Remotely controlled steerable ball

• US 6,855,028 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert P. Siegel
• Original Assignee: Robert P. Siegel
• Inventors: Siegel, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDELWAHED, ALI F
• Application Number:
  US10/402,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 689 Days
• Field of Search: 446/486, 446/456
• US Class Current: 446/486
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/04 with an eccentric centre of gravity; with mechanism for changing the centre of gravity solid balls A63B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/005 Rockets; Missiles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/14 Starting or launching devices for toy aircraft; Arrangements on toy aircraft for starting or launching for launching objects from an aircraft A63H27/004
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/18 Throwing or slinging toys, e.g. flying disc toys discs used in athletics A63B65/10as part of a game A63F9/02; sling weapons F41B3/00; spring toy guns F41B7/08

Abstract

An amusement device of a projectile nature that can be thrown or flung or propelled through the air by a launcher includes the characteristic that it can be induced through an electo-mechanical device that deploys articulatable aerodynamic members that cause it to spin in such a way as, to change it'"'"'s trajectory in mid-flight in response to a signal generated from a remote control device.

Claims

1. A remote controlled ball amusement device adapted to aerodynamic change trajectory in mid-flight as it is propelled through air, including:

a sphere, said sphere being hollow and having an outer surface;

a plurality of articulatable aerodynamic members positioned to extend above said outer surface of said sphere;

a plurality of actuators pivotally connected to said articulatable aerodynamic members;

a control circuit; and

a wireless remote control device adapted through said control circuit to actuate said actuators while said sphere is in mid-flight which in turn moves said articulatable aerodynamic members into an open position to thereby induce sufficient spin to change mid-flight trajectory of said sphere.

2. The remote controlled ball amusement device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of actuators comprise solenoids.

3. The remote controlled ball amusement device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of articulatable aerodynamic members are biased into a closed position.

4. The remote controlled ball amusement device of claim 3, wherein said plurality of articulatable aerodynamic members are biased into said closed position by springs.

5. The remote controlled ball amusement device of claim 1, wherein said device includes a battery.

6. The remote controlled ball amusement device of claim 1, including a ball launcher to provide propulsion to said ball amusement device.