Abstract:
An amusement system including a housing having a receiving aperture at a top surface and an ejecting aperture at a front surface and further including a channel connecting the receiving aperture to the ejecting aperture; a motorized rotatable flywheel mounted inside the housing and coupled to the channel between the top surface and the channel for engaging an object travelling through the channel; a roller assembly mounted inside the housing and coupled to the channel opposite of the flywheel and disposed so an object engaging the flywheel concurrently engages the roller assembly wherein the flywheel and the roller assembly cooperatively eject the object a distance less than fifteen feet from the ejecting aperture when the flywheel rotates and contacts the object; and wherein the housing includes a mounting system to attach to an object no less than about three feet above a surface supporting the object.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to amusement systems, and more specifically to a basketball themed toy particularly adapted for indoor use and suitable for young children. 
     There are many training systems for athletic activities. There are baseball, basketball, and tennis trainers that will mechanically operate on the ball so a person may learn to hit or shoot the ball. These systems are designed for real balls and are generally used in the context of the full-size court or batting cage. These trainers are generally designed to accurately simulate some relevant element of the sport, most often for adults or mature children. 
     In the amusement/toy industry, there is a desire to provide a young adult or child with some of the visual/auditory aspects of participating in an “adult” game while focusing on safety and “fun” for these participants. Additionally, cost of the item, particularly as a “toy” is a factor with the device needing to reproduce much of the environment as cost effectively and safely as possible while trying to maximize play aspects. All in the context of young adults/children as participants. 
     The safety does not relate only to physical safety of the children, but also to safety of the environment of the amusement device as these devices are preferably used indoors of a participant&#39;s home, such as a bedroom, den, living room, playroom, or office. Full-sized, full-powered trainers are not suitable for young children or use in these environments. 
     What is needed is a amusement system that safely simulates some of the flavor and action of participating in a basketball-type activity indoors. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed is an amusement system and method adapted for indoor use, most preferably for young adults and children though people of all ages may use and enjoy embodiments of the present invention. An amusement system includes a housing including a receiving aperture at a top surface and an ejecting aperture at a front surface and further including a channel connecting the receiving aperture to the ejecting aperture; a motorized rotatable flywheel mounted inside the housing and coupled to the channel between the top surface and the channel for engaging an object travelling through the channel; a roller assembly mounted inside the housing and coupled to the channel opposite of the flywheel and disposed so an object engaging the flywheel concurrently engages the roller assembly wherein the flywheel and the roller assembly cooperatively eject the object a distance less than fifteen feet from the ejecting aperture when the flywheel rotates and contacts the object; and wherein the housing includes a mounting system to attach to an object no less than about three feet above a surface supporting the object. 
     This system and method provides safe simulation of some of the flavor and action of participating in a basketball-type activity indoors. A safety ball that is small and soft (e.g., foam) is patterned to look like a scale version of a regulation basketball. A backboard and net are provided that may help in well-known fashion to receive the safety ball within a housing that includes an ejecting system adapted to eject the safety ball from a front aperture of the housing. The combination of a safety ball being ejected from a housing mounted off the floor so it does not include substantial upward component (to reduce risk of being hit in the face) and a lower velocity to be less than fifteen feet (most preferably six to ten feet). The system and method also preferably include an ejectment system that substantially immediately ejects the safety ball when it is received in the housing. (This is contrasted to many training systems which intentionally provide predetermined delays from receipt of the ball in the housing and its ejectment.) Further, there is provided a feedback system that may help direct play and provide suitable environmental sounds and visual effects. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of the present invention for an amusement device; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention for a slightly varied embodiment of the amusement device shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a back view of the embodiment of the amusement device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the embodiment of the amusement device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an internal cut-away view of the embodiment of the amusement device shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an apparatus and method for an interactive toy that provides new structures and combinations of features for enhancing education and amusement, particularly for an amusement system providing safe simulation of some of the flavor and action of participating in a basketball-type activity indoors for young adults and children. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of the present invention for an amusement device  100 . Device  100  includes a housing  105  that receives and ejects a safety ball  110  from an front ejecting aperture  115 . A net  120  cooperates with a backboard  125  to help direct safety ball  110  into a top aperture in housing  105 . A mounting system  130  suspends housing  105  above a play surface, such as by hanging from a door. Preferably housing  105  is suspended at least three feet above the play surface but the height is adjustable to adapt to preferences and children size. Some of the safety features of device  100  include protection for user safety as well as for helping to prevent damage to other objects in the play area. Since device  100  is adapted to be useable indoors in a living room, bedroom, office, den, or other such area, safety ball  110  is soft foam or similar material. Additionally, it is preferable that the ejecting velocity is such to avoid injury should safety ball  110  be directed to the face of the child. Since device  110  is designed to have fast action, these safety features are important. Fast action is achieved in part by not intentionally introducing any delay into the time that safety ball  110  enters housing  105  and when it is ejected from aperture  115 . 
