Abstract:
Novel noisemaking devices which serve the purpose of emitting an audible sound while displaying a team logo or the like. A motion responsive noisemaker is embedded at one end of a web or sheet material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to amusement devices. In particular, the invention relates to noisemakers for use at sporting events. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Various types of novelty and amusement devices have been produced over the years and designed for use by participants, e.g., sports fans, at sporting events or other theme oriented events. These devices typically serve to show a fan&#39;s allegiance to a particular team, and may also afford the fan the ability to create an easily repeated acoustical emission to encourage his/her team of choice, or alternatively, distract an opposing team. Whistles, noisemakers, streamers etc. are typical of these types of devices. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,037 issued Mastandrea, Jr. discloses a type of noisemaker. The device consists of a single strip of flexible material having a pair of slits which allow the user to impart a loud snapping noise when pulling on opposing ends of the strip. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,695 issued to Beer discloses another noisemaker configured as a baseball bat and cap. A striker contained within the cap is positioned to impact upon a disc shaped member enclosed within the cap to emit a loud noise. 
         [0007]    While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a noisemaking device combined with a large surface area web or sheet material upon which advertising and/or team logo or other thematic indicia may be printed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of noisemakers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a novel noisemaking devices which serves the purpose of emitting an audible sound while displaying a team logo or the like. 
         [0009]    The inventive device includes a web or sheet of material such as terrycloth or other moisture absorbent material having a grasping end and an opposing end to which is attached at least one noisemaking article. The noisemaking article is preferably capable of making a whistling sound. 
         [0010]    The whistle or other acoustic device is especially configured to produce a relatively loud whistling sound with minimal movement of the towel. To that end, the whistle may be relatively large and may have several acoustically efficient whistle producing devices. Alternatively, two or more noisemaking articles may be employed to compensate for the interference of the web or sheet material with the airflow through a single acoustic device. In lieu of a mechanical acoustic device, a battery powered electronic device may be employed which is motion sensitive and emits a sound when movement of the device exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
         [0011]    The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new noisemaking device and method which has many of the advantages of the prior art devices heretofore and many novel features that result in a new manually operated noisemaker which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
         [0012]    It is a major object of this invention to provide a noisemaking device having means for producing a relatively loud whistling noise with minimal movement of the main body of the device. 
         [0013]    It is another object of the invention to provide a noisemaking device which has a relatively large display area for a team logo, advertising, or other indicia. 
         [0014]    It is another object of the invention to provide a noisemaking device which can be used as a conventional towel. 
         [0015]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
         [0016]    The present invention meets or exceeds all the above objects and goals. Upon further study of the specification and appended claims, further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, partially broken away, of an acoustic device which may integrated with the web or sheet material of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the apparatuses and method of the present invention are illustrated. As previously stated, the device  10  is used to produce a relatively loud sound with minimal effort on the part of the user. To that end, a main body of web or sheet material  20  is employed to serve as the main body of the device  10 . The web or sheet material  20  is preferably terrycloth or other highly absorbent material which can be used in the same manner as a conventional towel. The material  20  may also be a composite material, with a highly reflective material on one side for displaying indicia, and a highly absorbent material on the opposing side. The material preferably has a substantially rectangular shape, but may of course be practically any shape, with dimensions convenient for portability. An acoustic device  22  is embedded in or attached to the web or sheet material  20 , proximate an edge or operational portion  21  thereof. The opposing edge portion  23  can be designated as a grasping portion, so that a maximum quantity of the web or sheet material  20  exists between the grasping portion and the acoustic device to thereby maximize the centrifugal force generated when twirling the sheet material  20  as will be explained in more detail later. Any one of several methods for embedding/attaching the acoustic device  22  may be used such a sewing or gluing, and the device  22  may also be tethered to the sheet material. It can be appreciated that tethering the device  22  has the advantage of limiting the extent to which the web or sheet material  20  can interfere with airflow through the device  22 . 
         [0021]    The acoustic device  22  is preferably in the form of a whistle  24  housed within an open ended tubular enclosure  26 . The enclosure  26  essentially functions as a waveguide to direct airflow into and through the whistle  24 . The whistle  24  is selected so as to emit a relatively loud sound when subjected to airflow caused by movement, most effectively circular or twirling movement, of the sheet material  20 . While shown as a single whistle  24 , multiple whistle elements  24  may be disposed within the enclosure, alternately oriented so that the elements  24  receive air from opposing directions. The tubular enclosure  26 , which may alternatively be of rectangular, elliptical, or any other geomatrical cross section, may include aerodynamic elements  29  to help maintain the proper orientation of the whistle  24 , the elements or fins  29  extending therefrom either inwardly or outwardly as shown by dashed lines in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0022]    In operation, the user grasps the grasping end of the material  20 , and twirls the material  20  forcing air through enclosure  26  and into and through whistle elements  24  to emit a loud whistling sound. It can be appreciated that the longer the distance between the grasping end  23  and the whistle  24 , the less effort required to produce sufficient air velocity to produce a whistling sound. The absorbent material  20  may be used as any towel is used. 
         [0023]    In alternative embodiment, several acoustic devices  22  may be positioned along edge portion  21  in spaced relation. In yet another alternative, an electronic device which is battery powered and motion sensitive nay be substituted for acoustic device  22 . The device  22  can then emit any of several preprogrammed sounds in response to motion above a predetermined threshold. 
         [0024]    From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. 
         [0025]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims: