Billiard training ball

Abstract

A mostly transparent billiard ball particularly useful as a training cue ball is disclosed. The ball includes an inner core centered within a sufficiently transparent spherical outer covering that provides an optimum zone, visible to the player, at which he or she can aim the tip of a cue stick. This inner zone is especially serviceable to restrict a player's aim when striking the ball off-center in order to effectively impart sidespin while limiting lateral deflection to the ball. The inner zone may also simply assist the player to determine the ball's exact center when striking the ball in order to accurately impart no sidespin. In either case, cueing technique is enhanced and the player practices with consistency. The centered inner core also provides enough mass to bring the training ball to within an acceptable weight range for casual and professional levels of play.

1 . A billiard training ball having a spherical outer surface, comprising: 
 (a) an opaque round inner core that visibly serves as a target at which to aim a cue stick when addressing said billiard training ball, and    (b) a transparent outer covering, surrounding and encasing said inner core, wherein said outer covering displays said inner core and provides an outer surface circumference,    whereby said billiard training ball can be used as a device to practice cueing technique when striking said outer surface of said billiard training ball with the cue stick directed toward said inner core, in order to impart spin or no spin while limiting deflection to said billiard training ball.    
   
   
       2 . A billiard training ball having a spherical outer surface, comprising: 
 (a) a translucent round inner core, that visibly serves as a target at which to aim a cue stick when addressing said billiard training ball, and    (b) a translucent outer covering, surrounding and encasing said inner core, wherein said outer covering displays said inner core and provides an outer surface circumference,    whereby said billiard training ball can be used as a device to practice cueing technique when striking said outer surface of said billiard training ball with the cue stick directed toward said inner core, in order to impart spin or no spin while limiting deflection to said billiard training ball.    
   
   
       3 . A billiard training ball having a spherical outer surface, comprising: 
 (a) an opaque and translucent inner core having a predetermined size, that visibly serves as a target at which to aim a cue stick when addressing said billiard training ball, and    (b) a transparent and translucent outer covering, surrounding and encasing said inner core, wherein said outer covering displays said inner core and provides an outer surface circumference,    whereby said billiard training ball can be used as a device to practice cueing technique when striking said billiard training ball with the cue stick directed toward said inner core in order to impart spin or no spin while limiting deflection to said billiard training ball.    
   
   
       4 . The billiard training ball of  claim 1 , wherein said inner core appears larger to the human eye than it actually is.  
   
   
       5 . The billiard training ball of  claim 1 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of between 0.71-0.75 inches (18-19 mm).  
   
   
       6 . The billiard training ball of  claim 1 , wherein said billiard training ball is approximately the same weight as a standard cue ball.  
   
   
       7 . A method of using a billiard training ball having an opaque and translucent round inner core and a transparent and translucent outer covering, comprising the steps of: 
 aligning a cue stick with the training ball; and    striking the training ball with the cue stick directed toward the round inner core in order to import spin or no spin while limiting deflection to the training ball.    
   
   
       8 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said inner core appears larger to the human eye than it actually is.  
   
   
       9 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of between 0.71-0.75 inches (18-19 mm).  
   
   
       10 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said billiard training ball is approximately the same weight as a standard cue ball.  
   
   
       11 . The billiard training ball of  claim 3 , wherein said inner core appears larger to the human eye than it actually is.  
   
   
       12 . The billiard training ball of  claim 3 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter core of between 0.71-0.75 inches (18-19 mm).  
   
   
       13 . The billiard training ball of  claim 3 , wherein said billiard training ball is approximately the same weight as a standard cue ball.  
   
   
       14 . The billiard training ball of  claim 1 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of 1.06 inches (27 mm).  
   
   
       15 . The billiard training ball of  claim 1 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of 0.98 inches (25 mm).  
   
   
       16 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of 1.06 inches (27 mm).  
   
   
       17 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of 0.98 inches (25 mm).  
   
   
       18 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of 1.06 inches (27 mm).  
   
   
       19 . The billiard training ball of  claim 3 , wherein said inner core has an actual diameter of 0.98 inches (25 mm).  
   
   
       20 . The billiard training ball of  claim 1 , wherein said inner core has a greater density than said outer covering.  
   
   
       21 . The billiard training ball of  claim 2 , wherein said inner core has a greater density than said outer covering.  
   
   
       22 . The billiard training ball of  claim 3 , wherein said inner core has a greater density than said outer covering.  
   
   
       23 . The billiard training ball of  claim 7 , wherein said inner core has a greater density than said outer covering.