Ball game equipment and ball game

Abstract

The invention relates to a ball game device (1) with at least one ball-catching section (2) that is at least partially hollow-conical or truncated hollow-conical. In order to enable a novel ball game, the ball game device (1) has at least one ring-shaped actuating section (4) connected to a tapered end section of the ball-catching section (2), wherein the actuating section (4) is designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can be passed through the actuating section (4), and wherein an axially extending longitudinal center axis (L) of the actuating section (4) is aligned perpendicular to a conical axis (K) of the ball-catching section (2).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a ball game device with at least one ball-catching section that is at least partially hollow-conical or truncated hollow-conical and has a tapered end section. The invention also relates to a ball game with at least one ball. State of the art

[0002] Various ball games are known that require a high degree of skill and reaction time. Furthermore, various ball games are known that utilize ball games equipment which must be manipulated by a person in a specific way. For example, DE 86 12 409 U1 discloses a ball game device with a ball-catching funnel and a handle attached to it. DE 361 846 A discloses a ball game device with a catching funnel and a ejection device.

[0003] DE 364 298 A discloses a ball-catching and launching funnel guided by a handle, the tube of which is provided with a trough-shaped extension and widened on both sides. To achieve a certain height of the momentum component acting in the handle, the ball is held by friction by means of a known obstacle device until the moment of release, in order to launch the ball with increased force.

[0004] DE 2 046 463 A discloses a ball-launching pistol with two shell halves formed in a pistol shape, which are connected to each other in the area of ​​the barrel end by a hollow rivet, on which a pair of leg springs is mounted in such a way that the short legs of the spring are supported in the pistol barrel and a thumb trigger spur equipped with a recess, bowl or funnel is attached to the ends of the other longer legs, which can be tensioned over the pistol barrel.

[0005] US 3,970,308 A discloses a game device and set comprising a main base that can be held by a player, a first throwing element that can be launched into the air from the main base, and a second throwing element that can be launched into the air by a player. The main base has a truncated cone body and a rim section formed at and extending from the wider end of the truncated cone body, which can be grasped by the player's hand. The first throwing element has a ring element made of a lightweight material, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the widest diameter of the truncated cone body, so that it rests on the truncated cone body when at rest.The second throwing element features a ball, a retaining cord attached to one end of the ball to retrieve the ball after throwing, and a finger ring holder at the other end of the cord which engages with a finger of the player's hand to retrieve the ball.

[0006] DE 473 300 A discloses a ball game device consisting of a handle with a catching device. The catching device consists of a rigid, cone-shaped body, the outer surface of which is elastically curved inwards and narrows in a funnel shape so that balls or similar objects thrown into it are forced by the force of the throw into the funnel-shaped extension and held therein. Disclosure of the invention

[0007] One purpose of the invention is to enable a novel ball game.

[0008] This problem is solved by the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures, whereby these embodiments, either individually or in combination with at least two of them, can represent an advantageous and / or further developing aspect of the invention.

[0009] A ball game device according to the invention has at least one ball-catching section that is at least partially hollow-conical or truncated hollow-conical and has a tapered end section, and at least one ring-shaped actuating section connected to the tapered end section of the ball-catching section, wherein the actuating section is designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can be passed through the actuating section, and wherein an axially extending longitudinal center axis of the actuating section is aligned perpendicular to a conical axis of the ball-catching section.

[0010] The ball game device according to the invention, or its actuating section, can, for example, be placed on a person's finger in the manner of a ring, such that the ball game device can rotate around the finger about the axially extending longitudinal central axis of the actuating section when the finger is moved transversely to the longitudinal central axis of the actuating section. This embodiment of the invention is referred to in the application as the finger variant.

[0011] At the start of a ball game played with the ball game device, the device can be positioned on the finger such that the ball-catching section is above the actuation section. In this position, a ball can be inserted into the ball-catching section. The person can then move the ball game device upwards with their finger and / or the arm to which the finger is attached, causing the ball to detach from the device and preferably perform a free upward movement. After the ball has detached from the device, the person can rotate the device at least once through 360° around their finger by moving their finger and / or arm, allowing the free ball to fall back into the ball-catching section from above.This movement of the ball game device around the finger is made possible, among other things, by the fact that the longitudinal central axis of the actuating section, which runs axially with respect to the ring-shaped geometry of the actuating section, is aligned perpendicular to the conical axis of the ball-catching section, which is identical to a vertical axis of the ball-catching section. The movement required by the person to catch the ball again demands particular skill and precise timing, and thus a certain amount of practice, which can be acquired through play. A novel ball game can therefore be realized with the ball game device according to the invention.

[0012] The ball game device according to the invention can alternatively be designed as an arm variant, which is significantly larger than the finger variant of the ball game device described above. In the arm variant of the ball game device, instead of a single finger, a person's arm is guided through the actuation section.

[0013] At the start of a ball game playable with this arm variant of the ball game device according to the invention, the ball game device can be arranged on the arm such that the ball-catching section is positioned above the actuating section. In this state, a ball can be inserted into the ball-catching section. The person can then move the ball game device upwards with their arm in such a way that the ball is released upwards from the ball game device and preferably performs a free upward movement. After the ball is released from the ball game device, the person can, by moving their arm, cause the ball game device to rotate at least once through 360° around the arm, so that the free ball can fall back into the ball-catching section from above.This movement of the ball game device around the finger is made possible, among other things, by the fact that the longitudinal central axis of the actuating section, which runs axially with respect to the ring-shaped geometry of the actuating section, is aligned perpendicular to the conical axis of the ball-catching section, which is identical to a vertical axis of the ball-catching section. The movement required by the person to catch the ball again demands particular skill and precise timing, and thus a certain amount of practice, which can be acquired through play. A novel ball game can therefore be realized with the ball game device according to the invention.

[0014] The ball catching section can be partially or completely hollow conical or truncated hollow conical. The ball catching section has a flared end section with a ball catching opening, and a tapered end section axially opposite the flared end section, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the inner diameter of the flared end section.

[0015] The actuating section can be connected to the tapered end section of the ball-catching section in any suitable manner, for example, by a material bond or by non-destructive detachability. The actuating section is ring-shaped, having an axial ring width and a radial ring thickness. In the finger variant of the ball game device according to the invention described above, the actuating section is designed such that only a single human finger, for example, the index finger or middle finger, can pass through it. In the arm variant of the ball game device according to the invention described above, the actuating section is designed such that only a single human arm, for example, the forearm, can pass through it.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment, a circumferential material thickening is formed on the flared end section of the ball-catching section, which forms the ball-catching opening. During failed attempts, the ball strikes the free edge of the flared end section of the ball-catching section. Since there are generally more failed attempts than attempts in which the ball falls into the ball-catching section, there are numerous contacts between the ball and the free end of the flared end section. If the ball is made of a non-elastically deformable or hard material, these contacts can lead to significant wear or damage to the ball-catching section. To prevent this, the flared end section of the ball-catching section features a completely circumferential material thickening, which is more robust and better able to absorb forces.The material thickening can, for example, be formed as a radially outward-pointing bead or a radially outward-pointing collar.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the ball-catching section and / or the actuation section are at least partially made of a plastic, a metal, a metal alloy, or a composite material. The choice of material allows the ball game device to be optimally adapted to various requirements and preferences. To reduce the weight of the ball game device, particularly for the arm version, the material of the ball-catching section and / or actuation section can, for example, be partially or completely foamed. A fiber-reinforced plastic, for instance, is a suitable composite material.

[0018] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the ball catching section and / or the actuation section are at least partially additively manufactured or injection-molded components. Both alternatives enable simple and cost-effective production of the ball game device, even in high-volume series production. The ball catching section and the actuation section can be additively manufactured separately and then joined together. Alternatively, the ball catching section and the actuation section can be manufactured simultaneously using a shared additive manufacturing process and then joined together.

[0019] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the ball-catching section is monolithically connected to the actuation section. This one-piece design of the ball game device allows for simple manufacturing without assembly steps. Furthermore, the one-piece version of the ball game device is very robust. The monolithic connection between the ball-catching section and the actuation section can be achieved, for example, by manufacturing the ball-catching section and the actuation section using a single additive manufacturing process.

[0020] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the ball game device has at least one rolling bearing arranged on and coaxially with the actuating section, designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can pass through the rolling bearing. This significantly reduces the force required to rotate the ball game device around the finger or arm. Furthermore, such rotation of the ball game device eliminates contact friction on the finger or arm, which could lead to skin irritation, especially during prolonged use of the ball game device. The rolling bearing can, for example, be designed as a radial-axial bearing. The rolling bearing can, for example, be designed as a ball bearing or needle bearing.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the ball game device has at least one ring-shaped retaining element by means of which the rolling bearing can be fixed to the actuating section. The retaining element can, for example, have a retaining section that at least partially receives the rolling bearing in a form-fitting manner and can be inserted into the actuating section. The ball game device can also, for example, have two retaining elements that can be inserted into the actuating section in opposite directions and that can be designed such that one retaining element can be at least partially inserted into the other. The ball game device can also, for example, be provided with at least two differently designed retaining elements that can be selectively arranged on the actuating section in order to selectively arrange rolling bearings of different sizes on the actuating section via these retaining elements.

[0022] A ball game according to the invention comprises at least one ball and at least one ball game device according to one of the above-mentioned embodiments or a combination of at least two of these embodiments, wherein a diameter of the ball is smaller than a diameter of the ball-catching opening of the ball-catching section.

[0023] The advantages mentioned above regarding ball games are correspondingly linked to ball games. The ball can be non-elastically deformable, for example as a juggling ball, or elastically deformable, for example as a silicone ball or a hard rubber ball.

[0024] The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the attached figures using a preferred embodiment, wherein the features explained below can represent an advantageous and / or further developing aspect of the invention both individually and in different combinations with one another. Brief description of the characters

[0025] It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic and perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a ball game device according to the invention; and Fig. 2. Another schematic and perspective representation of the in Fig. 1 ball game equipment shown. Detailed description of the characters

[0026] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent components are marked with the same reference symbols. Repeated descriptions of such components may be omitted to avoid unnecessary repetition.

[0027] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic and perspective representation of an embodiment of a ball game device according to the invention.

[0028] The ball game device 1 has a hollow, cone-shaped ball catching section 2. The ball catching section 2 is made of a plastic, a metal, a metal alloy, or a composite material. The ball catching section 2 is an additively manufactured component or an injection-molded component.

[0029] At one in Fig. 2 ball-catching openings shown, forming, in Fig. 1. A circumferentially arranged, radially outwardly projecting, bead-shaped material thickening 3 is formed in the widened end section of the ball catching section 2 arranged below.

[0030] The ball game device 1 also features one with a [unclear] in Fig. The actuating section 4 is connected to the tapered end section of the ball catching section 2, which is arranged at the top. The actuating section 4 is made of a plastic, a metal, a metal alloy, or a composite material. The actuating section 4 is an additively manufactured component or an injection-molded component. The ball catching section 2 is monolithically connected to the actuating section 4.

[0031] Actuation section 4 is designed in such a way that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can be passed through actuation section 4.

[0032] An axially extending longitudinal center axis L of the actuation section 4 is aligned perpendicular to a conical axis K of the ball catching section 2.

[0033] Furthermore, the ball game device 1 has a rolling bearing 5 arranged on and coaxially with the actuating section 4. The rolling bearing 5 is designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can pass through the rolling bearing 5.

[0034] The rolling bearing 5 has an outer bearing ring 6, an inner bearing ring 7, and rolling elements 8 arranged between the two bearing rings 6 and 7 in the form of balls. The inner bearing ring 7 is designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can pass through the inner bearing ring 7.

[0035] In a transition area between the ball-catching section 2 and the actuation section 4, two connecting sections 9 are arranged, diametrically opposite each other with respect to the cone axis K, and monolithically connected to the ball-catching section 2 and the actuation section 4. The connecting sections 9 make the ball game device 1 more robust.

