Replaceable Inlay Pool Cues

Abstract

A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool may include a butt plate member, a butt sleeve member being detachably connected to the butt plate member, and a wrap member being detachably connected to the butt sleeve member. The detachable connection between the butt plate member and the butt sleeve member may be a threaded connection, and the detachable connection between the butt sleeve member and the wrap member may be a threaded connection. The butt plate member may include a bumper member, and the butt sleeve member may include a double female connection to provide an interchangeable sleeve member. A first ring may be positioned between the butt plate member and the butt plate sleeve member, and a second ring may be positioned between the butt plate member and the butt plate sleeve member.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the game of pool and more particularly to decorations for pool cues.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The sport of pool is an age-old one in which many different cue weights, lengths, tips and cue types have been provided.

Pool cues contain threaded connections that allow pool cue assembly and/or dis-assembly which provides considerable advantages in storage and transportability. Moreover, recreational and professional players are becoming more demanding wanting specialized pool cues for breaking, jumping and playing, and each such cue has its own comfortable feel for the player. Many pool cues utilize threaded connections to remove or add cue sections for specifically for performance enhancement and specialty shot making.

Today's cues utilize static or permanent inlay, static or permanent rings and static or permanent sleeves as decoration. However as styles change and as interests change it is impossible to change the inlay, rings and sleeves in accordance with the new interests.

SUMMARY

The present invention may include interchangeable inlay, rings and sleeves.

A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool may include a butt plate member, a butt plate sleeve member being detachably connected to the butt plate member, and a wrap member being detachably connected to the butt plate sleeve member.

The detachable connection between the butt plate member and the butt sleeve member may be a threaded connection, and the detachable connection between the butt plate sleeve member and the wrap member may be a threaded connection.

The butt plate member may include a bumper member, and the butt sleeve member may include a double female connection to provide an interchangeable sleeve member.

A first ring may be positioned between the butt plate member and the butt plate sleeve member, and a second ring may be positioned between the butt plate member and the butt plate sleeve member.

The first ring may be interchangeable, and the second ring may be interchangeable.

The pool cue may include a forearm member detachably connected to the wrap member, and the forearm member may include a cavity for a detachably connected inlay member.

The cavity may extend to an end of the forearm member, and the inlay member may slide into the cavity.

The inlay member may be held by a frictional fit in the forearm member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate the pool cue of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of another pool cue of the present invention;

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate a portion of the pool cue of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of another portion of the pool cue of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of another pool cue of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a pool cue in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may include interchangeable inlay, rings, sleeves and complete member sections as a way to change the appearance of the pool cue.

A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool may include a butt plate member which may include a bumper member, a butt sleeve member being detachably connected to the butt plate member, a wrap member being detachably connected to the butt plate sleeve member, a forearm member being detachably connected to the wrap member and a shaft member being detachably connected to the forearm member.

The detachable connection between may be a threaded connection.

The present invention allow for the interchangeable aspect to occur in the following methods:

1. Using the detachable connections, a complete member section can be changed by unthreading the connection(s) and re-threading into position a complete new piece.

2. Any individual members may be turned down in diameter either in whole or in section to form a functional tenon. On this tenon a player can slide a fitted sleeve(s) or ring(s) of a number and size allowable by the length of the tenon and the overall length of the member. These interchangeable sleeves and rings can be changed by unthreading the member from its position, removing and replacing an appropriate combination sleeves and rings which will be held into place as the individual member is re-threaded into its original position.

3. Any individual member may contain a recessed cavity at the edge of a threaded connection, where an inlay piece can be interchanged by unthreading the connection, sliding out an existing inlay piece and sliding in a new inlay. These inlay pieces are held in to the cavity by re-threading the member into position.

4. Any individual member may contain a recessed cavity where an inlay piece can be is fitted into place by a friction fit. These inlays can be interchanged by pulling out the existing inlay and re-inserting a new piece.

