Inflatable ball with unpredictable movement

• US 6,537,125 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen J. Motosko III
• Original Assignee: Stephen J. Motosko III
• Inventors: Motosko, Stephen J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JAMILA O
• Application Number:
  US10/140,031
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 473/594, 473/595, 446/220, 446/437, 446/221, 446/222, 446/224, 273/DIG.20, 482/123, 482/126, 482/77
• US Class Current: 446/220
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/125 Large inflatable balls primarily used as body supports for exercising, e.g. balancing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/04 with an eccentric centre of gravity; with mechanism for changing the centre of gravity solid balls A63B37/10

Abstract

An inflatable or inflated ball comprising an outer chamber formed of an airtight flexible outer skin which, when properly inflated and fully expanded, defines an interior volume. A sealed inner chamber filled or fillable with a substance substantially heavier than air is positioned within and occupies a relatively small amount of the interior volume. A plurality of elongated radially extending and three-dimensionally spaced elastic members are each connected and radially extend between, the inner chamber and the inner surface of the outer chamber. The elastic members are cooperatively sized in length and suitably tensioned to support and hold the inner chamber centrally in an at-rest position within the interior volume. Each of the elastic members will cooperatively stretch and contact in response to ball movement, such as rolling or being thrown and impact of the ball against a surface, causing the inner chamber to be unpredictably displaced from the at-rest position by gravity and inertia resulting in erratic movement of the ball. A hand grip molded with and radially extending from the outer skin is also provided for enhanced sitting and bouncing play action.

Claims

1. An inflatable ball comprising:

an inflatable outer chamber formed of an air tight flexible outer skin which, when inflated, defines an interior volume;

a hand grip molded as a unit with and extending radially from said outer skin whereby a child may sit upon said ball, when inflated, and roll or bounce on said ball while maintaining seated contact therewith;

a sealed inner chamber filled with a substance substantially heavier than air and occupying a relatively small amount of said interior volume;

a plurality of elongated elastic members radially extending and evenly spaced apart in all three dimensions, each elastic member of said plurality connected to, and extending between, said inner chamber at one end thereof and to an inner surface of said outer chamber at another end thereof;

said plurality of elastic members cooperatively sized in length and suitably tensioned, when said outer chamber is substantially fully inflated, to support and hold said inner chamber centrally in an at-rest position within said interior volume;

each of said plurality of elastic members cooperatively stretching and contracting within said interior volume in response to movement and impact of said ball causing said inner chamber to be unpredictably displaced from the at-rest position by gravity and inertia resulting in erratic movement of said ball.

2. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said outer chamber is spherical.

3. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said outer chamber is elongated having a generally ellipsoidal shape.

4. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said inner chamber is spherical.

5. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said inner chamber is elongated having a generally ellipsoidal shape.

6. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said inner chamber is non-uniform in weight distribution about a center of gravity of said inner chamber.

7. An inflatable ball comprising:

an outer chamber formed of an airtight flexible outer skin which defines an interior volume which is filled or fillable with air;

a sealed inner chamber which is filled or fillable with a substance substantially heavier than air and, when so filled, occupying a relatively small amount of said interior volume;

a plurality of elongated elastic members each of which is connected to, and radially extending substantially orthogonally or coaxially one to another between said inner bladder at one end thereof and to an inner surface of said outer chamber at another end thereof;

said plurality of elastic members cooperatively sized in length and suitably tensioned to support and hold said inner chamber centrally in an at-rest position within said interior volume;

each of said plurality of elastic members cooperatively exerting a variable elastic force upon said inner chamber in response to movement and impact of said ball, causing said inner chamber to be unpredictably displaced from the at-rest position by gravity and inertia resulting in erratic movement of said ball;

a hand grip molded as a unit with and extending radially from said outer skin whereby a child may sit upon said ball, when inflated, and roll or bounce on said ball while maintaining seated contact therewith.

8. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said outer chamber is spherical.

9. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said outer chamber is elongated having a generally ellipsoidal shape.

10. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said inner chamber is spherical.

11. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said inner chamber is elongated having a generally ellipsoidal shape.

12. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said inner chamber is non-uniform in weight distribution about a center of gravity of said inner chamber.

13. An inflatable ball as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said plurality is six forming three pairs of said elastic members, each of said elastic members of each said pair substantially coaxial one to another.