Designs on a sphere that exhibit spin induced contrast

• US 7,444,770 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James L. Wellington Jr
• Original Assignee: James L. Wellington Jr
• Inventors: Wellington, James L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbermann; Joanne
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERAA, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US11/539,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 403/27, 473/599, 473/604, D21/707, D21/709, D21/713, D21/714
• US Class Current: 40/327
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/02 Marking of balls

Abstract

A methodology is disclosed for arranging markings on a ball or sphere where the markings exhibit spin induced contrast when the ball or sphere is rotated at a sufficient speed. The methodology is based on a layout utilizing a plurality of geodesic lines symmetrically arranged around the ball or sphere. Various markings can then be applied on the basis of the layout such that when the ball or sphere is rotated, the markings form contrast lines that are perpendicular to the axis of spin of the ball or sphere, at any axis of spin. These contrast line allow an observer to more accurately detect the axis of spin of the ball or sphere as well as track the ball or sphere in motion.

Claims

1. A ball with markings that exhibit spin induced contrast comprising:

a layout pattern that corresponds to the diameter of the ball, the layout pattern prepared from plurality of symmetrically arranged geodesics, wherein the number of geodesics is selected from the group consisting of 6, 9 and 15 and wherein the layout pattern has a plurality of vertices and a plurality of triangular elements;

a ball color; and

a plurality of markings located on the ball on the basis of the layout pattern, wherein the plurality of markings are colored a marking color which contrasts the ball color and the plurality of markings exhibit a spin induced contrast line when the ball is rotated about any axis of rotation and wherein the plurality of markings incorporate a majority of the geodesics.

2. The ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertices are not all identical and the plurality of triangular elements are spherical right triangles.

3. The ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of markings cover between 5% and 20% of the surface of the ball.

4. The ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of markings include a plurality of lines having a line width.

5. The ball of claim 4, wherein the line width is less than 10% of the diameter of the ball.

6. The ball of claim 4, wherein the line width is between one third of one percent and three percent of the diameter of the ball.

7. The ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of markings include a plurality of triangular markings that are located to correspond to some of the plurality of triangular elements.

8. The ball of claim 7, wherein the outer periphery of the plurality of triangular markings are scaled from the triangular elements.

9. The ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of markings include a plurality of circular marking elements.

10. The ball of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of circular marking elements contact other circular marking elements.

11. The ball of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of circular marking elements substantially overlaps other circular marking elements.

12. The ball of claim 1, wherein the surface of the ball comprises a plurality of joined panels and the edges of individual panels correspond to at least two geodesics from the layout pattern.

13. The ball of claim 1, further including a visibility color, wherein the visibility color is different than the ball color and the marking color.

14. The ball of claim 1, wherein the number of geodesics is equal to 6.

15. The ball of claim 1, wherein the number of geodesics is equal to 9.

16. The ball of claim 1, wherein the number of geodesics is equal to 15.

17. The ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of markings include a plurality of triangular markings that are located with edges parallel to the geodesics.

18. A method of marking a ball with markings that exhibit a spin induced contrast line comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a Coxeter Complex pattern from the group consisting of A3, B3 and H3, which includes a plurality of geodesics and a plurality of geodesic vertices;

b) plotting the selected Coxeter Complex pattern over the surface of the ball;

c) selecting markings that incorporate a majority of the geodesics and that will exhibit spin induced contrast; and

d) applying to the surface of the ball the markings selected wherein the location of the markings is correlated with the selected Coxeter Complex pattern and wherein the markings contrasts the ball.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

e) selecting a paneling pattern that is correlated with the selected Coxeter Complex pattern such that each panel includes two edges that could be correlated with separate geodesics; and

f) paneling the ball using panels from the selected paneling pattern.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the markings cover less than 50% of the surface area of the ball.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the markings cover between 5% and 20% of the surface area of the ball.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected marking are a plurality of lines having a line width.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the selected line width is less than 10% of the diameter of the ball.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected marking are a plurality of triangular markings that are located to have edges that are parallel to the geodesics.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the outer periphery of the plurality of triangular markings are scaled from the triangular elements created by the plurality of geodesics.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected marking include a plurality of circular markings wherein the center of the circular markings are approximately centered on the faces of a radial projection of a Platonic solid on a sphere.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the Coxeter Complex pattern is A3.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the Coxeter Complex pattern is B3.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the Coxeter Complex pattern is H3.

30. A ball with markings that exhibit spin induced contrast comprising:

a ball color; and

a plurality of triangular markings on the ball colored a marking color that contrasts the ball color, wherein the triangular markings are substantially uniformly scaled from triangular elements of a Coxeter Complex pattern corresponding to the diameter of the ball selected from the group consisting of A3, B3 and H3 and wherein the triangular markings are arranged on the ball to be substantially centered in the triangular elements of the selected Coxeter Complex pattern.

31. The ball of claim 30, further comprising a plurality of linear markings on the ball colored the marking color, wherein the linear markings substantially correspond to the geodesics forming the selected Coxeter Complex pattern.

32. The ball of claim 30, wherein the triangular markings are hollow triangles.

33. The ball of claim 30, wherein the selected Coxeter Complex pattern is A3.

34. The ball of claim 30, wherein the selected Coxeter Complex pattern is B3.

35. The ball of claim 30, wherein the selected Coxeter Complex pattern is H3.