Game ball and method of using game ball

• US 6,264,574 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dbk Investments LLC
• Original Assignee: Play Visions Incorporated
• Inventors: Nelson, Webb T., McGonigle, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/045,200
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 473/569, 473/594, 473/595, 473/603, 473/604, 473/607, 473/613, 273/DIG.20
• US Class Current: 473/603
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 65/00 Implements for throwing throwing toys A63H33/18 ; Mechanical projectors, e.g. using spring force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/002 Games using balls, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/06 Ring or disc tossing games , e.g. quoits; Throwing or tossing games, e.g. using balls; Games for manually rolling balls, e.g. marbles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/02 for large-room or outdoor sporting games
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/20 Weighted balls

Abstract

A game ball is provided for primarily practicing throwing a football in a passing spiral motion to impact a vertical wall, and then via a reactive force, the game ball returns in a passing opposite spiral motion to be caught by the person, who is practicing throwing a football. The body of the game ball has an external appearance looking somewhat like a football, except having only one conical pointed end, referred to as the trailing end, and having the other end, referred to as the leading end, being a substantially planar wall contacting surface. The body is made to absorb a substantial portion of the wall impact energy, and to quickly release a substantial amount of this absorbed energy, which is then directed in the opposite direction, successfully causing the body, serving as the game ball, to return in a passing opposite spiral motion to the locale, where the game ball was initially thrown by a person in a passing spiral motion.

Claims

1. A method of using a game ball having a first end and a second end, said first end of said game ball having a truncated contact surface and said second end of said game ball being pointed, said game ball having a body portion that is rotationally symmetric about an axis passing through a central portion of said truncated contact surface and said second end, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) throwing said game ball towards a rebound surface from a throwing location spaced from said rebound surface by a separation distance so that said truncated contact surface of said game ball leads said pointed end of said game ball as said game ball travels towards said rebound surface;

(b) impacting said game ball against said rebound surface so that said game ball rebounds in a rebound direction away from said rebound surface, with said pointed end leading said game ball during flight of said game ball away from said rebound surface and said truncated contact surface of said game ball following said pointed end during flight of said game ball away from said rebound surface; and

(c) catching said game ball at a catching location during flight of said game ball away from said rebound surface, said catching location being spaced from said rebound surface.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said steps (a) and (c) are performed by the same person.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step (a) is performed by a first person and wherein said step (c) is performed by a second person.

4. A method of using a game ball having a first end and a second end, said first end of said game ball having a truncated contact surface and said second end of said game ball being pointed, said game ball having a body portion that is rotationally symmetric about a central axis passing through a central portion of said truncated contact surface and said second end, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) gripping said body portion between said first end of said game ball and said second end of said game ball;

(b) with said game ball being gripped, imparting a forward motion to said game ball in a throwing direction towards a rebound surface while said game ball is oriented so that said truncated contact surface is disposed towards said rebound surface and so that said pointed end is disposed away from said rebound surface;

(c) releasing said game ball in said throwing direction so that said game ball follows a flight path towards said rebound surface, with said truncated contact surface leading said game ball during flight towards said rebound surface and said pointed end of said game ball following said truncated contact surface during flight towards said rebound surface; and

(d) impacting said truncated contact surface of said game ball against said rebound surface so that said game ball rebounds in a rebound direction away from said rebound surface, with said pointed end leading said game ball during flight of said game ball away from said rebound surface and said truncated contact surface of said game ball following said pointed end during flight of said game ball away from said rebound surface.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 additionally comprising the step of imparting a spin to said game ball about said central axis during release of said game ball.

6. A method as defined in claim 4 additionally comprising the step of (e) catching said game ball at a catching location during flight of said game ball away from said rebound surface, said catching location being spaced from said rebound surface.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein said steps (a), (b), (c) and (e) are performed by the same person.

8. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein said steps (a), (b), (c) are performed by a first person and wherein said step (e) is performed by a second person.

9. A game ball, comprising:

a first end having a truncated contact surface;

a second end comprising a pointed end; and

a body portion disposed between first end and said second end, said body portion being rotationally symmetric about an axis passing through a central portion of said truncated contact surface and said second end, said body portion being resilient so that when said game ball is thrown towards a rebound surface with said second end trailing said first end and when said game ball rebounds from said rebound surface, said pointed end of said game ball will lead said truncated contact surface when said game ball travels away from said rebound surface, wherein said game ball is composed of a substantially solid material without a central air pocket disposed therein.

10. A game ball as defined in claim 9 wherein said game ball is composed solely of a substantially solid molded material without a central air pocket disposed therein.

11. A game ball as defined in claim 9 wherein said body portion comprises an outer cover, an air-tight sealing layer disposed within said outer cover, and a central air pocket disposed within said air-tight sealing layer.

12. A game ball as defined in claim 9 wherein said truncated contact surface comprises a substantially planar surface.

13. A game ball as defined in claim 9 wherein said truncated contact surface comprises a curved surface.

14. A game ball as defined in claim 9 wherein said truncated contact surface has no central aperture formed therein.

15. A game ball as defined in claim 9 wherein said body portion has a first body portion and a second body portion in the form of a transition portion, wherein said game ball has a length, and wherein said transition portion has a length that is 1% to 30% of said length of said game ball.

16. A game ball as defined in claim 15 wherein said transition portion comprises a multiple-sided trapezoidal contour.

17. A game ball, comprising:

a first end having a truncated contact surface;

a second end comprising a pointed end; and

a body portion disposed between said first end and said second end, said body portion being rotationally symmetric about an axis passing through a central portion of said truncated contact surface and said second end, said body portion having a resilient construction and a weight distribution that allow said game ball to rebound from a rebound surface in a rebound direction with said pointed end of said game ball leading said truncated contact surface when said game ball travels away from said rebound surface, after said game ball is thrown towards said rebound surface in a throwing direction with said second end trailing said first end, said throwing direction being opposite said rebound direction,

said weight distribution not causing said game ball to turn around after said game ball impacts said rebound surface, so that said truncated contact surface does not lead said pointed end during travel of said game ball in said rebound direction,

said resilient construction and said weight distribution of said game ball being designed to allow said game ball to be used in a simulated football throwing-and-catching exercise in which said game ball is thrown against said rebound surface from a throwing location spaced from said rebound surface and in which said game ball rebounds from said rebound surface to travel to a catching location spaced from said rebound surface.

18. A game ball as defined in claim 17 wherein said construction and weight distribution of said game ball allows said game ball, when thrown towards said rebound surface with a first rotational spin, to rebound from said rebound surface with a second rotational spin opposite said first rotational spin.