SEGMENTED BALL WITH LIGHTED ELEMENTS

• US 20110212798A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tangle Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tangle Incorporated
• Inventors: Zawitz, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US13/004,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20110212798A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention include lighted bounceable toys for play and amusement. Such toys or structures can be made in an infinite number of graceful and useful configurations. Exemplary bounceable ball toys include a light assembly having a power source and a plurality of light emitting elements, and a spherical skeletal structure having a plurality of segments. The spherical skeletal structure defines an open interior cavity, and at least some segments of the skeletal structure include a channel opening that faces toward the interior cavity. Light emitting elements transmit light to the channel openings.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A bounceable spherical ball toy, comprising:

a first toy body portion having a first set of segments and a second set of segments, the first set of segments comprising a first curved segment and a second curved segment, and the second set of segments comprising a first curved segment and a second curved segment;

a second toy body portion having a first set of segments and a second set of segments, the first set of segments comprising a first curved segment, a second curved segment, a third curved segment, and a fourth curved segment, and the second set of segments comprising a first curved segment, a second curved segment, a third curved segment, and a fourth curved segment;

a first link coupled with the first set of segments of the first toy body portion and the first set of segments of the second toy body portion, the first link disposed at a first end of the ball toy; and

a second link coupled with the second set of segments of the first toy body portion and the second set of segments of the second toy body portion, the second link disposed at a second end of the ball toy opposing the first end of the ball toy;

wherein the first curved segment of the first set of segments of the first toy body portion intersects the first and second curved segments of the first set of segments of the second toy body portion, the second curved segment of the first set of segments of the first toy body portion intersects the third and fourth curved segments of the first set of segments of the second toy body, the first curved segment of the second set of segments of the first toy body portion intersects the first and second curved segments of the second set of segments of the second toy body portion, and the second curved segment of the second set of segments of the first toy body portion intersects the third and fourth curved segments of the second set of segments of the second toy body portion.

22. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 21, wherein the first curved segment of the first set of segments of the first toy body portion is coupled with the first curved segment of the second set of segments of the first toy body portion by a first equatorial segment.

23. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 22, wherein the first curved segment of the first set of segments of the second toy body portion is coupled with the first curved segment of the second set of segments of the second toy body portion by a second equatorial segment.

24. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 23, wherein the first equatorial segment is coupled with the second equatorial segment by an equatorial link.

25. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 23, wherein the first equatorial segment is coupled with the second equatorial segment by three curved equatorial links.

26. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 23, wherein the first equatorial segment is coupled with the second equatorial segment by an equatorial link, and wherein the equatorial link is positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ball toy.

27. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 23,

wherein the first equatorial segment is coupled with the second equatorial segment by a first equatorial link, and wherein the first equatorial link is positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ball toy,

wherein the first equatorial segment is further coupled with the second equatorial segment by a second equatorial link, and wherein the second equatorial link is positioned along a first latitudinal circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the first latitudinal circumference portion disposed between the central circumference portion and the first end of the ball toy, and

wherein the first equatorial segment is further coupled with the second equatorial segment by a third equatorial link, and wherein the third equatorial link is positioned along a second latitudinal circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the second latitudinal circumference portion disposed between the central circumference portion and the second end of the ball toy.

28. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 23, wherein the first curved segment of the first set of segments of the second toy body portion is further coupled with the first curved segment of the second set of segments of the second toy body portion by a third equatorial segment.

29. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 28, wherein the first equatorial segment is coupled with the second equatorial segment by a first set of three equatorial links, and wherein the second equatorial segment is coupled with the third equatorial segment by a second set of three equatorial links.

30. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 28, wherein the first equatorial segment is coupled with the second equatorial segment by a first equatorial link, the second equatorial segment is coupled with the third equatorial segment by a second equatorial link, the first and second equatorial links forming at least a portion of an equatorial loop that is positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ball toy.

31. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 30, wherein the first equatorial link is curved in a first direction, and the second equatorial link is curved in a second direction opposing the first direction.

32. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 30, wherein the first equatorial link is curved so as to present a concave side and a convex side, the second equatorial link is curved so as to present a concave side and a convex side, and wherein the concave side of the first equatorial link and the convex side of the second equatorial link face toward the first end of the ball toy, and the convex side of the first equatorial link and the concave side of the second equatorial link face toward the second end of the ball toy.

33. The bounceable spherical ball toy, according to claim 21, further comprising an equatorial loop that is positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ball toy.

34. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 21, further comprising:

a first equatorial loop that is positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between the first and second ends of the ball toy;

a second equatorial loop that is positioned along a first latitudinal circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the first latitudinal circumferential portion disposed between the central circumference portion and the first end of the ball toy; and

a third equatorial loop that is positioned along a second latitudinal circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the second latitudinal circumferential portion disposed between the central circumference portion and the second end of the ball toy.

35. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 34, wherein the first equatorial loop forms a first undulating pattern.

36. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 35, wherein the second equatorial loop forms a second undulating pattern.

37. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 36, wherein the first undulating pattern is synchronous with the second undulating pattern.

38. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 36, wherein the first undulating pattern is asynchronous with the second undulating pattern.

39. The bounceable spherical ball toy according to claim 36, wherein the third equatorial loop forms a third undulating pattern, and wherein the third undulating pattern is synchronous with the first undulating pattern and asynchronous with the second undulating pattern.

40. A bounceable ball toy, comprising:

a first toy body portion having a first set of curved segments and a second set of curved segments, each curved segment of the first set coupled with a respective curved segment of the second set;

a second toy body portion having a first set of curved segments and a second set of curved segments, each curved segment of the first set coupled with a respective curved segment of the second set;

a first equatorial loop coupled with the first toy body portion and second toy body portion, the first equatorial loop positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between first and second ends of the ball toy;

a second equatorial loop coupled with the first toy body portion and second toy body portion, the second equatorial loop positioned along a first latitudinal circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the first latitudinal circumferential portion disposed between the central circumference portion and the first end of the ball toy; and

a third equatorial loop coupled with the first toy body portion and second toy body portion, the third equatorial loop positioned along a second latitudinal circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the second latitudinal circumferential portion disposed between the central circumference portion and the second end of the ball toy.

41. A bounceable ball toy, comprising:

a first toy body portion having a first set of segments comprising two curved segments and a second set of segments comprising two curved segments;

a second toy body portion having a first set of segments comprising four curved segments and a second set of segments comprising four curved segments;

a first equatorial link coupled with the first toy body portion and the second toy body portion; and

a second equatorial link coupled with the first toy body potion and the second toy body portion,

wherein the first equatorial link and the second equatorial link form at least a portion of an undulating equatorial loop that is positioned along a central circumferential portion of the spherical ball toy, the central circumference portion disposed between first and second ends of the ball toy.