Patent Publication Number: US-2018043239-A1

Title: Cue stick with stash compartment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to billiard cue sticks and, more particularly, to a billiard cue stick having a stash compartment. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Billiards is often played in settings where money is bet on games. Players will typically bring cash for this purpose. However, cash can easily be lost or stolen, particularly as the player must devote concentration primarily to the game itself. Additionally, the player will want to bring money to pay for drinks, snacks, etc. Furthermore, the player may wish to have access to small items, such as a cigarette. 
     Various devices, such as a money belt, may be used to conceal items. While these may suffice, they are not always suitable to store certain items, such as cigarettes. Furthermore, such devices often include a concealed zipper which makes access somewhat difficult. Additionally, clothing or accessories having hidden compartments may not fit well or match the wearer&#39;s other clothes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a cue stick with the capability to contain and conceal small items. One aspect of the invention relates to a storage concealment system, comprising a cue stick having a cavity; and a canister fitted within the cavity wherein the canister is accessible by a player. The canister can be substantially cylindrical and include a cover, for example. The cue stick can include a detachable butt cap allowing access to the canister by the player. In an embodiment, the cavity extends into the butt cap and most of the canister fits therein. In some embodiments, the canister is weighted allowing the user to adjust the overall weight of the cue by selecting a canister having the desired weight, e.g., from 1 to 3 ounces. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram of a typical two-piece cue stick; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a partial exploded view of a rear portion of a cue stick having a stash compartment and canister therein, according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a partial exploded view of the rear portion of a cue stick having a stash compartment and canister therein, according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates an exemplary canister shown in a closed configuration; and 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates the canister shown in an open configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a typical two-piece cue  10  includes a tip  100  which is used to strike a ball. The tip  100  is traditionally made from leather or synthetic leather, but can be constructed from another suitable material. A ferrule  105  connects the tip  100  to a shaft  110 , and additionally reinforces the tip  100  and absorbs shock from when a player strikes the ball with the cue  10 . The shaft  110  is the longest portion of the cue and is typically crafted from wood but can be fiberglass or graphite. The shaft  110  may be tapered from a smaller diameter at the ferrule  105  to a larger diameter at a joint collar  115 . The joint collar  115  and a joint pin  120  connect the shaft  110  to the forearm  130 . The joint collar  115  and a joint pin  120  allow the cue to be disassembled into two main components for ease of transportation. The joint pin  120  generally comprises male threads that thread into female threads of the joint collar  115 . Veneer  135  is a decorative portion of forearm  130  that typically contains decorative inlays or overlays. Wrap  140  is typically in the middle of the bottom half of the cue below the forearm  130  and wrapped around the outside of the forearm  130  to aid the player in gripping the cue. A butt sleeve  145  is adjacent to the wrapped portion of the forearm  130  and allows players to customize the weight of the cue  10  by using an interchangeable weight system. A butt cap  150  detachably connects to the butt sleeve  145  to contain the weight system within. At an end of the cue  10  is the bumper  155 . The bumper  155  is generally made of rubber or similar material to protect the end of the cue  10 . Although a two-piece cue stick is illustrated, some cue sticks are a single piece. These one-piece cues do not have the joint pin  120  or joint collar  115 , and the taper is usually constant from the ferrule  105  down the length of the cue to the butt cap  150 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a partial exploded view of the rear portion of a cue stick  10  having a stash compartment and canister therein, according to a first embodiment, is illustrated. As shown, the butt sleeve  145  of the cue stick  10  includes a cavity  147 A. The cavity  147 A can be formed by a lathe, for example. A canister  20  fits within the butt sleeve  145  and is held within the butt sleeve  145  by a butt cap  150 . The canister  20  is comprised of a cover  200  and a detachable body  210 . The cap  200  and the body  210  may be connected by any suitable means (e.g., threading, magnetic attraction, snap fitting, adhesives, etc.). The overall weight of the canister  20  may be as small as about 0.1 ounces. The canister  20  may also be weighted. In this case, the canister  20  can be as heavy as about 3 ounces. Where the canister  20  is weighted, the player may select an appropriate weighted canister to adjust the overall weight of the cue stick  20 . The weighting feature may be accomplished by adding lead to the canister  20 , for example. The cap  200  and body  210  of the canister  20  may be made from any suitable material (e.g., plastic, metal, fiberglass, wood, nylon, etc.). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a partial exploded view of the rear portion of a cue stick having a stash compartment and canister therein, according to a second embodiment. The second embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment except that the butt cap  150  contains a cavity  147 B such that all or most of the canister  20  fits entirely within the butt cap  150 . In the case where a majority of the canister  20  fits in the cavity  147 B with a remainder within the butt sleeve  145  (not shown), the cavity would extend from inside the butt sleeve  145  to into the butt cap  155 . 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates an exemplary canister  20  shown in a closed configuration. As shown, the canister is substantially cylindrical. However, the canister  20  could assume another shape, e.g., cubic. The cavity  147 A/ 147 B could be cylindrical or another shape as well.  FIG. 4B  illustrates the canister  20  shown in an open configuration wherein various items such as a cigarette  500  and a dollar bill  600  can be stored within the canister  20 . It is to be understood that the canister  20  could be used to store various other items or may be empty. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention can be used for cue sticks for any cue sports including any type of pocket pool, carom billiards and snooker, for example. 
     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the various exemplary embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.