FIG. 1a illustrates a connected pool cue 100 and FIG. 1b illustrates an exploded view of the pool cue 100. The pool cue 100 may be generally cylindrical and may include a taper. The pool cue 100 may include a butt plate member 101 which may include a bumper member 103 at one end of the butt plate member 101. The bumper member 103 may be formed from flexible material, and the butt plate member 101 may be formed from wood such as black walnut, cherry, mahogany or other suitable material. The butt plate member 101 may include a male end member which may include an external threaded pin member 105 in order to provide a threaded detachable connection with the butt sleeve member 109. The butt sleeve member 109 may include a internal threaded central bore member 107 which may cooperate with the external threaded pin member 105 to provide a threaded detachable connection between the butt sleeve member 109 and the butt plate member 101. Other connections such as a frictional fit connection may be employed between the butt sleeve member 109 and the butt plate number 101. The butt sleeve member 109 may include a double male end member and may include a double female end member.

FIGS. 1a and 1b additionally illustrates a wrap member 115 which may be covered with a wrapping such as leather or plastic or other flexible material and may include a female end member which may include a central bore member 113. The internal threaded central bore member 113 may form a threaded detachable connection with the butt sleeve member 109 by cooperating with the external threaded pin member 111. Also a shown is forearm member 151 and shaft member 153.

FIG. 2 illustrates a pool cue portion 200 which may be the butt end of a pool cue. The pool cue portion 200 may include a butt plate member 101 which may include a bumper member 103 at one end of the butt plate member 101. The bumper member 103 may be formed from flexible material, and the butt plate member 101 may be formed from wood such as black walnut, cherry, mahogany or other suitable material. The butt plate member 101 may include a male end member which may include an external threaded pin member 105 in order to provide a threaded detachable connection with the butt sleeve member 209. The butt sleeve member 209 may include an internal threaded central bore member 107 which may cooperate with the external threaded pin member 105 to provide a threaded detachable connection between the butt sleeve member 209 and the butt plate member 101. Other connections such as a frictional fit connection may be employed between the butt sleeve member 209 and the butt plate member 101. The butt sleeve member 209 may include a double female end member. The opposing end of the butt sleeve member 209 may include a central bore member 233 for a detachable connection with the wrap member 215 which may include a male end member to cooperate with the female end member of the butt sleeve member 209. The male end member of the wrap member 215 may be a tenon member 231.

FIG. 2 additionally illustrates a wrap member 215 which may be covered with a wrapping such as leather or plastic or other flexible material. The internal threaded central bore member 113 may form a threaded detachable connection with the butt sleeve member 109 by cooperating with the external threaded pin member 111.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrates a pool cue portion 300 which may be the butt end of a pool cue. The pool cue portion 300 may include a butt plate member 101 which may include a bumper member 103 at one end of the butt plate member 101. The bumper member 103 may be formed from flexible material, and the butt plate member 101 may be formed from wood such as black walnut, cherry, mahogany or other suitable material. The butt plate member 101 may include a male end member which may include an external threaded pin member 105 in order to provide a threaded connection with the butt sleeve member 109. The butt sleeve member 109 may include an internal threaded central bore member 107 which may cooperate with the external threaded pin member 105 to provide a threaded detachable connection between the butt sleeve member 109 and the butt plate member 101. Other connections such as a frictional fit connection may be employed between the butt sleeve member 109 and the butt plate number 101. Also shown is sleeve member 110.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate that the pool cue portion 300 may include a first ring 331 which may have a central aperture 335 and may include a second ring 333 (FIG. 3b only) which may have a central aperture 335. The first ring 331 and the second ring 333 may include a beveled surface in order to provide a continuous surface. The first ring 331 and the second ring 333 may be formed from different woods or metals such as black walnut, cherry, mahogany, gold silver or other types of exotic woods or metals in order to provide a customizable cue stick. The first ring 331 and the second ring 333 are interchangeable in order to add to the customizable features of the cue stick.

FIG. 3 additionally illustrates a wrap member 115 which may be covered with a wrapping such as leather or plastic or other flexible material and may include a female end member which may include a central bore member 113. The internal threaded central bore member 113 may form a threaded detachable connection with the butt sleeve member 109 by cooperating with the external threaded pin member 111.

In addition to rings 331, 333, it may be desirable to add odd shaped inlays to a pool cue.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrates to ways to accomplish this aspect. The actual shape of the inlay can vary in accordance with the needs and desires of the pool cue player.

