Ball lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724570-B2
Application number	US-201414210662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 9, 2012
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An American style football including an inflatable bladder, a cover surrounding the bladder, a battery carried by the football, and a light emitter. The light emitter is carried by the football and is electrically connected to the battery. At least a portion of the cover transmits light from the light emitter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An American style football comprising:
an inflatable bladder;
a cover surrounding the bladder, the cover including a translucent portion and a second translucent portion, the second translucent portion being different than the first translucent portion;
a battery carried by the football;
a light emitter carried by the football and electrically connected to the battery; and
a second light emitter carried by the football and electrically connected to the battery;
a sensor; and
a controller operably connected to the light emitter, the second light emitter and the sensor, the controller configured to:
(A) determine, based on signals from the sensor, a number of rotations of the football per unit time about an axis of the football;
(B) in response to determining the number of rotations, independently actuating the light emitter, wherein the light emitter transmits light through the translucent portion of the cover indicating a first type of information associated with the number of rotations; and
(C) independently actuate the second light emitter, wherein the second light emitter transmits light through the second translucent portion of the cover indicating a second type of information, wherein the second type of information is different from the first type of information.

2. The football of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises laces through which light from the light emitter is transmitted, wherein portions of the cover surrounding the laces block light.

3. The football of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises panels through which light from the light emitter is transmitted.

4. The football of claim 3 , wherein the cover comprises a pair of stripes partially encircling an axis of the football, wherein the stripes comprise panel portions through which light is transmitted differently from remaining portions of the cover.

5. The football of claim 1 , wherein the light emitter emits light from within the bladder and wherein at least portions of the bladder are at least translucent.

6. The football of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a stylized portion through which light from the light emitter is transmittable.

7. The football claim 6 , wherein the stylized portion comprises an alphanumeric symbol.

8. The football of claim 1 , wherein the light emitter is configured to emit different colors of light.

9. The football of claim 1 , wherein the bladder comprises a pocket receiving the light emitter.

10. The football of claim 1 , wherein the controller actuates the light emitter to emit a first color of light in response to a first sensed rotation of the football and to emit a second color light in response to a second sensed rotation of the football.

11. The football of claim 1 , wherein the controller actuates the light emitter to emit a first brightness of light in response to a first sensed rotation of the football and to emit a second brightness of light in response to a second sensed rotation of the football.

12. The football of claim 1 , wherein the controller actuates the light emitter to emit flashes of light at a first frequency in response to a first sensed rotation of the football and to emit flashes of light at a second frequency in response to a second sensed rotation of the football.

13. The football of claim 1 , further comprising a sound emitting device, wherein the controller actuates the sound emitting device based upon sensed rotation of the football.

14. The football of claim 13 , wherein the controller actuates the sound emitting device to emit a first sound in response to a first sensed rotation of the football and to emit a second sound in response to a second sensed rotation of the football.

Assignees

• Wilson Sporting Goods

Inventors

• Krysiak Kevin L
• Kearney Rayna L S
• Thurman Robert T
• Gaff Bradley L

Classifications

• A63B2243/0066

  Rugby; American football · CPC title

• G09B19/0038

  Sports · CPC title

• A63B2220/56

  Pressure · CPC title

• A63B2220/62

  Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal · CPC title

• A63B43/00

  Balls with special arrangements · CPC title