JP3251604U - Curling stones for floor use - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a new stone for artificial curling on the floor, which is simple yet functional, relatively easy to manufacture, and allows a curling-like game to be played on the floor.
[Solution] This is a stone A for floor-mounted pseudo curling for playing curling-like games on the floor, in which a free ball bearing is embedded near the center of the bottom surface of a large-diameter, disk-shaped stone-like body 1 so that part of the main ball 21 protrudes from the bottom surface, and at least three rounded balancers 3 are installed in a balanced manner at a position away from the center of the bottom surface, with the amount of protrusion not exceeding the amount of protrusion of the main ball 21 from the bottom surface.
[Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

This invention belongs to the technical field of artificial curling stones for use on the floor. More specifically, this invention relates to artificial curling stones for use on the floor, which allows curling, which is normally performed on ice, to be performed on the floor in the same way.

Formal curling as a sport involves sliding a 20 kg stone on ice towards a house (target) made of multiple circles displayed about 28 meters ahead, competing to see who can get the stone as close to the center of the house as possible. To play this kind of game, a large ice rink is required, and a house made of multiple circles must be formed within the ice rink, making it difficult for anyone to easily enjoy the game.

In response to this, equipment has been proposed that allows curling-like games to be enjoyed not on an ice rink, but in a gymnasium covered with flooring or a large floor covered with plastic tiles (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
The equipment (slider) disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a handle provided on the upper part of the main body and mounting recesses formed at the front and rear positions on the lower part of the main body, while wheels are fitted inside the cassette body to form rolling elements which are detachably attached to the mounting recesses.The rolling elements used in this slide rotate in a fixed direction around a horizontal axis as a support, so the slide itself physically only slides in a fixed direction.

Various pseudo curling stones that do not have the drawbacks of the equipment (sliding body) of Patent Document 2 have also been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 3 to 8).
Patent Document 3 discloses a curling ring whose main body is made of wood, with multiple casters provided in a well-balanced manner on the bottom of the curling ring, and further with holes formed on the bottom into which weights such as lead can be inserted to adjust the weight.
Patent Document 4 discloses a stone body having three or more ball bearings, each having a ball as a leg that can rotate in any direction, spaced at a predetermined interval on all four sides of the bottom surface of the stone body.
Patent Document 5 discloses a stone having a bottom surface on which a plurality of projections are provided at intervals with the bottom surfaces of the projections protruding outward beyond the bottom surface of the stone.

Patent Document 6 discloses a device that has an internal blower that blows compressed air toward the bottom plate, and uses the force of the compressed air to float the stones.
Patent Document 7 discloses a ball unit in which a ring groove is formed near the outer periphery of the bottom surface, centered on the axis of the cylindrical short-body main body, and a ball unit is embedded and fixed in the ring groove, the ball unit comprising at least three metallic or synthetic resin spherical balls rotatably held at equal intervals by two upper and lower synthetic resin ring plate retainers that fit into the ring groove, with a portion of each of the spherical balls protruding from the bottom surface.
Patent Document 8 discloses a small-diameter disk-shaped protrusion having a gently convex, arc-shaped bottom surface formed in the center of the bottom surface.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-064678 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-296720 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-313909 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-313908 Utility Model Registration No. 3058981 JP 2008-104740 A Utility Model Registration No. 3062868 Utility Model Registration No. 3222479

Conventionally known stones for use in floor-mounted imitation curling games or competitions are often relatively complex in shape and are not easy to manufacture.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a new floor-mounted pseudo curling stone that is simple yet functional, and relatively easy to manufacture, and that can be used to play curling-like games on the floor.

After extensive research, the inventor discovered that the above problem could be solved by embedding a part that is commercially available under the name of a free ball bearing or similar in the center of the bottom surface of a suitable sized disk-shaped stone-like body, and thus completed the present invention.

