Abstract:
The improved billiard ball rack positioning system is an invention that allows a user to quickly and easily position a billiard ball type rack. The rack of the system includes a plurality of position indicating LEDs and a plurality of proximity sensors mounted thereon. Proper positioning of the rack at a predetermined location on a playing surface or table causes actuation of the proximity sensors and consequently lighting of the indication lights. Lighting of all of the indication lights functions as an indication to the user that the rack is properly positioned. In contrast to prior art devices, the improved billiard ball rack positioning system provides for a “go/no-go” type of position indication means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to racks and like devices for use in “racking” or position balls such as billiard balls into a proper formation and position such as a triangular formation properly positioned on a billiard table in preparation to initiate a game such as a game of billiards. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In playing the game of billiards or pool or the like, it is important to achieve not only a “tight rack” of balls or balls that have been tightly racked, so that when breaking the rack of balls such as with a cue ball, the balls will efficiently transmit energy into surrounding balls and achieve a good break, but it is also important to properly position the set of racked balls to as to provide for consistent and fair play. Heretofore such proper positioning of a set of racked balls was commonly achieved by attempting to position the lead ball over a point marked on a billiard table. When the point marked on the table is covered by a ball, the user is left to estimate the proper position of the racked balls. Billiard tables commonly have marks on the sides of the tables that further assist in positioning the balls but such marks still require signification estimation on the part of the user. The disclosed invention seeks to overcome the noted problems with positioning racked balls. 
     Many improvements to racks or rack like devices have been devised to improve the racking of balls. For instance, the following list of US patents and applications all disclose inventions related to positioning of billiard type racks and are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,422,637, 4,553,750, 6,024,649, 6,609,307, 7,063,620, 7,118,486, 7,165,332, 20030059752, 20040132535, 20050239566 and 20060042105. However, the inventive concepts disclosed in the preceding list of patents include several deficiencies. Problems with the prior art include for instance complicated racks having moving parts, racks that require the user to estimate when the rack is properly positioned, and the absence of a sure go/no-go type positioning indication means. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the rack devices that were described to be lacking in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is an improved rack positioning system that comprises a billiard type table having at least one magnetic target imbedded therein at predetermined positions, and a substantially triangular shaped billiard ball rack having first and second position sensors, first and second position indication lights, and an electrical power source mounted thereon. The system is adapted such that when the rack is properly positioned, the first sensor is in substantially close proximity to the first magnetic target and the second sensor is in substantially close proximity to the second magnetic target. With the sensors thus positioned, the sensors are magnetically actuated by the magnetic targets and close to complete the respective sensor circuits causing the first and second position indication lights to light or turn on. When both first and second position indication lights are lighted, the rack is properly positioned. 
     Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may necessarily be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
     These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the rack positioning system; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged isometric view of a first embodiment of the rack assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a first embodiment of the rack positioning system, billiard balls are shown for reference in the rack; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a first embodiment of the rack positioning system taken substantially at the location indicated in  FIG. 3  by the view indication arrows associated with  FIG. 4  with the billiard table and magnetic target shown as a cross-sectional view, and; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a first embodiment of the rack positioning system taken substantially at the location indicated in  FIG. 3  by the view indication arrows associated with  FIG. 5  with the billiard table and magnetic target shown as a cross-sectional view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language 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. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are included to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
     The invention is an improved rack positioning system for properly positioning a rack of billiard balls or like. The invention includes a billiard rack that cooperatively functions with a billiard table such that when the rack is properly positioned, both of the rack&#39;s position indication lights are lighted. In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention in reviewing the drawings accompanying the specification, a feature list is provided below. It is noted that like features are like numbered throughout all of the figures. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 FEATURE TABLE 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 # 
                 Feature 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10 
                 Rack Positioning System 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 Billiard Table 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 First Magnetic Target 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 Second Magnetic Target  
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 Rack Assembly 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 Rack 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 Rack First Foot 
               
               
                   
                 36 
                 Rack Second Foot 
               
               
                   
                 38 
                 First Reed Switch 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 Second Reed Switch 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 First Light 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 Second Light 
               
               
                   
