RANDOM DIRECTION BOUNCER

Abstract

The present invention is a random direction bouncer including a solid sphere having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid sphere. The solid sphere has an outer surface and an inner surface. There is at least one cut-out removed from the solid sphere to define an opening corresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out opening extending from the sphere outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow. The resultant bouncer bounces in a random direction when dropped or thrown against a flat surface, instead of returning to its origin (or thereabouts).

Description

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to toy balls, and more specifically modified toy balls behaving in an unpredictable manner upon bouncing.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98

A variety of play and toy balls are known. Common among these are rubber balls, favored by children for their resiliency, relatively soft-texture, and control ability. For example, North American basketballs are typically made from butyl rubber, are reasonably rigid (when fully inflated) but soft enough for bare-hand handling, and can be dribbled in a very controlled fashion. When shot to a backboard, a rebound direction is reasonably predictable. When a basketball is bounced (as in a straight vertical drop or throw) it is expected the ball will return to its point of origin. If it is bounced at an angle, it is expected the ball's reflection angle will equal its incidence angle (assuming it is hitting a flat surface, and with reference to a normal).

Schoolyard rubber balls, approximate in size to that of North American soccer balls, are typically made of Indian rubber or a rubber of like quality. Similar to basketballs, they are reasonably rigid (when fully inflated) but soft enough for bare-hand handling, are made of a pliable rubber, and can be dribbled in a very controlled fashion. When it is bounced (as in a straight vertical drop or throw) it is expected the ball will return to its point of origin. If it is bounced at an angle, it is expected the ball's reflection angle will equal its incidence angle (again, assuming it is hitting a flat surface, and with reference to a normal).

There is a countless variety of such balls, all with similar behavior and characteristics. As such, children can become easily bored with these types of balls given their predictable behavior. Children are sometimes more entertained by unpredictable events and behaviors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one preferred embodiment, the present invention is a random direction bouncer comprising a solid sphere having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid sphere. The solid sphere has an outer surface and an inner surface. There is at least one cut-out removed from the solid sphere to define an opening corresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out opening extending from the sphere outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is a random-direction bouncer comprising a solid spheroid having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid spheroid. The solid spheroid has an outer surface and an inner surface. There is at least one cut-out removed from the solid spheroid to define an opening corresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out opening extending from the spheroid outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention is a random direction bouncer comprising a solid polyhedron having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid polyhedron. The solid polyhedron has an outer surface and an inner surface. There is at least one cut-out removed from the solid polyhedron to define an opening corresponding to the cut-out, with the cut-out opening extending from the polyhedron outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a random direction bouncer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a random direction bouncer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a random direction bouncer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded schematic view of a random direction bouncer in accordance with the present invention, showing parts removed in order to construct same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a random direction bouncer (10) generally. In a preferred embodiment, the bouncer (10) is spherical. It is possible to make random direction bouncers (10) based on other three-dimensional shapes (cubes, tetrahedrons, octahedrons, etc.), and principles disclosed herein can be adapted accordingly based on the bouncer (10) shape. In that context, as long as the bouncer is a spheroid or cuboid shaped, these principles can be used to make a modified ball with a novel characteristic described below. Spheroid means a sphere-like shape (and not necessarily an exact sphere), and cuboid means any polyhedron shape (and not necessarily an exact cube).

The preferred embodiment in FIG. 1 can be manufactured in any material, preferably in rubber (and ideally Indian rubber). Manufacture in materials other than rubber (composite materials, plastics, etc.) can make the bouncer (10) behave differently. That is, selection of manufacture material may have an impact on the random-direction bouncing characteristic of the bouncer (10), and so some materials may not be suitable (suitability can be determined by simple trial-and-error). When made in rubber or similarly pliable material, the bouncer (10) maintains a random-direction bouncing characteristic otherwise based on its physical structure only (a detailed description of which follows below). Therefore, the bouncer (10) should ideally be made from rubber or any material which behaves similar to rubber when bounced on a ground surface (not shown).

What makes the present invention novel and inventive from ordinary spherical play rubber balls (not shown) presently on the market (i.e. what is referred to above as its novel characteristic) is that when it is bounced (as in a straight vertical drop or throw) against a (flat) ground surface (not shown), it does not return directly to its originating location (or thereabouts) as is normally expected with a spherical play ball, but rather bounces off in an unpredictable, random direction. It is this unpredictability that makes this bouncer (10) a novel and fun toy for kids and adults. FIG. 2 shows a slightly rotated perspective of the bouncer (10) shown in FIG. 1.

In a preferred embodiment where the bouncer (10) is a sphere, manufacture begins with an initially solid sphere (which subsequently becomes the bouncer (10)) having a core (20). The core (20) is removed from the once solid sphere, and therefore leaves within, a defined concentric hollow. That is, the core (20) is a sphere of smaller diameter than the bouncer (10), and by removing that core (20), a sphere-shaped cavity (having a diameter equal to the core (20) diameter) concentric to the once solid sphere remains therein (i.e. within the once solid sphere). The now-hollowed sphere (henceforth bouncer (10)) has an outer surface (30) and an inner surface (40).

