Oh, patents! Koosh® balls

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Not easy to catch a ball when you are a tiny kid!

This observation inspired Stanford engineer Scott K. Stellinger, in the 1980s, to mastermind the Koosh® ball, an invention recited in a 10-member patent family, that includes US4756529 titled Generally spherical object with floppy filaments to promote sure capture.

• ES2006437 (A4) ― 1989-05-01 - Generally spherical object with floppy filaments to promote sure capture
• AU1763588 (A) ― 1988-12-15 - Soft throwing/catching device 
• JPS6417665 (A) ― 1989-01-20 - Play toy
• AT58844 (T) ― 1990-12-15 - Lern-spielgeraet
• CA1253531 (A) ― 1989-05-02 - Amusement device
• DE295114 (T1) ― 1989-06-01 - Generally spherical object with floppy filaments to promote sure capture
• EP0295114 (A2) ― 1988-12-14 - Teaching toy
• GR890200102 (U) ― 1990-05-11 - No title available
• GR890300036 (T1) ― 1989-05-25 - Teaching toy

The Koosh® ball resolves the problematic situation of difficult to catch bouncy balls by designing a ball that is both easy to grip and energy-absorbent, since it collapses upon impact. Accordingly, the Koosh® ball is made of floppy, elastomeric filaments, connected at the core like a pompom. The filaments also have gripping characteristics, thus clinging rather than slipping, out of the catcher’s hands.

The abstract of this patented invention is included below, together with figures 4 and 5 of the invention, depicting the ball “about to be caught" (fig. 4), and "caught" (fig. 5). An image of the marketed product is included above.

An amusement device which has a substantially spherical configuration, and which is formed from a large plurality of floppy, elastomeric fllaments that radiate in a dense, bushy manner from a central core region. The fllaments are sufficiently floppy to collapse on impact, thus to absorb enough energy to avoid any tendency to bounce. They are also sufficiently dense and floppy that they tend to quickly thread their way between the fingers of a user on contact with the hand. These features promote sure and quick capture of the device during the act of catching. [Abstract US4756529]

Reference
Hasbro
https://www.hasbro.com/en-us/