CN101262912A

CN101262912A - A snooker, pool or billiards ball rack

Info

Publication number: CN101262912A
Application number: CNA2006800336266A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 罗伯特·安德鲁·科罗斯比
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-07-21
Filing date: 2006-07-20
Publication date: 2008-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2026-07-20
Also published as: CA2646219A1; EP1919576A4; WO2007009188A1; CN101262912B; EP1919576A1; US20090029787A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device such as a snooker, pool or billiards ball rack for setting such balls in a formation for play. The device comprises a frame for receiving said balls and positioning the balls in formation. A display member is also provided which has indicia provided thereon and which is mountable to the frame to display said indicia. The indicia is typically in the form of commercial advertising indicia and/or corporate trade marks and/or logos, but may also convey a variety of information to the players and/or spectators of the game of snooker, pool or billiards.

Description

The ball-collecting rack of English billiards, American billiard ball or billiard ball

The cross reference of related application

The application requires the priority of No. the 2005903892nd, the Australian temporary patent application submitted on July 21st, 2005, by reference its content is incorporated into herein.

Technical field

The present invention relates to the ball-collecting rack (ball rack) of English billiards (snooker), American billiard ball (pool) or billiard ball (billiards), it is used for form that this type of ball is arranged to play.Particularly, the present invention relates to be used for arrangements such as English billiards, American billiard ball or billiard ball and be arranged to the device of game form, described device has the instrument that serves as the advertizing media that is used to show information, and/or has and make the user can clean the cleaning member on table for game surface.

Background technology

In numerous public places of entertainment such as auditorium, club, hotel, inn etc., ball game as billiard ball, American billiard ball and English billiards is popular deeply, and a kind of device is provided, and sponsor and/or member can compete in controlled and organized mode each other by this device.As a rule, such gaming organization can be become contest etc., this class contest, is initiated or patronage with other shop that game station is provided to restaurant/club as the supplier of beverage supply merchant or manufacturer or Related product by individual or company.

Before beginning English billiards, American billiard ball or game of billiards, at first must and be arranged to suitable layout with the ball arrangement, this depends on the type of ongoing recreation usually.For the American game of billiards of most of forms, use 15 balls, and before beginning recreation, ball is arranged and be arranged to leg-of-mutton layout, in this layout, there are five balls to form the triangular base of arranging with the end parts parallel of American billiard table.For other recreation,, diamond shape is arranged and be arranged to 9 balls as 9 balls.Usually, employed nodule number and concrete game rule are depended in the arrangement of ball.

In before the recreation beginning, arranging and be provided with ball in position, ball to be inserted in the ball-collecting rack, ball-collecting rack (rack) is configured to certain shape with ball, and guarantees that ball forms the close arrangement that all balls all contact adjacent ball.Ball-collecting rack adopts recreation to carry out the intended shape of ball before usually, that is, ball is being arranged and be arranged in the recreation of triangular layout, and ball-collecting rack generally adopts leg-of-mutton form.

Generally speaking, ball-collecting rack all is an important equipment for any billiard ball, American billiard ball or English billiards recreation, and removes ball-collecting rack from ball and generally mean recreation.Therefore, in carrying out most of places of this type of recreation, each table for game is furnished with ball-collecting rack with it usually.

During recreation such as English billiards, American billiard ball, billiard ball, from the dust at club tip together with from the ashes of cigarette and general aerial dust, may accumulate on the surface of desk, thereby produce unbecoming and irregular surface, this can influence the rolling of ball and the life-span on surface.Can easily be cleaned and be prepared as required in order to ensure the surface, generally can be provided at the brush of playing before and during playing, cleaning desk sometimes.Because recreation is being carried out such as enterable places of the public such as restaurant, auditorium or clubs usually, so brush often lost, steals or misapplied usually, thereby has hindered them to fulfil its function.

