Shuttlecock with luminescent means

A shuttlecock including a feathers unit having a front coupling neck, and a light-permeable base snuggly receiving the front coupling neck of the feathers unit and defining a water-tight space, an alkaline solution filled in the water-tight space, and a film-covered luminol ball disposed in the alkaline solution, the luminol of the luminol ball is activated by the alkaline solution to produce a brilliant bluish luminescence when the luminol ball is broken by an external force being applied to the base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to shuttlecocks, and relates more 
particularly to such a shuttlecock which produces a brilliant bluish 
luminescence by means of a chemical reaction between luminol and an 
alkaline solution in the hollow base thereof. 
Badminton is a kind of ball game suitable for people of all ages. However, 
when at night, the game of badminton must be played in a place where 
sufficient illumination is available. There is known a shuttlecock with 
electric light producing means which can be played during the night. 
However, this electric light producing means is heavy and expensive 
because it uses a battery cell to provide the necessary working voltage 
and an electronic light producing circuit to produce light. Furthermore, 
the electric light producing circuit tends to be damaged during the play 
of the game. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in 
view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a shuttlecock 
which has luminescent means that produces a brilliant bluish luminescence 
by means of a chemical reaction. It is another object of the present 
invention to provide a shuttlecock with luminescent means which has a 
replaceable base that can be replaced after the chemical reaction is over. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, the shuttlecock 
comprises a base defining a water-tight space, a feathers unit detachably 
fastened to the base, an alkaline solution filled in the water-tight 
space, and a film-covered luminol ball disposed in the alkaline solution, 
wherein the luminol of the luminol ball is activated by the alkaline 
solution to produce a brilliant bluish luminescence when the luminol ball 
is broken by an external force being applied to the base. According to 
another aspect of the present invention, the feathers unit comprises a 
front coupling neck and an outside annular groove around the periphery of 
the front coupling neck; the base comprises a cap-like inner shell snuggly 
receiving the front coupling neck of the feathers unit, the cap-like inner 
shell having an inside annular flange engaged with the outside annular 
groove of the front coupling neck of the feathers unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shuttlecock is shown in accordance with the 
present invention, comprised of a base 2, and a feathers unit 1 detachably 
fastened to the base 2. The feathers unit 1 comprises a front coupling 
neck 11 and an outside annular groove 111 around the outside wall of the 
front coupling neck 11. The base 2 is comprised of an elastic, 
light-permeable outer cover shell 21, a cap-like inner shell 22, and a 
luminol ball 23 which is a mall of luminol covered with a covering of thin 
film. The cap-like inner shell 22 comprises an inside annular flange 222 
raised around the inside wall thereof which is forced into engagement with 
the outside annular groove 111 of the front coupling neck 11 when the 
front coupling neck 11 of the feathers unit 1 is inserted into the 
cap-like inner shell 22, a plurality of outside projecting rods 221. The 
luminol ball 23 is adhered to the outside projecting rods 221 of the 
cap-like inner shell 22 and disposed inside the elastic outer cover shell 
21. The elastic outer cover shell 21 snuggly receives the cap-like inner 
shell 22. A water-tight space 26 defined outside the cap-like inner shell 
22 within the elastic outer cover shell 21. 
Referring to FIG. 3, when the cap-like inner shell 22 is inserted into the 
elastic outer cover shell 21 to hold the luminol ball 23 disposed in the 
water-tight space 26, an alkaline solution 24 is filled in the water-tight 
space 26 outside the cap-like inner shell 22 within the elastic outer 
cover shell 21, then the space between the cap-like inner shell 22 and the 
elastic outer cover shell 21 is sealed by a seal 25, and then the front 
coupling neck 11 of the feathers unit 1 is fastened to the cap-like inner 
shell 22. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the elastic outer cover shell 21 of the 
base 2 is depressed against the luminol ball 23, the luminol ball 23 is 
broken, causing the alkaline solution to mix with luminol, and therefore a 
brilliant bluish luminescence is produced. When the luminescence is 
disappeared a certain length of time after the chemical reaction, the base 
2 is detached from the feathers unit 1, and a new base 2 can be used and 
attached to the feathers unit 1 again. 
It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of 
illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and 
scope of the invention disclosed.