SLIDING IMPULSE DEVICE

• US 20100240278A1
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diggin Active, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Diggin Active, Inc.
• Inventors: Neal, Phillip H., Nelson, Royce
• Granted Patent: US 8,216,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/489
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/14 Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0009 for handicapped persons

Abstract

An apparatus and method for an impulse-driven sliding device primarily for use by young children to simulate desired attributes of ball or puck games while adapting specified attributes to promote safe, effective use for those having reduced training and/or motor-skills. The apparatus includes a structure motivated by an impulse to slide over a surface, including: an impulse-receiving portion for receiving the impulse, the impulse-receiving portion defining a section of a generally semi-hemispherical structure and produced from a foam material patterned to represent at least a portion of a sports ball; and a sliding portion, coupled to the impulse-receiving portion, for sliding contact with the surface on a contact surface of the sliding portion responsive to the impulse the contact surface having a generally planar smooth surface having a periphery surrounded by an extension of the impulse receiving portion, wherein a tumbling of a coupled combination of the impulse-receiving portion and the sliding portion is inhibited by shifting a center of gravity downward by a greater weighting of the sliding portion relative to the impulse-receiving portion. The method includes a) receiving an impulse at a top portion of a device including the top portion coupled to a bottom sliding plate and converting the impulse to a non-tumbling, non-rolling, non-launching translating force; and b) sliding, responsive to the non-tumbling, non-rolling, non-launching translating force, the device over a generally planar surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus motivated by an interaction to slide over a support surface, comprising:

an upper interaction receiving portion for receiving the interaction when applied by a person interacting with said interaction portion with a body appendage of said person, wherein said interaction receiving portion has a diameter in a range of about two inches to about fifteen inches, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball; and

a lower sliding portion for sliding contact with the support surface responsive to the interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said interaction-receiving portion, wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when striking an object;

wherein a center of gravity of said interaction-receiving portion and said sliding portion is shifted towards the surface by use of a low-density material for said interaction-receiving portion and a high-density material for said sliding portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper interaction-receiving portion is integrated with said lower sliding portion during manufacture and formed as a single structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sliding portion includes an exposed edge extending from the support surface to said interaction-receiving portion wherein said exposed edge is not generally perpendicular to the support surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a height of said sliding portion and said interaction-receiving portion above the support surface is less than said diameter of said generally planar component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for matingly attaching said upper interaction-receiving portion to said lower sliding portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electronics module incorporated into an element of the apparatus for providing effects to said person.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said effects include sound effects simulating an audio component of participation in an athletic event consistent with the athletic ball.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said effects include visual effects reporting events of simulated participation in an athletic event consistent with the athletic ball.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portion of the athletic ball is not greater than a hemispherical section of the athletic ball.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a center of gravity of said interaction-receiving portion coupled to said sliding portion is shifted towards the support surface by use of a low-density material for said interaction-receiving portion and a high-density material for said sliding portion.

11. An apparatus motivated by a physical interaction between a person and the apparatus to slide over a support surface, comprising:

an upper interaction-receiving portion for receiving the physical interaction from the person, wherein said interaction-receiving portion has an interaction-receiving portion diameter in a range of at least about two inches to no more than about fifteen inches and, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball used in athletic events; and

a lower sliding portion for sliding contact with the support surface responsive to the physical interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said impulse-receiving portion; and

wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when interacting with an object; and

wherein a center of gravity of said interaction-receiving portion coupled to said sliding portion is shifted towards the support surface by use of a low-density material for said impulse-receiving portion and a high-density material for said sliding portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the physical interaction includes application of an impulse by the person by contacting the interaction-receiving portion with a portion of a body of the person.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the physical interaction includes application of an impulse by the person by contacting the interaction-receiving portion with an portion of an implement held in at least one hand of said person.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said implement includes an electronics module providing effects to said person.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising an electronics module incorporated into an element of the apparatus for providing effects to said person.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a contextualizer subassembly providing one or more interactive goals for the person wherein said one or more interactive goals include one or more interactions between the interaction-receiving portion and said contextualizer subassembly.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said contextualizer subassembly includes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of a basketball goal, a hockey goal, a soccer goal, a strike zone, a golf hole, a bowling alley including a set of simulated bowling pins, a tennis court, an end zone, a volley ball court, a horseshoe stake, a croquet wicket, a cricket wicket, an athletic goal, and combinations thereof.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said implement includes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of a golf club, a bat, a lacrosse pole, a hockey stick, a polo mallet, a croquet mallet, other athletic implement, and combinations thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said interaction-receiving portion is integrated with said sliding portion during manufacture and formed as a single structure.

20. A method for motivating an object by an interaction to slide over a support surface, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving the interaction at an upper interaction-receiving portion applied by a person interacting with said interaction portion with a body appendage of said person, wherein said interaction receiving portion has a diameter in a range of about two inches to about fifteen inches, wherein said interaction-receiving portion includes an exterior component configured to resemble a portion of an athletic ball; and

(b) contacting slidingly a lower sliding portion with the support surface responsive to the interaction, said sliding portion including a generally planar component having a diameter no greater than the diameter of said interaction-receiving portion, wherein said interaction-receiving portion at least partially overlaps a periphery of a circumference of said sliding portion to cushion said sliding portion when striking an object.