The object of the invention is to provide ball-collecting rack, and described ball-collecting rack serves as the arrangement of ball at least and instrument is set, and it can also hold and hold (host) easily as required and the information and the advertising information that change, and/or it provides the instrument of cleaning desk.

To any discussion of the file that comprises in this specification, decree, material, device, article etc. only for the purpose that background of the present invention is provided.Should not think that these contents of admitting any or all have formed part prior art basis, or in field related to the present invention common general knowledge because it existed before the priority date of every claim of the application.

Summary of the invention

In whole specification, speech " comprises (comprise) " or such as the version of " comprising (comprises) " or " comprising (comprising) " etc., be interpreted as meaning and comprise described member, integral body or step or one group of member, integral body or step, but do not get rid of any other member, integral body or step or one group of member, integral body or step.

According to first aspect, the present invention is the device that is used to arrange ball of American billiard ball, English billiards or billiard ball etc., and described device comprises:

Be used to hold the framework of described ball; With

Display unit, it is provided with mark, and can be installed to described framework to show described mark.

In one embodiment, described framework is being essentially triangle in shape.In this, described framework can comprise at least one wall components, and described wall components is arranged to the cavity that is formed for holding ball and ball is arranged in appropriate format.In one form, described wall components or each wall components have inner surface and outer surface at least.

Described display unit can be the flexible material of strips with the advertisement marking, house mark, sign etc.Described flexible material can be to use cardboard, paper or the similar material of mark in the above by for example printing.

Described display unit can be releasably attached to the described outer surface of the described wall of described framework, makes its (conform to) its shape of fitting.In one form, described display unit is arranged to the extension on every side at some or all circumferences of described framework.In another form, described display unit is arranged to extend along described frame facet.

Covering can be arranged on the described display unit and extend.Described covering can be used to described display unit is fixed against the upstanding portion of described framework.Described covering can be arranged to the wall engagement with described framework.In this, groove can be arranged on the bottom of described framework, is used for holding described obducent edge.Can make described groove form certain shape and recessed, be contained in wherein described obducent edge with clamping, thereby the relative firm connection of described covering with described framework is provided.

In another embodiment, described obducent top edge can be provided with boundary member (rimportion), and described boundary member forms certain shape, with the top edge of the upstanding wall that holds described framework.In this, described boundary member can form certain shape, on the top edge with the described wall that is assemblied in described framework, thereby described covering is remained in the position of expectation.

Described covering can by such as polymethyl methacrylate (polymethylmethacrylate) (PMMA or ) transparent plastic material make.Described covering can easily break away from removing and replacing with convenient described display unit from described framework.

In another embodiment, described display unit can be the intermediate plate form.Described intermediate plate can be arranged to match with at least a portion of described framework, to be fixed on the described framework.In one form, described intermediate plate can be configured to hold the bar shaped flexible material, and flexible material has AD tagged, as house mark, sign etc.In another form, described intermediate plate can be arranged such that described AD tagged and its formation integral body.

On the other hand, the present invention is the device that is used to arrange the ball of American billiard ball, English billiards or billiard ball, and described device comprises:

Be used to hold the framework of described ball; With

Cleaning member, described cleaning member can be connected at least a portion of described framework.

In an embodiment in this respect of the present invention, described framework can be triangle in shape.

Described cleaning member can comprise brush device or wiper member.Described cleaning member generally is used for from the English billiards table or American billiard table brushes away or dusting off or dirt.

Described cleaning member is detachably connected to described at least a portion of triangular framing.In this embodiment, described triangular framing side can comprise the storing apparatus that holds described cleaning member.

Described storing apparatus can comprise relative to each other elongated slideway (runner) or a series of elongated slideway of parallel spaced apart.Described slideway can mesh with the corresponding groove of described cleaning member.Described cleaning member can slide on the slideway of delta-shaped members, and slides along the slideway of delta-shaped members.Other devices that described cleaning member is linked to each other with described triangular framing have also been imagined.

