DaveR
02-08-2008, 04:14 PM
Extreme Table Tennis
Note: Table Tennis Talk are in no way related to or endorses the following design / ideas. However, we do value open discussion and new ideas, and therefore have agreed to serve as a mediator for this proposal. Please comment on this design and invention.
Two American inventors from Michigan have designed a table tennis table-related product. Five interchangeable, yet different ACCESSORY TABLE TOPS have been patented.
The inventors have submitted these new inventions in order to spark a discussion. In short, they want to hear and exchange ideas related to these new table tennis products. Especially table tennis players, coaches, organizers, equipment manufacturers and retailers are invited to comment on this concept.
Would you like to try playing on these new tops?
Which top design looks the most exciting?
Do you agree with the inventors' argued benefits of the new design?
Do you see additional benefits, or disadvantages to this new design?
Technical Stuff:
Referring to the drawings, each accessory top has the same length and width dimensions, the width being equal to a standard table tennis table and the length being equal to half of a standard table tennis table. The accessory tops are placed in the center of the table, covering the centre two quarters of the table. As shown in all of the drawings, a typical table tennis table includes a planar table top 11 having an upwardly facing playing surface 12. The table top 11 is supported by six ground-engaging legs 13. A vertical net 14 extends transversely across the center of the table top 11 and is supported above the playing surface 12. Fig. 3 shows the DOUBLE PONG TOP third embodiment table tennis table 30 according to the present invention having a double pong accessory top 35 which is a combination of the flat top 15 and angled top 25. The double pong top 35 starts out from an edge 37 at the first playing surface 12 and angles upwardly defining a first portion 36a of a second playing surface.
At an apex 39, the top 35 extends in a horizontal plane to define a second portion 36b of the second playing surface parallel to the first playing surface 12. The double pong top 35 features the two horizontal playing surfaces 36b just as the flat top 15, but also adds the additional angled playing surfaces 36a as the angled top 25. As with the flat top 15, the net 14 is supported by posts 38.
This design of the accessory top 35 provides a higher degree of difficulty in the sport of table tennis. Tri pong is even more difficult and challenging than double pong in that there is the concave section 46c in the centre of the top 45, creating a void in the second playing surface which is neither easy to hit into nor hit out of. The parabolic (curved) surface 56 gives a completely different play to the game of table tennis than any of the described accessory tops. The ball will deflect off the curved top with a unique trajectory as compared to the horizontal and angled playing surfaces.
The Story Behind the Design:
Two American inventors from Mt. Pleasant, MI have designed a table tennis table-related product that is simply a pure and exciting "extension" of the game of table tennis. Five interchangeable, yet different ACCESSORY TABLE TOPS have been patented. Placed on top of any existing table tennis table, each top offers a unique challenge to the player. Every shot, every angle, bounce, cut, lob or slam will be different, and yet, the same. You’ll still play regulation rules with X-TOPS. We didn’t change the dimensions of the standard table and we’re not
changing the game either. We’re just "extending" the game of table tennis. A few years ago, Ken (61) was watching "Forrest Gump", for the umpteenth time; and after the table tennis scene, he immediately started to conceive the idea. His first thoughts were about how bumper pool evolved from a standard pool table. But Ken did not want to disturb the size, shape etc., of the standard table... like bumper pool did. He also noticed that speed and slam were integral and dominant factors and strived to balance the two with finesse and strategy. So he contacted Jared (29) a local design engineer (and his best friends son), and the old teamed up with the young and they created the five (5) accessory tops. We had gained perspective from the 40’s-50’s and the current rage of the present marketplace. Now we do have speed and slam combined with finesse and strategy.
Note: There is also patent coverage on a video game format with our accessory tops. See website www.addictinggames.com (http://www.addictinggames.com), the table tennis game, and imagine our accessory tops being utilized. In our efforts to bring this exciting product to market, we have encountered various obstacles along the way... namely conservative manufacturers and buyers. We realize that things don’t happen over night, etc., just ask Lonnie Johnson, inventor of The Super Soaker. But, all it took was one manufacturer to "see the forest through the trees" with Lonnie and his
invention!
Why is this product needed? We felt the need for this product stems directly from the fact that there has not been any major or even one significant change to the industry/game in many years! The advantages from playing on our accessory tops lends simply to the fact that is raises the degree of difficulty in playing. So now everybody can play combining speed and slam with finesse and strategy! What impact will it have on the industry? We sincerely hope it re-lights a fire within every table tennis player in the world; and we also hope it lights that same fire within non-players too! Again, with our accessory tops, we view them simply in
terms of "extending" the game of table tennis!!
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/basil2000/t3.jpg http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/basil2000/t2.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/basil2000/t1.jpg
Some of the designed tables.......
