US3712627A - Amusement device - Google Patents

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Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H15/00—Other gravity-operated toy figures
  • A63H15/06—Self-righting toys
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00

Definitions

• ABSTRACT An amusement device having a particularly unpredictable performance when rolled over a playing surface is formed as an ovoid member having a generally hemispheroidal first end portion and a generally paraboloidal second end portion.
• the first end portion is formed with a hollow structure so that the center of gravity of the ovoid member is spaced apart from the geometric center of the longitudinal axis.
• the two end portions of the device meet at a maximum diameter position which has a center which is itself spaced apart from both the center of gravity and the geometric center of the longitudinal axis of the device.
• the present invention relates to amusement devices or balls or pucks which car'i be used in many different ways in games, or merely for amusement.
• the invention relates to an amuse ment device having a particularly unpredictable behavior when rolled, or hit along the ground with a hockey stick or the like.
• a principal object of this invention is to provide an amusement device of the type indicated andwhich is characterized by having a high measure of unpredictability in its behavior.
• Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device of thetype indicated and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.
• the present invention provides an amusement device which comprises an ovoid member having a major longitudinal axis around'which said member is substantially symmetrical and of substantially circular cross-sectional"configuration at each and every position therealong', said ovoid member having'a maximumtransverse diameter at aposition Iongitudinally displaced from 'the geometric center of saidlongitudinal axis, and said ovoidmer'nber having 'a material distribution such that the center of gravity thereof is spaced apart from both said geometric center of saidllon'gitudinal axis and from the center of said maximum transversediameter.
• the ovoid member 10 has an asymmetrical longitudinal configuration having a maximum transverse diameter as indicated at ll, 12 at a position offset along the longitudinal axis A-A from the geometric center L of that axis.
• the ovoid member 10 is manufactured with a material distribution such that its center of gravity as'indicated at G in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings is spaced apart from both the geometric center L of the longitudinal axis A-A and from its center T at its maximum diameter.
• the center of gravity as'indicated at G in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings is spaced apart from both the geometric center L of the longitudinal axis A-A and from its center T at its maximum diameter.
• center of gravity is disposed on the longitudinal axis A-A between the geometric center L and the maximum diameter transverse center T. It is, however,
• the ovoid member 10 may be formed in any appropriate manner to ensure such spaced apart positions for its three centers T, G and L and the particular construction shown in the accompanying drawings is described merely by way of illustration. That particular construction is, however, advantageous in that it permits the manufacture of the ovoid member 10 by a relatively simple and inexpensive moulding operation.
• the ovoid member 10 7 endportion 14'. It should be emphasized that the inventionis in noway restricted to an a musernent device in which the generally paraboloidal end portion is precisely geometrically paraboloidal. Similarly, it is not essential that the end portion of such an element be precisely geometrically hemispheroidal.
• Variations drawings comprises "an ovoid member of resilient material, generally indicated at 10 and which is generally symmetrical about'its longitudinal axis as indicated at A-A in FIG. 2.- The ovoid member 10 has a substantially circular transverse configuration at eachand every position along its longitudinal axis A-A.
• the generally paraboloidal end portion 15 of the ovoid member 10 is formed so as to be substantially solid whereas the generally hemispheroidal end portion 14 is formed as a hollow hemispheroidal shell 16 bounded by a hemispherical outer surface 17 and a concentric hemispherical inner surface 18, the inner surface 18 of the hemispheroidal shell 16 defining a hemispheroidal chamber or compartment 19 within the member l0.ln the particular member 10 shown in the accompanying drawings, the chamber 19 extends a short distance into the generally paraboloidal end portion 15.
• the ovoid member can be manufactured by any suitable method and will generally be formed by moulding a resilient material such as an elastomer which, if desired, may be foamed.
• a resilient material such as an elastomer which, if desired, may be foamed.
• the element 10 will be formed in two separate parts which can be bonded together, for example by the use of a suitable adhesive.
• the member 10 could, for example, be divided about its maximum diameter l1, 12 with the generally hollow hemispheroidal end portion 14 being formed separately from the solid generally paraboloidal end portion 15. Since such a manufacturing procedure would, however, require the use of two different moulds, it could well be advantageous to divide the member 10 longitudinally into two identical halves. Such halves could then be manufactured using a single mould and could be assembled, for example, by means of an adhesive as indicated by the seam shown in the.
• the ovoid member 10 constituting an amusement device in accordance with this invention may be used in many ways in which its unpredictable behavior will be exhibited. It may, for example, be rolled by hand over any suitable playing surface or it may be used as a puck and hit over the playing surface by players using hockey sticks or similar equipment. During its movement, the behavior of the member or puck 10 will be very unpredictable due to the hereinbefore described spaced apart positions of the three centers T, G and L. For example, when rolling along a surface, the member 10 may flip end over end when its velocity is sufficiently high or it may roll about its longitudinal axis at lower velocities.
• the longitudinal axis A-A will normally be inclined relative to the horizontal during such rolling and the member 10 will, therefore, move across the surface along a curved path, the radius of which will vary in accordance with the speed of the member.
• the rebound behavior of the member 10 will be equally unpredictable depending on the speed at which it hits a surface, on the position on the element at which it hits the surface and on the angle of incidence. Furthermore, the behavior of the member 10 may be affected by differences in the resilience of its generally hemispheroidal end portion 14 and its generally paraboloidal end portion 15, such difference being caused by the hollow structure of the former and the generally solid construction of the latter. On the other hand, the material from which the member 10 is formed and the structure of the shell 16 may be such that the two end portions have more or less the same rebound resilience.
• An amusement device comprising an ovoid member formed of a resilient elastomeric material and having a major longitudinal axis around which said position therealon said ovoid member having a maximum transverse iameter at a position longr udinally displaced from the geometric center of said longitudinal axis forming a generally hemispheroidal portion therein comprising a generally hemispheroidal shell defined by concentric inner and outer generally hemispherical surfaces defining a hemispherical chamber and a generally solid paraboloidal portion having its base on said maximum transverse diameter the opposite axial side thereof, so that the center of gravity of said ovoid member is located at a fixed point on said major longitudinal axis and spaced apart between said geometric center of said longitudinal axis and the center of said maximum transverse diameter.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Abstract

Description

Claims (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25666505

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (11)

Citations (3)

• 1970
  • 1970-07-27 CA CA896689A patent/CA896689A/en not_active Expired
  • 1970-07-30 US US00059566A patent/US3712627A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (3)

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