Circular pool table according to Billiard Congress of America and/or World Pool-Billiard Association

Abstract

A circular pool table comprises features that provide the player with a sensation of playing on a rectangular pool table. In particular, the circular pool table comprises a circular cushion whose geometry resembles that of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by the Billiard Congress of America and/or World Pool-Billiard Association. The playing surface, rail, and pockets of the circular pool table mimic the features of a corresponding rectangular pool table. In particular, the slate including the cloth, the rail including the sub-rail, and the pockets including the pocket openings are configured so as to further convey the experience of playing on a recreational and/or tournament-qualified rectangular pool table.

1 . A circular pool table, comprising:
 (a) a substantially circular playing surface;   (b) a substantially circular rail bounded on a perimeter of said playing surface; and   (c) a substantially circular cushion coupled with said rail;   wherein said cushion comprises a geometric shape according to the geometric shape of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).   
   
   
       2 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said geometric shape comprises a triangular shape with a profile according to at least one of the conventional K-66 profile, K-55 profile, and L-shaped profile according to the profile of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       3 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said cushion comprises a molded rubber according to the molded rubber of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       4 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said cushion further comprises a cloth that covers the cushion according to the cloth of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       5 . The circular pool table of  claim 4 , wherein a height of said cloth-covered cushion is equal to the height of the cloth-covered cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       6 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said cushion further comprises a plurality of inwardly projecting cushions equally spaced around the circular pool table. 
   
   
       7 . The circular pool table of  claim 6 , wherein said inwardly projecting cushions comprises at least one of a straight, concave, and convex cushion. 
   
   
       8 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said rail comprises a sub-rail with a profile according to the profile of the sub-rail of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       9 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein a rail width of said rail is equal to the rail width of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       10 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said rail further comprises a plurality of sights equally spaced around the circular pool table. 
   
   
       11 . The circular pool table of  claim 10 , wherein a distance between a center of each sight and a nose of the cushion is equal to the distance between the center of a sight and nose of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       12 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said rail comprises six (6) separate circular rails equally spaced around the circular pool table. 
   
   
       13 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the circular pool table is within four (4) to twelve (12) feet. 
   
   
       14 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said circular playing surface comprises a slate according to the slate of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       15 . The circular pool table of  claim 14 , wherein a thickness of said slate is equal to the thickness of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       16 . The circular pool table of  claim 14 , wherein said slate is configured to maintain an overall flatness within one of lengthwise and widthwise flatness of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       17 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein a bed height of said circular pool table is equal to the bed height of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       18 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said circular pool table further comprises a plurality of pockets equally spaced around the circular pool table and wherein each pocket comprises a pocket opening according to the side pocket opening of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       19 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein each pocket comprises a mouth according to the side pocket mouth of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       20 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein each pocket comprises a throat according to the side pocket throat of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       21 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein a vertical pocket angle of said pockets is equal to the vertical pocket angle of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       22 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein a horizontal pocket cut angle of said pockets is equal to the horizontal pocket cut angle of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       23 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein each pocket comprises a shelf according to the side pocket shelf of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       24 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein each pocket comprises a rubber facing according to the rubber facing of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       25 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein each pocket comprises a pocket liner according to the pocket liner of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       26 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein each pocket is configured to provide at least one of a drop pocket and automatic ball return according to the pocket of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       27 . The circular pool table of  claim 18 , wherein a drop point slate radius of said pockets is equal to the drop point slate radius of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       28 . The circular pool table of  claim 1 , wherein said circular pool table further comprises a cloth according to the cloth of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       29 . A circular pool table, comprising:
 (a) a substantially circular playing surface;   (b) a substantially circular rail bounded on a perimeter of said playing surface; and   (c) a substantially circular cushion coupled with said rail, said circular cushion comprising a plurality of inwardly projecting cushions equally spaced around the circular pool table;   wherein said cushion comprises a geometric shape according to the geometric shape of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).   
   
   
       30 . A circular pool table, comprising:
 (a) a substantially circular playing surface comprising a slate wherein said slate is according to the slate of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA);   (b) a substantially circular rail comprising a sub-rail bounded on a perimeter of said playing surface, said sub-rail having a profile according to the profile of the sub-rail of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA);   (c) a substantially circular cushion coupled with said rail, said circular cushion comprising a plurality of inwardly projecting straight cushions equally spaced around the circular pool table wherein said cushion comprises a geometric shape according to the geometric shape of the cushion of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA); and   (d) a plurality of pockets equally spaced around the circular pool table wherein each pocket comprises a pocket opening according to the side pocket opening of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).   
   
   
       31 . A method for converting a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) into a circular pool table, comprising:
 (a) providing a substantially circular playing surface;   (b) providing a substantially circular rail bounded on a perimeter of said playing surface; and   (c) providing a substantially circular cushion coupled with said rail;   wherein said cushion comprises a geometric shape according to the geometric shape of the cushion of the rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing a cloth according to the cloth of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing a plurality of inwardly projecting cushions equally spaced around the circular pool table. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing a plurality of sights equally spaced around the circular pool table. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing a plurality of pockets equally spaced around the circular pool table and wherein each pocket comprises a pocket opening according to the side pocket opening of a rectangular pool table as specified by at least one of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).