Games using tangible projectile – Billiards or pool – Practice device or device to aid in aiming cue or cue ball...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-18
2004-08-03
Vidovich, Gregory (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Billiards or pool
Practice device or device to aid in aiming cue or cue ball...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06769992
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the game of pool or pocket billiards. More particularly, this invention relates to assemblies, and methods which assist in the training of pool players in performance of “cut shots”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the game of pool or pocket billiards is to utilize a pool cue to propel a cue ball over a pool table's surface into contact with a pool ball, driving the pool ball forwardly into one of the pool table's pockets. When a cue ball successfully drives a pool ball into a pocket, the cue ball typically strikes the pool ball at a ball strike point prescribed by geometries of the ball and the table. Since cue balls and pool balls are typically commonly sized, having equal diameters, the ball strike point is typically located on the surface of the pool ball, and is further located a distance above the pool table's surface equal to the radius of the pool ball. The proper ball strike point is further located by a flat vertical reference plane which bisects the pool ball and which extends forwardly from the pool ball to intersect the opening of the pocket into which the pool ball is to be driven. The proper ball strike point lies within such reference plane and on the rearward side of the pool ball. The proper ball strike point remains the same regardless of whether the cue ball is to be driven in an angled cut shot or a straight “in line” shot.
Where an “in line” shot is to be performed, the pool player may cause the cue ball to properly strike the pool ball at the ball strike point by aiming a pool cue stroke so that the pool cue drives the cue ball directly toward the center of the pool ball. Accordingly, where an “in line” shot is to be performed, the profile of the pool ball itself provides a useful aiming target.
In contrast, where an angled cut shot must be performed, the profile of the pool ball ceases to provide a useful aiming target. In performing a cut shot, neither the pool ball to be struck, nor any visible feature of the pool table serves as a useful aiming target. Accordingly, in performing a pool cut shot, a pool player must undesirably aim a pool cue stroke to drive the cue ball toward a target point which is not defined by any visible structure or indicia.
The instant inventive assembly and method for cut shooting a pool ball solves or ameliorates the above described drawback or difficulty by providing assemblies and method steps which result in illumination of a concise, visible point upon the pool table's surface, such illuminated point serving as a cut shot target point.
Through repeated use of the instant inventive assembly and method, a novice pool player may become better able to perform cut shots without the provision of an illuminated cut shot target point.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major structural component of the assembly of the instant invention comprises a support frame for elevating, holding and pointing light beam emitters, preferably lasers. Preferably, the support frame comprises an enlarged base having a columnar hollow housing extending upwardly therefrom, the preferred lasers each being supported thereon in a double shear fashion by laterally opposed side walls of the columnar housing. Suitably, the upwardly extending portion of the frame may alternately comprise a single bar or post which supports the lasers in a cantilevered fashion.
The geometry explaining the function of the assembly of the instant invention is best envisioned with reference to a vertically oriented plane extending perpendicularly upwardly from a pool table's surface. Such reference plane vertically bisects a pool ball resting upon the table surface and extends forwardly from the pool ball to intersect the opening of a pocket into which a pool ball is to be driven. The frame preferably supports a ball spotting laser at an elevation above the pool table's surface and, preferably, the frame is positionable so that a rearward extension of the reference plane from the pool ball may bisect the ball spotting laser. As a result of such positioning, a ball spotting laser light beam emitted by the ball spotting laser will extend within the reference plane. Preferably, the frame is further positionable, or the ball spotting laser is pivotally positionable within the frame, so that the ball spotting laser beam may extend to and illuminate the pool ball at the ball strike point.
The laser supporting frame preferably similarly supports a table spotting laser over the table surface so that the above described reference plane similarly bisects the table spotting laser, causing a table spotting laser beam emitted by the table spotting laser to similarly extend within the reference plane. The table spotting laser preferably points downwardly and forwardly at an acute angle from vertical, and directly toward a proper cut shot target point on the table surface. The cut shot target point necessarily lies within the reference plane, and is positioned rearwardly from the resting point of the pool ball a distance equal to the diameter of the pool ball.
Provided that the frame raises the table spotting and ball spotting lasers to elevations above the pool ball, the frame may acceptably hold the table spotting laser at varying locations within the above described reference plane. For example, the frame may acceptably hold the table spotting laser at elevations above or below the ball spotting laser, the frame may acceptably positively and forwardly offset the table spotting laser away from the ball spotting laser, or the frame may acceptably negatively and rearwardly offset the table spotting laser away from the ball spotting laser. Regardless of the frame's placement of the table spotting laser within the reference plane, the following equation expresses the angular orientation of the table spotting laser in terms of the angular orientation of the ball spotting laser:
β
=
tan
-
1
(
(
b
-
r
)
tan
α
-
r
-
o
t
)
,
where &bgr; equals the acute angle between a vertical line extending through the table spotting laser and a table spotting laser beam emitted by the table spotting laser, where b equals the elevation of the ball spotting laser over the table surface, where r equals the radius of the ball, where &agr; equals the acute angle between a vertical line extending through the ball spotting laser and a ball spotting laser beam emitted by such laser, where o equals any positively forward or negatively rearward offset of the table spotting laser away from the vertical line extending through the ball spotting laser, and where t equals the elevation of the table spotting laser over the table surface. Conversely, the preferred angular orientation of the ball spotting laser may be expressed in terms of the angular orientation of the table spotting laser as follows:
α
=
tan
-
1
(
t
tan
β
+
r
+
o
b
-
r
)
,
all variables being defined as stated above. Preferably, the lateral offset o equals zero, the preferred frame holding the ball spotting and table spotting lasers in vertical alignment. Also preferably, the frame holds the ball spotting laser above the table spotting laser so that their laser beams do not cross. &agr; and &bgr;, as defined above, comprise a pair of angles which, when allowed to control the angular orientations of the ball spotting and table spotting lasers, assures illumination of the cut shot target point upon illumination of the ball strike point.
In operation of the assembly described above, and assuming that the frame rigidly holds the ball spotting and table spotting lasers in orientations as described above, the table spotting laser is turned on, and the frame is placed and positioned on the pool table's table surface so that a ball spotting laser beam emitting therefrom is directed to the ball strike point upon a pool ball resting upon the table surface. The frame is then further positioned and aligned so that ball spotting laser beam extends forwardly within the reference pl
Domulevicz Mark D.
Fetter Jeffrey L.
Aryanpour Mitra
Davis & Jack, LLC
Jack Kenneth H.
Vidovich Gregory
LandOfFree
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