ILLUMINABLE BALL WITH A TIME DELAY DEVICE

• US 3,610,916 A
• Filed: 05/05/1970
• Issued: 10/05/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank P. Meehan
• Original Assignee: Frank P. Meehan
• Inventors: Meehan, Frank P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prince, Louis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yasich, Daniel M.
• Application Number:
  US05/034,751
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 240/6.4R 46/228 272/8N 200/61.45
• US Class Current: 362/363
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0492 the sensor detecting a change in orientation, a movement or an acceleration of the lighting device, e.g. a tilt switch
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/008 Leisure, hobby or sport articles, e.g. toys, games or first-aid kits; Hand tools; Toolboxes

Abstract

Within the translucent housing of a ball, there is an inertia switch which is connected to a lighting unit. The lighting unit includes a lamp and a battery which can be connected to form a series circuit by a time delay switch. Whenever the normally open inertia switch activates the time delay switch it closes the series circuit for a given period of time.

Claims

1. An illuminable ball comprising:

a housing of material which at least partially transmits light;

an inertia switch supported within said housing, said inertia switch shifting between first and second states of conductivity in response to the acceleration of the ball; and

a lighting unit within said housing and connected to said inertia switch, said lighting unit comprising at least one lamp, at least one battery and a time delay switching means connecting said lamp to said battery, said time delay switching means being energized to close the circuit between said battery and said lamp for at least a given period of time whenever said inertia switch shifts from the first to the second state of conduCtivity.

2. The illuminable ball of claim 1 wherein said inertia switch comprises a loop of conductive material, a resilient member of conductive material extending through said loop and normally out of contact therewith, and a mass member fixed to said resilient member.

3. The illuminable ball of claim 1 wherein said time delay switching means comprises a transistor and a capacitor.

4. The illuminable ball of claim 1 wherein said time delay switching means comprises a transistor having base, collector and emitter electrodes and a capacitor connected between said base and emitter electrodes.

5. The illuminable ball of claim 4 wherein said lamp, said battery, said emitter and said collector electrodes are connected in series and connecting means which connects said inertia switch means between the junction of said lamp and said battery and the base electrode of said transistor.

6. The illuminable ball means of claim 5 where said connecting means includes a resistor.

7. The illuminable ball of claim 6 wherein said inertia switch comprises a loop of conductive material, a terminal on said loop of conductive material, a resilient member of conductive material extending through said loop and normally out of contact therewith, a terminal on said resilient member, and a mass member fixed to said resilient member, one of said terminals being connected to said junction and the other of said terminals being connected to said base electrode.