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Pool cue systems

Pool cue systems description/claims

This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/949,868 for POOL CUE SYSTEMS filed Sep. 25, 2004 by Evans, et al. and which, in turn, claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/599,632 filed Aug. 5, 2004 entitled POOL CUE SYSTEMS.

The present invention relates to a pool cue system including a novel pool cue shaft and methods for using same, and more particularly to a pool cue system including pool cue stick with a cue shaft having one or more stroke graduations iconified thereon which are within the peripheral vision of a pool cue stick user.

Pool cue sticks are used for shooting pool and in related billiard games. Typically, a pool cue stick has a smooth-surfaced forward portion, or pool cue shaft, having a first end upon which a tip for impacting a billiard ball or pool cue ball is attached. The attachment may include a ferrule for holding a tip in place or for other purposes. Pool cue sticks are commercially available in single-piece and two-piece construction. With the single-piece construction pool cue stick, a handle portion, or butt or cue, extends continuously in generally axial alignment from the second end of the pool cue shaft. A pool cue stick having two-piece construction typically has a coupling between the pool cue shaft and the handle portion that may be connected or disconnected by hand. Decoration of the handle portion is well known, with some ornate versions selling for thousands of dollars. Pool cue sticks are manufactured in various standard lengths for persons of respectively varied sizes.

In shooting pool, the pool cue stick is used to impact and propel a cue ball to subsequently impact an object ball in order to propel the object ball, or a subsequently impacted billiard ball, into a pocket near the periphery of a pool table playing surface. The motion of the pool stick toward the cue ball is called the “stroke.” When making the pool shot, the pool shooter's eye should be focused on the object ball for best results. The cue ball and the pool cue shaft are usually within the peripheral vision of the pool shooter. Control of the pool cue stick during the stroke is critical to accuracy, as both the resultant spin and velocity of the cue ball will determine the subsequent path of the object ball toward the pocket.

To learn to control the pool cue stick requires observing the motion of the cue stick while shooting, in order to learn how variations in pool cue motion affect the shot. For example, unintended small sideways motions of the pool cue stick will degrade shot accuracy. Other motion of the stick, such as stroke length, speed, rotation, and vertical motion are also important to shot accuracy. To observe these pool cue stick motions, beginners often focus their eyes on the pool cue stick and/or the point where the tip of the pool cue shaft will impact the cue ball, with frustrating results.

A number of apparatuses for improving aiming with pool cue sticks have accompanied the increasing popularity of the sport of pool and related billiard games. Assorted training devices for improving aim are available, but cannot generally be used in competition. Many of these are cumbersome, such as mechanical devices that attach to the pool cue shaft or other practice devices that cannot be used in tournament play. Some of the mechanical devices may interfere with the bridge hand (the hand upon which or within which the pool cue stick slides during a shot), thereby teaching worse practices. Still other approaches require the pool shooter to focus on the point where the tip of the pool cue stick impacts the cue ball, thereby preventing the student from focusing on the object ball, which is the preferred method. One apparatus that can be used in competition provides a pair of longitudinal sighting references that do not improve stroke length or stroke speed visualization.

British patent application GB 2219517A published Dec. 13, 1989 discloses “[A] cue bearing a sighting aid at a position within the user's field of view when using the cue, normally nearer the striking tip of the cue than the user's eyes, so that simply keeping the sighting aid in view assists the player in moving the cue reliably in the intended direction for the cue ball and in avoiding twisting of the cue” (Gibney 2). Gibney discloses that its sighting aid may be “an arrow formation including a straight line shaft and connected to spaced head or V” (Gibney 6). Gibney also discloses that “[I]t is to be appreciated that any way of marking a suitable eye-training component or indication may be employed, and that its nature is subject to considerable variation compared with a simple solid or outline V as indicated in the drawings” (Gibney 6). Gibney does not disclose locating his icons based on a stroke length, a bridge-hand location, or calibrations for stroke speed.

The present inventors have identified and isolated the problem: what is lacking are methods and apparatuses (together comprising a pool cue system) which enable easy peripheral observation of various pool cue stick motions by the pool shooter and which can be used during tournament play. Accordingly, what is needed is a pool cue system including a pool cue stick having a device that easily reveals pool cue stick motion to the peripheral vision of the pool shooter. A further need is that the device for revealing pool cue stick motion does not interfere with the stroke of the pool cue stick during preparatory strokes and shots. Another need is for the device to easily reveal the stroke length and speed to the peripheral vision of the pool shooter. A further need is for the device to be allowable in tournament play. Yet a further need is for the pool cue system to easily reveal rotational motion of the pool cue stick about each of three axes of rotation. Yet another need is for the pool cue system to indicate properties of the pool cue shaft. Yet another need is for a pool cue system to assist in advertising during tournament play. Yet another need is for the pool cue system to be economical, practical, and durable. To meet the above-mentioned needs and to solve the above-mentioned problems, applicants present what follows.

One embodiment of the present invention provides one or more graphical icons appearing on the pool cue shaft that have axes aligned with the long axis of the pool cue shaft. The icons may be located according to a predetermined standard, optionally related to the size of the pool stick, or may be placed according to individual custom specification. In a preferred embodiment, the graphical icons are at least partially circumferential about the pool cue shaft. The icons may be formed using any means. Preferably, the icons do not protrude from the smooth surface of the pool cue shaft.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective cutaway view illustrating a pool shooter using an exemplary embodiment of the pool cue system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a pool cue shaft of the exemplary pool cue system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a pool cue shaft of an exemplary pool cue system according to the present invention and showing section lines for section 3-3′;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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