Trackable hockey pucks and similar projectiles

Abstract

The present disclosure provides trackable hockey pucks and golf balls including infrared LED(s) and having performance characteristics substantially the same or the same as traditional solid rubber hockey pucks and traditional solid golf balls, respectively.

1 . A trackable hockey puck comprising:
 a hockey puck-shaped outer shell including a top face, a bottom face disposed opposite the top face, and edge surface disposed between outer circumferences of the top face and the bottom face, a first bore disposed in the top face, and a second bore disposed in the bottom face; and   a core disposed in each of the first bore and the second bore, wherein each core comprises:
 at least one signal emitter proximal to a top end of the core; 
 a switch in operative communication with the at least one signal emitter; 
 a battery in operative communication with the switch and the at least one signal emitter; and 
 optionally a system timer in operative communication with the battery, the switch, and the signal emitter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the hockey puck does not include any signal emitters disposed about an edge face of the hockey puck. 
     
     
         3 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a third bore disposed in the top face or the bottom face of the hockey puck; and 
 a third core disposed in the third bore, wherein the third core comprises:
 at least one signal emitter proximal to a top end of the third core; 
 a switch in operative communication with the at least one signal emitter; and 
 a battery in operative communication with the switch and the at least one signal emitter. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the core has a dimension from the top end to a bottom, opposite end, of about 1 mm to about 5 mm less than a depth of the first bore or the second bore. 
     
     
         5 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 4  further comprising potting material disposed on at least the top end of the core, wherein the potting material is flush with the top face or the bottom face of the hockey puck and is substantially transparent to signal emitted by the signal emitter. 
     
     
         6 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 5 , wherein the potting material comprises a rubber, a filler that is optionally silica or silanized silica, an accelerator, an antioxidant, and optionally a dye. 
     
     
         7 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the bore includes bore threads disposed on its inner surface, and wherein the core includes threads complementary to the bore threads and disposed on its edge surface. 
     
     
         8 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter, the switch, and the battery are disposed on a flexible PCBA board. 
     
     
         9 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 8 , wherein the flexible PCBA board is disposed within the core. 
     
     
         10 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 9 , wherein the core includes an optical opening on its first end configured to enable signal light produced by the signal emitter proximal to the first end of the core to escape the top face of the hockey puck, and wherein the core includes an optical opening on its second end configured to enable signal produced by the signal emitter proximal to the second end of the core to escape the bottom face of the hockey puck. 
     
     
         11 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the core consists essentially of:
 a first flexible PCBA board disposed proximal to the first end of the core and including exactly one signal emitter, a switch in operative communication with the signal emitter, and a battery in operative communication with the switch and the signal emitter; and   a second flexible PCBA board disposed proximal to the second end of the core and including exactly one signal emitter, a switch in operative communication with the signal emitter, and a battery in operative communication with the switch and the signal emitter.   
     
     
         12 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the trackable hockey puck does not include a signal emitter disposed to emit a signal (e.g., infrared light) from the edge surface of the trackable hockey puck. 
     
     
         13 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is selected from the group consisting of: a phototransistor and a shock sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter is selected from the group consisting of: an infrared LED, a radio transmitter, and a VCSEL. 
     
     
         15 . A trackable hockey puck comprising:
 a first core disposed in a first bore of a top face of a hockey puck-shaped rubber shell, the first core comprising:
 a first core enclosure including a cavity; 
 a first core beacon disposed within the cavity and including:
 exactly one infrared LED lamp disposed proximal to a top end of the first core enclosure, 
 a shock sensor or phototransistor in operative communication with the infrared LED lamp, and 
 a battery in operative communication with the shock sensor or phototransistor and with the infrared LED lamp; and 
 
 cured potting material disposed throughout the cavity; 
   a second core disposed in a second bore of a bottom face of a hockey puck-shaped rubber shell, the second core comprising:
 a second core enclosure including a cavity; 
 a second core beacon disposed within the cavity and including:
 exactly one infrared LED lamp disposed proximal to a top end of the second core enclosure, 
 a shock sensor or phototransistor in operative communication with the infrared LED lamp, and 
 a battery in operative communication with the shock sensor or phototransistor and with the infrared LED lamp; and 
 
 cured potting material disposed throughout the cavity. 
   
     
     
         16 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 15 , wherein the first core is disposed within the first bore to form a first recess between the top end of the first core enclosure and the top face of the hockey puck. 
     
     
         17 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 15 , wherein the first recess has a depth of about 1 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 16  further comprising cured potting material disposed in the first recess. 
     
     
         19 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 15 , wherein the second core is disposed within the second bore to form a second recess between the top end of the second core enclosure and the bottom face of the hockey puck. 
     
     
         20 . The trackable hockey puck of  claim 19 , wherein the second recess has a depth of about 1 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         21 .- 49 . (canceled)