Examples of the present invention include the following:
[1] A stone for artificial curling on the floor for playing a curling-like game on the floor, characterized in that a free ball bearing is embedded near the center of the bottom surface of a large-diameter, disk-shaped stone-like body so that at least a part of the main ball protrudes from the bottom surface, and at least three rounded balancers are installed in a balanced manner at a position away from the center of the bottom surface, with the amount of protrusion not exceeding the amount of protrusion of the main ball from the bottom surface.
[2] The above-mentioned balancer is installed near the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the stone for use in artificial curling on a floor.
[3] The above-mentioned balancer is arranged on the same concentric circumference from the center of the bottom surface of the stone for use in artificial curling on the floor, as described in [2] above.
[4] The above-mentioned balancers are installed at equal pitch in the artificial curling stone for use on a floor as described in [3].
[5] The stone for use in artificial curling on the floor described in [1] above, which has a handle on the top surface.
[6] The artificial curling stone for floor-mounted golf clubs described in [1] above, having six balancers.
[7] The artificial curling stone for floor playing described in [1] above, wherein the difference between the amount of protrusion of the main ball from the bottom surface and the amount of protrusion of the balancer is within the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm.
[8] The artificial curling stone for floor use described in [1] above, wherein the material of the disk-shaped stone-like body is selected from the group consisting of wood, synthetic resin, metal, and clay.

According to the present invention, the ball can be manufactured relatively easily and has a relatively simple structure, but it can slide very smoothly back and forth and side to side on the floor, so that curling-like games and the like can be played satisfactorily on the floor.

1 is a front view of one embodiment A of the artificial curling stone for floor use according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the embodiment A. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment A. This shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X in Fig. 2. The main ball 21 in the drawing of the free ball bearing 2 is not shown in cross section. The multiple small black circles in the free ball bearing 2 are schematic representations of the built-in receiving balls. 1 is a front view of one embodiment B of the artificial curling stone for floor use according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the embodiment B. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment B. 1 is a front view of one embodiment C of the artificial curling stone for floor use according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the embodiment C. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment C. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship of balancers represented by black circles.

The following describes this idea in detail.

1. Regarding the Stone for Use in Artificial Curling on the Floor According to the Present Invention The stone for use in artificial curling on the floor according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "Stone of the Present Invention") is characterized in that a free ball bearing is embedded near the center of the bottom surface of a large-diameter, disk-shaped stone-like body so that part of the main ball protrudes from the bottom surface, and at least three rounded balancers are installed in a well-balanced manner away from the center of the bottom surface, with the amount of protrusion not exceeding the amount of protrusion of the main ball from the bottom surface.

1.1 Large-diameter, disc-shaped, stone-like body The stone of the present invention includes a large-diameter, disc-shaped, stone-like body (hereinafter, simply referred to as "stone-like body").

The outer diameter of the stone-like body in the plane depends on the rules of the curling-like game and the age and sex of the user, but is, for example, within the range of 80 mm to 200 mm, and preferably within the range of 120 mm to 160 mm. The thickness of the stone-like body on the side is, for example, within the range of 30 mm to 80 mm, and preferably within the range of 40 mm to 60 mm. The weight of the stone-like body also depends on the rules of the curling-like game and the age and sex of the user, but is, for example, within the range of 300 g to 1 kg, and preferably within the range of 400 g to 800 g.

The material of the stone-like body is not particularly limited as long as it can be used to form a stone-like body, but examples include wood (e.g. solid wood, plywood, laminated wood, paper), synthetic resin (e.g. hard polyethylene resin, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene resin, foam), metal, and clay. Multiple materials may also be used in combination (e.g. a bolster structure, a combination structure of a lightweight body and a heavy material for weight adjustment). Of these, wood is suitable from the standpoint of appropriate weight and ease of processing.

The outer periphery of the top and/or bottom surface of the stone-like body may be chamfered to provide an angled surface for the purposes of safety, appearance, reduction of air resistance, ease of manufacture, etc. Specific types of chamfering include, for example, C-chamfering, R-chamfering, and light chamfering.

Near the center of the bottom surface of the stone-like body, there is a recess or hole in which a free ball bearing, described below, is embedded. The size of the recess or hole varies depending on the type and size of the free ball bearing to be embedded, but for example, it can be cylindrical with a diameter in the range of 20 mm to 35 mm (preferably in the range of 24 mm to 30 mm) and a depth in the range of 30 mm to 10 mm (preferably in the range of 25 mm to 15 mm). Since free ball bearings are usually cylindrical, the hole is usually round, but if the bearing is not cylindrical, the hole can be made to match the shape of the bearing.

