US20100069181A1 - Light-emitting ball - Google Patents

Abstract

A light-emitting ball includes an inflatable ball bladder, a transparent skin layer that encloses the ball bladder, and an electrically operable display module, such as a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module, that is disposed between the ball bladder and the skin layer and that is operable to generate images visible through the skin layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 097135320, filed on Sep. 15, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to a ball, more particularly to a light-emitting ball.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• Sport activities played with a ball are popular. Examples of such sport activities include baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, and so on.
• Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, aconventional sports ball1 includes aninflatable ball bladder12 and askin layer11 that encloses theball bladder12. Theskin layer11 has a plurality of interconnectedpatch segments111 enclosing theball bladder12. Each of thepatch segments111 has abacking layer112 attached to an outer surface of theball bladder12, anintermediate layer113 disposed on an outer surface of thebacking layer112, and anouter layer114 disposed on an outer surface of theintermediate layer113. In order to improve visual effects, patterns or colors on thesports ball1 can be changed only via theouter layer114. However, even if the patterns or the colors can be changed, an appearance of thesports ball1 remains dull.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting ball, which can effectively promote visual effects.
• Accordingly, a light-emitting ball of the present invention comprises an inflatable ball bladder, a transparent skin layer that encloses the ball bladder, and an electrically operable display module that is disposed between the ball bladder and the skin layer and that is operable to generate images visible through the skin layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional sports ball;
• FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the conventional sports ball;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a light-emitting ball according to the present invention;
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the light-emitting ball of the first preferred embodiment taken along line IV-IV inFIG. 3;
• FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of a light-emitting ball according to the present invention;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of a light-emitting ball according to the present invention;
• FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the light-emitting ball of the third preferred embodiment; and
• FIG. 8 is a circuit block diagram of the light-emitting ball of the third preferred embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like components are assigned the same reference numerals throughout the following disclosure.
• Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, a first preferred embodiment of a light-emittingball2 according to the present invention is shown to comprise aninflatable ball bladder21, atransparent skin layer222, and an electricallyoperable display module223.
• Thetransparent skin layer222 encloses theball bladder21. The electricallyoperable display module223 is disposed between theball bladder21 and theskin layer222, is attached to an inner surface of theskin layer222, and is operable to generate images visible through theskin layer222. Thedisplay module223 has a shape of an annular band in this embodiment, and includes a remotely controllable battery-operatedpower supply unit227 for supplying electric power thereto.
• In this embodiment, theskin layer222 is made of a thermoplastic resin, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Thedisplay module223 is a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module. The material for theskin layer222 is not limited to the above example as long as light from thedisplay module223 can pass therethrough.
• The light-emittingball2 further comprises abacking layer224 that is disposed between thedisplay module223 and theball bladder21, and acontroller23 that is disposed on thedisplay module223, that is coupled to thedisplay module223, and that is operable to provide image data thereto. Thedisplay module223 is operable to generate the images based upon the image data received thereby, and can be configured to display predetermined images that may be, for example, stored in thedisplay module223.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a circuit block diagram of acontroller23 of a second preferred embodiment of a light-emittingball2 according to the present invention.
• In the second preferred embodiment, thecontroller23 includes aprocessor232 that is electrically coupled to the remotely controllable battery-operatedpower supply unit227 and ascreen225 of thedisplay module223, and adata source25 that is coupled to theprocessor232. Theprocessor232 is operable to provide the image data to thescreen225 of thedisplay module223 based upon an output of thedata source25. Thedata source25 includes at least one of agravitational accelerometer233, a global positioning system (GPS)receiver module235, and animage library module251. Thegravitational accelerometer233 is used for measuring acceleration of theball2 when moving and converting the measured acceleration into speed, and may transmit a speed signal to theprocessor232, for subsequent display of the ball speed on thedisplay module223. TheGPS receiver module235 is used for obtaining coordinates of theball2, and may transmit a coordinate signal to theprocessor232 for subsequent display of the position of theball2 on thedisplay module223 when the speed of theball2 is below a threshold value. Theimage library module251 may include the predetermined images, which can be accessed by theprocessor232 for subsequent transmission to thedisplay module233.
• Referring toFIGS. 6,7, and8, a third preferred embodiment of a light-emittingball2 of the present invention is shown to be similar to the first and second preferred embodiments. The third preferred embodiment differs from the first and second preferred embodiments in the following aspects.
• Thedisplay module223 includes a plurality ofdisplay units253, each of which includes ascreen225 and a remotely controllable battery-operated firstpower supply unit227 for supplying electric power thereto. Theskin layer222 includes a plurality of interconnectedpatch segments221. Each of thedisplay units253 is attached to an inner surface of a corresponding one of thepatch segments221. Thecontroller23 is disposed in theball bladder21, and further includes a remotely controllable battery-operated secondpower supply unit234 for supplying electric power thereto. The light-emittingball2 further comprises asuspension mechanism24 for suspending thecontroller23 in theball bladder21. Thesuspension mechanism24 includes aframe member241, a set of firstelastic components242 that interconnect thecontroller23 and theframe member241, and a set of secondelastic components243 that interconnect theframe member241 and theball bladder21. By virtue of theelastic components242,243, shock forces that act on thecontroller23 when theball2 is in use can be reduced.
• Thecontroller23 is coupled to each of thedisplay units253, and is operable to provide image data thereto. Each of thedisplay units253 is operable to generate the images based upon the image data received thereby. Thecontroller23 further includes atransmitter231 for transmitting the image data wirelessly to thedisplay units253, and each of thedisplay units253 further includes areceiver226 for receiving the image data from thecontroller23 and for providing the received image data to thescreen225. Like the previous embodiment, thecontroller23 further includes aprocessor232 coupled to thetransmitter231, and adata source25 coupled to theprocessor232. Theprocessor232 is operable to provide the image data to thedisplay units253 based upon an output of thedata source25. The remotely controllable battery-operated secondpower supply unit234 is for supplying electric power to theprocessor232.
• In the third preferred embodiment, the first and secondelastic components242,243 of thesuspension mechanism24 are not limited to compression springs, and may be other elastic components as long as shock forces that act on thecontroller23 can be reduced.
• While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims (17)

1. A light-emitting ball comprising:

an inflatable ball bladder;

a transparent skin layer that encloses said ball bladder; and

an electrically operable display module that is disposed between said ball bladder and said skin layer and that is operable to generate images visible through said skin layer.

2. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said skin layer is made of a thermoplastic resin.

3. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said display module is attached to an inner surface of said skin layer.

4. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said display module is a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display module.

5. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said display module includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power thereto.

6. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a backing layer disposed between said display module and said ball bladder.

7. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to said display module and operable to provide image data thereto, said display module being operable to generate the images based upon the image data received thereby.

8. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 7, wherein said controller includes a processor coupled to said display module and a data source coupled to said processor, said processor being operable to provide the image data to said display module based upon an output of said data source.

9. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 8, wherein said data source includes at least one of a gravitational accelerometer, a global positioning system receiver module, and an image library module.

10. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said display module includes a plurality of display units, each of which includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power thereto.

11. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 10, wherein said skin layer includes a plurality of interconnected patch segments, each of said display units being attached to an inner surface of a corresponding one of said patch segments.

12. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 10, further comprising a controller coupled to each of said display units and operable to provide image data thereto, each of said display units being operable to generate the images based upon the image data received thereby.

13. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 12, wherein said controller includes a transmitter for transmitting the image data wirelessly to said display units, and each of said display units includes a receiver for receiving the image data from said controller.

14. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 13, wherein said controller further includes a processor coupled to said transmitter and a data source coupled to said processor, said processor being operable to provide the image data to said display units based upon an output of said data source.

15. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 14, wherein said controller further includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power to said processor.

16. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 13, wherein said controller is disposed in said ball bladder and further includes a remotely controllable battery-operated power supply unit for supplying electric power thereto.

17. The light-emitting ball as claimed inclaim 16, further comprising a suspension mechanism for suspending said controller in said ball bladder, said suspension mechanism including a frame member, a set of first elastic components that interconnect said controller and said frame member, and a set of second elastic components that interconnect said frame member and said ball bladder.

Images