TW201503930A - Support cradle for bowling balls - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support cradle (1) for bowling balls (3). Such a support cradle comprises a support surface (2) adapted to a bowling ball and carried by a frame (4). The support cradle also comprises a bottom cup (7) disposed to join the support surface substantially tightly. The support surface adopts a shape that substantially corresponds to the geometry of the spherical surface (8) of the bowling ball (3). In this connection, the support surface and the bowling ball fitted on this are disposed to form together a substantially tight joint. The support cradle also comprises a connection (9) for compressed fluid for introducing said compressed fluid through the connection in the support cradle, the compressed fluid introduced in the support cradle (1) forming a compressed-fluid cushion between the support surface and the bowling ball. In this manner, the bowling ball is allowed to turn in any direction virtually frictionless.

Description

Bowling support bracket

The present invention relates to a support bracket for a bowling ball as defined in the foregoing paragraph 1 of the patent application. Such a support bracket is conceived primarily for the grinding, polishing and cleaning of bowling balls.

When working in bowling, it should be arranged, for example, in a support mechanism that includes a bracket. Such a bracket may be constructed of a substantially flat bottom having an annular wall projecting therefrom. The wall forms a loop on which the bowling ball can sit. A problem with this type of device is that the bowling ball is essentially fixed in the bracket so that tedious work surrounds the surface of the ball.

The present invention has been made possible to develop a bracket that is particularly useful for bowling. In this regard, the invention has the features as defined in claim 1 of the scope of the patent application. Subsequent sub-items define appropriate further developments and variations of the invention which further enhance its function.

The present invention is based on the concept that a bowling ball is held in a desired stable position using a simple cup-shaped support during grinding, polishing or cleaning, and conversely, when someone wishes to rotate the ball in the desired direction, When working on all parts of the surface, the friction against the bearing surface is eliminated by lifting the ball with a compressed air buffer or fluid cushioning mechanism.

The apparatus described herein achieves several significant benefits over the prior art.

The support bracket has a very simple and economical design and it can, for example, be injection molded into a single piece.

Furthermore, the support bracket has no moving parts and it also has a very simple function.

The support brackets are small in size, light in weight and require only a small amount of space during transportation, use and storage.

Based on its inexpensive and simple construction, the support brackets are equally suitable for passive use, for example, as a package support, storage support, and as a display support for ball demonstration and display for sale purposes.

Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

1‧‧‧Support bracket

2‧‧‧ bearing surface

3‧‧‧ Bowling

4‧‧‧ box

5‧‧‧上上

6‧‧‧Outer support ring (edge)

7‧‧‧ bottom cup

8‧‧‧ surface

9‧‧‧Connect

10‧‧‧ threshold

11‧‧‧ gap

12‧‧‧ Ring

13‧‧‧ Pipes

14‧‧‧Connecting mechanism

15‧‧‧Circular brush

H‧‧‧ Height

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 shows an axial side projection of a preferred embodiment of a support bracket for a bowling ball, Figure 2 shows a cross section of the support bracket along line AA according to Figure 1 with a bowling ball placed thereon, and Figure 3 shows the axial side projection of an embodiment of a support bracket for a bowling ball with a dust evacuation connection, Figure 4 shows The support bracket along line BB according to Fig. 3 has a cross section of the bowling ball placed thereon, Fig. 5 shows the construction details with the dust evacuation duct according to detail C in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 shows the detail C of Fig. 4. Alternative construction details with a dust evacuation conduit and a brush attached thereto.

The above drawings do not show scaled support brackets for bowling balls, the sole task of which is to illustrate the construction of the preferred embodiment and the functions of the embodiments. In this regard, the components shown in the drawings and labeled with reference numerals correspond to the construction solutions presented in the following description.

A particular embodiment of the support bracket 1 for bowling of the present invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 attached thereto includes a support surface 2 which is preferably molded into a spherical band. This bearing surface is particularly suitable for receiving the bowling ball 3. The support surface is carried by frame 4, which engages the upper edge 5 of the curved surface of the support surface through the outer support ring or edge 6. On the opposite side of the spherical belt, the support bracket includes a bottom cup 7 that is configured to engage substantially tightly with the support surface to form a sealed cup in this manner.