Note: Table Tennis Talk are in no way related to or endorses the following design / ideas. However, we do value open discussion and new ideas, and therefore have agreed to serve as a mediator for this proposal. Please comment on this design and invention.
Two American inventors from Michigan have designed a table tennis table-related product. Five interchangeable, yet different ACCESSORY TABLE TOPS have been patented.
The inventors have submitted these new inventions in order to spark a discussion. In short, they want to hear and exchange ideas related to these new table tennis products. Especially table tennis players, coaches, organizers, equipment manufacturers and retailers are invited to comment on this concept.
Would you like to try playing on these new tops?
Which top design looks the most exciting?
Do you agree with the inventors' argued benefits of the new design?
Do you see additional benefits, or disadvantages to this new design?
Technical Stuff:
Referring to the drawings, each accessory top has the same length and width dimensions, the width being equal to a standard table tennis table and the length being equal to half of a standard table tennis table. The accessory tops are placed in the center of the table, covering the centre two quarters of the table. As shown in all of the drawings, a typical table tennis table includes a planar table top 11 having an upwardly facing playing surface 12. The table top 11 is supported by six ground-engaging legs 13. A vertical net 14 extends transversely across the center of the table top 11 and is supported above the playing surface 12. Fig. 3 shows the DOUBLE PONG TOP third embodiment table tennis table 30 according to the present invention having a double pong accessory top 35 which is a combination of the flat top 15 and angled top 25. The double pong top 35 starts out from an edge 37 at the first playing surface 12 and angles upwardly defining a first portion 36a of a second playing surface.
At an apex 39, the top 35 extends in a horizontal plane to define a second portion 36b of the second playing surface parallel to the first playing surface 12. The double pong top 35 features the two horizontal playing surfaces 36b just as the flat top 15, but also adds the additional angled playing surfaces 36a as the angled top 25. As with the flat top 15, the net 14 is supported by posts 38.
This design of the accessory top 35 provides a higher degree of difficulty in the sport of table tennis. Tri pong is even more difficult and challenging than double pong in that there is the concave section 46c in the centre of the top 45, creating a void in the second playing surface which is neither easy to hit into nor hit out of. The parabolic (curved) surface 56 gives a completely different play to the game of table tennis than any of the described accessory tops. The ball will deflect off the curved top with a unique trajectory as compared to the horizontal and angled playing surfaces.
The Story Behind the Design:
Two American inventors from Mt. Pleasant, MI have designed a table tennis table-related product that is simply a pure and exciting "extension" of the game of table tennis. Five interchangeable, yet different ACCESSORY TABLE TOPS have been patented. Placed on top of any existing table tennis table, each top offers a unique challenge to the player. Every shot, every angle, bounce, cut, lob or slam will be different, and yet, the same. You’ll still play regulation rules with X-TOPS. We didn’t change the dimensions of the standard table and we’re not
changing the game either. We’re just "extending" the game of table tennis. A few years ago, Ken (61) was watching "Forrest Gump", for the umpteenth time; and after the table tennis scene, he immediately started to conceive the idea. His first thoughts were about how bumper pool evolved from a standard pool table. But Ken did not want to disturb the size, shape etc., of the standard table... like bumper pool did. He also noticed that speed and slam were integral and dominant factors and strived to balance the two with finesse and strategy. So he contacted Jared (29) a local design engineer (and his best friends son), and the old teamed up with the young and they created the five (5) accessory tops. We had gained perspective from the 40’s-50’s and the current rage of the present marketplace. Now we do have speed and slam combined with finesse and strategy.
Note: There is also patent coverage on a video game format with our accessory tops. See website www.addictinggames.com (http://www.addictinggames.com), the table tennis game, and imagine our accessory tops being utilized. In our efforts to bring this exciting product to market, we have encountered various obstacles along the way... namely conservative manufacturers and buyers. We realize that things don’t happen over night, etc., just ask Lonnie Johnson, inventor of The Super Soaker. But, all it took was one manufacturer to "see the forest through the trees" with Lonnie and his
invention!
Why is this product needed? We felt the need for this product stems directly from the fact that there has not been any major or even one significant change to the industry/game in many years! The advantages from playing on our accessory tops lends simply to the fact that is raises the degree of difficulty in playing. So now everybody can play combining speed and slam with finesse and strategy! What impact will it have on the industry? We sincerely hope it re-lights a fire within every table tennis player in the world; and we also hope it lights that same fire within non-players too! Again, with our accessory tops, we view them simply in
terms of "extending" the game of table tennis!!
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/basil2000/t3.jpg http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/basil2000/t2.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/basil2000/t1.jpg
Some of the designed tables.......