When a handle, which will be described later, is to be installed on the top surface of the stone-like main body, a recess or hole can be provided on the top surface of the stone-like main body for inserting and fixing the vertical part of the handle. There is no particular limit to the size of the recess as long as the vertical part of the handle can be inserted and fixed firmly, and it can be set appropriately according to the shape and size of the vertical part of the handle. If the recess has the same shape and size as the planar cross section of the vertical part of the handle, it can be fixed firmly by fitting, but regardless of this, it can also be fixed by, for example, screws, magnets, adhesives, tape, etc.

1.2 Free Ball Bearing The stone of the present invention includes a free ball bearing near the center of the bottom surface of the stone-like body. The free ball bearing includes a rotatable main ball (main sphere) that is embedded in the bottom surface of the stone-like body near the center of the bottom surface and protrudes from the bottom surface. The smooth 360° rotation of the main ball allows the stone of the present invention to slide smoothly back and forth and left and right on the floor.

The amount that the main ball protrudes from the bottom surface varies depending on the free ball bearing used, but is usually within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm, and preferably within the range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

The term "free ball bearing" as used herein is also known as Freebear (registered trademark). A free ball bearing is a mechanical element that typically has a number of receiving balls arranged in the receiving portion of a main ball, and has a fitting structure between the main ball and the receiving portion such that the main ball and the receiving balls can come into contact with each other. The main ball can rotate smoothly and freely due to rolling friction with the receiving balls. The configuration of the main ball and receiving balls in a free ball bearing, and the fitting accuracy between the main ball and the receiving portion, may vary depending on the type of free ball bearing, its manufacturer, and the specific product, but any free ball bearing of appropriate size can be used in this invention without any particular restrictions.

Free ball bearings that can be used in this invention include, for example, those with an outer diameter in the range of 15 mm to 35 mm (preferably in the range of 20 mm to 30 mm) and a height in the range of 30 mm to 10 mm (preferably in the range of 25 mm to 15 mm). The diameter of the main balls included in these bearings is usually in the range of 15 mm to 30 mm (preferably in the range of 20 mm to 25 mm).

Examples of materials for the free ball bearing body include metal materials such as aluminum alloy, steel, stainless steel (SUS), etc. Examples of materials for the main balls and receiving balls included therein include metal materials such as steel, stainless steel (SUS), chrome steel, aluminum alloy, etc.; synthetic resins such as polyacetal, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyimide (Vespel (registered trademark)), plastic, etc.; and ceramics such as alumina (aluminum oxide), silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zirconia, etc.

1.3 Balancer The stone of the present invention includes at least three balancers (protrusions) that are well-balanced and installed at a position away from the center of the bottom surface of the stone-like body. Each of the installed balancers is rounded to reduce friction with the floor (so that the contact area with the floor is very small), and is installed and fixed with a protruding amount that does not exceed the protruding amount of the main ball of the free ball bearing from the bottom surface. It is preferable that each balancer has the same protruding amount from the bottom surface.

Here, "well-balanced" means that the balancer is set so that when the stone of this invention is slid across the floor, the stone body does not tilt so much that it comes into contact with the floor.

At least three balancers should be installed in a balanced manner, but usually there are between three and eight. It is preferable to install six balancers in a balanced manner.

The balancers may be installed in a well-balanced manner away from the center of the bottom surface of the stone-like body, but a suitable location away from the center of the bottom surface is near the periphery of the bottom surface, and it is preferable that they are installed in a well-balanced manner on a circle concentric with the center of the bottom surface, or near the periphery of the bottom surface on the same concentric circle from the center of the bottom surface. In particular, it is more preferable that they are installed near the periphery of the bottom surface on the same concentric circle from the center of the bottom surface at equal pitches. "Equal pitch" means that the intervals between adjacent balancers are equal.

Because the balancer is rounded as described above, it is usually circular in plan, but it may also be elliptical. There are no particular limitations on its shape, and it may be polygonal or rhombic. The diameter or major axis of the balancer is usually within the range of 4 mm to 15 mm, and preferably within the range of 6 mm to 12 mm.

