US20110201436A1

US20110201436A1 - Pool rider pool shooting aid

Info

Publication number: US20110201436A1
Application number: US12/705,786
Authority: US
Inventors: Jeffery Lee Robinson; Robert William Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-02-15
Filing date: 2010-02-15
Publication date: 2011-08-18
Also published as: WO2011099988A1

Abstract

A pool shooting aid apparatus comprises a structure having an opening operable to accept a cue stick so that a tip and a portion of a shaft of the cue stick passes through the opening out of the structure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a pool shooting aid device, and more specifically a device that supports a pool cue so that a pool cue may be used to execute a pool shot using the pool cue using only a single hand to operate the pool cue.
In order to play a game of pool, players must use a pool cue to strike balls on a pool table. Traditionally, a player may place a first hand on the playing surface of the pool table to form a bridge for the pool cue while the player may use his second hand to grip the butt of the pool cue. A portion of the shaft of the pool cue may be placed on or through the bridge formed by the player's first hand, which forms a stationary support for the pool cue as it moves. The player may then use his second hand to move the pool cue forwards and backwards in order to execute a pool stroke and to strike a desired ball on the pool table.
As can be seen, to properly use a pool cue to strike balls on a pool table require that a player use both of his hands in stroking the pool cue. However, it may be difficult if not impossible for persons with physical disabilities, such as persons without use of a hand or an arm or persons suffering from cerebral palsy, who may not be able to use both of their hands, to properly play pool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a pool shooting aid apparatus comprises: a structure comprising an opening operable to accept a cue stick so that a tip and a portion of a shaft of the cue stick passes through the opening out of the structure.
In another aspect of the invention, a method comprises: providing a structure comprising an opening operable to accept and fit around a cue stick so that a tip and a portion of a shaft of the cue stick passes through the opening out of the structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a pool shooting aid device on a pool table in the context of a pool game according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the pool shooting aid device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a front plan view of the pool shooting aid device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the pool shooting aid device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the pool shooting device of FIG. 1, with a pool cue inserted through the device, contacting a billiards ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.
Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a pool shooting aid device that may support and move with a pool cue inserted through the device, so that a pool cue may be used to execute a pool shot using the pool cue using only a single hand to operate the pool cue.
Referring now to the figures, in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pool shooting aid device 10 may comprise a structure 12 having an opening 14 that may allow a pool cue 22 to be inserted through the device 10. In use, a pool player may insert a pool cue 24 through the opening 14 of the device 10 from the tip end of the pool cue 24 so that the device 10 may securely support the pool cue 24, either by frictionally fitting the pool cue 24 snugly into the opening 14 or by supporting the bottom of the pool cue at the opening 14. Thus, the tip and a portion of the shaft of the pool cue 24 may enter one side of the device 10 and may exit through another side of the device 10. The wheels 16 of the device 10 may be then placed on the playing surface of a pool table 22 to provide support for the pool cue 24. The player may then freely move and position the pool cue 24 at a desired location on the pool table 22, with a portion of the pool cue shaft being supported by the device 10, in order to aim the pool cue 24 at a ball 20 on the pool table 22. To execute a stroke, a player may grasp a butt portion of the pool cue 24 with one hand and move the pool cue 24 in an appropriate pool playing motion, such as by pulling the pool cue 24 backwards and then moving the pool cue 24 forwards in order to strike the aimed ball 20. As the player moves the pool cue 24 in the process of executing a pool shot, the wheels 16 attached to the bottom of the structure 12 may move with the pool cue 24 by rolling across the playing surface of the pool table 22 to provide consistent and continuous support to the pool cue 24, so that a pool stroke may be executed with only one hand grasping the pool cue 24.
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the structure 12 may be an approximately 2-inch by 2-inch slab, but may be of any rectangular or square shape, or may be of any other suitable shape. The opening 14 may be a circular hole approximately ⅝-inch to ⅞-inch in diameter, but may be of any suitable shape and dimension to accept and securely support any commercial pool cue stick. For example, the opening 14 may have a decreasing inside diameter to match the outside diameter of a pool cue 24 inserted into the opening. comprising an opening operable to accept and fit around a cue stick so that a tip and a portion of a shaft of the cue stick passes through the opening out of the structure may be provided. Further, two wheels connected via an axle and attached to a bottom side of the structure may also be provided, where the one or more wheels operable to roll the structure on a surface.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A pool shooting aid apparatus comprising:

a structure comprising an opening operable to accept and fit around a cue stick so that a tip and a portion of a shaft of the cue stick passes through the opening out of the structure; and

one or more wheels attached to a bottom side of the structure, the one or more wheels operable to roll the structure on a surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more wheels comprises two wheels.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the two wheels are situated at side edges of the structure at the bottom side of the structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the structure further comprises:

an axle that connects the two wheels.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises plastic material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure is rectangular in shape.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the structure is approximately two inches in height and two inches in length.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening is approximately in a center of the structure.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening is approximately ⅝ of an inch to ⅞ of an inch in diameter.

10. a method comprising:

providing a structure comprising an opening operable to accept and fit around a cue stick so that a tip and a portion of a shaft of the cue stick passes through the opening out of the structure; and

providing two wheels connected via an axle and attached to a bottom side of the structure, the one or more wheels operable to roll the structure on a surface.