Pool cue with graphic display

Abstract

Disclosed, in general, is a cue stick that is defined by: a shaft; a butt; and a joint that holds the shaft and butt together. In one embodiment, the butt features a window, an internal reservoir filled with a fluid, an external image, and internal image; and wherein rotating the stick moves the fluid inside of the internal reservoir so that the internal image is viewable via the window.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Prov. Pat. Ser. No. 61/904,044 (filed Nov. 14, 2013) entitled “Pool cue with graphic display” and that document is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This application is in the field of pool cue sticks and related methods.

2.Background of the Invention

A cue stick is a tapered stick used in the sports of pool, snooker, and billiards to strike a cue ball. Cue sticks vary in length and weight. For pool, the sticks are typically about fifty-nine inches long and weigh between eighteen and twenty-one ounces. Longer and lighter sticks are preferable for snooker while shorter and lighter sticks are preferred for billiards.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a typical cue stick 1000. As shown, a cue stick 1000 is generally defined by three parts: (1) a shaft 1100; (2) a butt 1200; and (3) a joint 1300 that holds the shaft 1100 and butt 1200 together. The shaft 1100 features a tip 1110 at one end that is held in place by a ferrule 1120 (usually three-quarters of an inch to one inch long). The other end of the shaft 1100 is usually joined to the butt 1200 via the joint 1300. In most cases, the joint 1300 is defined by bolt-threaded male and female connections on either piece (not seen in FIG. 1). It should be noted that one-piece cue sticks (not shown) exist and are defined by a unitary shaft 1100 and butt 1200, i.e., without a joint 1300. Finally, the butt 1200 is defined by a forearm 1210, a grip 1220, a sleeve 1230, a butt cap 1240, and a bumper 1250 on its end. When assembled, the cue stick 1000 preferably has a uniform and conical taper, which means the diameter of the stick 1000 decreases evenly from the butt cap 1240 to the tip 1110. Most tip 1110 diameters are in the range of twelve and three quarter millimeters to thirteen and one quarter millimeters.

Although useful for striking a cue ball in the sports of pool, snooker or billiards, known pool cue sticks are not too useful for non-sport activities or purposes. For instance, cue sticks are often displayed at billiard halls or bars and, despite some sticks having embellishments on their surface, the sticks cannot be used for advertising or entertainment purposes. Thus, a need exists for cue sticks for non-sport uses, including advertising and entertainment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this disclosure to describe cue sticks including with uses for advertising and entertainment. In a preferred embodiment, the cue stick is defined by: a shaft; a butt; and a joint that holds the shaft and butt together; wherein the butt features a window, an internal reservoir filled with a fluid, an external image, and internal image; and wherein rotating the stick moves the fluid inside of the internal reservoir so that the internal image is viewable via the window whereby the external image and internal image can be viewed simultaneously. Suitably, the external image, internal image, or the combined internal and external image may be a logo or advertisement of any product (for example or advertising for alcoholic products). In a preferred embodiment, the external image is a female and the window is in the form of a bathing suit and the internal image is the female's torso. In the preferred embodiment, viewing the fluid through the window gives the appearance of the female wearing a bathing suit, but moving the fluid reveals the internal image so that the female appears nude.

Other objectives and desires may become apparent to one of skill in the art after reading the below disclosure and viewing the associated figures. Also, these and other embodiments will become apparent from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The manner in which these objectives and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art cue stick 2000;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an improved cue stick 2000;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 6 is another side view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 7 is yet another side view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 8 is a fourth side view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 9 is an environmental view of the stick 2000;

FIG. 10 is a zoom-in view of the butt 2200 of the stick 2000;

FIG. 11 is a side-by-side external and cross-section view of a zoom-in of the butt 2200 of the stick 2000; and,

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the stick.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended figures illustrate only typical embodiments of the disclosed assemblies, and therefore, are not to be considered limiting of their scope, for the disclosed assemblies may admit to other equally effective embodiments that will be appreciated by those reasonably skilled in the relevant arts. Also, figures are not necessarily made to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS

Disclosed, in general, is a cue stick that is defined by: a shaft; a butt; and a joint that holds the shaft and butt together. In one embodiment, the butt features a window, an internal reservoir filled with a fluid, an external image, and internal image; and wherein rotating the stick moves the fluid inside of the internal reservoir so that the internal image is viewable via the window. The more specific details of the disclosed stick are described in connection with the figures.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an improved cue stick 2000. FIGS. 3 through 8 are respectively top, bottom, side, side, side, and side views of the stick 2000. As shown in these figures, the depicted cue stick 2000 is generally defined by three parts: (1) a shaft 2100; (2) a butt 2200; and (3) a joint 2300 that holds the shaft 2100 and butt 2200 together. The shaft 2100 features a tip 2110 at one end that is held in place by a ferrule 2120 (usually three-quarters of an inch to one inch long). The other end of the shaft 2100 is usually joined to the butt 2200 via the joint 2300. In most cases, the joint 2300 is defined by bolt-threaded male and female connections on either piece (see FIG. 9). It should be noted that the joint 2300 is suitably an optional feature so that the butt 2200 and shaft 2100 may be constructed as a single unit without departing from the spirit and intent of this disclosure. Finally, the butt 2200 is defined by a forearm 2210, a grip 2220, a sleeve 2230, a butt cap 2240, and a bumper 2250 on its end. When assembled, the cue stick 2000 preferably has a uniform and conical taper, which means the diameter of the stick 2000 decreases evenly from the butt cap to the tip 2110. Most tip 2110 diameters are in the range of twelve and three quarter millimeters to thirteen and one quarter millimeters.

