Concentric Translucent Billiard Cue Ball for Aiming Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Players in billiards face difficulty in judging the center of a standard, solid white cue ball for accurate aiming due to the complex interaction of physics and geometry, making it hard to determine the correct offset for achieving desired spin or backspin, especially with a cue ball that is opaque and lacks clear visual feedback.
Innovation Solution
A regulation-sized cue ball made with multiple concentric translucent spheres, allowing shooters to see through the outer spheres to inner markings for precise aiming without the need for repeated axial rotations, providing immediate visual feedback on the cue ball's position and intended strike point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a standard solid white opaque cue ball is used, then the ball maintains traditional appearance and simplicity, but players cannot accurately judge the center and tip offset for precise aiming
Solution Approach 1:
The cue ball incorporates translucent colored layers (red, green, blue) instead of traditional solid white opaque material. These colored translucent layers allow players to visually perceive the center and tip offset through color differentiation, directly improving aiming precision while maintaining a relatively simple spherical structure
Solution Approach 2:
The cue ball is constructed with multiple concentric translucent layers of different colors nested within each other (inner red sphere, middle green sphere, outer blue sphere). This nested structure provides visual depth and reference points for aiming without significantly increasing the overall ball size or complexity
2Ease of operation
If practice cue balls with markings are used, then aiming guidance is improved, but repeated axial rotations are required to align markings before each shot
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using markings that require rotation to align, the invention uses permanently visible translucent colored layers that provide continuous aiming reference from any ball orientation. Players can immediately gauge tip offset without rotating the ball, eliminating time loss while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The translucent colored layers are pre-configured in concentric positions within the ball structure before use. This preliminary arrangement ensures that aiming reference information is always available regardless of ball rotation, eliminating the need for post-placement rotational alignment actions
Data Source
AI summary
A cue ball used for practice and play in pool or billiards. The cue ball is made with a plurality of concentric sphere layers or shells starting with a centermost opaque ball, followed by two or three spheres of differently colored semi-transparent polymer resins; then an outermost clear layer of polymer.