The main concept of the support bracket 1 of the present invention is its usability in grinding, polishing and cleaning the bowling ball 3. When desired, the bowling ball is securely seated during the grinding process, allowing the ball to bear against the support surface 2 of the support bracket, and then the friction between the ball and the bearing surface will primarily prevent rotation of the bowling ball. On the other hand, if the desired action is to allow the ball to rotate, or to be able to rotate the ball during the process, the ball needs to be lifted from the support surface. This is accomplished by creating an air cushion or water buffer between the support surface 2 and the surface 8 of the bowling ball. Such air cushioning or water cushioning causes the bowling ball to lift from the support surface, thereby eliminating friction against the bearing surface and allowing the bowling ball to rotate substantially free of friction in any direction.

In order to create a compressed fluid buffer capable of lifting the bowling ball 3, for example in the form of the aforementioned air cushioning or water buffering, the compressed fluid needs to be introduced into the support bracket 1. In order to introduce the compressed fluid into the support bracket, the support bracket preferably includes a special connection 9 for compressing the fluid, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. If the support surface 2 and the bottom cup 7 collectively form a substantially uniform hemispherical surface, the connection is preferably placed in the center of the support surface or the cup formed thereby. Conversely, if the bottom cup is slightly lower than the support surface of the plastic forming spherical belt, as shown in the drawings, the joint can be placed anywhere in the lowered portion.

This connection 9 for compressing fluid is preferably provided with a mechanism for pressure control and/or flow control. Such known devices may, for example, be constructed of pumps, which may be separate electronically driven pumps or separate manually operated pumps.

The compressed fluid to be introduced into the support bracket 1 can be pressed It is composed of air and water. Compressed air is preferably used by connecting the compressed fluid connection to a stationary compressed air network. On the other hand, water is most conveniently used by connecting a compressed fluid connection to a pressurized water supply network.

In order to create said compressed fluid cushioning, the spherical strip of bearing surface 2 also takes the shape substantially corresponding to the geometry of the spherical surface 8 of the bowling ball 3. The support surface and the bowling ball mounted to the support surface will thus collectively form a substantially tight connection, and the compressed flow system introduced into the support bracket will provide the desired compression fluid cushioning between the support surface and the bowling ball.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the support bracket 1 when the upper edge 5 of the support surface 2 has an outer diameter which falls within the range of 0.6 to 0.9 times the diameter of the bowling ball 3, preferably 0.8 times the diameter of the bowling ball The system was reached.

In an embodiment, the bearing surface 2 constitutes a spherical band which should have a height H such that the length of curvature defined in the spherical band exceeds the maximum diameter of the gripping hole provided in the bowling ball 3. The purpose is to avoid air leakage when the bowl is passed through the support surface when the bowling ball is rotated.

In order to reduce the need for precise mounting, the central portion of the support surface 2, i.e., the portion to which the bottom cup 7 is attached, can be lowered relative to the average diameter of the spherical belt and the bowling ball so that the bowling ball only bears against the final support. An annular spherical belt on the surface. Such a decrease preferably falls within the range of 1 to 5 mm. In such a design, the sills 10 are thus formed between the surface of the spherical belt and the bottom cup, respectively, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The lowering of the bottom cup will result in a gap 11 between the surface of the bottom cup and the surface 8 of the bowling ball. This gap is preferably used to more efficiently distribute the compressed fluid introduced into the support bracket.

During the grinding, polishing and cleaning of the bowling ball 3, the connection 9 for the support bracket 1 for compressing the fluid is preferably connected to an existing compressed air network or water pipe. By adjusting the pressure to the appropriate level and mounting the valve body to the connecting tube, this function can be controlled as needed, for example at the bottom during the grinding process. It is also possible to use a suitable bottom pump that is connected to the compressed fluid directly connected to the support bracket. Therefore, when someone wants to spin the bowling ball, he can step on the pump or valve at any time while spinning the bowling ball as needed.

If a compressed air network is not available, a portable electronically driven air compressor can also be used, which can be operated by a suitable bottom valve mechanism to create an air cushion under the ball when the ball needs to be rotated. With the help of a pressure relief valve and compressed air, the pressure can be set as needed to allow for continuous rotation and rotation of the ball.

The water system is used, and particularly if the grinding such as wet grinding is performed, it is preferable to simultaneously provide the wetness of the surface of the bowling ball while the bowling ball is rotated.

