U.S. patent application number 10/337544 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-08 for laser billiard ball positioning apparatus.
Invention is credited to Sumko, Michael H..
Application Number | 20040132535 10/337544 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32681266 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040132535 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sumko, Michael H. |
July 8, 2004 |
Laser billiard ball positioning apparatus
Abstract
The laser billiard ball positioning apparatus is an invention
that provides continuous real time visual positioning feedback to
assist in properly positioning a billiard ball. The laser billiard
ball positioning apparatus provides positioning information without
causing any interference with the rolling trajectory of a billiard
ball. The laser billiard ball positioning apparatus further
provides for a positioning target that is never covered up by a
billiard ball. The laser billiard ball positioning apparatus is
primarily intended for use by billiard players in properly
positioning billiard balls prior to the initiation of a game of
billiards.
Inventors: |
Sumko, Michael H.; (Perry,
UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael H. Sumko
220 West 2000 South
Perry
UT
84302
US
|
Family ID: |
32681266 |
Appl. No.: |
10/337544 |
Filed: |
January 7, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63D 15/005
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/002 |
International
Class: |
A63D 015/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A positioning apparatus comprising a light emitting device, a
playing surface, and at least one ball, wherein said light emitting
device emits a light beam of a predetermined shape onto said
playing surface and wherein when said ball is rolled on said
playing surface to a position such that said light beam causes a
predetermined target light pattern to shine on said ball, said ball
is properly positioned.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light emitting device
defines a laser light emitting device.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said predetermined light
pattern defines a cross pattern.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cross pattern comprises a
plurality of cross hairs and wherein the length of each of said
cross hairs is substantially equal to the diameter of said at least
one ball.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said playing surface defines
the playing surface of a billiard table.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one ball defines
at least one billiard ball.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wherein said light
emitting device defines a laser light emitting device and wherein
said playing surface defines a billiard table playing surface and
wherein said at least one ball defines at least one billiard
ball.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said predetermined target light
pattern defines a cross hair pattern having a plurality of cross
hairs.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the length of each of said
cross hairs is substantially equal to the diameter of said at least
one billiard ball.
10. The process of positioning a ball comprising the steps of
projecting a light beam of a predetermined shape onto a playing
surface, placing at least one ball onto said playing surface, and
rolling said at least one ball on said playing surface into the
path of said light beam until a light pattern is projected onto
said ball indicating said ball is properly positioned.
11. The process of claim 10 wherein said light beam defines a laser
light beam.
12. The process of claim 10 wherein said light pattern defines a
cross pattern.
13. The process of claim 12 wherein said cross pattern comprises a
plurality of cross hairs and wherein the length of each of said
cross hairs is substantially equal to the diameter of said at least
one ball
14. The process of claim 10 wherein said playing surface defines
the playing surface of a billiard table.
15. The process of claim 10 wherein said at least one ball defines
at least one billiard ball.
16. The process of claim 10 wherein said wherein said light beam
defines a laser light beam and wherein said playing surface defines
a billiard table playing surface and wherein said at least one ball
defines at least one billiard ball.
17. The process of claim 16 wherein said light pattern defines a
cross hair pattern having a plurality of cross hairs.
18. The process of claim 17 wherein the length of each of said
cross hairs is substantially equal to the diameter of said at least
one billiard ball.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to laser billiard ball
positioning and alignment devices. The invention in particular is
useful in positioning a billiard ball without the assistance of a
patch or target being physically located on the billiard table
playing surface.
[0002] It is common practice when playing the game of billiards or
pool or the like to first position the non-cue balls. Such
positioning is typically performed by placing the non-cue balls in
a triangular shaped rack which is moveably located on a billiard
table or the like playing surface. The lead ball, often the number
"1" ball, is then moved such that the lead ball is positioned
immediately over a patch type target. Once positioned, a game of
billiards or the like is ready to be initiated. It is common for
the lead ball target to consist of a colored circular patch affixed
to the target location of the billiard table or like playing
surface. A problem with such a target patch is that during play of
a billiard or like game, due to the thickness of the target patch
which causes the target patch to extend above the playing surface,
if a billiard or like ball rolls over such target patch, the target
patch can and often does alter the trajectory the billiard or like
ball would otherwise travel. Yet a further problem with the
conventional target patch is that if the lead ball is positioned on
or near the target patch, then the target patch is covered by one
or more of the billiard or like balls and the rack.
[0003] It is well known that laser indicators or "pointers" have
existed for some time and have enjoyed substantial use in a variety
of applications. Specifically, with regards to the game of
billiards and pool, a laser light emitting device has been mounted
to a billiard cue stick to assist the user of the cue stick in
aligning the billiard cue stick. See for instance U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,155,929 and 5,554,075. Furthermore, the use of laser light in
combination with a complex system of mirrors and computer
processing to assist in the rating of shots and the display of
optimal paths is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,676. Additionally,
the use of a simple laser emitting device to provide real time
continuous positioning feedback has been used to position things
such as a vehicle in a garage. See for instance U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,218,962 and 6,154,150. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,218,962, 6,155,929,
6,154,150, 5,554,075 and 4,882,676 are incorporated herein by
reference and form a portion of this specification.
