U.S. patent application number 12/357920 was filed with the patent office on 2010-07-22 for bouncing ball amusement device.
Invention is credited to Brian D. KESSLER.
Application Number | 20100181719 12/357920 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42336295 |
Filed Date | 2010-07-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100181719 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KESSLER; Brian D. |
July 22, 2010 |
BOUNCING BALL AMUSEMENT DEVICE
Abstract
A bouncing ball type of amusement device has a buoyant die
floating in a water-filled, transparent rubber ball. The die has a
plurality of faces with written material thereon. When bounced
after asking a yes or no type of question, the die will float to
the top of the ball and one of its faces will contact the inside
surface of the ball and be viewable by a user.
Inventors: |
KESSLER; Brian D.; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.;624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Family ID: |
42336295 |
Appl. No.: |
12/357920 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/161 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2009/0466 20130101;
A63F 9/0406 20130101; A63F 2009/0634 20130101; A63F 2250/04
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/161 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/18 20060101
A63F009/18 |
Claims
1. An amusement device comprising: an outer shell of transparent or
semi-transparent plastic or elastomer or plastomer having good
bounce characteristics, a liquid within the shell, and a buoyant
die having multiple faces floating in the liquid in the shell, each
of said faces of the die having written material thereon.
2. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the form of the shell
is a generally spherical ball.
3. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the liquid is
water.
4. The amusement device of claim 1, further comprising glitter
within the liquid.
5. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the die is in the shape
of an octagonal pyramid.
6. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a
UV stabilizer or tint.
7. The amusement device of claim 1, where the shell has a surface
polish selected to break up color light spectrum that could cause a
magnifying effect that could make the ball intensify light and act
like a magnifying glass in sunlight.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an amusement device in the
form of a spherical ball having good bounce characteristics and
having a clear or near transparent ball having a buoyant, readable
die therein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Many different fortune-telling devices or die agitators are
known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,277 to
Carlsson et al is a die agitator comprising a transparent container
12 containing a liquid, and a die 14 which is buoyant. The die has
multiple faces that include indicia thereon. When the container is
inverted, the die, because of its buoyancy with respect to the
liquid of the container, rises upwardly and one of its faces engage
the transparent base wall 22 and is readable. The wall 22 is the
only viewing location for the die. U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,602 to
Rottger is a hollow ball containing internal circuitry. The outside
of the ball is made of a foam rubber material. When thrown an
impact sensor 30 within the ball is activated and the circuitry
produces a randomly generated audible question. Three switches 12,
14 and 16 accessible by a user on the outside of the ball provide a
choice of answers to the question. U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,728 to
Willitts is a decorative transparent spherical enclosure with a
flat surface to facilitate application of an image to the surface.
The enclosure contains a liquid having particles such as glitter or
snow-flakes. When shaken or inverted, the particles descend slowly
through the liquid. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,119,621 and 3,168,315 to
Bookman are liquid filled die agitators. A buoyant die member 14
and 70 respectively is contained in the opaque liquid and has
multiple faces with indicia. The die member will rise to the
surface of the container 7 and 10, respectively, when it is
inverted by a user so that the indicia on one of the die faces can
be read through the transparent closure 16 of the container 7 and
window 30, respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,176 to Lolzowski is a
fortune telling device that includes an electronic library of text
in the form of answers to a user's questions. When the device is
shaken a randomly generated answer is displayed through the outside
of the device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,416 to Nakamoto et al is a die
rolling device and game. A liquid filled container 50 within the
spherical shaped device includes a multi-faced die 42. The device
will provide viewable indicia on the die when shaken.
SUMMARY
[0003] While the device in accordance with the present invention
may take various forms, a preferred form is in the shape of a
spherical ball in which the wall or shell is made of a rubber or
plastic or plastomer material having good bounce characteristics,
and which is sufficiently transparent so that a buoyant die
floating within a liquid contained in the ball can be viewed by
user after the ball is bounced. One of the many faces on the die
will subsequently come to rest near an upward inside surface of the
ball and will be viewed as an answer to a question proposed by the
user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a presently preferred
embodiment according to the invention.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical die for use in the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a spherical ball 10 in partial section having a
spherical wall formed of a plastic or a rubber material which is
both sufficiently transparent so that what is within the ball can
be seen and which has good bounce characteristics. A preferred
material for forming the wall 12 is an MDI-based polyurethane
elastomer, but it will be understood that other materials which are
sufficiently transparent and which have good bounce characteristics
can also be used.
[0007] In the illustrated embodiment 10, a liquid 14 is provided
with the interior of the wall 12 and the liquid 14 preferably fills
the interior of the ball 10, and is preferably injected under
pressure. The liquid is preferably but not essentially water
containing a small (but anti-microbial) amount of a child-safe
anti-microbial agent easily selected by those skilled in the
art.
[0008] Within the interior of the ball 10 may be provided a
plurality of small, decorative and preferably reflective particles,
e.g. so-called "glitter" also well known to those skilled in the
art. When the ball is shaken or thrown or bounced, the glitter 16
freely floats in the liquid 14 and its decorative effects can be
seen through the wall 12 of the ball 10. The glitter is not
essential and any decorative particles of sufficiently small size,
desirably made of non-toxic materials, can be used. The best effect
is caused by a light glitter type material, that helps obscure
other sides of the cube when the chosen side is against the wall of
the ball. It makes it easier to read the one panel.
[0009] Within the interior of the ball 10 is a buoyant die 18 made
of water resistant material such as a plastic. A suitable sealant
can be used to protect the die from being damaged by the liquid 14
as long as such sealant is waterproof and either transparent or
near transparent. One such suitable sealant is an impact resistant
polycarbonate resin. Die 18 is center balanced and has multiple
faces, such as an octagonal pyramid, i.e., two pyramids extending
in opposite directions and connected to one another at the base.
Other shapes can also be used. Each of the faces of the die has
written material thereon. Such written material can be "YES
DEFINITELY", "NOT A CHANCE", "CANNOT PREDICT NOW", "BOUNCE AGAIN",
"LOOKING GOOD", "GO FOR IT", "DON'T BET ON IT", and "ARE YOU
KIDDING?", for example. Other such written material can be formed
on the faces of the die and will preferably be an answer to a yes
or no question. The ball 10 is molded in a conventional manner with
the die therein. See copending application Ser. No. 12/300,626, in
the name of the present inventor, the entirety of which is
incorporated by reference herein, at page 4. It is also possible to
add something to the surface of the ball to keep it substantially
clear but introduce something that breaks up the color light
spectrum that could cause a magnifying effect that could make the
ball intensify light and act like a magnifying glass in sunlight.
This effect can be achieved by introducing either a UV stabilizer,
tint, cloudiness, or modifying the polish of the mould for making
the ball. With regard to the polish, a finer polish means a shinier
(and clearer) skin on the ball. One approach to achieve the desired
effect is through the level of polish on the tool which should be
kept slightly coarser (lower level).
[0010] Thus, the ball surface will be less shiny, therefore
creating more disruption of light that travels through it, since
more disruption means that there is less concentrated light to
magnify.
[0011] The amusement device 10 is used simply by bouncing it or
throwing it against any hard object such as a wall. When it hits a
wall or a floor or the ground the die will move within the ball and
float and "walk" toward the top inside surface of the ball when
caught. One face of the die will come in multiple point contact
with the inside surface and will be readable by a user. The device
can be used as a fortune telling device in this manner.
[0012] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will
so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others
can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for
various applications such specific embodiments without undue
experimentation and without departing from the generic concept,
and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are
intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of
equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood
that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the
purpose of description and not of limitation. The means, materials,
and steps for carrying out various disclosed functions may take a
variety of alternative forms without departing from the
invention.
[0013] Thus the expressions "means to . . . " and "means for . . .
", or any method step language, as may be found in the
specification above and/or in the claims below, followed by a
functional statement, are intended to define and cover whatever
structural, physical, chemical or electrical element or structure,
or whatever method step, which may now or in the future exist which
carries out the recited function, whether or not precisely
equivalent to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed in the
specification above, i.e., other means or steps for carrying out
the same functions can be used; and it is intended that such
expressions be given their broadest interpretation.
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