Practice ball with sound and acceleration sensor

• US 5,810,685 A
• Filed: 03/07/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Head Coach, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Leroy Frederick Willner, Roger Edwin Fitzgerald
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Roger Edwin, Willner, LeRoy Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/612,066
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 473/571, 473/575, 473/576, 473/506, 473/601, 473/602, 273/317.2-317.8, 273/374, 273/335, 273/DIG. 17, 273/DIG. 19, 446/175, 340/323 R, 364/410
• US Class Current: 473/571
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0086 the line or cord being attached to the user A63B21/0608 takes precedence; punching balls attached to the user A63B69/26

Abstract

A practice ball responsive to acceleration for use in practicing sports and an acceleration sensor therefor. The practice ball includes an electronics housing; an acceleration sensor mounted in the electronics housing and responsive to acceleration of the practice ball; a sound generating device also mounted in the electronics housing and responsive to the acceleration sensor; and a soft deformable shell having a shape which simulates a sports ball. The soft deformable shell, which is capable of snugly accommodating the electronics housing, may be supported by a tether line connected to the electronics housing. The acceleration sensor preferably includes at least two switching elements, each of which is responsive to a different magnitude of acceleration. The sound generating device is then responsive to the switching elements so as to emit different programmed sounds depending on which of the switching elements is/are actuated by acceleration of the practice ball. The different programmed sounds may include verbal messages from a voice simulation device in the sound generating device. Preferably, the practice ball is a soft, foam soccer ball for use in practicing the art of heading a soccer ball.

Claims

1. A practice ball responsive to acceleration which comprises:

a shell having a shape which simulates a sports ball;

an electronics housing positioned in said shell;

a tether line connected to said electronics housing;

an impact sensor mounted to said electronics housing and responsive to impact imparted to the practice ball and to forces imparted through said tether line; and

a sound generator mounted to said electronics housing and responsive to said impact sensor for emitting a programmed sound in response to a predetermined amount of acceleration.

2. The practice ball of claim 1, wherein said impact sensor is an acceleration sensor responsive to acceleration imparted to said ball and said sound generator is responsive to said acceleration sensor.

3. The practice ball of claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a ball of deformable cellulous material having a cavity in an outer surface thereof, said cavity and said electronics housing frictionally having dimensions such that said electronics housing fits and is retained in said cavity.

4. The practice ball of claim 3, wherein a surface of said electronics housing has an open-cell cellulous covering which matches said outer surface shape.

5. The practice ball of claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a polyurethane foam ball having a cavity in an outer surface thereof, said cavity and said electronic housing having dimensions such that said electronics housing fits frictionally and is retained in said cavity.

6. The practice ball of claim 1, wherein said impact sensor includes at least two switching elements, each of which is responsive to a different magnitude of impact, and wherein said sound generator is responsive to said at least two switching elements so as to emit different programmed sounds depending on which of said at least two switching elements is/are actuated.

7. The practice ball of claim 6, wherein said impact sensor is an acceleration sensor which includes:

a conductive frame member having holes therein, said conductive frame member being electrically connected to said sound generating means;

said at least two switching elements include springs, each of said springs having a distal end disposed through a respective one of said holes in said conductive frame member and a fixed proximal end electrically connected to said sound generating means;

said holes in the conductive frame member and said springs are arranged with respect to one another so that said springs make electrical contact with said conductive frame member only in response to different magnitudes of acceleration; and

said sound generator is responsive to electrical contact between said springs and said conductive frame member so as to produce different sounds according to which of said springs makes the electrical contact with said conductive frame member.

8. The practice ball of claim 6, wherein said sound generator includes a voice simulation device and said different sounds are verbal messages.

9. The practice ball of claim 1, wherein said electronics housing supports said shell by virtue of a frictional fit in said shell.

10. The practice ball of claim 1, wherein said sound generator includes a voice simulation device and said programmed sound is a verbal message.

11. The practice ball of claim 1, further comprising an opening at one end of the shell and a slit extending through said shell from the opening to an opposite end of the shell, the tether line extending through said slit.

12. A practice ball responsive to acceleration during use in practicing sports, said practice ball comprising:

a simulated sports ball having a cavity therein;

an acceleration sensor mounted in said cavity and responsive to acceleration of the practice ball, said acceleration sensor including at least two switching elements, each of which is responsive to a different magnitude of acceleration; and

a sound generator also mounted in said cavity and responsive to said at least two switching elements so as to emit different programmed sounds depending on which of said at least two switching elements is/are actuated.

