Abstract:
The present invention provides a ball game apparatus for a novel ball sport, which avoids the drawbacks of highly demands of human body from those relatively larger ball games. The ball game apparatus includes a ball target, ball, and rear net, and has the characteristics of shooting of the darts, and elegant posture of bowling and golf at the same time. The ball game apparatus is able to widely apply on variety of competitions for exercising human body, which has a relatively stronger entertainment, higher competitiveness, and skills. Also, the novel ball sport is simple for learning, fun and not constrained by playing the ball game at specific place, which could be played in school, facture, or any other limited spaces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a ball game apparatus, which is able to widely apply on the competitions for exercising, meanwhile, is relatively high entertaining, competitive and requires highly skills for playing the ball game. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Arts 
         [0004]    The existing competitive sports, such as golf, darts, and bowling, are popular sports. Though golf and bowling both have high requirement of skills, places for playing golf and bowling to meet the basic demands and space, and relatively high cost, they are limited to be universalized. The darts is lacking of competitiveness and entertaining. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the present invention is to provide a ball game apparatus for a novel ball sport, which is a sport to pitch the ball into a predetermined hole. The novel ball sport has the characteristics of shooting of the darts, and competitiveness of bowling and golf at the same time. 
         [0006]    According to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a ball game apparatus, which comprises: 
         [0007]    a ball target, which comprises an upper target, a bottom net, and a target stand, wherein the upper target is mounted at an upper portion of the target stand, and the bottom net is mounted between the target stand and the upper target at a position that the bottom net is below the upper target, wherein the upper target has a plurality of ball scoring holes and an electronic scoring board, wherein an electronic scoring circuit is provided within the upper target; 
         [0008]    one or more balls, which is made by an elastic and flexible material, wherein each of the balls is filled with iron sands, so that the weight of each of the balls has a range from 250 gram to 500 gram; and 
         [0009]    a rear net unit, which comprises a net and a rear net stand, wherein the net is supported by the rear net stand, so as to extend to an opened configuration of the rear net. 
         [0010]    The upper target comprises an outer frame, a surface panel, a front panel, a rubber panel, and a rear panel, wherein the surface panel and the front panel has a plurality of said ball scoring holes therethrough, wherein each of the ball scoring holes comprises a rubber ring, an affixing ring, and a back hole cover, and affixed at the rubber panel. 
         [0011]    The electronic scoring board is provided at the surface panel, wherein the electronic scoring circuit is provided within the electronic scoring board, wherein the ball scoring holes are located at a position in relation to the electronic scoring circuit. 
         [0012]    One or more controlling buttons are provided to selectively control the operation of the electronic scoring circuit in an on-and-off manner. 
         [0013]    Four light housings are provided at four corners of the outer frame of the upper target of the ball target respectively, wherein one or more LEDs are provided within each of the light housings. 
         [0014]    The bottom net is extended from a rear side of the ball target to connect to the rear panel. 
         [0015]    A power source, such as a battery or an external power supply circuit, is provided at the rear panel. 
         [0016]    The present invention is a creative novel ball type sport, which is simple in structure, unique in design, low in manufacturing cost, and has the characteristics of shooting of the darts, and the elegant posture of bowling and golf at the same time, so that the novel ball sport is able to widely apply on the competitions for exercising, meanwhile, is relatively high entertaining, competitive and requires highly skills for playing the ball game. 
         [0017]    These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a ball game apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a rear net of the ball game apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a ball target of the ball game apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    In order to show and describe for the purpose and skills of the present invention, below will combine preferred embodiments to further illustrate the functional and structural principles of the present invention. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a ball game apparatus of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the ball game apparatus comprises a ball target  1 , a rear net unit  2 , and one or more balls  3 . The ball  3  is made by one or more materials, which have the characteristics of elasticity and flexibility. In the present invention, the ball  3  is preferably made of leather. Accordingly, the skin of the ball  3  is made of leather, wherein the filler, preferably iron sands or other filler, is filled in the skin of the ball  3 . The weight of the ball  3  is preferably between 250 gram and 500 gram. According to the preferred embodiment, the ball  3  mainly has two levels, 250 gram and 500 gram. The weight of the ball  3  is selectively adjusted according to different conditions. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the rear net unit  2  further comprises a net  202  and a rear net stand  201 , wherein the net  202  is supported by the rear net stand  201 , so as to extend to an opened configuration of the rear net unit  2 . The rear net stand  201  further comprises four elongated elements, wherein the outer end of each of the elongated elements is bended to form a hook configuration. The elongated elements of the rear net stand  201  are radially extended to support and retain the rear net unit  2  in position via the hooks. The elongated elements of the rear net stand  201  are radially and detachably bifurcated from each other to connect with each other at a center point via a connecting member  203 . It is worth to mention that the structure of the rear net stand  201  is able to effectively save the storage space and conveniently assemble the rear net stand  201 . 
