Day and night croquet and bocce
First Claim
1. A game ball, comprising:
- an opaque hollow spherical shell defining a hollow interior defining a interior surface;
a receptacle formed in said shell for receiving a light source; and
plural holes in the shell opening to the hollow interior; and
a light-reflecting coating on the interior surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Chemoluminescent illuminators are used to provide night visible game equipment, notably, croquet and bocce. The balls are hollow metal spheres having plural openings and light stick receptors to retain the light stick in the ball. Light emitted from the light stick escapes from the opaque balls through the openings. The interior surface of the sphere may be treated in a variety of ways to increase light scattering within the hollow interior to define an integrating sphere. Different colored illuminators are provided to mark different balls as relating to different players. Wickets preferably comprise elongate chemoluminescent illuminators that are held in proximity to conventional wickets with torsional springs or with loops formed in the wickets. Wicket holders may also be provided to assist with directly supporting the chemoluminescent illuminators that are used as wickets. Stakes and mallets are provided with receptacles to accept chemoluminescent illuminators so as to illuminate the stakes for nighttime visibility.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A game ball, comprising:
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an opaque hollow spherical shell defining a hollow interior defining a interior surface;
a receptacle formed in said shell for receiving a light source; and
plural holes in the shell opening to the hollow interior; and
a light-reflecting coating on the interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A game ball, comprising:
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an opaque spherical shell having an outer surface and a hollow core defined by an inner surface having a reflective coating applied thereto;
light source retaining means for retaining a source of light in the hollow core; and
holes formed in the shell and opening to the hollow core. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
axially opposed first and second openings in the shell, each having a first diameter;
a helical spring having first and second opposite ends, each having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter;
wherein the first end of the spring engages the shell around a periphery of the first opening, and the second end of the spring engages the shell around a periphery of the second opening.
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12. The game ball of claim 11 wherein the helical spring between the first and second ends defines an axial tube configured for receiving a chemoluminescent light source.
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13. The game ball of claim 12 pitch of the helical spring at the first and second ends is less than the pitch of the helical spring at a center portion thereof.
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14. The game ball of claim 13 wherein the inner surface further comprises light reflecting means.
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15. The game ball of claim 14 wherein the light scattering means comprises a white coating.
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16. A ball for use in day or nighttime play of croquet and bocce, comprising:
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an opaque spherical shell having an outer surface and a hollow interior defined by an inner surface, the interior surface defining a reflective coating defining an integrating sphere;
a plurality of openings formed in the shell and opening to the hollow interior, at least two of the openings in the plurality defining axially opposed openings configured for retaining a receptacle for retaining a chemoluminescent light source in the hollow interior; and
a receptacle for retaining a chemoluminescent light source in the hollow interior. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification