Patent Application
20230001315
The invention is a noise-making device for sports venues, cheering venues and the like that provides a body and a head attached to the body. The device can be mechanically or electronically activated for both light and sound. The head of the device can take many different forms but is universally applied to the body.
Celebration of sport and various like activities is ancient. From the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, crowds have gathered to celebrate organized competition and have done so loudly and enthusiastically.
Devices of various types and kinds have existed throughout time to amplify the cheering, positively or negatively, of fans in sporting arenas, political venues and the like. These devices have often been home-made and one-offs not suitable for mass production.
In modern times, sports of all kinds draw many thousands of fans to outdoor, open air and enclosed venues. It is common for sports like American football, basketball, international soccer, cricket and others to draw fans in the dozens of thousands and sometimes in one hundred thousand in one event or more. In such cases, fans' ability to influence the outcome of games can be pronounced and welcomed. Fans themselves make noise naturally but can also enhance their noise-making ability by use of a device of one kind or another, many of which are known.
These devices, however, fail to provide interchangeability, for example, the ability to use one device for a child's team, a college team and a pro team. They also fail to provide a diverse ability by which noise can be made, whether mechanically rendered, electronically rendered or some combination thereof.
What is therefore needed and provided herein is a noise-making device that provides both the interchangeability and diversity of use currently lacking in modern, known noise-making devices.
Accordingly, the invention provides, A noise-making device for use at sporting events, comprises a head or head portion. The head can be in the form of a particular team mascot, player, brand and the like. The noise-making device also contains a body upon which the head sits and from which may be releasable from the head. The body contains a hollow volume that can be filled with a number of items. For example, noise making items are positioned within the volume of the body. In use, the noise making items are activated and produce sound when a user engages the noise-making device. Also, noise making items may be positioned within the volume of the body and/or the head portion.
For instance, the noise-making device sounds when it is activated by a user shaking it. Such shaking can be either vigorous or mild, depending upon how the noise-making device is configured to respond. This embodiment describes a noise-making device using mechanical noise making items specifically configured (or naturally configured) to make noise when shaken within the body of the noise-making device.
In another embodiment herein, the noise-making device comprises electronic noisemaking means. Such electronic noise-making means may be in addition to mechanical noise making items as recounted hereinabove. Or, electronic noise-making means may be the only provided noise maker for the noise-making device. Such design is entirely within the design choice of a manufacturer.
In practice, the noise-making device is activated when the electronic noise-making means are engaged, usually by a switch of one sort or another, being well known in the art. Alternatively, sound from the electronic noise-making means of the noise-making device is activated by a user shaking the device vigorously or mildly.
As noted hereinabove, the head of the noise-making device is detachable from the body thereof. Also, the head is interchangeable. There is a connector between the head and the body of the noise-making device that allows universal fit between multiple kinds of heads to the body.
In a preferred embodiment herein, light elements are integral to the body of the noise-making device. The light elements may also be resident within the head of the noise-making device. When the head is connected to the body, the lights can be activated. In such instance, the connection of the head to the body completes a circuit.
The completion of the circuit activates one or more sound features of the noise-making device. Also, the completion of the circuit activates one or more light features of the noise-making device. The noise-making device further comprises one or more replaceable batteries for powering the noise-making device. In addition, or alternatively, the noise-making device comprises one or more self-charging means for powering the noise making device.
The various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, are described in the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
By the term “noise-making device”, it is meant herein an audible device, a light making device or some combination of the two types of devices into one sound and light making device.
By the term “cheer making device”, it is meant herein the noise-making device as described herein.
By the term “sports venues”, it is meant herein sports venues, cheering venues, outdoor venues, pep rallies, political rallies, indoor sporting events, basketball games, cricket matches, football games, wrestling matches, mixed-martial art matches, martial art tournaments and the like.
The invention herein provides a noise-making device for use at sporting events, celebrations, cheering events and the like comprises a head or head portion. The head can be in the form of a particular team mascot, player, brand and the like. The noise-making device also contains a body upon which the head sits and from which may be releasable from the head. The body contains a hollow volume that can be filled with a number of items. For example, noise making items are positioned within the volume of the body. In use, the noise making items are activated and produce sound when a user engages the noise-making device.
For instance, the noise-making device sounds when it is activated by a user shaking it. Such shaking can be either vigorous or mild, depending upon how the noise-making device is configured to respond. This embodiment describes a noise-making device using mechanical noise making items specifically configured (or naturally configured) to make noise when shaken within the body of the noise-making device.
In another embodiment herein, the noise-making device comprises electronic noisemaking means. Such electronic noise-making means may be in addition to mechanical noise making items as recounted hereinabove. Or, electronic noise-making means may be the only provided noise maker for the noise-making device. Such design is entirely within the design choice of a manufacturer.
In practice, the noise-making device is activated when the electronic noise-making means are engaged, usually by a switch of one sort or another, being well known in the art. Alternatively, sound from the electronic noise-making means of the noise-making device is activated by a user shaking the device vigorously or mildly.
As noted hereinabove, the head of the noise-making device is detachable from the body thereof. Also, the head is interchangeable. There is a connector between the head and the body of the noise-making device that allows universal fit between multiple kinds of heads to the body.
Sound or light produced from the sound-making device herein may be produced from either the head, the body or both of the sound-making device. The head or body may independently produce sound and/or light or may produce same together in coordination. Such coordination of both light and sound can occur manually by manipulation of a user or by one or more algorithms programmed into the sound-making device. In such instance, a user can select a particular pre-programmed sound and/or light display by which to use the sound-making device.
In a preferred embodiment herein, light elements are integral to the body of the noise-making device. The light elements may also be resident within the head of the noise-making device. When the head is connected to the body, the lights can be activated. In such instance, the connection of the head to the body completes a circuit.
The completion of the circuit activates one or more sound features of the noise-making device. Also, the completion of the circuit activates one or more light features of the noise-making device. The noise-making device further comprises one or more replaceable batteries for powering the noise-making device. In addition, or alternatively, the noise-making device comprises one or more self-charging means for powering the noise making device.
In some instances, a venue may seek to still or limit the sound of a noise-making device. For such venues, a noise-making device, especially one that is actuated electronically and that has a both light and sound features, can also be equipped with a mute function for both sound and light. For properly equipped venues, some sound-making devices may mute said devices at a properly equipped server instead of asking fans to mute the devices locally.
In another embodiment herein, a venue's noise-making devices may all be connected wirelessly (e.g., by BLUETOOTH®) to a server within the venue. By such connection, a venue can coordinate the noise of each noise-making device so connected. Such coordination can include sound coordination and light coordination. It is conceivable herein that high level coordination of both light and sound can be achieved through programming (i.e., one or more algorithms) housed upon a venue's server whereby such program actuates the sound-making devices herein.
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This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