If the bowling ball 3 is ground and compressed air is used, in particular, the air cushion is continuously maintained under the ball, and the dust is simultaneously blown from the ball. In order to reduce this inconvenience, the bracket may be provided with a ring 12 positioned outside the support surface 2. Such an embodiment is shown in Figures 3-6. This ring can be constructed as a separate part that can be easily attached to the frame of the support bracket as shown in FIG. The ring can also be naturally formed as part of a support bracket.

In addition, the ring 12 can cooperate with the frame 4 of the support surface to form a conduit 13 that surrounds and is positioned outside the support surface 2 and is looped to seal to the surface 8 of the bowling ball mounted in the support bracket. Air and dust can be emptied from the pipe by means of a dust evacuation device or a separate dust cleaner that is connected to a special connection mechanism 14 for the device. The air that normally blows dust out of the sphere in space is thus captured by the evacuation device and then filtered. The ring should be positioned close to the support surface to provide a narrow conduit. For pipes with excessive width, the depressions will unduly counteract the lift generated on the bearing surface.

The ring 12 is preferably also provided with an annular brush 15 that is suitably sealed to the surface 8 of the bowling ball 3, as shown in FIG.

The above description and the drawings referred to in this description are intended only as a description of the solution to the design of the support bracket for a bowling ball of the present invention. Therefore, the solution is not limited to the embodiments described above or the scope of the appended claims, and a plurality of variants or alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

2‧‧‧ bearing surface

3‧‧‧ Bowling

4‧‧‧ box

5‧‧‧上上

6‧‧‧Outer support ring (edge)

7‧‧‧ bottom cup

8‧‧‧ surface

9‧‧‧Connect

10‧‧‧ threshold

11‧‧‧ gap

H‧‧‧ Height

Claims (11)

A support bracket (1) for a bowling ball (3), the support bracket comprising a support surface (2) adapted to maintain a bowling ball in a stable position, the support surface being carried by a frame (4), and The support bracket further includes a connection (9) for compressing fluid for introducing the compressed fluid through the connection in the support bracket and the compressed flow system arrangement introduced to the support bracket to form the The compression fluid is cushioned between the support surface and the bowling ball so that the bowling ball can be substantially frictionlessly rotated in any direction, wherein the support bracket (1) includes a bottom cup that is configured to substantially closely engage the bearing surface (7) The support surface is molded to form a spherical band, and the spherical band of the support surface (2) adopts a shape substantially corresponding to the geometry of the spherical surface (8) of the bowling ball (3). Having the support surface and the bowling ball mounted to the support surface together to form a substantially sealed engagement, the bottom cup (7) being lowered relative to the spherical band of the support surface (2) such that the connection 9) the position is in the lowered bottom cup (7) to The Xu Bowling (3) by means of adjusting the instantaneous flow of the compressed fluid rotated. The support bracket (1) of claim 1 of the patent scope, wherein The bottom cup (7) has a substantially spherical shape, and the bottom cup (7) contained in the support bracket (1) and the support surface collectively form a substantially uniform hemisphere. The support bracket (1) of claim 1, wherein the bottom cup (7) is lowered by 1 to 5 mm with respect to the spherical belt of the support surface (2). A support bracket (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compressed fluid comprises compressed air. A support bracket (1) according to claim 4, wherein the compressed fluid connection is connected to a stationary compressed air network. The support bracket (1) of claim 1, wherein the compressed fluid comprises water. A support bracket (1) according to claim 6 wherein the compressed fluid connection is connected to a pressurized water supply network. The support bracket (1) of claim 1, wherein the support bracket (1) comprises a ring (14) configured to seal the outer side of the support surface (2) to the support bracket The surface (8) of the bowling ball (3), the ring (14) being co-located with the frame (4) of the support bracket to form an annular duct (15) surrounding the support bracket, the duct A mechanism (16) for connecting it to a dust evacuation device for extracting dust is included, which is blown out under the bowling ball (3). A support bracket (1) according to claim 8 wherein the surface (8) included in the ring (14) and facing the bowling ball (3) is The guided edge system includes an annular brush (17). A support bracket (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the ring (14) comprises a separate part of the frame (4) connected to the support bracket (1). The support bracket (1) of claim 1, wherein the spherical belt of the support surface (2) has a height (H) such that a curvature length defined in the spherical belt exceeds a length set in the bowling ball ( 3) The maximum diameter of the hole in the hole.