The preferred embodiment bouncer (10) shown in FIG. 1 has at least one cut-out (50) removed from the once solid sphere, to define an opening (60) corresponding to that cut-out (50). The cut-out (50) is literally a piece cut out of the bouncer (10), extending from the bouncer (10) outer surface (30) to the inner surface (40). The remaining opening (60) corresponds in shape and size to that cut-out (50). The cut-out opening (60) is therefore in communication with the concentric hollow. A relationship between the cut-out opening (60) and the concentric hollow is best shown in FIGS. 3 & 4.

For the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the cut-outs (50) are eight in number, and ideally tetrahedral-shape. By making the cut-outs equidistant from each other, and tetrahedral-shaped, the bouncer (10) appears as a merged (circular) x-y-z axis—that is, three circular bodies perpendicular to each other, forming an x-y-z axis configuration. Each of those three circular bodies has a uniform thickness (t) when the cut-outs (50) are eight in number, equidistant from each other, and identical to each other in size and shape. In this configuration, the bouncer (10) works particularly well for bouncing off into random directions when struck against a ground surface (not shown).

For the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the cut-outs (50) are tetrahedral shape because they start on the sphere outer surface (30) and extend radially inward (forming one vertex of the tetrahedron). However, they are not true tetrahedrons in that each has at least one convex face (as opposed to all flat triangular faces) because of the sphere's outer surface (30) shape, and because the core (20) has been removed, one vertex of each tetrahedron is somewhat cut-off. In this regard, the terms tetrahedron, tetrahedral, and the like, are used to describe the cut-outs (50) and their corresponding openings (60) only in an approximate sense. That is, the cut-outs (50) shown in FIGS. 1-5 are tetrahedron-like, but not actually perfect or exact tetrahedrons. In differing embodiments, it would be possible to vary the cut-out (50) shape without losing the random-direction bouncing effect of the modified ball, but cut-out (50) shape variation would be subject to trial-and-error.

In actual manufacture, it is more practical to first remove the cut-outs (50) from a solid sphere, and thereafter remove the core (20).

While the present invention is susceptible to embodiments in varying form, there is shown in these drawings and described herein an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. This disclosure is an exemplification and not intended to limit this invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. A person of ordinary skill in the art can adapt principles disclosed herein to modify the present invention into varying embodiments without exceeding the claims herein.

Claims

1. A random direction bouncer comprising:

a solid sphere having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid sphere, the solid sphere having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

at least one cut-out removed from the solid sphere to define an opening corresponding to said cut-out, the cut-out opening extending from the sphere outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow.

2. The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein the sphere is comprised of rubber.

3. The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein there are eight cut-outs removed from the solid sphere to define eight openings corresponding to said eight cut-outs.

4. The random direction bouncer in claim 3, wherein the cut-out openings are equidistant from each other.

5. The random direction bouncer in claim 3, wherein the cut-outs are all identical to each other in size and shape.

6. The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.

7. The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.

8. The random direction bouncer in claim 3, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.

9. The random direction bouncer in claim 4, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.

10. The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein the core removed therefrom is spherical.

11. The random direction bouncer in claim 1, wherein the outer and inner surfaces define a thickness measured therebetween.

12. The random direction bouncer in claim 11, wherein the sphere thickness is uniform throughout.

13. A random direction bouncer comprising:

a solid spheroid having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid spheroid, the solid spheroid having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

at least one cut-out removed from the solid spheroid to define an opening corresponding to said cut-out, the cut-out opening extending from the spheroid outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow.

14. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the spheroid is comprised of rubber.

15. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein there are eight cut-outs removed from the solid spheroid to define eight openings corresponding to said eight cut-outs.

16. The random direction bouncer in claim 15, wherein the cut-out openings are equidistant from each other.

17. The random direction bouncer in claim 15, wherein the cut-outs are all identical to each other in size and shape.

18. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.

19. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.

20. The random direction bouncer in claim 15, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.

21. The random direction bouncer in claim 16, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.

22. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the core removed therefrom is spheroid.

23. The random direction bouncer in claim 13, wherein the outer and inner surfaces define a thickness measured therebetween.

24. The random direction bouncer in claim 23, wherein the spheroid thickness is uniform throughout.

25. A random direction bouncer comprising:

a solid polyhedron having a core removed therefrom to define a concentric hollow within the solid polyhedron, the solid polyhedron having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

at least one cut-out removed from the solid polyhedron to define an opening corresponding to said cut-out, the cut-out opening extending from the polyhedron outer surface to the inner surface, and being in communication with the concentric hollow.

26. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the polyhedron is comprised of rubber.

27. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein there are eight cut-outs removed from the solid polyhedron to define eight openings corresponding to said eight cut-outs.

28. The random direction bouncer in claim 27, wherein the cut-out openings are equidistant from each other.

29. The random direction bouncer in claim 27, wherein the cut-outs are all identical to each other in size and shape.

30. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.

31. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the at least one cut-out opening is tetrahedral-shaped.

32. The random direction bouncer in claim 27, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.

33. The random direction bouncer in claim 28, wherein the eight cut-out openings are tetrahedral-shaped.

34. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the core removed therefrom is a polyhedron.

35. The random direction bouncer in claim 25, wherein the outer and inner surfaces define a thickness measured therebetween.

36. The random direction bouncer in claim 35, wherein the polyhedron thickness is uniform throughout.