Abstract:
A light up pool cue has control circuitry operatively coupled to a sensor and a light source. The sensor is adapted to detect impact of the pool cue with another object. Upon detection of the impact, the sensor generates an electrical signal to the control circuitry, causing the control circuitry to illuminate the light source.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/441,042, “Light Up Pool Cue”, filed Jan. 17, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally the game of pool, and more particularly to pool cues. 
   Pool cues are well known in the art. A pool cue typically is designed to accurately and comfortably perform the function of striking billiard balls. A pool cue with additional functional features would enhance the entertainment derived from the game of billiards. A need exists, therefore, for a pool cue with additional functional features. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly stated, the invention is a light up pool cue having a shaft and a handle with a butt end. The light up pool cue comprises a power source; control circuitry operatively coupled to the power source; a sensor operatively coupled to the control circuitry; and a light source operatively coupled to the control circuitry. The sensor is adapted to detect an impact of the pool cue with another object. Upon detection of the impact, the sensor generates an electrical signal to the control circuitry, causing the control circuitry to illuminate the light source. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings an embodiment which is presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a butt end of a pool cue having a lighted assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the lighted assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of the preferred electrical elements of the lighted assembly of FIG.  1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings, wherein like referenced numerals are used to designate the same components throughout the figures, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-3  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a pool cue  10  provided with a lighted assembly  20 , including a light source  78 , such as one or more light emitting diodes, which is illuminated when the pool cue  10  strikes another body, such as a billiard ball. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pool cue  10  includes a handle  12 . The pool cue  10  further includes a shaft (not shown). The shaft portion and the handle  12  are often connected by a threaded joint (not shown), but may be integral. The handle  12  terminates in a butt end  14 , onto which an end cap  16  is preferably connected. The lighted assembly  20 , located proximate the butt end  14 , forms a portion of the handle  12  and is attached to a remainder of the handle  12 . 
   The lighted assembly  20  includes a transparent or translucent housing member  30 , having a first end  32  and a second end  40 . The housing member  30  is preferably hollow, forming a sealed cavity  48 . The sealed cavity  48  is bounded by cylindrical side wall  46  and by first and second end walls  38  and  44 , proximate the first and second ends  32  and  40 , respectively. The housing member  30  is preferably provided with first end threads  34  and second end threads  42 . The housing member  30  may be connected with the remainder of the handle  12  by engagement of the second end threads  42  with mating threads (not shown) in the remainder of the handle  12 . The end cap  16  may be connected to the housing member  30  by engagement of end cap threads  18  with the first end threads  34 . Proximate the first end  32 , the housing member  30  includes an open-ended cavity  36 . The housing member  30  is preferably fabricated from a durable, resilient and transparent or translucent polymeric material such as the material sold under the trademark LEXAN®. The housing member  30  may be clear or may be color-tinted. 
   With reference now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the open-ended cavity  36  is sized to receive a flash unit  70 . When the end cap  16  is connected to the first end  32 , the flash unit  70  is secured within the open-ended cavity  36  by the end cap  16 . The flash unit  70  comprises a housing member  72  containing a commercially available sensor  74  such as an impact or vibration sensor capable of detecting impact of the pool cue with an object such as a billiard ball. The flash unit  70  further comprises a power source  80  such as a battery and light source  78  such as a pair of light emitting diodes. The flash unit  70  further comprises control circuitry  76  of a well-known type for controlling the operation of the light source  78 . The light source  78  may emit white light or colored light. The sensor  74  is operably connected to the light source  78  such that when the pool cue  10  experiences a sufficient impact (such as would occur when the pool cue strikes a billiard ball), the light source  78  is caused to illuminate. In one preferred mode of operation, the control circuitry  76 , upon receipt of a signal from the sensor  74 , causes the light source  78  to steadily emit light for a predetermined period of time (for example, 20 seconds). Alternatively the light source  78  could be controlled to blink on and off for a predetermined period of time or to illuminate in some other predetermined pattern. Light emitted by the light source  78  is visible to a user of the pool cue  10  through the housing member  30 . 
   With reference again to  FIG. 1 , a fluid  50 , for example glycerin, is preferably sealed within the housing member cavity  48 . Preferably, the fluid is relatively viscous, for example having a viscosity at room temperature in the range of 500 to 5000 centipoise. The fluid may be transparent or may be colored. Preferably, at least one decorative element  60  is also sealed within the housing member cavity  48 . Given the viscosity of the fluid  50 , the decorative element  60  tends to move slowly within the housing member cavity  36  under gravitational and inertial forces. 
   In use, when a player strikes a billiard ball with the pool cue, the sensor  74  generates a signal to the control circuitry  76 . The control circuitry  76  in turn causes the light source  78  to illuminate, creating an entertaining visual effect visible through the transparent or translucent housing member  30 . 
   From the foregoing it can be seen that the present invention comprises a pool cue which provides an entertaining functional feature of a portion of the pool cue being illuminated when the pool cue strikes a billiard ball. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.