# US 7,608,003 B1 · Game ball

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- Number: US 7,608,003 B1
- Document ID: US7608003B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/353,347
- Filed: 2006-02-14
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2005-02-16
- Assignees: Little Kids, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael T. Fusco; James R. Gunderson; Timothy R. Wilding
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608003B1

## CPC

- A63B 37/14: Special surfaces {(A63B37/0004 takes precedence)}
- A63B 43/00: Balls with special arrangements
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

A game ball comprising a generally spherical shell having a plurality of adjustable apertures to assist the user in varying the flight path of the game ball. The game ball also may have, in combination with adjustable apertures, surface modification causing drag to assist the user in varying the flight path of the game ball.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A game ball comprising a generally spherical shell having an outer surface and at least one adjustable aperture, where the adjustable aperture has at least one shell aperture and an adjustable component having at least one adjustable component aperture, with the adjustable component moveably connected to the shell so that the user can move the adjustable component to align the shell aperture and the adjustable component aperture.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The game ball of claim 1 having a locking mechanism that permits the adjustable component to be moved in stepped locked increments.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The game ball of claim 2 in which the locking mechanism has at least one locking protrusion and at least one locking detent so that the locking protrusion locks in the locking detent.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The game ball of claim 1 in which the outer surface of the shell has a substantially smooth portion and an irregular portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The game ball of claim 4 in which the adjustable component separates the substantially smooth portion from the irregular portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The game ball of claim 4 in which the irregular portion has at least one surface modification.

### Claim 7

A game ball comprising: a generally spherical shell having a shell interior, a shell exterior, an outer surface, and at least one shell aperture; and a ring moveably attached to the shell, the ring having at least one ring opening, so that when the user moves the ring relative to the shell, the shell aperture can be aligned with the ring opening to permit air communication between the shell interior and the shell exterior through the shell aperture aligned with the ring opening.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The game ball of claim 7 in which the shell has an indented band sized to fit the ring.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The game ball of claim 7 having a locking mechanism that permits the ring to be moved in stepped locked increments.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The game ball of claim 9 in which the locking mechanism has at least one locking protrusion and at least one locking detent so that the locking protrusion locks in the locking detent.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The game ball of claim 7 in which the outer surface of the shell has a substantially smooth portion and an irregular portion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The game ball of claim 11 in which the ring separates the substantially smooth portion from the irregular portion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The game ball of claim 11 in which the irregular portion has at least one surface modification.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The game ball of claim 7 in which the ring has at least one retaining rib and the shell has at least one retaining rib groove, and the retaining rib groove provides resistance to the retaining rib to assist in holding the ring on the shell.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The game ball of claim 7 in which the ring has a substantially smooth portion and an irregular portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The game ball of claim 15 in which the irregular portion has at least one surface modification.