CROSS REFERENCES
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None.
GOVERNMENTAL RIGHTS
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None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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This invention relates to a device for displaying items of sports memorabilia, namely baseballs, softballs, and hockey pucks. Many persons collect sports memorabilia, which includes such items as baseballs, softballs, golf balls, hockey pucks, and the like that have sentimental or economic value. Typically, persons who collect sports memorabilia elect to prominently display the memorabilia for the viewing pleasure of themselves and others.
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Children are among those who enjoy collecting sports memorabilia. Children constitute the segment of society with the highest active participation in sporting activities, yet few of the devices in the prior art are suited to use by children due to heavy weight, high expense, and complexity of design.
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The prior art contains widely varying instances of sports memorabilia display devices; the inventions of the prior art contain nearly universal references to the use of transparent materials to protect the memorabilia. Another common feature of the prior art is the use of apertures and/or concave structures upon which spherical or disk-shaped memorabilia rests, which serves to stabilize the memorabilia from rolling out of or off the display. Still another, albeit less common, feature of the prior art is the ability to mount the display case to a wall.
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For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,110 (the “'110 patent”) discloses a baseball display case that utilizes a base secured to a transparent dome. The base in the '110 patent has a concave structure in which the bottom of the baseball rests, and the transparent dome fits snugly over the baseball to create a secure cavity in which the baseball fits. This invention utilizes both the concave structure and a transparent material for displaying sports memorabilia, yet the primary function of the transparent material is to encapsulate and protect the baseball. A further limitation of the '110 patent is the inability to mount the display case to a wall.
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U.S. Des. Pat. No. 346,520 (the “'520 patent”) discloses the ornamental design of a ball holder that utilizes apertures at the rear of the holder to stabilize the ball. This design utilizes a transparent material to cover and protect the ball and appears to be capable of wall mounting. The '520 patent requires substantial and complicated assembly to add, remove, or replace sports balls placed inside of it and is heavy enough to require substantial wall mounting equipment.
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,332 (the “'332 patent”) discloses a shelf-type display assembly for displaying sports balls that utilizes either a small concave cradle or circular aperture in the shelf that stabilizes the sports balls. This invention utilizes a transparent cover for the shelf; however, the '332 patent suffers from the same deficiencies as the '520 patent in that assembly of the device is complicated and the weight of the device requires substantial mounting means.
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U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,375 (the “'375 patent”) discloses a device for displaying sports balls where the aperture/concave structure is behind the portion of the ball being viewed rather than below such viewable portion. A transparent material between the ball and the viewer purports to protect said balls. The '375 patent requires the transparent material to be placed between the ball and the viewer to hold the ball in place. Additional deficiencies include weight and complexity of design.
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As demonstrated by the above discussion, the prior art recognizes that there are three primary features to a sports memorabilia display case. These are (1) transparency of the holding material, (2) capacity for vertical mounting, and (3) the use of apertures and/or concave structures for stability of the spherical or disk-shaped item. However, the prior art is deficient because none of the prior art discloses a combination of all three features except those that result in bulky, heavy apparatuses that require disassembly every time the sports fan wishes to change the item of sports memorabilia mounted in the apparatus. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, economical sports memorabilia display device that incorporates transparent materials, capacity for wall mounting, and an aperture or concave depression for stability of the item of sports memorabilia placed thereon.
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It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight sports memorabilia display device capable of being vertically mounted with minimal mounting means such as a pushpin.
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An additional consequence of the designs in the prior art is that none are readily amenable to use by children due to expense, complexity of design, and/or weight. In contrast, an object of the present invention is to provide a sports memorabilia display device that even children can economically and easily use and customize.
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A further consequence of the designs in the prior art is the labor and design expense of manufacturing the varying and numerous components required to assemble the display cases of the prior art. Thus, it is a further objection of the present invention to provide a sports memorabilia display device that is inexpensively manufactured using one primary material.
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The apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides a sports memorabilia display device that is transparent, that contains an aperture or concave depression that stabilizes the item of sports memorabilia mounted in the display device, that is both lightweight enough to be mounted with minimal means such as a pushpin and also capable of being inexpensively manufactured.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The apparatus of the present invention utilizes a single piece of transparent material to mount an item of sports memorabilia for visual display. The use of a simple piece of material for the construction of the device results in a lightweight display device that, by utilizing leverage over a substantial amount of surface area, can be vertically mounted with very minimal fastening requirements such as a single pushpin. The lightweight and easily mountable nature of the invention renders it especially suitable for use by children and young adults. The selection of transparent material allows the item of sports memorabilia to be effectively viewed from all angles. The display device additionally contains means for securing the item of sports memorabilia to the device. Optionally, the display device can be customized with text, graphics, or the like.
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These and other advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which, when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings, disclose the embodiments of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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FIG. 1 is a front view of the sports memorabilia display device shown having an item of sports memorabilia mounted on the device.
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FIG. 2 is also a front view of the sports memorabilia display device except the item of sports memorabilia has been removed to fully show the aperture that holds the item of sports memorabilia.
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FIG. 3 is a side view of the sports memorabilia display device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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Referring now to FIG. 1, the inventor designed a sports memorabilia display device 101 that is lightweight, vertically-mountable, and easily used by a wide population demographic, including children. Display device 101 has a substantially horizontal panel 103 and a substantially vertical panel 105. Horizontal panel 103 has a first aperture 113 for securing items of sports memorabilia. Display device 101 is secured to a wall by vertical panel 105 using, in this preferred embodiment, only a pushpin inserted through second aperture 109, although other means of securing the display device to a vertical surface are contemplated such as tape, nails, screws, non-staining compounds, and the like. Once display device 101 is mounted to a vertical wall surface, an item of sports memorabilia 111 is placed on horizontal panel 103 and is secured by first aperture 113. The weight of the item of sports memorabilia 111 creates leverage on the horizontal panel 103, which in turn minimizes the downward force gravity acting upon the entire unit and adds stability to display case 101. Optionally, display device 101 may be customized using text 115, graphics, or the like.
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More specifically, several forces dictate how an object such as display device 101 of the present invention can be mounted to a vertical surface. One force acting on both item of sports memorabilia 111 and display device 101 is gravity, which exerts a downward force. The present invention is designed to counterbalance the traditional gravitational pull using the concepts of leverage and friction such that display device 101 may be mounted with a nominal pushpin via second aperture 109. By mounting display device 101 utilizing a pushpin inserted through second aperture 109, a torque force is placed on display device 101 in an amount proportional to the mass of display device 101 and item of sports memorabilia 111. The torque force serves to redirect a portion of the force of gravity to a direction normal to the gravitational force. The torque force is also proportional to the distance of second aperture 109 from horizontal panel 103. The torque force that is placed on display device 101 is in the direction of the vertical wall surface, where the torque force increases the friction between vertical panel 105 and the vertical wall surface, thereby reducing the force of gravity actually applied to the pushpin inserted through second aperture 109. The combination of the light weight of display device 101 and the length of both vertical panel 105 and horizontal panel 103 generate sufficient leverage to otherwise support the full weight of an item of sports memorabilia using only a pushpin inserted through second aperture 109.
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Optionally, a concave depression 201 can be used in place of first aperture 113 as the means of securing item of sports memorabilia 111 from rolling off horizontal panel 103.
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While the inventor has described above what he believes to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention, persons having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other and additional changes may be made in conformance with the spirit of the invention and the inventor intends to claim all such changes as may fall within the scope of the invention.
