Billiard training ball

Abstract

A mostly transparent billiard ball particularly useful as a training cue ball is disclosed. The ball includes an inner core centered within a sufficiently transparent spherical outer covering that provides an optimum zone, visible to the player, at which he or she can aim the tip of a cue stick. This inner zone is especially serviceable to restrict a player's aim when striking the ball off-center in order to effectively impart sidespin while limiting lateral deflection to the ball. The inner zone may also simply assist the player to determine the ball's exact center when striking the ball in order to accurately impart no sidespin. In either case, cueing technique is enhanced and the player practices with consistency. The centered inner core also provides enough mass to bring the training ball to within an acceptable weight range for casual and professional levels of play.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Not Applicable STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable. REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX [0003] Not Applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] (1) The U.S. patent code classifications that are applicable to this new invention: [0005] Class 473: Games Using Tangible Projectile [0006] Subclass 1: Billiards or Pool [0007] Subclass 2: Practice device or device to aid in aiming cue or cue ball during shots. [0008] Subclass 52: Ball; Subject matter relating to the structural details of a generally spherical member (i.e. a ball) which is spherically adapted for use in playing a game of billiards or pool. [0009] (2) The present invention pertains to the field of sports generally referred to as “billiards,” and specifically to an improved type of “cue ball” for training purposes. [0010] (3) Billiards is widely recognized as comprising all...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0075] (53) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the training ball aligned with two object balls, revealing the long-range deflection that would result from an off-center stroke of a cue stick toward the outer cover

Problems solved by technology

In many instances, billiards requires that the cue ball be driven in a manner that a center-ball hit cannot accomplish.

As will be explained in the following text, it is frequently this imparting of particularly left or right spin (sidespin) on the cue ball that can produce an unwanted or undesirable outcome, for the novice and champion alike.

Irrespective of which component is in fact a contributor, a hard blow to the side of the cue ball from a cue stick will produce noticeable or even startling squirt.

(17) It is interesting to note that as yet, there is no way to distill the governing scientific principles and formulas into a foolproof aiming system when applying sidespin to the cue ball; the variables are too complex.

When similarly striking a standard cue ball during play, deflection will thereby also be limited, thus increasing the percentage of hitting the mark at all times.

(24) U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,283, issued to Simpson in 1998, also does not offer a remedy to limit deflection after aiming and striking

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