-emitting closed-circuit condition of the switch means;

there being provided a conductor means between the movable actuator member and the conductive body member means, serving as a conductor of electrical energy between the movable actuator member and the conductive body member means;

the conductive body member means operatively electrically engaging the battery;

and the inner cap member is provided with an inner cap aperture which provides operative access through the inner cap member to the movable actuator member for manual force to be operatively applied to the movable actuator member, opposing the bias force of the spring means thereupon, to achieve open-circuit silencing of the sound-emitting means, and also to establish said releasably held holding condition of the releasable holding means to hold and maintain the silence of the sound-emitting means, and also to cock the device for the subsequent impacting of the ball by a golf club to re-start the sound-emitting operativity of the sound-emitting means, by a single manual force impact by the user;

the golf ball being provided with a primary receiving chamber, into which the carrier member is disposed;

in a combination in which the movable actuator member comprises a generally cylindrical body having, as a part of the switch means in said electric circuitry, electrical conductivity means on a first face of the movable actuator member, that being the face thereof which, when the carrier member is disposed in the golf ball, is the movable actuator member'"'"'s face facing the direction which the movable actuator member is being biased by the said spring means;

the movable actuator member also having electrical conductivity means on a second face thereof, which electrical conductivity means is in electrical conductivity contact with the said conductor means;

and the movable actuator body provides electrical conductivity operatively between the electrical conductivity means on its first and second faces;

the electric circuitry including portions which provide components of the said switch means which are operatively in electrically conductive engagement with the said electrical conductivity means on the said first face of the movable actuator member when the movable actuator member is released from the sound-silent condition of the switch means;

the affixing of the spring means to the conductive body member means, and abutting engagement of the conductive body member means with the carrier member, providing that the impact force upon the ball to release the holding operativity of the releasable holding means will not permit the spring means to come into closed-coil condition, yet nevertheless provide that the spring means exerts the circuit-closing force upon the actuator member.

20. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 19, in a combination in which the affixing of the spring means operatively to the conductive body member means comprises the provision of screw threads in the conductive body member means, and a screw whose head operatively engages the spring means, and whose threaded shank operatively engages said screw threads, and the conductive body member means is supported so as to abuttingly engage the carrier member.

21. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 20, in a combination in which the spring means is such that its bias against the assembly of conductive body means and screw biases the conductive body means to push against the battery, maintaining sufficient electrical contact with the battery and holding it in its contact location even if the battery has become deformed.

22. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 19, in a combination in which the battery is one having two contact faces and is supported such that its two contact faces are operatively aligned, respectively, with a contact member provided as one of the terminals of the sound-emitting means, and with the conductive body member means, the bias of the spring means against the conductive body means serving also to assure good electrical contact of both of the battery faces.

23. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 19, in a combination in which the releasable holding means comprises a fractional contact provided by and between the outer side surfaces of the movable actuator member and the inner side of the carrier member chamber.

24. The golf ball invention as set forth in claim 19, in a combination in which the said spring means provides the said conductor means which serves as the said electrical conductivity means.