     The ejecting velocity (speed and angle) is preferably adjusted so that safety ball  110  does not shoot beyond six to ten feet. Part of the reason that this is variable is that housing  105  is preferably mounted/suspended above the play surface. While it is desirable that the ejecting velocity not have any significant upward component, should housing  110  be mounted high relative to the height of the children, there could be instances in which safety ball  110  could be ejected directly into a face of a participant. Hence safety ball  110  being of soft material and the ejecting speed being low enough to not pose risk of injury in this circumstance. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention for a slightly varied embodiment of the amusement device shown in  FIG. 2 . An amusement system  200  includes a single point mounting system  205  in contrast to the double mount  130  shown in  FIG. 1 . Either mount system is workable and may be used based upon implementation design considerations. In other respects, the components of system  200  are the same as the components, except when specifically different with respect to the mounting systems. 
       FIG. 3  is a back view of the embodiment of amusement device  200  shown in  FIG. 2 . Mounting system  205  is shown in more detail to illustrate the ability to adjust height as desired. Also shown in  FIG. 3  is a battery door  305  that permits addition and maintenance of batteries used to power the ejecting system as further described herein.  FIG. 4  is a side view of the embodiment of amusement device  200  shown in  FIG. 2 . Shown in  FIG. 4  is an access door  405  that permits a user to clear safety ball  110  from the housing should it become retained within housing  105  and the ejecting system fails to eject it. 
       FIG. 5  is an internal cut-away view of a segment  500  of the embodiment of amusement device  200  shown in  FIG. 2 . Segment  500  includes a top aperture  505  to a ball-directing channel  510  that terminates in an ejecting aperture  515 . A battery-powered motorized flywheel  520  operates in cooperation with a roller assembly  525  to eject only a safety ball from aperture  515 . Battery compartment  530  is shown for storing the power source for flywheel  520  and any audio/visual effects. Flywheel  520  is mounted in a substantially horizontal portion of channel  510  for improved safety. In this way, flywheel  520  will not eject small objects (e.g., coins and the like) that are dropped into top aperture  505 . Only objects substantially sized to the channel diameter will be ejected. Because safety ball  110  is made of soft foam or other similar material that is easily and substantially compressible, ejecting systems may have difficulty ejecting it. The use of the top-mounted flywheel and opposing cooperating roller assembly  525  improve the ability to eject safety ball  110 . Safety ball  110  contacts flywheel  520  and roller assembly  525  substantially at the same time to improve the ejecting system&#39;s operation and reliability. Some systems may not use the roller assembly. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may include audio and visual components to improve the gameplay. Sound effects and/or visual effects (collectively effects) may include sports sounds of crowds cheering when safety ball is received into top aperture  505  or other effects coordinated to contact and interaction with system  100 / 200 . That is, effect trigger switch in these implementations would trigger upon receipt of the safety ball into top aperture  505 . Additionally there may be guided activities with count-down clock to successfully “make a shot” within a predetermined period. 
     While the preceding preferably includes mounting system cooperative with a door, the mounting systems could provide for pole or wall mounts for example. Some implementations of the present invention may be used with other types of games without exclusivity to basketball-themed activities. 
     A motorized basketball toy that features a motorized flywheel auto-return mechanism below the basketball hoop. As the name states the play pattern is that you shoot at the basketball hoop and when you make it in the hoop, the ball will be “shot” back at you relatively quickly allowing you to take your next shot more quickly than existing toy basketball games. This quick return is more convenient and effective way to play than existing toy basketball options which require the player to go and retrieve the ball every time they shoot whether they make it or not. It provides the advantage over existing toy basketball options for practice and training and fun. Toy basketball may either a soft foam, a fabric covered ball with soft filling or a soft blow-molded ball. In all cases soft is king for safety and indoor appropriateness. 
     One key design feature of the motorized flywheel feature of the invention is that it is located in the TOP of the entrance to the flywheel housing. This provides a safety benefit whereby only the ball designed to be shot out of the motorized housing can be successfully “launched” from the housing. For instance, a penny would just drop down to bottom of the interior housing rather than being shot out which could create a safety hazard to a person in near proximity to the exit hole of the flywheel housing. Another key design feature of the invention is the soft plastic “netting” tapering into the flywheel housing hole which adds a “forgiving” basketball hoop configuration that may more easily receive and guide a ball into the flywheel housing than either a ring without a net or a ring with a more typical nylon net that could be too floppy to guide the ball into the housing as effectively as the soft plastic “netting” provided in the Catch n Shoot design. 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a means to adjust the height of the basketball hoop on the back of the door to accommodate a range of skill levels and player sizes. Invention may include both audio and scoring capabilities. 
     Various components and subsystems of the toy have been described specifically for basketball, the preferred embodiment is not limited to these types of games. Terms specific to the ejecting system have been used. While these are descriptive of the preferred embodiments, these terms are not to be understood as limiting the nature of the present invention. 
     In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention. 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures may also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. It is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention to implement a program or code that may be stored in a machine-readable medium or transmitted using a carrier wave to permit a computer to perform any of the methods described above. 
     Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear. 
     As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. 
     The above-described arrangements of apparatus and methods are merely illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention and many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. 
     These and other novel aspects of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the drawings and the remaining portions of the specification. Thus, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the appended claims.