Bouncing ball amusement device having reduced transparency

• US 8,579,740 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maui Toys, Inc. (Jakks Pacific, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kessler, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US13/764,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130157791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 473/594, 473603-607, 473/570, 473/596
• US Class Current: 473/594
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2037/085 liquid, jellylike
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/08 Liquid cores; Plastic cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces

Abstract

A ball amusement device including an outer shell of transparent or semi-transparent plastic or elastomer or plastomer having good bounce characteristics, and at least one liquid within the shell. The outer shell may be configured to reduce the transparency to light through the ball.

Claims

1. A ball amusement device comprising:

an outer shell of transparent or semi-transparent elastomeric polyurethane having good bounce characteristics;

wherein the elastomeric polyurethane of the outer shell is an MDI-based polyurethane;

water within and filling the shell,

wherein the ball amusement device has good bounce characteristics;

wherein the transparent or semi-transparent outer shell is configured with a roughened or textured surface to reduce the transparency to light through the ball;

wherein the composition of the polyurethane elastomer includes at least one of isocyanate, polyol, and a chain extender; and

wherein the isocyanate is a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate as part of the polyurethane elastomer,

the polyol is at least one of a polyester and a polyether-type polyol with at least two functional OH groups on a molecular chain of the polyol with a molecular weight of 1,000-10,000, and

the polyurethane elastomer has a density of 1.1-1.2 g/cm³ and a hardness of 70 A-90 A.

2. The amusement device of claim 1 further comprising glitter particles inside of the shell.

3. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the textured surface of the outer shell comprises a UV stabilizer or tint.

4. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the textured surface of the outer shell is capable of and selected to break up color light spectrum that could otherwise cause a magnifying effect that could make the ball amusement device intensify light and act like a magnifying glass in sunlight.

5. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is a spherical shape or an egg shape.

6. The amusement device of claim 1, further comprising an element within the outer shell, wherein the element is one of a buoyant and light-up device.

7. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the outer shell with a roughened or textured surface comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of grooves, ridges, depressions, raised portions, beads, bumps, dimples, one or more repeating patterns, and combinations thereof, which may be randomly dispersed or arranged in patterns, and which may cover portions of the surface, or the entire surface of the ball amusement device.

8. The amusement device of claim 7, wherein the one or more repeating patterns are selected from the group consisting of a fluted pattern, a crossing-pattern with overlapping lines, a spider web pattern, a golf-ball pattern, and a diamond pattern.

9. The amusement device of claim 7, wherein the outer shell surface comprises raised portions or bumps which cover only portions of the surface.