Still referring to the figures, the cue stick's 2000 shaft 2100 may be made of hard woods, like rock maple, or durable materials such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, aluminum and the like. The tips 2110 may be typically made of leather and screwed or glued into the ferrule 2120. Usually, the stick 2000 has a fiberglass or phenolic resin ferrule 2120. However, ivory, brass, carbon fiber, or plastics (like melamine resin) can also be used. The joints 2300 may be made of metals, like brass or stainless steel. The butt 2200 could be made of exotic material, like cocobolo wood, ebony or ivory. Many materials are suitably for the forearm 2210, grip 2220, sleeve 2230, and butt cap 2240 such as linens, leathers, fiberglass/graphite, or nylon. Finally, the bumper 2250 can be constructed of leather or rubber.

A cue stick 2000 typically weighs between seventeen and twenty-one ounces. Nineteen ounces is the most preferable weight for a cue stick 2000. The bulk of the weight of the stick 2000 is distributed in the butt 2200.

FIG. 10 is a side-by-side zoom-in of an the sleeve 2230. As alluded to above, the butt 2200 contains a fluid filled reservoir (not shown) behind a window 2231. In the depicted embodiment, the butt 2200 also contains and external image 2232. In one side, the image 2231 appears to be a female clothed in a bathing suit. In the other side, the female appears nude. Suitably, the window 2231 is in the shape of the woman's bathing suit and, when the fluid in the reservoir (not shown) is visible through the window 2231, the female appears clothed. The reservoir (not shown) also features an image in the shape of a woman's nude torso so that, when the fluid is not visible through the window 2231, the woman appears nude. This feature of the cue stick is described in further detail below.

FIG. 12 is a zoom in section of the butt 2200 of a cue stick 2000. FIG. 12 is also a cross section of the butt 2200 along the sleeve 2230. As shown in FIG. 12, the butt 2200 features an internal reservoir 3000 that contains a colored fluid 3100. The sleeve 2230 around the butt 2200 features a window 2231 into the reservoir 3000. When the butt 2200 is held upright, the colored fluid 3100 may be seen through the window 2231. In one embodiment, the view of the colored fluid 3100 through the window 2231 completes an image 2232 on the sleeve 2230. As shown, the image 2232 is a female and the colored fluid 3100 appears as the female's bathing suit. However, when the butt 2200 is turned sideways or upside-down the colored fluid 3100 flows away from the window and an image 3200 on the inside wall of the reservoir 3000 can be observed through the window 2231. In one instance, the revealed image 3200 can have the visual effect of completing the image 2232 on the sleeve 2230. As shown, the image 2232 is still the female and the revealed image 3200 appears as the female's nude torso.

FIG. 12 shows the process of turning the cue stick 2000 upside down. The figure shows an external view and cross-section view of the cue stick 2000 during the process. In the first step, the cue stick 2000 is held upright. As seen externally, the fluid 3100 inside of the reservoir 3000 appears externally as a females swim suit. Internally, the colored fluid covers over an image of the only the female's torso (shown in white broken lines behind the fluid). Next, the cue stick may be rotated sideways. Internally, the fluid 3100 flows away from the image of the female's torso. Externally, the female appears in the nude because the internal image of the torso can be viewed through the window 2231. Finally, when turned upside down, the fluid is still pooled away from the internal image so that the nude female is observed externally.

Although the images discussed in connection with the disclosed cue stick 2000 depict nude females, any other image can be used on the inside and outside of the sleeve 2230. For instance, the inside can be used to advertise alcoholic beverages and the like. Additionally, the effects caused by the moving fluid could be used in any manner for accomplishing a visual effect via blocking and unblocking the view through the window.

Other features will be understood with reference to the drawings. While various embodiments of the method and apparatus have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not of limitation. Likewise, the various diagrams might depict an example of an architectural or other configuration for the disclosed method and apparatus, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that might be included in the method and apparatus. The disclosed method and apparatus is not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations, but the desired features might be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Indeed, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art how to alternative functional, logical or physical partitioning and configurations might be implemented to implement the desired features of the disclosed method and apparatus. Also, a multitude of different constituent module names other than those depicted herein might be applied to the various partitions. Additionally, with regard to flow diagrams, operational descriptions and method claims, the order in which the steps are presented herein shall not mandate that various embodiments be implemented to perform the recited functionality in the same order unless the context dictates otherwise.

Although the method and apparatus is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described, but instead might be applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of the other embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the above-described embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open-ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like, the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof, the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more,” or the like, and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that might be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases might be absent. The use of the term “module” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, might be combined in a single package or separately maintained and might further be distributed across multiple locations.

Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives might be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.

Claims

1. A cue stick defined by:

a shaft;

a butt;

a joint that holds the shaft and butt together;

wherein the butt features a window, an internal reservoir filled with a fluid, an external image, an internal image; and

wherein rotating the stick moves the fluid inside of the internal reservoir so that the internal image is viewable via the window.

2. The stick of claim 1 wherein the external image is a female and the window is in the form of a bathing suit and the internal image is the female's torso.

3. The stick of claim 2 wherein viewing the fluid through the window gives the appearance of the female wearing a bathing suit, but moving the fluid reveals the internal image so that the female appears nude.

4. A method of advertising comprising the steps of:

obtaining a cue stick is defined by: a shaft; a butt; a joint that holds the shaft and butt together; wherein the butt features a window, an internal reservoir filled with a fluid, an external image, and internal image; wherein the external image, internal image, or a combination of the internal and external images are an advertisement; and,

publically rotating the stick to move the fluid inside of the internal reservoir so that the internal image is viewable via the window whereby the external image and internal image can be viewed simultaneously.