Wobbly ball

• US 9,795,838 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keith R. Kikel
• Original Assignee: Keith R. Kikel
• Inventors: Kikel, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLINS, BURTON S
• Application Number:
  US14/452,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20160038793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 473351, 473594
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 29/00 Rollers rollers for roads E01C
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 45/00 Machines for treating meadows or lawns , e.g. for sports grounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 45/02 for aerating
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/001 Accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/009 Protective housings covering the working parts of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00061 Replaceable resistance units of different strengths, e.g. for swapping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00065 by increasing or reducing the number of resistance units
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00196 using pulsed counterforce, e.g. vibrating resistance means A61H1/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0054 for charging a battery
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/027 Apparatus forced to oscillate at its resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0557 Details of attachments, e.g. clips or clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0608 Eccentric weights put into orbital motion by nutating movement of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0628 for vertical array of weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0724 Bar-bells; Hand bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/151 Using flexible elements for reciprocating movements, e.g. ropes or chains
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/1618 : on a door or a door frame
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/1663 : for anchoring between a door and the door frame
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 : for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 : Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 : magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/60 : Apparatus used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 : For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03525 : Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle A63B21/0724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 : Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1218 : Chinning, pull-up, i.e. concentric movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1245 : Primarily by articulating the shoulder joint A63B23/129 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/16 : for hands or fingers for teaching typing G09B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/04 : with an eccentric centre of gravity; with mechanism for changing the centre of gravity solid balls A63B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/20 : Skipping-ropes or similar devices rotating in a vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/08 : Juggling or spinning ball games played as games of skill A63B67/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0079 : Balls tethered to a line or cord A63B43/007 takes precedence; other games using tethered balls A63B67/10; games using a bat or racket with a ball tethered thereto A63B67/20
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 : Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2016/202 : specially adapted or arranged for being actuated by the feet of the user, e.g. using bicycle-like pedals
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 : other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/065 : operated by the hand
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/08 : for combined actuation by different limbs, e.g. hand and leg
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/103 : using springs
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/34 : Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating parts of the magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 : Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1853 : driven by intermittent forces
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1892 : Generators with parts oscillating or vibrating about an axis

Abstract

The present invention relates to wobbly balls and exercise coil springs. A wobbly ball may include a non-spherical rigid, hollow ball body formed of two halves, each half comprising an upper ladle or a lower ladle which are welded together along a central seam therebetween, and defining a hollow cavity therein. A spherical inner ball is captured within the hollow cavity of the hollow ball body of the wobbly ball, so that upon movement of the wobbly ball, the inner ball rolls within the cavity, producing a wobbly, eccentric motion. The exercise coil spring may be formed of a single coiled wire, the coiled spring including a central portion where the coiled wire is coiled to a first diameter that is constant. Opposed flared ends are provided ends of the central portion where the coiled wire is progressively coiled from the first diameter to a second diameter, which is greater.

Claims

1. A wobbly ball comprising:

a non-spherical rigid, hollow ball body formed of curved surfaces without any planar faces, formed of two halves, an upper half comprising an upper member and a lower half comprising a lower member, the upper and lower members being welded together along a central seam therebetween and defining a hollow cavity therein; and

a spherical ball captured within the hollow cavity of the hollow ball body, the spherical ball being unconstrained and free to roll throughout the entirety of the hollow cavity within the hollow ball body;

wherein the central seam comprises a lip positioned about an equator of the hollow ball body, the lip projecting outwardly such that the lip at the central seam defines a maximum width of the hollow ball body.

2. A wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, wherein the spherical ball captured within the hollow cavity is solid rather than hollow.

3. A wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, wherein the spherical ball captured within the hollow cavity accounts for more than 90% of the weight of the wobbly ball.

4. A wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, wherein the spherical ball captured within the hollow cavity has a diameter that is not more than 50% of the height and width of the hollow ball body within which it is captured.

5. A wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-spherical hollow ball body has a maximum width that is greater than its maximum height.

6. A wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, wherein the spherical ball captured within the hollow cavity is a musical ball.

7. A combination device for aerating, raking, tilling, mowing, or rolling, the device comprising:

a frame;

an active interchangeable head for aerating, raking, tilling, mowing, or rolling attachable to the frame;

wheels attached to an axle of the frame;

one or more wobbly ball engines fixedly attached to the axle, each wobbly ball engine including a wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, trapped within a cylindrical canister so that the wobbly ball rolls or falls within the canister as the axle rotates as the device is pushed.

8. A combination device as recited in claim 7, wherein the device does not include any engine other than the one or more wobbly ball engines.

9. A paddle boat powered by a wobbly ball engine, the paddle boat comprising:

a paddle boat frame;

one or more pedals attached to a pedal shaft;

a paddle wheel attached to the pedal shaft that rotates in the water to propel the paddle boat as the pedals are pedaled;

one or more wobbly ball engines fixedly attached to the pedal shaft, each wobbly ball engine including a wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, trapped within a cylindrical canister so that the wobbly ball rolls or falls within the canister as the axle rotates as the pedals are pedaled.

10. A power generating wobbly ball comprising:

a wobbly ball as recited in claim 1, wherein the ball captured within the hollow cavity is magnetic;

an induction coil disposed about the hollow ball body of the wobbly ball so that the magnetic ball captured within the hollow cavity can be moves relative to the induction coil as the wobbly ball is agitated; and

a battery or capacitor electrically connected to the induction coil so as to be charged by an electrical current induced in the coil as the wobbly ball is agitated.

11. A power generating wobbly ball as recited in claim 10, further comprising a power cord and plug attached to the wobbly ball configured to deliver generated power into an electrical grid when the plug is plugged into an outlet of the electrical grid.

12. An assembly including a plurality of wobbly balls and one or more exercise coil springs comprising:

a plurality of wobbly balls, each wobbly ball comprising

a non-spherical rigid, hollow ball body formed of two halves, an upper half comprising an upper member and a lower half comprising a lower member, the upper and lower members being welded together along a central seam therebetween and defining a hollow cavity therein; and

a spherical ball captured within the hollow cavity of the hollow ball body;

one or more coil springs each formed of a single coiled wire, each spring including a central portion where the coiled wire is coiled to a first diameter that is constant throughout the central portion, and opposed flared ends on either side of the central portion where the coiled wire is progressively coiled from the first diameter to a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter; and

a rod extending through the coil springs and having a wobbly ball attached to each opposed end of the rod.

13. An assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the first diameter of the central portion of the coiled wire is about ⅝

inch.

14. An assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the second diameter of the opposed flared ends of the coiled wire is about 1.25 inch.

15. An assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the second diameter of the opposed flared ends of the coiled wire is about 2 inches.

16. An assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the first diameter of the central portion of the coiled wire is about 1 inch.