[0004] However, none of the prior art has taught a simple real time
continuous feedback laser assisted lead ball positioning
device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention relates to a billiard ball or like
locating apparatus having a light emitting device that emits a
light beam of a predetermined pattern on a predetermined location
of a billiard table or like surface. The invention further includes
at least one billiard or like ball that is positionable so as to be
able to be positioned at the predetermined position of the billiard
table or like surface. In practice, when the ball is so positioned,
the predetermined light pattern is displayed on the surface of the
ball, indicating that the ball is properly positioned. Such
positioning is performed without the assistance of a physical
target such as a patch being located on the playing surface.
[0006] The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a laser
light emitting device, a billiard or like table having a playing
surface, and at least one billiard or like ball. While a light
other than a laser light may be used in the invention, a laser
light is preferred due to the reduced scatter of the laser beam.
The laser light emitting device includes a lens which causes the
projected laser light pattern to form a pattern of a cross or
"cross hairs". Other patterns such as concentric circles with a
center dot may also be used. The length of each of the two cross
hairs are preferably substantially equal to the diameter of the
billiard or like ball such that when the entire length of each
cross hair is projected on the billiard or like ball, such
projection indicates that the billiard or like ball is properly
positioned.
[0007] The laser light emitting device further includes a suction
cup or like suitable member so as to enable mounting of the light
emitting device in a position above the table playing surface such
as by mounting the light emitting device to a ceiling by pressing
the suction cup member to the ceiling. The laser light emitting
device is preferably battery powered and includes an on/off switch.
However, the light emitting device may alternatively be adapted to
receive electrical power from a standard wall power outlet and the
light emitting device may have a remote control device to
selectively turn the light emitting device on and off.
[0008] In practice, the light emitting device is mounted to the
ceiling by pressing the suction cup member against the ceiling such
that the light emitting device becomes mounted to a ceiling above a
billiard table playing surface. The location on the ceiling to
which the light emitting device is mounted is selected such that
when the light pattern from the light emitting device is focused on
the playing surface, the light pattern is at the location on the
playing surface where the lead billiard ball is to be positioned.
Billiard balls are then placed in a billiard ball positioning rack
on the billiard table playing surface. With the positioning rack in
place around the billiard balls, the billiard balls are then rolled
on the playing surface into proper position. Thus when the cross
hairs of the laser light emitting device are projected
substantially completely on the lead billiard ball surface, it is
readily understood by the user that the lead billiard ball is
positioned correctly. Alternatively, when the cross hairs of the
laser light emitting device are not projected substantially
completely on the lead billiard ball surface, it is readily
understood by the user that the lead billiard ball is not
positioned correctly.
[0009] Accordingly, in the preferred embodiment it is an object of
the present invention to provide a simple positioning assistance
device that provides real time continuous position feedback
information. It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a positioning device having a target pattern that is never
covered by a billiard ball or like object that is to be positioned.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a
positioning device that does not interfere with the trajectory of a
billiard or like ball.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] The objects and many attendant advantages of this invention
will be readily appreciated and become readily apparent as the same
becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed
description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings and in which like reference numerals designate like parts
throughout the figures thereof and wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the billiard ball positioning
apparatus. The front portion of the billiard table and the table
legs are not shown.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a close up plan view of the view of the billiard
ball positioning apparatus taken at the location indicated by view
indication arrows 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The laser light emitting
device and the majority of the billiard table are not shown. The
lead billiard ball is shown positioned correctly.
[0013] FIG. 3 is substantially identical to FIG. 2 except that FIG.
3 displays the lead billiard ball positioned incorrectly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present
invention in reviewing the drawings accompanying the specification,
a feature list is provided below. It is noted that like features
are like numbered throughout all of the figures.
1 FEATURE TABLE Number Feature 10 Positioning apparatus in general
20 Laser light emitting device in general 22 Laser light emitting
device suction cup 24 Laser light emitting device lens 26 Laser
light beam 27 Laser light target pattern 28 Laser light target
pattern cross hair 29 Laser light emitting device on/off switch 30
Billiard table in general 32 Billiard table playing surface 34
Billiard table pocket 40 Billiard ball positioning rack 42 Billiard
balls in general 44 Lead billiard ball 50 View break line
[0015] Referring now to the drawings, the invention is a
positioning apparatus 10 that comprises a laser light emitting
device 20, a billiard table 30, a billiard ball positioning rack
40, and billiard balls 42. Laser light emitting device 20 includes
a suction cup 22, a lens 24, a laser light beam 26, a laser light
target pattern 27, laser light target patterns cross hairs 28, and
an on/off switch 29. Billiard table 30 includes a playing surface
32 and pockets 34. Billiard balls 42 include a lead billiard ball
44.
[0016] When laser light emitting device 20 is mounted above table
30 by pressing suction cup 22 against a ceiling or like structure
and switch 29 is placed in the "on" position, laser light beam 26
is projected through lens 24 and onto playing surface 32 such that
laser target pattern 27 is displayed on surface 32. When mounted,
laser light emitting device 20 is mounted such that target pattern
27 appears at a predetermined location on playing surface 32 where
the user would like to position lead billiard ball 44. With target
pattern 27 displayed at the predetermined location, billiard balls
42 are loaded into positioning rack 40 on playing surface 32.
Positioning rack 40 is then rolled on playing surface 32 until
cross hairs 28 of target pattern 27 substantially completely cover
lead ball 44. The complete covering of lead ball 44 by cross hairs
28 defines a ready means of indicating correct positioning of lead
billiard ball 44.
[0017] While there is shown and described herein certain specific
structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those
skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of
the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope
of the underlying inventive concept. The subject invention is not
limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except
insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.
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