In case described cleaning member slides on the slideway of triangular framing, described cleaning member can be locked in the suitable position by locking device.

Described cleaning member can be fixed on the described triangular framing.

When being fixed to described triangular framing, described cleaning member can extend to second end from first end of a side of triangular framing.

In addition, at least a portion of described cleaning member can be extended out first end and second end of a described side of triangular framing.At described cleaning member is in the embodiment of brush, extensible first end and second end of exceeding of the bristle of this brush, and angled with respect to a side of triangular framing.This embodiment can make the user can be from the edge of English billiards table or American billiard table or below the rubber of may the accumulating dust of the side of desk, velveteen and other chips or other mats brush fall refuse.

Described cleaning member also can comprise wiper member, and wherein said wiper member can comprise the back portion that can link to each other with triangular framing.Described wiper member also can comprise the skirt shape part of extending from described back portion.Described wiper member can be made by suitable plastic material.

In one embodiment, described wiper member can be made by pliable and tough relatively material.Alternatively, described wiper member can be made by the material of relative stiffness.When scraping is difficult to when desk is removed refuse, the embodiment of back may be useful especially.

According to another aspect, the present invention is the device that is used to arrange the ball of American billiard ball, English billiards or billiard ball, and described device comprises:

Be used to hold the framework of described ball;

Display unit, it can be installed to the first of described framework, with show tags; With

Cleaning member, it is connected to the second portion of described framework.

In the embodiment in this regard, described framework can be triangle in shape.In this, first and second parts of described framework can be and/or two sides of triangular framing.

In this regard, described framework, display unit and/or cleaning member can have as previous with reference to described these the whole features of other aspects of the present invention.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the front perspective view of the embodiment of ball-collecting rack of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the decomposition diagram of a part of the ball-collecting rack of Fig. 1, and it illustrates the mode that insert links to each other with ball-collecting rack;

Fig. 3 A is the front perspective view of the replacement embodiment of ball-collecting rack of the present invention;

Fig. 3 B is the side cross-sectional view of the ball-collecting rack of Fig. 3 A along section A-A;

Fig. 4 is the perspective view of another embodiment of ball-collecting rack of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is the perspective view of the another embodiment of ball-collecting rack of the present invention; With

Fig. 6 is the decomposition diagram in cross section of the ball-collecting rack of Fig. 3.

The specific embodiment

Device of the present invention is shown as 10 in the accompanying drawings usually.Although describe the present invention about triangle ball-collecting rack 10, the shape that those skilled in the art will appreciate that ball-collecting rack 10 can be to use the required any desired shape of recreation of ball-collecting rack.For example, suppose that ball-collecting rack 10 is used for the recreation of 9 balls, this ball-collecting rack can be diamond shape so.

As shown in Figure 1, this device is used for the ball 2 of English billiards, American billiard ball or billiard ball being arranged and being arranged to suitable form, and comprises triangular framing 11.Triangular framing 11 defines the mid portion or the cavity 3 that open wide that holds ball 2, and the upright wall member 4 that described unlimited mid portion or cavity 3 are had inner surface 5 and outer surface 6 surrounds.Have continuous wall components 4 although framework 11 is shown as, it should be understood that in the embodiment of triangular framing 11, framework 11 can be made up of three independent wall components 4 that are arranged in triangular form.The inner surface 5 of upright wall member 4 is arranged to contact with adjacent ball 2, makes described ball be maintained in the structure relatively closely of the ball contact that each ball all is adjacent.About this respect, inner surface 5 is usually by making such as the smooth material of plastics or timber, and this has realized the sliding-contact between ball 2 and the inner surface 5, to remove ball-collecting rack 10 easily.

