Pocket billiards instructional device

Abstract

Provided is a pocket billiards instructional device including a stand, a target optical head, and an object optical head. The target optical head defines a principal axis and is selectively rotatable thereabout. The target optical head is operative to emit a target optical beam and is attachable to the stand. The object optical head is operative to emit an object optical beam, is selectively rotatable about the principal axis relative to the target optical head and is attachable to the stand.

1 . A pocket billiards instructional device comprising: 
 a. a stand;    b. a target optical head defining a principal axis and being selectively rotatable thereabout, the target optical head being operative to emit a target optical beam and being attachable to the stand; and    c. an object optical head being operative to emit an object optical beam and being selectively rotatable about the principal axis relative to the target optical head, the object optical head being attachable to the stand.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the object optical head is rotatable about the principal axis independent of the rotation of the target optical head.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the target optical beam is projectable generally within a target plane defined by the principal axis and a target pocket center point, the target optical beam being projectable toward a target pocket for illuminating a target path on a pocket billiards table.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the target optical beam is configured as a laser line.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the object optical beam is projectable generally within an object plane defined by the principal axis and an object ball center point, the object optical beam being projectable toward an object ball for illuminating one of a strike point on the object ball and an approach path on the pocket billiards table.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the object optical beam is emitted as one of the laser line and a laser point.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the target optical head further defines a transverse target axis being oriented orthogonally relative to the target plane, the target optical head being selectively rotatable about the transverse target axis.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the object optical head further defines a transverse object axis being oriented orthogonally relative to the object plane, the object optical head being selectively rotatable about the transverse object axis  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the stand is a tripod stand.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the stand is removably attachable to an edge of the pocket billiards table.  
   
   
       11 . The device of claims  8  or  10  wherein the target optical head includes a target angle measuring tool being operative to indicate an angle of incidence of the target path relative to a reference line, the reference line being oriented orthogonally relative to the edge of the pocket billiards table, the object optical head including an object angle measuring tool operative to indicate an angle of reflection of the object path relative to the reference line.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the target optical beam and the object optical beam are lasers.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the target optical beam is emitted from a target laser diode disposed within the target optical head and the object optical beam is emitted from an object laser diode disposed within the object optical head.  
   
   
       14 . A method of pocket billiards instruction utilizing a pocket billiards instructional device for illuminating a strike point and a target path of an object ball toward a target pocket, the pocket billiards instructional device including a principal axis, a target optical beam and an object optical beam, the target optical beam and the object optical beam being generally coplanar within a target plane defined by the principal axis and a target pocket center point, the method comprising: 
 a. linearly aligning an object ball center point with the target pocket center point to define the target path;    b. positioning the pocket billiards instructional device along the target path with the object ball being positioned intermediate the pocket billiards instructional device and the target pocket;    c. orienting the object optical beam toward the strike point of the object ball and the target optical beam toward the target pocket center point; and    d. illuminating the strike point of the object ball with the object optical beam and the target path of the object ball with the target optical beam.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein step (a) further includes utilizing one of the target optical beam and the object optical beam to align the object ball center point with the target pocket center point.  
   
   
       16 . A method of illuminating an approach path of an object ball toward at least one edge of a pocket billiards table and a target path of the object ball reflecting off of the edge toward a target pocket utilizing a pocket billiards instructional device including a principal axis and a target optical beam being selectively rotatable thereabout, the target optical beam being projectable generally within a target plane defined by the principal axis and a target pocket center point, an object optical beam being selectively rotatable about the principal axis relative to the target optical head, the object optical beam being projectable generally within an object plane defined by the principal axis and an object ball center point, the object plane intersecting the target plane at the principal axis, the method comprising: 
 a. positioning the pocket billiards instructional device adjacent the edge of the pocket billiards table;    b. orienting the object optical beam generally toward the object ball center point and the target optical beam generally toward the target pocket center point, the orientation of the object optical beam line defining an angle of incidence of the approach path oriented orthogonally relative to the edge of the pocket billiards table, the orientation of the target optical beam relative to the reference line defining an angle of reflection of the target path, the angle of incidence being generally equal to the angle of reflection;    c. illuminating the approach path of the object ball with the object optical beam; and    d. illuminating the target path of the object ball with the target optical beam.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the pocket billiards instructional device further includes an object angle measuring tool and a target angle measuring tool, the object angle measuring tool being operative to indicate the angle of incidence of the approach path relative to the reference line, the target angle measuring tool being operative to indicate the angle of reflection of the target path relative to the reference line, wherein step (b) further includes utilizing the object angle measuring tool and the target angle measuring tool to generally equate the angle of incidence to the angle of reflection.