                 46 
                 Battery 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 Billiard Balls 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Referring now to the drawings, a first embodiment of the invention is a rack positioning system  10  for use in properly positioning a set of billiard balls  50  comprising a billiard table  20  and a rack assembly  30 . Billiard table  20  further defines a substantially conventional type billiard table except that table  20  includes a first magnetic target  24  and a second magnetic target  26  embedded into table  20 . Magnetic targets  24  and  26  define magnets of predetermined geometry and magnetic strength that are preferably embedded in table  20  such that targets  24  and  26  cause reed switches  38  and  40  of rack assembly  30  to actuate when reed switches  38  and  40  are in near proximity to targets  24  and  26  and yet such that targets  24  and  26  do not cause any interruption to the travel or travel path of a billiard ball when a billiard ball rolls on or near targets  24  and  26 . Magnetic targets  24  and  26  are further positionally embedded into table  20  in such positions that when reed switches  38  and  40  of rack assembly  30  are in near proximity to targets  24  and  26 , rack assembly  30  is in the proper predetermined position. 
     Rack assembly  30  further defines an assembly of a rack  32 , a first reed switch  38 , a second reed switch  40 , a first position indication light  42 , a second position indication light  44  and a battery  46 . 
     Rack  32  defines a substantially conventional triangular shaped rack having a first foot  34  and a second foot  36  extending from a side of rack  32 . First reed switch  38  and second reed switch  40  define conventional electromagnetic type reed switches such as are commonly known in the art. Such a reed switch is taught in the disclosed Aug. 30, 2008 “Reed Switch” Wikipedia article and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,746 titled electromagnetic switch, both of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entirety. Reed switches  38  and  40  are adapted such that when reed switches  38  and  40  are in close proximity to a magnet, the magnetic pull of the magnet causes reed switches  38  and  40  to close, thus completing an electrical circuit. First light  42  and second light  44  define lights such as are commonly known in the art and preferably define light emitting diode or LED type lights. Battery  46  defines a conventional battery such as is commonly known in the art and such that is able to power lights  42  and  44 . 
     Rack assembly  30  is assembled such that first reed switch  38  is mounted to first rack foot  34 , second reed switch  40  is mounted to second rack foot  36  and battery  46  is mounted to a side of rack  32 . Rack assembly  30  is further assembled such that first reed switch  38  is electrically connected to battery  46  such that when first reed switch  38  is actuated or closed, the electrical circuit between first reed switch  38  and battery  46  is completed and first light  42  is lighted, and such that second reed switch  40  is electrically connected to battery  46  such that when second reed switch  40  is actuated or closed, the electrical circuit between second reed switch  40  and battery  46  is completed and second light  44  is lighted. 
     In practice, assembled rack assembly  30  is placed upon the surface of billiard table  20 . Billiards balls  50  are preferably placed within rack assembly  30 . Rack assembly  30  is moved or adjusted on the surface of table  20  until first foot  34  is positioned in near proximity to first magnetic target  24  and until second foot  36  is positioned in near proximity to second magnetic target  26 . The described positioning of rack assembly  30  further causes first reed switch  38  to be positioned in near proximity to first magnetic target  24  and second reed switch  40  to be positioned in near proximity to second magnetic target  26 . Such positioning of reed switches  38  and  40  cause lights  42  and  44  respectively to be lighted. The lighting of both of lights  42  and  44  function as an indication to the user that rack assembly  30  is properly positioned. It is noted that if either one or none of lights  42  and  44  are lighted, rack assembly  30  is not properly positioned. It is yet further noted that inasmuch as rack assembly  30  rests upon table  20 , adjustment of rack assembly  30  need only be performed in an X-Y plane as the Z component of movement is fixed due to the surface of table  20 . It is also further noted that the sensitivity of rack assembly  30  may be adapted as needed by, for instance, modifying the size and magnetic strength of magnetic targets  24  and  26 . For instance, the less the magnetic strength and the smaller the size of targets  24  and  26 , the closer or more precisely electromagnetic reed switches  38  and  40 , and consequently rack assembly  30 , need to be positioned in order to active lights  42  and  44 . 
     In a first alternate embodiment, lights  42  and  44  define LEDs that are adapted to display at least two colors, and in particular the colors of red and green. The first alternate embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment except that rather than have a light-off mode that corresponds to an improper rack position and a light-on mode that corresponds to a proper rack position, in the first alternate embodiment, a red light-on mode corresponds to an improper rack position and a green light-on mode corresponds to a proper rack position. In this embodiment, the user is assured that rack assembly  32  is powered even when rack assembly  32  is not yet positioned. 
     In a second alternate embodiment, the second alternate embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment except that rather than incorporating an electromagnetic reed switch, the second alternate embodiment incorporates a Hall Effect sensing proximity switch. Such Hall Effect sensing switches are well known in the art. Such a Hall Effect sensor switch is taught in the disclosed Aug. 30, 2008 “Hall Effect Sensor” Wikipedia article which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     In a third alternate embodiment, the third alternate embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment except that rather than incorporating an electromagnetic reed switch, the third alternate embodiment incorporates a photoelectric sensing proximity switch. Such photoelectric sensing proximity switches are well known in the art. Such a Hall Effect sensor switch is taught in the disclosed Aug. 30, 2008 “Proximity Sensor” Wikipedia article which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     In a fourth alternate embodiment, the fourth alternate embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment except that rather than reed switches  38  and  40 , lights  42  and  44 , and battery  46  being mounted to rack  32 , reed switches  38  and  40 , lights  42  and  44 , and battery  46  are mounted to billiard table  20 , and rather than magnetic targets  24  and  26  being embedded in billiard table  20 , magnetic targets  24  and  26  are connected to rack  32  to form rack assembly  30 . The method of use of the fourth embodiment is otherwise substantially similar to the use of the first embodiment. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.