Flange 7 extends away from outer surface 6 from the bottom of upright wall member 4.It is whole that flange 7 and upright wall member 4 form, but it also can be individually formed, and be connected to upright wall member 4 by multiple connected mode such as adhesive or interference fit (interference fit).In this layout, when ball 2 was arranged and was arranged to suitable form before the recreation beginning, flange 7 was used for contacting desk (not shown) surface, and billiard ball, American billiard ball or English billiards recreation are carried out on this surface.

As shown in Figure 1, the outer surface 6 of ball-collecting rack 10 is arranged to support to have the display unit of insert 8 forms, insert 8 is provided with the multiple mark (indicia) such as advertising information, information etc., to show the user or the player of billiard ball, American billiard ball or English billiards recreation.In shown embodiment, insert 8 can connect along the whole circumference of the outer surface 6 of upright wall member 4 as required, perhaps can extend along a part or a side of outer surface 6.

Clearly illustrate more that as Fig. 2 described insert has the form such as the thin flexible material of paper or plastics, the shape of the outer surface 6 of its upright wall member 4 of can fitting.Can with label print or otherwise be attached to the outer surface of insert 8, with convenient insert against upright wall member 4 when as shown by arrow A direction is provided with, described mark causes the player or the user's of ball-collecting rack 10 attention easily.Insert 8 is removable, so that can replace and change described mark easily where necessary.

In this, described mark can be the form such as one or more corporate logos (logo) of beer company etc., and it can be the advertisement of product or product scope.Similarly, described mark can be presented at the sponsor of American billiard ball, English billiards or the billiard ball championship carried out on the relevant desk, thereby the insert that carries mark can easily be removed and replace, to cater to multiple different sponsor etc.In a word, insert 8 provides the space that can show that information and the player who is played easily or spectators are seen.

The mode that insert 8 is remained on appropriate location on the ball-collecting rack 10 can change.In embodiment as shown in Figure 2, retaining member or covering 9 are arranged to be placed on the insert 8, in fixing in position against the outer surface 6 of upright wall member 4 described insert.In this, groove 16 is arranged in the upper surface of flange 7, is used for holding the bottom margin of covering 9.Groove 16 is arranged on apart from the suitable distance of the outer surface 6 of upright wall member 4, to provide the space that holds insert 8 between outer surface 6 and covering 9.

Can make groove 16 form certain shape and recessed, be contained in the bottom margin of covering 9 wherein with clamping, thereby firm be connected of covering 9 with ball-collecting rack 10 is provided.For further with covering 9 fixing in position in, the top edge of covering 9 is provided with boundary member 9A, described boundary member 9A forms certain shape, with the top edge of the upright wall member 4 of holding ball-collecting rack 10.In this, boundary member 9A forms certain shape, on the top edge that is assemblied in upright wall member 4, thereby covering 9 is remained in the appropriate location on the insert 8.

Covering 9 by such as

Transparent plastic material make, this material makes it possible to easily see insert 8 by covering 9.In this, covering 9 not only is used for making insert 8 to remain in the appropriate location against the upright wall member 4 of ball-collecting rack 10, and the described insert of protection is avoided damaging between the operating period of ball-collecting rack 10.

As discussed previously, although Fig. 1 is illustrated in the insert 8 that extends around the circumference of ball-collecting rack 10, it is contemplated that described insert can only be applied to the part of ball-collecting rack 10, as one or more sides of triangular framing 11.Similarly, it should be understood that covering 9 can be fixed on the upright wall member 4 of ball-collecting rack 10, as the skilled person will recognize by means of multiple device.

Fig. 3 A and 3B illustrate the alternative configurations of the ball-collecting rack 10 of Fig. 1.In this configuration, display unit is the form of jaw member 25, and jaw member 25 is arranged on one section upright wall member 4 of framework 11 fixing, so that the lappet 26 of jaw member 25 extends at least some outer surfaces of upright wall member.