[0036] The ball game device 1 has two ring-shaped and monolithic retaining elements 10 and 11, with which the rolling bearing 5 can be fixed to the actuating section 4. Each retaining element 10 or 11 has a hollow cylindrical retaining section 12 or 14, respectively, and a radially outwardly projecting, circumferential flange section 13 or 15, respectively. The respective flange section 13 or 15 is connected to an axial end of the respective retaining section 12 or 14, respectively.

[0037] The retaining elements 10 and 11 are made of a plastic, a metal, a metal alloy, or a composite material. Each retaining element 10 or 11 is an additively manufactured component or an injection-molded component. Alternatively, the retaining element 11 can be monolithically connected to the actuating section 4.

[0038] The inner diameter of the retaining section 14 is larger than the outer diameter of the retaining section 12, so that the retaining section 12 can preferably be inserted into the retaining section 15 in a form-fitting manner. The inner diameter of the actuating section 4 is larger than the outer diameter of the retaining section 14, so that the retaining section 14 can preferably be inserted into the actuating section 4 in a form-fitting manner. The inner diameter of the retaining section 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the rolling bearing 5 or the outer bearing ring 6, so that the retaining section 12 can preferably be fitted onto the rolling bearing 5 in a form-fitting manner.

[0039] The ball game device 1 could be provided with at least two differently designed holding elements 10, which differ from each other exclusively in the inner diameter of the holding section 12, so that at least two rolling bearings 5 ​​with different outer diameters can be optionally combined with the actuating section in order to easily adapt the ball game device 1 to different finger thicknesses or arm thicknesses.

[0040] Fig. Figure 2 shows another schematic and perspective representation of the in Fig. 1 ball game equipment shown 1, wherein in Fig. 2 the in Fig. The holding elements shown in 1 and the rolling bearing have been omitted for the sake of simplicity.

[0041] Fig. Figure 2 shows in particular the ball-catching opening 16 of the ball-catching section 2 of the ball game device 1. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the description above. Fig.1 referred. Reference symbol list 1 ball game 2 Ball catching section 3. Material thickening 4 Actuation section 5 rolling bearings 6 outer bearing ring 7 inner bearing ring 8 rolling elements 9 Connecting section 10 retaining elements 11 retaining element 12 stopping section of 10 13 Flange section of 10 14 Stop section of 11 15 Flange section of 11 16 Ball catching opening at 2 K conical axis L Longitudinal center axis of 4

Claims

[1] Ball game equipment (1) with at least one ball catching section (2) that is at least partially hollow conical or truncated hollow conical, characterized by at least one ring-shaped actuating section (4) connected to a tapered end section of the ball catching section (2), wherein the actuating section (4) is designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can be passed through the actuating section (4), and wherein an axially extending longitudinal central axis (L) of the actuating section (4) is aligned perpendicular to a conical axis (K) of the ball catching section (2). [2] Ball game equipment (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that a circumferential material thickening (3) is formed on a widened end section of the ball catching section (2) forming a ball catching opening (16). [3] Ball game equipment (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the ball receiving section (2) and / or the actuation section (4) are at least partially made of a plastic, a metal, a metal alloy or a composite material. [4] Ball game equipment (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the ball catching section (2) and / or the actuation section (4) are at least partially an additively manufactured component or an injection-molded component. [5] Ball game device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the ball receiving section (2) is monolithically connected to the actuation section (4). [6] Ball game equipment (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized byat least one rolling bearing (5) arranged on the actuating section (4) and coaxially to the actuating section (4), which is designed such that either only a human arm or only a single human finger can be passed through the rolling bearing (5). [7] Ball game device (1) according to claim 6, characterized by at least one ring-shaped retaining element (10, 11) by which the rolling bearing can be fixed to the actuating section (4). [8] Ball game with at least one ball, characterized by at least one ball game device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a diameter of the ball is smaller than a diameter of the ball receiving opening (16) of the ball receiving section (2).

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