13. The practice ball of claim 12, wherein said simulated sports ball comprises a ball of deformable cellulous material and includes an electronic housing for mounting said acceleration sensor and said sound generator therein, said cavity and said electronics housing having dimensions such that said electronics housing fits frictionally and is retained in said cavity.

14. The practice ball of claim 13, wherein a surface of said electronics housing has an open-cell cellulose covering which matches said outer surface of said ball.

15. The practice ball of claim 13, wherein said simulated sports ball comprises a polyurethane foam ball.

16. The practice ball of claim 12, wherein:

said acceleration sensor includes a conductive frame member having holes therein, said conductive frame member being electrically connected to said sound generating means;

said at least two switching elements include springs, each of said springs having a distal end disposed through a respective one of said holes in said conductive frame member and a fixed proximal end electrically connected to said sound generating means;

said holes in the conductive frame member and said springs are arranged with respect to one another so that said springs make electrical contact with said conductive frame member only in response to different magnitudes of acceleration; and

said sound generator is responsive to electrical contact between said springs and said conductive frame member so as to produce different sounds according to which of said springs makes electrical contact with said conductive frame member.

17. The practice ball of claim 12, wherein said sound generator includes a voice simulation device and said different sounds are verbal messages.

18. The practice ball of claim 13, further comprising a tether line adapted for connection to said electronics housing so that said electronics housing is supported by said tether line, and wherein said electronics housing supports said simulated sports ball by virtue of said frictional fit therein.

19. The practice ball of claim 12, further comprising an opening at one end of the shell, a slit extending through said shell from the opening to an opposite end of the shell, and a tether line connected to said electronics housing and extending through said slit.

20. A soccer practice device for practicing the art of heading, said soccer practice device comprising:

a deformable simulated soccer ball having a cavity therein and suspended by a tether line;

a rigid electronics housing positioned in said cavity;

an impact sensor mounted to said electronics housing and responsive to impact imparted to said ball, said sensor including at least two switching elements, each of which is responsive to a different magnitude of impact; and

a battery-powered sound generator mounted to said electronics housing and responsive to said at least two switching elements so as to emit different programmed sounds depending on which of said at least two switching elements is/are actuated.

21. The soccer practice device of claim 20 wherein said impact sensor is an acceleration sensor responsive to acceleration imparted to said ball and said sound generator is responsive to said acceleration sensor.

22. The soccer practice device of claim 20 wherein said impact sensor, said sound generator and batteries for powering said sound generator are all mounted within said electronics housing.

23. The soccer practice device of claim 22, wherein said tether line is connected to said electronics housing so that said electronics housing is supported by said tether line, and said electronics housing supports said simulated soccer ball by virtue of a frictional fit thereon;

said acceleration sensor includes a conductive frame member having holes therein, said conductive frame member being electrically connected to said sound generating means;

said at least two switching elements include springs, each of said springs having a distal end disposed through a respective one of said holes in said conductive frame member and a fixed proximal end electrically connected to said sound generating means;

said holes in the conductive frame member and said springs are arranged with respect to one another so that said springs make electrical contact with said conductive frame member only in response to different magnitudes of acceleration; and

said sound generator is responsive to electrical contact between said springs and said conductive frame member and includes a voice simulation device so as to produce different verbal messages according to which of said springs makes electrical contact with said conductive frame member when the simulated soccer ball is rapidly accelerated.

24. The practice ball of claim 20, further comprising an opening at one end of the shell, a slit extending through said shell from the opening to an opposite end of the shell, and a tether line connected to said electronics housing and extending through said slit.

26. The acceleration sensor of claim 22, wherein said springs are substantially parallel to one another and responsive to acceleration in any direction which is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of each spring.

25. An acceleration sensor for detecting at least two different magnitudes of acceleration, said acceleration sensor comprising:

a conductive frame member having holes therein, said conductive frame member defining a first electrical node of the acceleration sensor; and

at least two switching elements, each of which is responsive to a different magnitude of acceleration, said at least two switching elements including springs, each of said springs having a distal end disposed through a respective one of said holes in said conductive frame member and a fixed proximal end, each of said springs defining an additional node of the acceleration sensor;

said holes in the conductive frame member and said springs being arranged with respect to one another so that said springs make electrical contact with said conductive frame member only in response to different magnitudes of acceleration.

27. A practice ball responsive to acceleration which comprises:

a shell having a shape which simulates a sports ball;

an electronics housing positioned in said shell;

at least one impact sensor mounted to said electronics housing and responsive to different magnitudes of impact imparted to the practice ball; and

a sound generator mounted to said electronics housing and responsive to said at least one impact sensor for emitting a first programmed sound in response to an impact that is greater than a first predetermined magnitude and a second programmed sound in response to an impact that is greater than a second predetermined magnitude.