Lighted sports game

Abstract

The present invention provides sporting equipment having lights.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a ball;    the ball having an outer surface;    at least one lighting element;    the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member;    the elongated member capable of radiating light from the light source; and    the at least one lighting element is couple to at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball comprises at least one of a baseball, a soccer ball, a football, a volley ball, a basketball, a lacrosse ball, a shot-put, a discus, a hockey puck, a horseshoe, a golf ball, a bowling ball, a tennis ball, a racket ball, a softball, a squash ball, a handball, shuttlecock, a bocce ball, a croquet ball, and a ping pong ball.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of a florescent light, an incandescent light, a halogen light, a light string, a lcd, a led, a laser, an electroluminescent light source, a chemical light source, a light tube, or a flexible light wire.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lighting element forms a design on the outer surface of the ball.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one channel residing on at least a portion of the outer surface of the ball; and    the at least one lighting element held in at least part of the at least one channel.    
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a handle portion;    a striking surface portion;    the handle portion is couple to the striking surface portion;    at least one lighting element;    the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member; and    the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least one the handle portion and the striking surface portion.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the handle portion and striking surface portion form at least one of a baseball bat, a softball bat, a cricket paddle, a tennis racket, a badminton racket, a hockey stick, a golf club, croquet mallet, a racket ball racket, a lacrosse stick, and a field hockey stick.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the light source comprises at least one of a florescent light, an incandescent light, a halogen light, a light string, a lcd, a led, a laser, an electroluminescent light source, a chemical light source, a light tube, or a flexible light wire.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least one of a handle outer surface and a striking surface outer surface.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 at least one translucent portion;    the at least one translucent portion forming at least a portion of at least one of the handle portion and the striking surface portion;    wherein the at least one lighting element resides internal to at least one of the handle portion and the striking surface portion and light is radiated out the at least one translucent portion.    
     
     
         11 . A sports game, comprising: 
 a goal;    the goal having at least a frame;    at least one lighting element;    the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member; and    the at least one lighting element coupled to the goal to provide lighting effects.    
     
     
         12 . The sports game according to  claim 11 , wherein the goal comprises at least one of a football goal, a soccer goal, a lacrosse goal, a golf hole, a dart target, a hockey goal, a field hockey goal, water polo goal, a polo goal, and a rugby goal.  
     
     
         13 . The sports game according to  claim 11 , wherein the goal comprises: 
 a net; and    the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least one of the frame and the net.    
     
     
         14 . The sports game according to  claim 11 , wherein the goal comprises: 
 a backboard; and    the at least one lighting element is coupled to at least the backboard.    
     
     
         15 . The sports game according to  claim 13 , wherein the goal further comprises a backboard and the at least one lighting element is coupled to the backboard.  
     
     
         16 . A sports game, comprising: 
 at least one accessory;    the at least one accessory comprises at least one of a net, a flag, a pylon, a boundary, a bow, a flag, a pole, and a target;    at least one lighting element;    the at least one lighting element comprising a light source and an elongated member; and    the at least one lighting element coupled to the at least one accessory to provide lighting effects.    
     
     
         17 . The sports game according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one accessory comprises a target, wherein the target is at least one of a lawn dart target, a dart target, and an archery target.  
     
     
         18 . The sports game according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one accessory comprises a flag, wherein the flag is at least one of a golf hole flag, a soccer corner flag, and a flag football flag.  
     
     
         19 . The sports game according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one accessory comprises a net, wherein the net is a volley ball net, a badminton net, a tennis net, and a ping-pong ball net.  
     
     
         20 . The sports game, comprising: 
 at least one piece of sporting equipment;    means for providing light; and    means for attaching, wherein    the means for attaching couples the means for providing light to the at least one piece of sporting equipment.