Illuminated game-playing apparatuses and games

• US 8,764,588 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher Gill
• Original Assignee: Christopher Gill
• Inventors: Gill, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US13/571,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20130040767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 473/453, 473/468, 473/465, 362/295
• US Class Current: 473/465
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2039/003 substantially hollow and pressureless
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/00 Sporting games or accessories therefor, not provided for in groups A63B1/00 - A63B65/00

Abstract

A game-playing set including a striking device and a ball, and games for playing therewith, are disclosed. The ball includes a hollow spherical translucent outer shell and a smaller inner object loosely disposed within the outer shell. The inner object includes a first illumination element and a first inertia switch. The striking device includes a hollow translucent tube, a second illumination device rigidly disposed within the tube, and a second inertia switch. The first inertia switch is triggered by impact of the inner object against the outer shell to cause illumination of the first illumination element and the second inertia switch is triggered by an externally-applied impact against the tube to cause illumination of the second illumination element.

Claims

1. A game-playing set comprising a striking device and a ball:

the ball comprising a hollow spherical translucent outer shell and a smaller inner object loosely disposed within the outer shell;

the inner object comprising a first illumination element and a first inertia switch; and

the striking device comprising a hollow translucent tube, a second illumination device rigidly disposed within the tube, and a second inertia switch;

wherein the first inertia switch is triggered by impact of the inner object against the outer shell to cause illumination of the first illumination element and thereby cause illumination of and through the hollow spherical translucent outer shell; and

the second inertia switch is triggered by an externally-applied impact against the tube to cause illumination of the second illumination element and thereby cause illumination of and through substantially the entirety of the hollow translucent tube.

3. The game playing set of claim 1 wherein the tube comprises a tubular wall having a wall thickness that tapers from more thick adjacent the second illumination device to less thick away there-from.

4. The game playing set of claim 3 wherein the wall thickness tapering is continuous.

5. The game playing set of claim 3 wherein the tube tapers from a smaller diameter adjacent the second illumination device to a larger diameter away there-from.

6. The game playing set of claim 5 wherein the tube tapering is continuous.

7. The game playing set of claim 1 wherein the tube tapers from a smaller diameter adjacent the second illumination device to a larger diameter away there-from.

8. The game playing set of claim 7 wherein the tube tapering is continuous.

9. The game playing set of claim 1 wherein the striking device further comprises an opaque tubular grip surrounding the second inertia switch.

2. The game playing set of claim l wherein the outer shell comprises a plurality of through-holes spaced substantially equally there-around, each enabling direct view through the outer shell to the inner object.