         [0024]    As now shown in  FIG. 3 , the ball target  1  comprises an upper target, a bottom net  102 , and a target sand  101 . The upper target is mounted at an upper portion of the target stand  101 , and the bottom net  102  is mounted between the target stand  101  and the upper target at a position that the bottom net  102  is below the upper target. Accordingly the upper target has a plurality of ball scoring holes and an electronic scoring board, wherein an electronic scoring circuit is provided within the upper target. 
         [0025]    The upper target comprises an outer frame  105 , a surface panel  106 , a front panel  107 , a rubber panel  111 , and a rear panel  112 , wherein the surface panel  106  and the front panel  107  have a plurality of corresponding holes aligned to form the ball scoring holes therethrough. Each of the ball scoring holes is formed by a rubber ring  108 , an affixing ring  109 , and a back hole cover  110 . The ball scoring holes are affixed at the rubber panel  111  in position. The upper target is mounted at an upper portion of the stand  101 , wherein each of the ball scoring holes provided at the surface panel  106  and the front panel  107  has a corresponding score. Preferably the ball scoring hole which is closer to a center portion of the surface panel  106  has a higher score value, while a diameter of the ball scoring hole toward the center portion of the surface panel  106  is smaller than the diameter of the ball scoring hole away from the center portion of the surface panel  106 . In other words, the ball scoring hole with a smaller diameter have the higher score value. The ball scoring hole is formed by the rubber ring  108 , the affixing ring  109 , and the back hole cover  110 . The rubber ring  108  is protruded out of the surface panel  106 , and a rear end portion  4  of rubber ring  108  of the ball scoring hole is affixed by the affixing ring  109 , wherein the back hole cover  110  is affixed to a rear side of the affixing ring  109 , in such a manner that when the ball  3  is pitched or threw into the ball scoring hole to hit the back hole cover  110 , a pulse signal is generated and transmitted to the electronic scoring circuit. The score will be appeared on the electronic scoring board for displaying the scores, and a detecting LED light  113  will generate a corresponding light. 
         [0026]    In order to play the ball game apparatus at night time or in a dim environment, one or more LEDs  103  are preferably provided at four corners of the outer frame  105 . wherein a light housing  104  is provided at the corners of the outer frame  105  to enclose and protect the LEDs  103 . 
         [0027]    Additionally, the ball game is a type of pitching ball sport. Therefore, in order to avoid any damages from the ball directly impacting on the ball target, the light housings  104  and the outer frame  105  are preferably made of durable material such as aluminum alloy material or the likes. The surface panel  106  is preferably made by PU leather, and the front panel  107  is preferably made by wooden material. 
         [0028]    The electronic scoring board and one or more controlling buttons  114  are affixedly mounted on the surface panel  106  and the front panel  107 . The electronic scoring board is electrically linked to the electronic scoring circuit in the rear panel  112  and to one or more batteries or external power of the power source via a plurality of wires. The rear panel  112  is located at a position behind the rubber panel  111 , so as to maximize the protection of the electronic scoring board and the batteries of the power source. 
         [0029]    The bottom net  102  is formed by one or more steel tubes and a plurality of net strands, wherein the bottom net  102  is rearwardly extended from a rear side of the bottom net  102  to connect with the rear panel  112 , so that when the ball  3  is pitched into one of the ball scoring holes, the ball  3  is rolling along the rubber panel  111  to the bottom net  102 . Therefore, the balls  3  have no need to be picked up. Even if the balls  3  are not pitched into the ball scoring holes, the rear net unit  2  is able to further block and collect the balls  3 , in such a manner that the user of the ball game apparatus is able to conveniently collect the balls  3  after he or she pitched the balls  3 . 
