Abstract:
A rack for a billiards table includes an indicator that produces an indication signal when the rack is properly positioned on a billiards table. The rack may include a device that produces a light beam. The rack may also include a diffuser or a photodetector that creates a signal when it receives a light beam. The light beam may be reflected back from an element positioned on the table or may emanate from the table.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60212,403 filed Jun. 19, 2000, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Technical Field  
           [0003]    The present invention generally relates to billiards equipment and, more particularly, to a billiards table and ball rack that provide an indication signal when the ball rack is perfectly positioned on the table. Specifically, the present invention relates to a billiards ball rack and billiards table with a pair of light mounted on one of the rack and table to provide an indication signal when the rack is perfectly positioned on the table.  
           [0004]    2. Background Information  
           [0005]    Most billiards games require the billiards balls to be racked at one side of the table. A rack is typically a grouping of balls in a triangle or diamond shape that is square to the table with the lead ball positioned directly over the foot spot. In the past, the rack was positioned and aligned by hand based on the judgment of the person racking the balls. The art thus desires a device that tells the person racking the balls when the rack is perfectly aligned with the table.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides a device that creates an indication signal when the rack is perfectly positioned on a billiards table. The indication signal may be visual or audio and may emanate from the rack or the table.  
           [0007]    In one embodiment, the invention does not require the billiards table to be modified. In another embodiment, the invention provides an indicator for a rack that uses light beams to align the rack on the table. In a further embodiment, the invention provides an indicator for a rack wherein a pair of signals are used to perfectly align the rack with respect to the table. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant contemplated applying the principles of the invention, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a top view of a prior art billiards table with the rack in the aligned position;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a top schematic view of the first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the top schematic of a second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a third embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a fourth embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
       [0014]    Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the specification.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    A prior art billiards or pool table is depicted in FIG. 1 and is indicated generally by the numeral  10 . Table  10  includes a playing surface  12 , a plurality of rails or bumpers  14 , and a plurality of pockets  16  disposed between bumpers  14 . An alignment marker  18  is centrally disposed between each pocket  16 . Alignment markers  18  are used to rack the billiards balls  20 . Balls  20  are racked in a rack  22  that is typically triangular but may also be diamond-shaped. The user of rack  22  places all  15  balls in rack  22  and then centers the forward ball  24  at the longitudinal center line of table  10  by visually aligning forward ball  24  between the longitudinal marks  18 . Rack  22  is typically positioned at one end of table  10  between another pair of marks  18  as depicted in FIG. 1. The problem with this alignment method is that the user can easily misalign rack  22  and may not position rack  22  square to table  10  even though forward ball  24  is correctly positioned.  
         [0016]    The first embodiment of the rack locator system of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral  50  in FIG. 2. System  50  includes a rack  52  having a pair of light sources  54  mounted on opposite sides of rack  52 . Light sources  54  may be embedded within the sides of rack  52  or may be mounted on the upper surfaces of the sides of rack  52 . Light sources  54  may be lasers, light emitting diodes, or other sources of light as are known in the art. Light sources  54  preferably emit a substantially collimated light beams  56  parallel to the sides of rack  52 .  
         [0017]    System  50  further includes a pair of retroreflective elements  58  positioned on foot rail  60  of the billiards table  62 . Retroreflective elements  58  reflect light beams  56  substantially in the opposite direction as indicated by arrows  64  and  66 . Arrow  64  represents the incoming beam while arrow  66  indicates the reflected beam.  
         [0018]    System  50  further includes a pair of beam splitting elements  68  positioned on rack  52  in a position to receive reflected beams  66 . A pair of photodetectors  70  are also carried by rack  52  in a position to receive the redirected beams  72 . Photodetectors  70  are capable of recognizing the receipt of beam  72  and producing an electric signal which is communicated to an electronic module  74  that produces an indication signal when photodetectors  70  receive beams  72 . The indication signal may be a light, a sound, or another type of indication signal known in the art. The electronic circuitry required to produce the signal is understood by those skilled in the art. Such circuitry will include an arrangement that recognizes the signal from photodetectors  70  and creates the indication signal and response to the signal. Module  74  may further include a power source that is preferably replaceable so that the user may easily change the power source periodically.  
         [0019]    With system  50 , the user racks the billiards balls by placing the balls in rack  52 . The user then positions rack  52  on table  62  until light beams  56  align with retroreflectors  58  to reflect beam  64  as beam  66  into elements  68 . When this occurs, photodetectors  70  receive beam  72  and create a signal to module  74  where the indication signal is created. At this point, the user knows that rack  52  is properly positioned on table  62 .  
         [0020]    System  50  requires retroreflective elements  58  to be positioned along foot rail  60  but otherwise requires no modification to table  62 . Those skilled in the art understand that the elements of system  50  may be arranged in various configurations with respect to rack  52  without department from the concepts of the present invention.  
         [0021]    A second embodiment of the system of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral  100  in FIG. 3. System  100  includes many of the same elements as system  50  described above and the same numbers are referred to those elements. The difference between system  100  and system  50  is that photodetectors  70  are removed and replaced with diffusers  102  that are disposed directly in line with beam  66 . Diffusers  102  receive beam  66  and diffuse beam  66  so that they are visible to the user. In this embodiment, module  74  is only needed to power light sources  54 . Module  74  may also have an onoff switch that activate light sources  54 .  
         [0022]    The third embodiment of the locator system is depicted in FIG. 4 and is indicated generally by the numeral  110 . System  110  also includes various elements described above and the same numbers are used to refer to these elements. System  110  locates light sources  54  in foot rail  60 . Light sources  54  may be aligned directly with the correct position of rack  52  or may be disposed parallel to the longitudinal direction of foot rail  60  as depicted in FIG. 4. In this configuration, mirrors  112  are used to redirect light beams  114  from light sources  54  to the locating direction  116 . Rack  52  includes mirrors  118  to accept light beams  116  and direct them into photodetectors  70 . In another embodiment, photodetectors  70  may be disposed at the corners of rack  52  so that light beams  116  immediately encounter photodetectors  70  as soon as they reach rack  52 .  
         [0023]    Mirrors  112  may be any of a variety of devices known in the art for redirecting light beam  114  into light beam  116 .  
         [0024]    Light sources  54  may be built into foot rail  60  or may be placed under the bumper if room permits.  
         [0025]    The fourth embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 5 and is indicated generally by the numeral  120 . System  120  is similar to system  110  except that photodetectors  70  are replaced with diffusers  102  positioned on rack  52  to immediately intercept beams  116 .  
         [0026]    Accordingly, the improved rack locator apparatus is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.  
         [0027]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0028]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.  
         [0029]    Having now described the features, discoveries, and principles of the invention, the manner in which the rack locator is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.