As shown, jaw member 25 has the arm 27 that can move with respect to the main body of jaw member 25, to realize being connected of jaw member 25 and upright wall member 4.In this, arm 27 is that rotor moves rotatably, so that admit the top edge of upright wall member 4, and the inner surface 5 facing to upright wall member 4 applies power in the process of so doing, thereby jaw member 25 firmly is connected in upright wall member 4.The length of arm 27 is shorter than lappet 26, so that it does not disturb the ball 2 that is placed in the ball-collecting rack 10.

The one or both ends of the lappet 26 of jaw member 25 can be opened wide, so that insert 8 can be contained in wherein as described above.Before jaw member 25 was fixed to framework 11, insert 8 can slide in the appropriate location in the lappet 26, and when needs replacing insert 8, it can easily be removed and change in an identical manner.In this, the main body of the lappet 26 of jaw member 25 by such as

Transparent plastic material make, can easily be seen when using so that being marked at of being provided with on insert 8 is positioned.

Such layout makes and to remove easily where necessary and be connected jaw member 25.For the connection of further convenient jaw member 25, the inner surface 5 of upright wall member 4 can be provided with groove or groove (not shown) therein, holding the part of arm 27, thereby in keeping jaw member 25 in position.

Can remove from jaw member 25 although insert 8 is shown as, it should be understood that also insert 8 can for good and all be connected to jaw member 25, perhaps the form with the print surface of lappet 26 forms integral body with jaw member 25.In such layout, in order to change mark, whole jaw member 25 is removed from framework 11, and with comprising that the suitable jaw member 25 of expecting mark replaces.

Shown in Fig. 4-6, ball-collecting rack 10 also can be configured to merge cleaning member 12, to help to clean and prepare the surface of table for game.In this, insert 8 or jaw member 25 can be arranged to extend along one or two side of triangular framing 11, and cleaning member 12 is connected to remaining side.

Described cleaning member can comprise the brush of describing as Fig. 4 13.Alternatively, described cleaning member can comprise as shown in Figure 5 wiper or curette 20.The effect of cleaning member 12 is to brush or wipe dust or dirt from table for game.

Cleaning member 12 can removably link to each other with a side 14 of triangular framing 11.

As shown in Figure 6, triangular framing 11 side 14 has two slideways 15 that extend to second end 18 from first end 17 of a described side 14.Cleaning member 12 (being shown as brush in Fig. 6) has substrate 19, and bristle 21 extends from substrate 19.Substrate 19 extends to far-end 23 from near-end 22, and is substantially equal to the length of a side 14 of delta-shaped members 11 on length.Substrate 19 comprises two elongated grooves 24, and when brush 13 beginnings were meshed with a described end 14, this groove 24 was aimed at the slideway 15 of a described side 14.Shown in the arrow of Fig. 6, brush can slide on the slideway 15.

When linking to each other with triangular framing 11, cleaning member 12 can extend from side 14 of triangular framing 11 and along the whole length of this side 14.

In addition, the

extensible end

17,18 that exceeds a described side 15 of triangular framing of at least a portion of cleaning member 12.As shown in Figure 6, the bristle 21 of brush 13 can extend beyond the

end

17,18 of a side 14 angularly with respect to a side 14 of triangular framing 11.This embodiment makes the user to brush refuse from the edge of English billiards table or American billiard table.

Described cleaning member also can comprise wiper member 20 as shown in Figure 5.Wiper member 20 has the back portion 30 that can link to each other with triangular framing 11.Wiper member 20 also comprises the skirt shape part 31 of extending from back portion 30.Wiper member 20 can be made by suitable plastic material, and can be made by pliable and tough relatively material.Alternatively, wiper member 20 can be made by the material of relative stiffness.

Although cleaning member 12 and framework 11 are shown as the configuration that manufactures with pairing and cooperate together, it is contemplated that, framework 11 or cleaning member 12 can obtain from " can be purchased off the shelf ", and described framework 11 or cleaning member 12 are suitable for cooperating with described " can be purchased off the shelf " product.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that and to carry out a large amount of changes and/or modification to the present invention shown in the specific embodiment, and do not break away from essence of the present invention or the scope of describing as broadly.Therefore, current embodiment all should be considered to illustrative in all respects and be nonrestrictive.

