Amusement devices: games – Surface projectile game; game element – Disk or ring games
Patent
1988-04-27
1990-11-06
Brown, Theatrice
Amusement devices: games
Surface projectile game; game element
Disk or ring games
A63B 6700
Patent
active
049680366
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention is directed to an ice hockey puck with a flat cylindrical body made of rubber-elastic material.
The known ice hockey pucks have the disadvantage, due to their small size and the high speed with which they slide over the playing field, that they are often difficult to see by spectators and players alike. It is often not possible for spectators to follow the play, especially in poor lighting conditions and in film and television transmissions, because the ice hockey puck is not, or is only very insufficiently visible.
An object of the present invention is to provide an ice hockey puck that is easier to see by players as well as spectators.
This object is achieved by the present invention with a puck that is provided in its centre with a recess to receive at least one light source, and light channels are arranged leading from this light source to its circumscribing surface and/or to the edges of its two lateral sufaces, the channels being filled with a highly transparent material. These light channels, running crossways or diagonally through the body of the puck, make it possible for the light source, or for the light emitted from the light channels, to be visible by the players and the spectators in every position of the puck.
To ensure that the dynamic behaviour of the ice hockey puck is not changed by the arrangement of the light channels, they are filled with a highly transparent rubber-elastic material whose elasticity or hardness is substantially equivalent to the elasticity or hardness, respectively, of the rest of the hard-rubber body of the puck.
The walls of the light channels, or the transparent material filling them, are provided with a mirroring fully reflective layer to provide better light intensity. The transparent filling in the light channels can also be coloured, so that the puck gives off a yellow, red or blue light.
The light source, together with the energy source, may be secured to one of the cover plates of the central cavity, the edge of the plate being clamped, glued or welded in place. But the light source, together with the energy source and electrical or electronic switching or control arrangement may also be in one of the cavities filled with the rubber-elastic material. This rubber elastic plug may be interchangeably placed into the puck. The energy source may be magnetically turned on and off for example by a reed switch. Suitable light sources are light-emitting diodes that are insensative to shock.
The should be at least two light channels running out from the middle in opposite directions towards the circumscribing surface. FIG. 9 in this case, the two light channels and the central cavity receiving the light source may be formed from a single, cylindrical cavity wherein the transparent material, the energy source and the electrical or electronic switching and control arrangement are embedded, forming a cylindrical body that may be press-fitted into the cylindrical cavity of the puck from one side of the puck.
To achieve maximum brightness with minimum energy use, it is advantageous to have the energy supplied to the light source in a pulsing manner, for example at a frequency of 5 Hertz. This pulsing light is especially easy to see. The pulsing energy source is composed of a battery and integrated circuits or an electrical switch, which convert the direct current supplied by the battery into a pulsing current of higher voltage.
It may also be advantageous to have not only one light source in the centre of the puck but multiple light sources, whereby each light channel is arranged with a light source, particularly a light emitting diode.
To better utilize the light source, the material filling the light channels may be formed into a body which includes a cavity in which the light source is set. Further behind each light source a reflector may be provided. In addition, the walls of the light channels or of the material filling the light channels, except for the light entry and emitting surfaces, may be covered with a luminous reflecting layer, so that, in additi
REFERENCES:
patent: 2020484 (1935-11-01), Turner
patent: 3102727 (1963-09-01), Rice
patent: 3117788 (1964-01-01), Buonanno et al.
patent: 4183536 (1980-01-01), Platt
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