The amount that the balancer protrudes from the bottom surface does not exceed the amount that the main ball protrudes from the bottom surface, but the difference between the amount that the balancer protrudes from the bottom surface and the amount that the main ball protrudes from the bottom surface is appropriately within the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm, preferably within the range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, and more preferably within the range of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm.

The balancer may be made of the same material as the free ball bearing body.

The balancer can be attached to the stone-like body by, for example, fastening it with a needle or screw attached to the balancer, or by using a suitable adhesive.

1.4 Others The top surface of the stone-like body may have a handle, for example, to make it easier to throw the stone of the present invention and slide it by hand, or to make it easier to control it. The position of the handle on the top surface may be at the center of the top surface of the stone-like body, or off-center. It may also be near the outer periphery, and is not particularly limited. The handle is usually one, just like a formal curling stone.
The handle is not required, but if the inventive stone does not have a handle, it can be played by hitting the inventive stone with a suitable wooden or metal rod or stick.

The shape of the handle may be the same as or different from that of a formal curling stone, and is not particularly limited, but specific examples include T-shapes, L-shapes, I-shapes, and Y-shapes. In general, it is preferable for the handle to have a part that rises vertically from the top surface of the stone-like body (vertical part), and a gripping part that extends horizontally from the apex and is parallel to the stone-like body.

The shape of the vertical part is not particularly limited, and may be rod-shaped (cylindrical) or polygonal, such as a square or hexagonal prism. The size of the vertical part can be set as appropriate. Specifically, for example, the width or diameter is appropriately in the range of 1 cm to 4 cm, and the length (height) from the top surface is appropriately in the range of 2 cm to 10 cm. In addition, the size of the vertical part may be the same as that of the grip part, or may be different.

The shape of the grip is not particularly limited, but a rod shape (cylindrical shape) is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of holding. As with the vertical part, it may be a polygonal prism such as a square prism or a hexagonal prism. It may also be the same shape as the vertical part, or a different shape.

When the grip is rod-shaped (cylindrical), the size can be set appropriately based on the size of the user's hand and the size of the stone-like body, but for example, a diameter within the range of 2 cm to 3.5 cm and a length within the range of 8 cm to 20 cm are appropriate. Even when the grip is not rod-shaped, the size can be set appropriately based on the size of a rod-shaped grip.

The material of the handle can be, for example, the same as the material of the stone-like body. However, the handle may be made of the same material as the stone-like body, or a different material. In addition, the material of the vertical part and the grip part of the handle may be the same or different.

The handle can be attached to the stone-like body, for example, by creating a suitable recess (hole) on the top surface of the stone-like body and attaching it there with adhesive or the like, either fixedly or removably. It is also possible to attach it directly with adhesive or the like without creating a recess on the top surface of the stone-like body.

Furthermore, the stone-like body and handle can be freely colored and designed as needed.

2. Preparation and Use of the Stone of the Invention The stone of the invention can be prepared by a conventional method. Specifically, for example, it can be prepared as follows using a suitable wood material.

A piece of wood is prepared for making the stone-like body and, if necessary, the handle, and the wood is processed (chamfered as necessary) to make a large-diameter disk-shaped body that will be the base of the stone-like body, and, if necessary, the handle. Next, the desired holes are drilled near the center of the bottom surface of the disk-shaped body to embed free ball bearings, and, if necessary, the desired holes are drilled in a predetermined location on the top surface to install the handle, thereby making the stone-like body. Separately, appropriate free ball bearings and a desired number of balancers are prepared, and the prepared free ball bearings are embedded in a predetermined location on the bottom surface of the stone-like body that has been made, and the balancers are installed and fixed in a balanced manner, and the prepared handle is installed and fixed on the top surface of the stone-like body, thereby making the stone of this invention.

The invented stone can be used to play a curling-like game on the floor. If the invented stone does not have a handle, it can be played by hitting the invented stone with a suitable rod-shaped object, stick, putter, etc. Such play includes games, competitions, sports, recreational activities, individual and group practice, etc. Regardless of whether or not there is an opponent, the invented stone can be used to play a curling-like game on the floor.