Claims

1. device that is used to arrange the ball of American billiard ball, English billiards or billiard ball, described device comprises:

Be used to hold the framework of described ball; With

2. device according to claim 1, wherein said framework comprises at least one wall components, described at least one wall components is arranged to form the cavity that holds described ball.

3. device according to claim 2, wherein said at least one wall components has inner surface and outer surface at least.

4. device according to claim 3, wherein said display unit are removably installed in the described outer surface of described at least one wall components.

5. device according to claim 4, wherein said display unit are the main bodys with commercial advertisement mark and/or house mark and/or sign.

6. device according to claim 5, wherein said main body is made by the flexible material of the described outer surface of described at least one wall components that is suitable for fitting.

7. device according to claim 6, wherein said flexible material is extended around at least a portion of described framework.

8. device according to claim 6, wherein said flexible material are cardboard, paper or the similar materials of the described mark of top application.

9. according to claim 7 or the described device of claim 8, wherein retaining member is configured to extend on described display unit at least in part.

10. during device according to claim 9, wherein said retaining member keep in position against the described outer surface of described at least one wall components described display unit in fact.

11. device according to claim 10, wherein said retaining member and the engagement of described at least one wall components are in keeping in position against the described outer surface of described at least one wall components described display unit in fact.

12. device according to claim 11, wherein said retaining member can break away from removing and/or replacing with convenient described display unit from described at least one wall components.

13. according to each described device in the claim 9 to 12, wherein said retaining member by such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA or

) transparent plastic material make.

14. device according to claim 1, wherein said display unit are the jaw member that is removably installed at least a portion of described framework.

15. device according to claim 14, wherein said jaw member is configured to hold the main body with mark, described mark such as commercial advertisement mark and/or house mark and/or sign.

16. device according to claim 15, wherein said main body are the bar shaped flexible material.

17. device according to claim 16, wherein said flexible material are cardboard, paper or the similar material of the described mark of top application.

18. device according to claim 14, wherein said jaw member are arranged such that described mark and described jaw member are integrally provided.

19. a device that is used to arrange the ball of American billiard ball, English billiards or billiard ball, described device comprises:

Be used to hold the framework of described ball; With

20. device according to claim 19, wherein said framework comprises at least one wall components, and described at least one wall components is arranged to form the cavity that holds described ball.

21. device according to claim 20, wherein said at least one wall components has inner surface and outer surface at least.

22. device according to claim 3, wherein said cleaning member can be connected to the described outer surface of described at least one wall components.

23. according to each described device in the claim 19 to 22, wherein said cleaning member comprises brush device.

24. according to each described device in the claim 19 to 22, wherein said cleaning member comprises wiper member.

25. according to each described device in the claim 19 to 22, wherein said cleaning member comprises the combination of brush device and wiper member.

26. according to each described device in the claim 23 to 25, wherein said cleaning member removably is connected in described framework.

27. device according to claim 26, wherein said framework comprises the storing apparatus that holds described cleaning member.

28. device according to claim 27, wherein said storing apparatus comprise one or more elongated slideways, described one or more elongated slideways are configured to mesh the one or more corresponding groove that is arranged on the described cleaning member.

29. device according to claim 28, wherein said one or more corresponding grooves are held slidably by described one or more elongated slideways, so that described cleaning member is connected to described framework.

30. according to each described device in the claim 19 to 29, wherein said framework is a triangular framing, and described cleaning member extends to second end from first end of a side of described triangular framing.

31. a device that is used to arrange the ball of American billiard ball, English billiards or billiard ball, described device comprises:

Be used to hold the framework of described ball;

Cleaning member, it is connected to the second portion of described framework.