US20110009030A1

US20110009030A1 - Noise making towel

Info

Publication number: US20110009030A1
Application number: US12/923,283
Authority: US
Inventors: Stephen R. Reese
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-10
Filing date: 2010-09-13
Publication date: 2011-01-13
Also published as: US20100062679A1

Abstract

A noisemaking device which emits an audible sound while displaying a team logo or the like. The inventive device includes a web or sheet of material such as terrycloth or other moisture absorbent material having a grasping end and an opposing end to which is attached at least one noisemaking article. The noisemaking article is preferably capable of making a whistling sound. The whistle or other acoustic device is especially configured to produce a relatively loud whistling sound with minimal movement of the towel. To that end, the whistle may be relatively large and may have several acoustically efficient whistle producing devices. Alternatively, two or more noisemaking articles may be employed to compensate for the interference of the web or sheet material with the airflow through a single acoustic device. In lieu of a mechanical acoustic device, a battery powered electronic device may be employed which is motion sensitive and emits a sound when movement of the device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to amusement devices. In particular, the invention relates to noisemakers for use at sporting events.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of novelty and amusement devices have been produced over the years and designed for use by participants, e.g., sports fans, at sporting events or other theme oriented events. These devices typically serve to show a fan's allegiance to a particular team, and may also afford the fan the ability to create an easily repeated acoustical emission to encourage his/her team of choice, or alternatively, distract an opposing team. Whistles, noisemakers, streamers etc. are typical of these types of devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,037 issued Mastandrea, Jr. discloses a type of noisemaker. The device consists of a single strip of flexible material having a pair of slits which allow the user to impart a loud snapping noise when pulling on opposing ends of the strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,695 issued to Beer discloses another noisemaker configured as a baseball bat and cap. A striker contained within the cap is positioned to impact upon a disc shaped member enclosed within the cap to emit a loud noise.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a noisemaking device combined with a large surface area web or sheet material upon which advertising and/or team logo or other thematic indicia may be printed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of noisemakers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a novel noisemaking devices which serves the purpose of emitting an audible sound while displaying a team logo or the like.
The inventive device includes a web or sheet of material such as terrycloth or other moisture absorbent material having a grasping end and an opposing end to which is attached at least one noisemaking article. The noisemaking article is preferably capable of making a whistling sound. The whistle or other acoustic device is especially configured to produce a relatively loud whistling sound with minimal movement of the towel. To that end, the whistle may be relatively large and may have several acoustically efficient whistle producing devices. Alternatively, two or more noisemaking articles may be employed to compensate for the interference of the web or sheet material with the airflow through a single acoustic device. In lieu of a mechanical acoustic device, a battery powered electronic device may be employed which is motion sensitive and emits a sound when movement of the device exceeds a predetermined threshold.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new noisemaking device and method which has many of the advantages of the prior art devices heretofore and many novel features that result in a new manually operated noisemaker which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art devices, either alone or in any combination thereof. It is a major object of this invention to provide a noisemaking device having means for producing a relatively loud whistling noise with minimal movement of the main body of the device.
It is another object of the invention to provide a noisemaking device which has a relatively large display area for a team logo, advertising, or other indicia.
It is another object of the invention to provide a noisemaking device which can be used as a conventional towel.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
The present invention meets or exceeds all the above objects and goals. Upon further study of the specification and appended claims, further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of an acoustic device which may integrated with the web or sheet material of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a noise making device used with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the apparatuses and method of the present invention are illustrated. As previously stated, the device 10 is used to produce a relatively loud sound with minimal effort on the part of the user. To that end, a main body of web or sheet material 20 is employed to serve as the main body of the device 10. The web or sheet material 20 is preferably terrycloth or other highly absorbent material which can be used in the same manner as a conventional towel. The material 20 may also be a composite material, with a highly reflective material on one side for displaying indicia, and a highly absorbent material on the opposing side. The material preferably has a substantially rectangular shape, but may of course be practically any shape, with dimensions convenient for portability. An acoustic device 22 is embedded in or attached to the web or sheet material 20, proximate an edge or operational portion 21 thereof. The opposing edge portion 23 can be designated as a grasping portion, so that a maximum quantity of the web or sheet material 20 exists between the grasping portion and the acoustic device to thereby maximize the centrifugal force generated when twirling the sheet material 20 as will be explained in more detail later. Any one of several methods for embedding/attaching the acoustic device 22 may be used such a sewing or gluing, and the device 22 may also be tethered to the sheet material. It can be appreciated that tethering the device 22 has the advantage of limiting the extent to which the web or sheet material 20 can interfere with airflow through the device 22.
The acoustic device 22 is preferably in the form of a whistle 24 housed within an open ended tubular enclosure 26. The enclosure 26 essentially functions as a waveguide to direct airflow into and through the whistle 24. The whistle 24 is selected so as to emit a relatively loud sound when subjected to airflow caused by movement, most effectively circular or twirling movement, of the sheet material 20. While shown as a single whistle 24, multiple whistle elements 24 may be disposed within the enclosure, alternately oriented so that the elements 24 receive air from opposing directions. The tubular enclosure 26, which may alternatively be of rectangular, elliptical, or any other geometrical cross section, may include aerodynamic elements 29 to help maintain the proper orientation of the whistle 24, the elements or fins 29 extending therefrom either inwardly or outwardly as shown by dashed lines in FIG. 2. If multiple whistles 24 are used as shown in FIG. 3, they may advantageously positioned so that one whistle 24 is positioned within aerodynamically isolated areas. This positioning would decrease the possibility of muting of the whistle 24 due to interference from the towel 20 or improper orientation of waveguide.
In operation, the user grasps the grasping end of the material 20, and twirls the material 20 forcing air through enclosure 26 and into and through whistle elements 24 to emit a loud whistling sound. It can be appreciated that the longer the distance between the grasping end 23 and the whistle 24, the less effort required to produce sufficient air velocity to produce a whistling sound. The absorbent material 20 may be used as any towel is used.
In alternative embodiment, several acoustic devices 22 may be positioned along edge portion 21 in spaced relation. In yet another alternative, an electronic device which is battery powered and motion sensitive nay be substituted for acoustic device 22. The device 22 can then emit any of several preprogrammed sounds in response to motion above a predetermined threshold.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims:

Claims

1. A noisemaking device comprising:

a web or sheet of material having a grasping portion and a diametrically opposed operational portion;

a mechanical acoustic means embedded in said web material, said acoustic means including a waveguide portion, said waveguide portion being open ended, within which at least one mechanical acoustical element is operationally positioned;

whereby holding and twirling of said material produces an audible sound from said acoustic means.

2. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said acoustic means includes a whistle portion and a waveguide portion.

3. The noisemaking device of claim 2 wherein said waveguide portion includes fins.

4. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said acoustic means is a motion sensing electronic acoustic transducer.

5. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said acoustic means is a plurality of whistles.

6. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said mechanical acoustic means includes at least two acoustical elements, said acoustical elements oriented to receive airflow from opposing directions.

7. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said fins are intersecting to form at least four separate quadrants within said waveguide portion, where at least one whistle is positioned in each of said at least separate quadrants.

8. The noisemaking device of claim 7 wherein two whistles are positioned within said each of said quadrants, said whistles oriented to have air receiving opening positioned in opposing directions.