WO2006117813A1

WO2006117813A1 - Ball-shaped means for sport-publicity purposes and for games

Info

Publication number: WO2006117813A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000277
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franco Mariani
Original assignee: Franco Mariani
Priority date: 2005-05-03
Filing date: 2005-05-16
Publication date: 2006-11-09
Also published as: ITMI20050793A1

Abstract

Means in the shape of a large ball for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, said ball being composed of segments of thin plastic material welded together along their sides and to disks at the top amid bottom, said balls being made to roll, pressed by human energy, towards a winning-post at the end of a city route, or over a flat snow-covered surface, or by swimmers in water, or allowed to roll freely down a sloping road. In one type of execution, inside the ball is an electrical battery-driven propelling device, or some other type, remote-controlled from the outside by means of electromagnetic waves.

Description

Ball-shaped means for sport-publicity purposes and for games

The invention concerns a particular piece of equipment for sport and publicity purposes as well as for games.

The balls usually employed for sports and games may vary in size according to whether they are struck by bats or racquets, or moved about by the feet or the hands.

Dimensions vary between two extremes, from the ping-pong ball size to that for basket ball.

Subject of the present invention is a very large ball designed for creating new kinds of games and for competitive sports involving the physical and psychic ability required for causing the ball to move over ^'surfaces of a considerable size.

Such surfaces may be running tracks, sports grounds, race courses, motor- cross tracks, motor racing circuits, cross-country ski tracks, racing routes in towns, in deserts, in suitable areas of the sea or of canals, rivers and streams, lakes, up and down hilly roads, over circumscribed flat areas in general.

Subject of the invention is a ball-shaped means for competitive and noncompetitive games, also serving for commercial advertising. The above ball may be formed of segments of thin plastic material welded together along their sides and to the two disk-shaped ends, these also being of thin plastic material. One of the two disks is fitted with a short plastic valve for inflating the ball by means of a compressor.

In one type of execution the ball has eight segments, the plastic material is

P. VC, the ball is about m. 3,30 high, weighs about 30 kg and is inflated to about 0.5 atm.

In one type of execution the ball is rolled by human action over a city route towards a winning-post.

In another type of execution the ball is rolled by human action over a flat snow-covered area towards a winning-post. In another type of execution the ball is pushed towards a goal by swimmers.

In another type of execution the ball is allowed to roll freely over a downward slope, the winner being the player whose ball is the first to reach a winning-post.

In another type of execution the ball is pushed up a smooth rise, the winner being the player whose ball is the first to reach the winning-post.

In another type of execution a powered propelling device is worked by an electric battery or other means, is fitted inside the ball and operated by external antennae.

Advantageously, a certain number of power-driven balls can start off on a suitable type of track, each driver guiding his ball by means of electromagnetic waves, the winner being the driver of the ball first to arrive at the winning-post due to the driver's skill in overcoming climatic situations such as wind, or rough ground or some other adverse condition.

The invention offers evident advantages. A ball of such great size can become a source of competitive or noncompetitive sports activity, as well as offering an effective means for commercial advertising in view of the novelty of the game and the great number of the public involved.

On any ordinary piece of ground or on a straight, circular or oval sports track, which may or may not include obstacles of a natural or artificial kind, these large balls test the ability of a person, whether male or female, to be the first to pass the winning-post. Where the ball starts off on a downward slope, the winner will be the person who can best overcome obstacles or adverse climatic conditions encountered on the way towards the winning-post.

Pushing this very large ball up a rising slope will test a persons ability and physical strength in winning the race or securing a good placing.

The power-driven kind of ball can be used in a sports competition or merely as a toy for personal amusement.

The possibility of driving such balls may prove an entertaining novelty even for children. Especially compared with electrically driven toy cars, these balls will be found easier to drive and arouse far greater interest.

Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures. Fig. 1 Ball, perspective view from above, with detail showing the valve in the open position.

Fig. 2 Ball being pushed by an athlete along an oval track for competitive events, perspective.

Fig. 3 Floating balls in an area of the sea where a current is flowing, perspective.

Fig. 4 Balls being pushed by athletes up a hilly road, perspective.

Fig. 5 Balls rolling freely along a slightly downward-sloping road, perspective.

Fig_; 6 Power-driven ball with remote control, perspective, partially cut away to view the inside.

Fig. 7 Remote operating device for power-driven balls, perspective.

Fig. 8 Track for remotely operated balls, orthogonal projection.

Fig. 9 Operative positions for driving the balls, orthogonal projection.

The ball 10 (Figure 1) is made of eight segments 11-18 of PVC welded along their lateral edges 20 and, at each end, to a disk 22, also of PVC.

In the centre of the disk 22 is a valve 24 for inflating the ball by a compressor; the valve is flat so as to avoid interference with ball movement. Commercial advertising, 26 and 28, appears at a central position on the surface of the ball.

Figure 2 shows an oval track 30 for competitive sports activity, along which an athlete 32 is pushing the large ball 34, substantially similar to the ball 10, guiding it all round the track to reach the winning-post 36 in the shortest possible time.

The time taken is timed to decide which athlete wins.

Figure 3 shows a stretch of sea 40, marked off by buoys 42, in which a natural current 44 is flowing. The balls 46-51, floating on said stretch of sea,- are pushed along by the current or by swimmers 52 and 53.

The winner will be the one whose ball, moved forward by natural causes such as the current and simultaneous effect of wind, or by a swimmer pushing it, first reaches a winning-post 54 marked by suitable means. Figure 4 shows a slightly upward-sloping road 56 along which each athlete

58-60 tries to push his or her ball 62-64 to reach the winning-post 66 first.

Each ball will ha.ve to contend with any wind blowing, with the hostile nature of the ground or even with interference from balls pushed by competing athletes. The winner will be the competitor who most successfully overcomes these difficulties and is the first to reach the end of the course 66.

Figure 5 shows a slightly downward-sloping road 70 with obstacles 77-80 placed here and there, down which the balls 72-75 are rolling.

The winner will be the competitor who overcomes the effects of wind and of hindrances represented by the natural obstacles 77-80, and first passes the winning-post 82.

Figure 6 shows the inside of a ball 90 with inside it a device 92 powered by a battery or some other means, having wheels 95 and 96 workable from a distance by the antennae 94 of the device 92, by a competitor 98 seated at an operative position 100 (Figure 7) by means of an apparatus 102 with its antennae 104. By pressing the levers 106, the internal device 92 can be moved inside the ball 90 in transversal and longitudinal directions 107 and 108.

The effect of the weight of the device when moved causes the ball 90 to roll in the various directions as required. Figure 8 illustrates balls 110-113, similar to ball 90, that can be directed by the respective owners working devices 116-119 situated at the operative position 120 with ^'their antennae 122-125, so that one or other will be the first to arrive at the winning-post 130 at the end of the playing field 108.

The balls are controlled by electromagnetic waves emitted by the antennae 122-125 of the devices 116-119 operated by players taking part in the race, each seeking to hinder the movement of the other balls and overcome the obstacles 127-129.

The ball 112 is seen nearest to the winning-post 130 and is the one most likely to win the race.

Claims

1. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, characterized in that the means are ball-shaped.

2. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes as in claim 1, characterized in that the diameters of the balls are not less than the height of a person.

3. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that the balls are constructed of segments of thin plastic material, welded together along their sides and also to disks at the two ends, similarly of thin plastic material.

4. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 3, characterized in that a small valve is fitted into one of the two disks for inflating the ball by means of a compressor.

5. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 3, characterized in that each ball consists of eight of such segments.

6. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in- claim 3, characterized in that the plastic material is PVC.

7. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that the balls are about m. 3.30 in height.

8. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 2, characterized in that the balls weigh about 30 kg.

9^'. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 2, characterized in that the balls are inflated to a pressure of about 0.5 atm.

10. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that the balls are made to roll by pressure from a person along a city route towards a winning-post.

11. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising ^■ purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that the balls are made to roll by pressure from a person over a flat snow-covered surface towards a winning-post.

12. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that swimmers in water push the balls towards a goal.

13. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that the balls are allowed to roll freely along a downward- sloping road, the winner being the player whose ball first reaches a winning-post.

14. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that the balls are pushed along a smooth upward-sloping course, the winner being the player who, together with the ball, first reaches the winning-post.

15. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claim 1, characterized in that, inside the balls there is an electric battery-run means of propulsion, or some other type, operated by external antennae.

16. Means for competitive activities, for games and for advertising purposes, as in claims 1 and 5, characterized in that a certain number of power-driven balls are guided by electromagnetic waves along a track, by means of devices operated by the respective owners, the race being won by the player whose ball first reaches the winning-post, overcoming the effects of wind, rough ground or other difficulties.