Bouncy ball

Bouncy ball

A bouncy ball is a popular toy which rebounds proportionally to the amount of force used when thrown at a hard surface. A typical bouncy ball can keep around 90% of its kinetic energy in one rebound.

In the United States, they are often sold from bulk vending machines for 25 cents or more. These vending machines can be found in a variety of venues from grocery stores, department and strip shops, malls to nearly any place that will attract a large number of people with intentions of spending money. Occasionally, they are even sold in restaurants (usually family themed ones). Since bouncy balls are often sold alongside candy, there have been instances of customers mistaking them for gumballs and almost choking on them. This has been recognized and addressed by the increase in size of some bouncy balls (some have doubled in size from the originals), yet retaining the same price. They vary from different colors and designs. They are exported from China to England and The United States of America.

uperBall

SuperBall (originally "Super Ball") is an example of a bouncy ball invented by Norman Stingley, and manufactured by Wham-O in 1965. It is an extremely elastic ball made of Zectron, which contains the synthetic rubber polymer polybutadiene, vulcanized with sulfur at a temperature of convert|165|°C|°F and at a pressure of convert|80|atm|psi. [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=3241834] The Super Ball has a very high coefficient of restitution. Dropped from shoulder level, a Super Ball will bounce nearly all the way back; thrown down, it can leap over a three-story building.

Lamar Hunt, founder of the American Football League, coined the term Super Bowl after watching his children playing with a Super Ball, . [cite web |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-0701300052jan30,1,233400.story?track=rss&ctrack=1&cset=true |title=Legends of the Bowl |accessdate=2007-01-31 |author=Rex W. Huppke |date=2007-01-30 |format=html |publisher=Chicago Tribune |quote= Lamar Hunt, who died in December, coined the term Super Bowl in the late 1960s after watching his kids play with a Super Ball, the bouncy creation of iconic toy manufacturer Wham-O. ] .

References

# Frauenfelder, Mark; Sinclair, Carla; Branwyn, Gareth; Kreth, Will editors. (1995). "The Happy Mutant Handbook: Mischievous Fun for Higher Primates". New York, Riverhead Books (Penguin Group). ISBN 1-57322-502-9, pg..134-136

Notes

Patent

* [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=3241834 Stingley, Norman H., — "Highly Resilient Polybutadiene Ball"]

External links

* [http://www.wham-o.com/default.cfm?page=ViewProducts&ProductID=22&Category=9 Wham-O]
* [http://www.superballs.com/ Superballs.com] , a tribute site
* [http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/superball.htm History of the Superball]
* [http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.1975420 Kinematics of an Ultraelastic Rough Ball] ( [http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/file_download/34 free PDF] )
* [http://www.allball.org/ AllBall.org] Bouncy Ball Archive
* [http://www.liketelevision.net/liketelevision/tuner.php?channel=491&format=tv&theme=guide liketelevision.net] Classic B&W TV commercial for Super Ball and for Super Elastic Bubble Plastic, c. 1970


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bouncy ball — noun A small polybutadiene rubber ball with a strong rebound when thrown or dropped. Syn: superball …   Wiktionary

  • bouncy — UK [ˈbaʊnsɪ] / US adjective Word forms bouncy : adjective bouncy comparative bouncier superlative bounciest 1) a bouncy ball bounces well when it hits a surface 2) a bouncy surface moves up and down when you walk, jump etc on it a bouncy bed 3)… …   English dictionary

  • bouncy — bounc|y [ˈbaunsi] adj 1.) a bouncy ball etc quickly moves away from a surface after it has hit it 2.) a bouncy surface is made of a substance that makes people move up and down when they are on it ▪ The new bed is nice and bouncy. 3.) someone who …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bouncy — adjective 1 a bouncy ball etc quickly moves away from a surface after it has hit it 2 a bouncy surface is made of a substance that makes people move up and down when they are on it: The bed is nice and bouncy. 3 someone who is bouncy is always… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bouncy — bounc|y [ baunsi ] adjective 1. ) a bouncy ball BOUNCES well when it hits a surface 2. ) a bouncy surface moves up and down when you walk, jump, etc. on it: a bouncy bed 3. ) happy, lively, and enthusiastic: a bouncy tune/personality …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bouncy — [ˈbaʊnsi] adj 1) a bouncy ball BOUNCES well when it hits a surface 2) a bouncy surface moves up and down when you walk or jump on it 3) a bouncy person is happy, lively, and enthusiastic …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • bouncy — adjective a) Easily bounced You cant play tennis without a bouncy ball. b) Lively, exuberant, energetic Shes a very bouncy character …   Wiktionary

  • bouncy — bouncily, adv. /bown see/, adj., bouncier, bounciest. 1. tending characteristically to bounce or bounce well: An old tennis ball is not as bouncy as a new one. 2. resilient: a thick carpet that is bouncy underfoot. 3. animated; lively: a bouncy… …   Universalium

  • bouncy — adj. (bouncier, bounciest) 1 (of a ball etc.) that bounces well. 2 cheerful and lively. 3 resilient, springy (a bouncy sofa). Derivatives: bouncily adv. bounciness n …   Useful english dictionary

  • bouncy — /ˈbaʊnsi/ (say bownsee) adjective 1. of or relating to that which bounces, as a ball, a woman s hair, etc. 2. of or relating to that which is suitable to bounce on, as a bed, a chair, etc. 3. of a personality which is cheerful and enthusiastic …  

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