         [0030]    The above are the descriptions of the structure of the ball game apparatus. Below further describe the rules and how to use the ball game apparatus. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the present invention is a single-player ball game. Firstly, choose a suitable site for playing the ball game apparatus, wherein the rear net unit  2  and ball target are lined up in the same direction. The ball target is located at a position in front of the rear net unit  2 , and then the athlete or player is standing in front of the ball target at a predetermined distance. (Usually select 5 meters or 8 meters as the predetermined distance between the player and the ball target, and the specific circumstances depend on the athletes or players). 
         [0032]    Accordingly, the vertical distance from the center point of the ball target to the ground is about 1.8 meters. The ball target is vertical to the ground surface. Each of the games has to use the same size of the balls  3 , and the distance between each of the players and the ball target of each of the game should be the same. 
         [0033]    The ball game apparatus of the present invention is good for people to do exercise or for playing games. 
         [0034]    The followings will more specifically and exemplary describe the method of using the present invention. (Take a red team and blue team players for example. The balls used for both red and blue teams are the same type). 
         [0035]    Before starting the game, the ball game apparatus is electrically linked to the external power source or inserting batteries in the apparatus, and then turn on the power of the ball game apparatus, so that the present ball game apparatus is at the working status. Meanwhile, the LED electronic scoring boards at both right and left hand side of the ball target are started, the LEDs  103  at the corners of the outer frame  105  of the ball target are lightened, and a sound is ringed, so that the game now can be started. 
         [0036]    The ball target preferably has ten ball scoring holes, which are hole#1, hole#2, hole#3, hole#4, hole#5, hole#6, hole#7, hole#8, hole#9, and hole#10 respectively. 
         [0037]    The diameters of the ball scoring holes from hole#1 to hole#10 are 200, 190, 180, 170, 160, 150, 140, 130, 120, and 110 mm respectively. 
         [0038]    And the scores of each of ball scoring holes from hole#1 to hole#10 are represented for 1 point, 2 points, 3 points, 4 points, 5 points, 6 points, 7 points, 8 points, 9 points, and 10 points respectively. 
         [0039]    The players have to shoot or throw the balls into the ball scoring holes to get the corresponding points represented by each of the ball scoring holes. A LED detecting light of the ball scoring hole is blinking when the ball  3  hits the corresponding back hole cover  110 , and the electronic scoring board starts scoring. 
         [0040]    When the LED represented to one of the teams is on, which means it is the turn of the team that the LED represented to start throwing the ball. For example, if the LED light represented to the red team, the red team can start throwing the ball; if the LED light represented to the blue team, it is the turn of the blue team to throw the ball. 
         [0041]    During each game of the ball game apparatus, ten balls  3  are being thrown for each run of the game within a predetermined time period, such as five minutes. One ball can be thrown at a time. 
         [0042]    The players have to throw the ball by their own hands without any other equipment to assist them throwing the ball. They may be able to shoot or throw the ball by the assist of a run-up, but have to stand beyond a throwing line, which is for indicating the predetermined distance between the ball target and the player. 
         [0043]    After the red team is done shooting or throwing the designated ten balls, the balls will be picked up by designated people and handed to the player of next throwing team, so that the blue team can start throwing the ball. 
         [0044]    The players are prohibited to stay both feet off the ground at the same time, such as jumping. If both feet are staying off the ground at the same time, it is a foul and the point can not be counted. 
         [0045]    The players can not step on or over the throwing line by both feet in every runs of the game. If the player steps on the throwing line, the point of this shot does not counted. In other words, the player must not be stay beyond the throwing line to throw the ball. The score is recorded only with the valid trail of the ball throwing. 
         [0046]    Throwing action: the designated two throwing actions are “overhand delivery” and “underhand delivery”. Other positions for throwing the ball are not allowed and the score from the player will not be counted. 
         [0047]    Once the ball held by the player is out of the player&#39;s hand after the referee announced the beginning of the game in any way, the player can not re-cast or re-throw the ball since the ball had been thrown. 