FIG. 4 illustrates a pool cue portion 400 which may include a forearm member 445 which may be substantially cylindrical in shape and may be made from wood, metal or plastic or other appropriate material. The forearm member 445 may include an inlay cavity member 447 formed into the forearm member 445 and may be formed to cooperate with the inlay member 448 in that the inlay member 448 maybe detachably connected or frictionally held in the inlay cavity member 447. The forearm member 445 may be a detachably connected to the joint collar member 449, and the forearm member 445 may include an internal threaded bore member 443 to cooperate with the external threaded pin member 441 which may be formed on an end of the wrap member 115. The inlay member 448 may be inserted into the cavity member 447 by sliding the inlay member 448 from the end of the forearm member 445, and the external threaded pin member 441 may be threaded into the internal threaded bore member 443 to hold the inlay member 448 in position. The inlay member 448 one may be subsequently removed and replaced. The cavity member 447 may extend to the end of the forearm member 445 which may allow the wrap member 115 to hold the inlay member 448 in position.

FIG. 5 illustrates a pool cue portion 500 which may include a removable inlay member 551 which may be detachably held in position by a friction fit with the surface of the forearm member 555 which may be defined by the inlay cavity member 553. The inlay cavity member 553 may be formed in the forearm member 555 and the inlay cavity member 553 may not extend to the end of the forearm member 555. The removable inlay member 551 may be formed from exotic woods such as black walnut, cherry, mahogany or a metal such as silver or gold or other appropriate inlays. The forearm member 555 may be detachably connected to the wrap member 115 at an end of the forearm member 555 and a joint collar member 449 may be detachably connected to the forearm member 555 at the other end of the forearm member 555. The joint collar member 449 may include a joint pin member 557 to connect the joint collar member 449 to other portions of the pool cue.

FIG. 6 illustrates a detachably connected pool cue 600 which may include a shaft portion 661 which may be detachably connected to a butt portion 663 by a first joint member 665 and a second joint member 667. FIG. 6 additionally illustrates a bumper member 603 which may be connected to a butt plate member 601 which may be connected to a butt sleeve member 609. The butt sleeve member 609 may be connected to a wrap member 615 which may be connected to a forearm member 645 which may be connected to the second joint member 667 which may be detachably connected to the first joint member 665. The first joint member 665 may be connected to the shaft member 669 which may be connected to the ferrule member 671 which may be connected to the tip member 673. FIG. 6 illustrates that the shaft member 661 may include a cavity member 653 which cooperates with a detachable inlay member 651 which may frictionally fit within the cavity member 653.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.

Claims

1. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool, comprising;

a butt plate member;

a butt sleeve member being detachably connected to the butt plate member;

a wrap member being detachably connected to the butt plate sleeve member;

a forearm member being detachably connected to the wrap member;

a shaft member being detachably connected to the forearm member.

2. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein the detachable connection between the butt plate member and the butt sleeve member is a threaded connection.

3. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein the detachable connection between the butt sleeve member and the wrap member is a threaded connection.

4. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein the butt plate member includes a bumper member.

5. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein the butt sleeve member includes a double female connection to provide an interchangeable sleeve member.

6. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein a first ring is positioned between the butt plate member and the butt plate sleeve member.

7. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 6, wherein a second ring is positioned between the butt plate member and the butt sleeve member.

8. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 6, wherein the first ring is interchangeable.

9. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 7, wherein the second ring is interchangeable.

10. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein the pool cue further includes a forearm member detachably connected to the wrap member.

11. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 10, wherein the forearm member includes a cavity for a detachably connected inlay member.

12. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 11, wherein the cavity extends to an end of the forearm member.

13. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 12, wherein the inlay member slides into the cavity.

14. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 11, wherein the inlay member is held by a frictional fit in the forearm member.

15. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 1, wherein the shaft member includes an inlay member.

16. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 15, wherein the inlay member is positioned within a cavity member formed in the shaft member.

17. A pool cue adapted to be used in the game of pool as in claim 16, wherein the inlay member is fictionally fit within the cavity member.