Patent Application
20190291017
The disclosure relates to hoop and stick play devices and more particularly pertains to a new hoop and stick play device for encouraging a child to roll a hoop over a ground surface.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a hoop forming a closed circular loop having an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The hoop is comprised of a translucent material. Light emitters are positioned within an interior of the hoop and are spaced throughout the hoop such that an entirety of the hoop is illuminated when the light emitters emit light. A power source is positioned within the hoop and is electrically coupled to each of the light emitters. A rod is elongated and has a first end and a second end. The rod is tubular and is comprised of a translucent material. The rod has a bend therein positioned nearer to the second end than the first end and is linear from the first end to the bend to define a main portion of the rod. A catch is formed in the rod from the bend to the second end for engaging the hoop. The catch is U-shaped from the bend to the second end. A plurality of lights is mounted in the rod and is spaced throughout the rod from the first end to the second. A battery is electrically coupled to the lights. A switch is electrically coupled to the battery and the lights. The switch is actuated to turn the lights on or off.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A plurality of light emitters 30 is positioned within an interior of the hoop 12. The light emitters 30 are spaced throughout the hoop 12 such that an entirety of the hoop 12 is illuminated when the light emitters 30 emit light. The light emitters 30 may comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs). A power source 32 is positioned within the hoop 12 and is electrically coupled to each of the light emitters 30. The power source 32 may comprise one or more batteries and an actuator may be provided to turn the light emitters 30 on or off. The light emitters 30 may be positioned on the support 20 and more particularly on the flanges 28 as shown in
A rod 40 is provided which is elongated and has a first end 42 and a second end 44. The rod 40 is tubular and is comprised of a rigid, translucent material that may be transparent. The rod 40 has a bend 46 therein positioned nearer to the second end 44 than the first end 42, though the rod 40 is linear from the first end 42 to the bend 46 and defines a main portion 48 of the rod 40. From the bend 46 to the second end 44, the rod 40 forms a catch 50 for engaging the hoop 12. The catch 50 is U-shaped from the bend 46 to the second end 44. More particularly, the catch 50 includes a first arm 52 extending downwardly from the bend 46, a central portion 54 is attached to the first arm 52 distal to the bend 46, and a second arm 56 extends upwardly from the central portion 54. The bend 46 forms an angle 58 between the first arm 52 and the main portion 48 that is between 70° and 90° and more preferably about 80° so that the catch 50 is slightly angled backwards toward the first end 42 as can be seen in
A plurality of lights 60 is mounted in the rod 40 and is spaced throughout the rod 40 from the first end 42 to the second 44 to illuminate the entire rod 40 when the lights 60 are turned on. The lights 60 may also comprise LED type lights. A bracing assembly 62 may be positioned within the rod 60 and may also include panels 64 and flanges 66 similar to those found in the hoop 12. The lights 60 may be mounted on the flanges 66. A handle 68 is attached to the first end 42. A battery 70, and perhaps a plurality of batteries, is mounted in the handle 68 and electrically couple to the lights 60. The handle 68 may include a removable cap section 69 to remove and replace the battery 70 as needed. A switch 72 is electrically coupled to the battery and the lights. The switch 72 is actuated to turn the lights 70 on or off. Additionally, a color switch 74 may be mounted on the handle 68 and electrically coupled to the lights 70. The lights 70 may include a plurality of different colored LEDs and the color switch 74 may be actuated to determine which colors are to be illuminated.
In use, the combination 10 is typically used by children who will use the rod 40 to engage the hoop 12 and cause the hoop 12 to roll over a ground surface. The child will run after the hoop 12, continuing to engage the hoop 12 with the catch 50 as needed to cause the hoop 12 to continue to roll. The catch 50 aids the child in engaging and altering the direction of the hoop 12 as needed. The light emitters 30 and lights 60 encourage the child to play with the combination 10 so that the child is entertained while exercising.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