         [0048]    The rules of the ball game of present invention are as followings: 
         [0049]    1. throwing in order (start throwing from hole#1, and follow sequencing into two or more continuous number of the holes is defined as an orderly manner casting into the hole). If the player is casting the ball in order of the number of the holes, hole#1, hole#2, hole#3, hole#4, hole#5, hole#6, hole#7, hole#8, hole#9, and hole#10, the scoring for each of the holes will be 1 point, 4 points, 6 points, 8 points, 10 points, 12 points, 14 points, 16 points, 18 points, and 20 points, which are double of the number of the each number of holes. 
         [0050]    First example: If the player is throwing the balls in the order of hole#1 to hole#10, and every balls is thrown into the ball scoring holes, the scores will be the sum of the points of 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, which totally is scored 109 points. 
         [0051]    If the player throws the balls in the order of hole#1, hole#2, hole#3, hole#4, hole#5, hole#6, hole#7, hole#8, hole#9, and hole#10, and missed one shot of the ball, the scores before the missed shot is double the point of each holes, and the score after the missed shot is the original point of each holes. 
         [0052]    Second example: The player is throwing the balls in order and only missed out the shot of hole#5. 
         [0053]    Therefore, the scores from hole#1 to hole#4 are the sum of points 1, 4, 6, 8, which total point is 19; hole#5 is missed, so it does not count; the point for hole#6, hole#7, hole#8, hole#9, and hole#10 are scored as the original point of non order throwing method, so that the total score is the sum of points 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, which is 40. Thus, the overall score of this run of the game is 59 points. 
         [0054]    It is appreciated that the throwing in sequence has to start from hole#1 and continuously throwing into two sequenced holes, so that if the player missed out the hole#1, then the rest of the shots can not be counted as the way of throwing in order. 
         [0055]    For another example, the player missed out the shot of hole#1, but threw the rest of balls into the hole#2, hole#3, hole#4, hole#5, hole#6, hole#7, hole#8, hole#9, and hole#10 in order. 
         [0056]    Therefore, all of the points can not be counted as throwing in order. The scoring method has to base on the throwing non-orderly, so that the overall score for this run is the sum of points 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, which is scored 54 points. 
         [0057]    The highest score for throwing in order is 109. 
         [0058]    The lowest score for throwing in order is 5. 
         [0059]    2. Throwing non order (throwing each of the balls non orderly): 
         [0060]    If the player does not throw the ball in order, then the point of each hole is the same as the original point of each ball scoring holes. 
         [0061]    Therefore, the point of scoring of throwing non orderly is the same of the number of the ball scoring holes. 
         [0062]    For example: if the player threw into the hole#2, hole#3, hole#4 and missed out the rest seven holes, the overall score is 2+3+4, which is 9 points. 
         [0063]    The highest score of throwing non orderly is the sum of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1, which is 55 point. 
         [0064]    The lowest score of throwing non orderly is 0 (miss out 10 balls). 
         [0065]    3. Throwing into the same ball scoring hole twice or more: 
         [0066]    If the player threw two or more balls into the same ball scoring hole, the score can be accumulated. 
         [0067]    For example: if the player threw eight balls into hole#9, the score is 8*9, which is 72 points. 
         [0068]    The highest score of throwing into the same ball scoring hole is 100 points (all ten balls are thrown into hole#10). 
         [0069]    The lowest score of throwing into the same ball scoring hole is 2 point (2 balls are thrown into hole#1 and the rest of 8 balls are missed). 
         [0070]    The present apparatus set up 5 minutes for each of the teams, and displays the count down from 300 seconds on the electronic scoring board. The balls are being thrown within five minutes, and counted the corresponding point. The team who get higher score is the winner. If the scores are the same, it is tie. An overtime game can be arranged if needed to determine the winner. 
         [0071]    This is a culture, elegant, healthful, and fashion sport and exercise, leisure, communicate, networking way, and particularly suitable for those high tense people in the fast pace of modern city to provide a healthy life style option. The sport is not limited by age and gender, easily to learn, no physical body contact, and can be played indoor or outdoor, so that it is a novel sport for everybody, men, women, senior, and child. 
         [0072]    The present ball game apparatus is mainly developed for training the attention, coordination, and sophistication of human, and particularly for the psychological training. The sport is good for entertaining, competing, and practicing skills. Also, not only can the sport stretch out, eliminate the fatigue, and enhance the coordination ability of the body, but also trains the human wills and enhance the psychological quality. 
         [0073]    One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
         [0074]    It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.