The stones of this invention are used on the floor, but "on the floor" is not limited to any particular surface that is smooth and flat, other than ice, and can be used on surfaces other than wooden flooring, such as concrete or asphalt.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the present invention stone shown in the drawings.
[Example 1]
An example of the invented stone is the invented stone A shown in Figures 1 to 4. The stone-like body 1 and handle 4 of the invented stone A are made of wood, and the rest are made of metal such as stainless steel. The outer periphery of the top and bottom surfaces of the stone-like body 1 are both chamfered.

The stone A of this invention has a purchased free ball bearing 2 embedded near the center of the bottom surface of the stone-like body 1, and six rounded balancers 3 are installed at equal intervals on a concentric circle around the center of the bottom surface near the outer periphery of the bottom surface. In addition, an approximately T-shaped handle 4 is installed near the center of the top surface of the stone-like body 1.

The outer diameter of the stone-like body 1 at the flat surface is approximately 150 mm, and the thickness at the side surface is approximately 50 mm. The outer diameter of the free ball bearing 2 is approximately 25 mm, and the diameter of the balancer 3 is approximately 10 mm.

The amount of protrusion h of the main ball 21 from the bottom surface of the free ball bearing 2 is about 4 mm, and the amount of protrusion of the balancer 3 from the bottom surface is about 3 mm. The difference between the amount of protrusion of the main ball 21 and the amount of protrusion of the balancer 3 is approximately 1 mm.

[Example 2]
Another example of the invented stone is the invented stone B shown in Figures 5 to 7. The stone-like body 1 and handle 4 of the invented stone B are made of wood, and the rest of the body is made of metal such as stainless steel. The outer periphery of the top and bottom surfaces of the stone-like body 1 are both rounded.

The stone B of this invention has a free ball bearing 2 embedded near the center of the bottom surface of the stone-like main body 1, and three rounded balancers 3 are installed at equal intervals on a concentric circle around the center of the bottom surface near the outer periphery of the bottom surface. In addition, an approximately L-shaped handle 4 is installed slightly off-center on the top surface of the stone-like main body 1.

The outer diameter of the stone-like body 1 in the plane, the thickness on the side, the outer diameter of the free ball bearing 2, the diameter of the balancer 3, the amount of protrusion h of the main ball 21 from the bottom surface of the free ball bearing 2, the amount of protrusion of the balancer 3 from the bottom surface, and the difference between the amount of protrusion of the main ball 21 and the amount of protrusion of the balancer 3 in the free ball bearing 2 are the same as those in the stone A in the present invention.

[Example 3]
Another example of the invented stone is the invented stone C shown in Figures 8 to 10. The invented stone C is a type of invented stone A that does not have a handle 4, and the stone-like body 1 of the invented stone C has an outer diameter of about 100 mm on a flat surface and a thickness of about 30 mm on a side surface, making it slightly smaller in size than the invented stone A overall.

The stones of the present invention are useful as pseudo-curling stones for playing curling-like games on the floor.

A, B, C: Stone 1, Stone-like body 2, Free ball bearing 21, Main ball 3, Balancer 4, Handle 41, Vertical part 42, Grip part

Claims (8)

A stone for artificial curling on the floor for playing curling-like games on the floor, characterized in that a free ball bearing is embedded near the center of the bottom surface of a large-diameter, disk-shaped stone-like body so that at least a part of the main ball protrudes from the bottom surface, and at least three rounded balancers are installed in a well-balanced manner at a position away from the center of the bottom surface, with a protrusion amount that does not exceed the protrusion amount of the main ball from the bottom surface. The artificial curling stone for floor use according to claim 1, wherein the balancer is installed near the outer periphery of the bottom surface. The artificial curling stone on the floor according to claim 2, wherein the balancers are installed on the same concentric circumference from the center of the bottom surface. The artificial curling stone on the floor according to claim 3, wherein the balancers are installed at equal pitches. The artificial curling stone for floor use according to claim 1, which has a handle on the top surface. The artificial curling stone for flooring according to claim 1, which has six balancers. The artificial curling stone for flooring according to claim 1, in which the difference between the amount of protrusion of the main ball from the bottom surface and the amount of protrusion of the balancer is within the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm. The artificial curling stone for floor use according to claim 1, wherein the material of the disk-shaped stone-like body is selected from the group consisting of wood, synthetic resin, metal, and clay.

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