Abstract:
Detailed are play and exercise devices providing dynamic distance between a housing and a collar or loop positioned about a limb (typically ankle) of a user. Elastic cord may be used to connect the housing and loop and to allow their relative distances to change in use. The cord also may itself form the loop, avoiding any need for a separate such component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/542,846, filed Oct. 4, 2011, and having the same title as appears above, the entire contents of which provisional patent application are hereby incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates to toys or play things and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to devices rotatable by a user while jumping or skipping. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,675 to Arad, et al., details an example of a rotatable “skipping toy.” The toy includes a collar intended to be placed loosely about an ankle of a person. Attached to an end of and extending from the collar is a shaft, whose opposed end is attached to a drum. The elongated shaft is designed to connect the drum to the collar “at a predetermined distance therefrom,” see Arad, col. 1, 11. 49-51, and thus is inextensible in use. 
         [0004]    Another example of such a toy is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,101,321 to Kessler. It too includes a collar or ring “through which one foot is placed” as well as a drum or ball. See Kessler, col. 1, 11. 10-11. Connecting the ring and ball is “a flattened element which is twisted or spiraled” and includes “day glow” dye. See id., col. 2, 11. 27-28 and 39-40. Although the twisted connector may rotate about an axis through an associated pivot section when in use, it is intended to be “strong and either rigid or [only] slightly flexible.” See id., col. 3, 11. 21-22. Accordingly, it neither expands nor contracts in operation. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,679 to Menow illustrates yet another exemplary skipping toy with a collar and a drum or housing. Connecting the collar and housing is an elongated tether. Like the shaft of the Arad patent and the twisted connector of the Kessler patent, the tether too is “of a predetermined length.” It thus also is inextensible. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Although these existing toys seem capable of functioning as play things, each operates in the same manner by intentionally providing a static, predetermined distance between collar and housing. By contrast, play—as well as exercise work outs—potentially could be improved by providing dynamic distance between collar and housing. Accordingly, the present invention incorporates a connector of variable length into the jumping or skipping device, thus distinguishing it from existing such toys. 
         [0007]    At least some versions of the invention may include an elastic (“shock”) cord as a connector to a housing or ball. This cord, further, may itself be used also to form the collar or ring to be positioned about a user&#39;s ankle. This structure results in both the connector and the collar being extensible while avoiding any need for the separate collar of existing toys. 
         [0008]    Additional components of the device may comprise a cover for the looped section of the cord functioning as the collar or ring as well as means for connecting the cord and the ball. Although inclusion of the cover is optional, if included it may assist in making and retaining the loop of cord. Other temporary or permanent fasteners may be used instead or additionally. Similarly, the cord may be temporarily or permanently connected to the ball in any suitable manner. In a presently-preferred embodiment of the invention, such connection occurs using a bearing, crimp, and cap positioned at least partially within a bounded channel of an otherwise hollow ball. 
         [0009]    It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide devices for play or exercise. 
         [0010]    It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide jumping or skipping devices for positioning about a user&#39;s limb (such as an ankle). 
         [0011]    It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide devices utilizing an elastic connector between a collar or loop and a housing or ball. 
         [0012]    It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide an elastic connector also functioning as the collar or loop. 
         [0013]    It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide attachment means for creating a connected structure including loop, ball, and connector. 
         [0014]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the appropriate art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary device of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the device of  FIG. 1  showing, particularly, a housing or ball. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the ball of  FIGS. 1-3  and associated fastening components. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the ball of  FIGS. 1-4  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an expanded view of a portion of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2  is exemplary device  10  consistent with the present invention. Device  10  may be a toy or play thing useful as a substitute for any or all of the devices of the Arad, Kessler, and Menow patents or other existing items. Device  10  also may be useful for purposes of exercising or otherwise. 
         [0022]    Included as part of device  10  are connector  14  and a mass such as ball  18 . Connector  14  is elastic and hence extensible in use. A presently-preferred connector  14  is a length of shock cord, although other elastic materials may be used instead. Ball  18  advantageously may be a generally spherical, mainly hollow object as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . It need not be shaped or configured in these ways, however. Indeed, ball  18  instead could in some cases be similar to any of the drums or housings of the Arad, Kessler, and Menow patents. Thus, in at least this sense the term “ball” as used herein is not necessarily limited to spherical or mainly hollow objects. 
         [0023]    As depicted in  FIG. 1 , first end region  22  of connector  14  may be bent in non-linear manner to form collar or loop  26 . Because connector  14  is elastic, it bends without difficulty so loop  26  may be formed easily. By directly or indirectly connecting first end region  22  to itself as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , loop  26  is created. If the connection is not permanent, loop  26  may be resized merely by changing positions at which first end region  22  attaches to itself. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 1-2  show crimp  30  as connecting first end region  22  to itself. Alternatively or additionally, such connection may be made by optional cover  34 . If present, cover  34  also may function as a bearing surface against a user&#39;s ankle or other limb; if made of suitable material, it may protect connector  14  from wear and the user&#39;s body from frictional injury as device  10  rotates thereabout. 
         [0025]    Second end region  38  of connector  14  may attach directly or indirectly to ball  18 .  FIGS. 5-6  depict channel  42  formed within ball  18 , with channel-forming wall  46  positioned (preferably) centrally inside the (preferably) hollow interior of the ball  18 . Wall  46  beneficially is sized and shaped so as to receive connector  14  in the channel  42  relatively snugly. Thus if, for example, connector  14  is generally cylindrical, so may be channel  42 . As shown, openings  44 A and  44 B of ball  18  may define opposed endpoints of the channel  42 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 5-6  also illustrate enlarged portion  46 A of wall  46  thus defining enlarged portion  42 A of channel  42 . Enlarged portion  42 A may also receive connection assembly  50  for retaining connector  14  in ball  18 . Assembly  50  may include bearing  54 , crimp  58 , and cap  62 , all of which may cooperate with portion  46 A. Bearing  54  and cap  62 , in particular, may be fitted frictionally within portion  42 A, with flange  66  of cap  62  abutting shelf  70  of ball  18  at opening  44 B. By merely prying or otherwise removing cap  62  from opening  44 B, second end region  38  may be exposed and disconnected from assembly  50  for replacement, repair, or shortening of connector  14 . Of course, persons skilled in the field of the invention will recognize that connector  14  may attach to ball  18  in manners other than as explicitly described herein and that the attachment could be permanent if desired. 
         [0027]    To utilize assembled device  10 , a user may position loop  26  about, for example, an ankle of a first leg of his or her body. By moving the ankle slightly circularly, the user may cause loop  26  to rotate about the ankle, with the rotating motion then transferred by connector  14  to ball  18 . Ball  18  too therefore rotates; because connector  14  typically is longer than the normal distance between the user&#39;s legs, the user must repeatedly lift or otherwise move his or her second leg to avoid contact with rotating ball  18 . If the user is standing, this movement results in the user jumping or skipping as the ball  18  passes the second leg. 
         [0028]    Additionally, because ball  18  has mass, centrifugal forces act to cause elastic connector  14  to lengthen as the ball  18  rotates. This dynamic lengthening of connector  14  produces different physical behavior of device  10  than were connector  14  wholly or mainly inextensible, providing a different exercise work out than is supplied by conventional devices. 
         [0029]    The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, ball  18  may be illuminated by one or more light sources positioned therein or thereon. If a light source is contained within ball  18 , the ball  18  may be made—in whole or in part—of transparent or translucent material so that illumination is visible external to the ball  18 . The contents of the Arad, Kessler, and Menow patents are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.