Bowling Ball Return Assembly

Abstract

A customizable housing for a bowling ball return at a bowling lane can be provided. The housing can include a housing body, and a throat defined in the housing body that is sized, dimensioned, or configured to allow for passage of the one or more bowling balls to a retrieval area. The housing further can include one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions of a selected size, dimension, shape, or configuration that are configured to be selectively coupled to the housing body, which portions include a surface or face with one or more selected colors, images, depictions, graphics, themes, finishes, textures, or combinations thereof provided thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A customizable bowling ball return assembly for a bowling lane, comprising:
 a retrieval area configured to receive one or more bowling balls for retrieval by bowlers at the bowling lane; and   a housing located adjacent the retrieval area, the housing comprising:
 a housing body having a top part and side parts; 
 a passage or discharge defined in the housing body that is sized, dimensioned, or configured to allow for passage of the one or more bowling balls to the retrieval area; and 
 one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions of a selected size, dimension, shape, or configuration that are selectively coupleable to the housing body, and which include a face portion with one or more selected colors, images, depictions, graphics, themes, finishes, textures, or combinations thereof provided thereon. 
   
     
     
         2 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions include a high-pressure laminate material. 
     
     
         3 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions include a substrate layer that is formed into the selected size, dimension, shape, or configuration, and a design layer that includes the one or more selected colors, images, depictions, graphics, themes, finishes, textures, or combinations thereof and is at least partially received over the substrate layer. 
     
     
         4 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the substrate layer comprises at least one of plywood, fiber board, composite materials, layered materials, or combinations thereof and wherein the design layer further comprises at least one of a laminate sheet material, a paper material, a plastic material, or combinations thereof applied over the substrate layer. 
     
     
         5 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions includes a top portion configured to extend along and substantially cover the top part of the housing body, and a pair of opposing side parts that extend from the upper part in a direction that is normal thereto so as to extend along, and substantially cover, the side part of the housing body. 
     
     
         6 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular or interchangeable portions further comprise connecting mechanisms that are configured to releasably couple the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions or sections together and/or to at least a portion of the housing body. 
     
     
         7 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions includes opposing side portions engageable along and at least partially covering the side parts of the housing body. 
     
     
         8 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval area includes an elongated body configured to receive and support a plurality of returned bowling balls for retrieval by the bowlers at the bowling lane. 
     
     
         9 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an automatic return mechanism at least partially enclosed by the housing body, the return mechanism including one or more belts, rotating wheels, drive mechanisms, or combinations thereof configured to move or guide returned bowling balls towards and through the discharge in the housing for discharge of the balls onto the retrieval area. 
     
     
         10 . The customizable bowling ball return assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bowling ball return assembly comprises a surface ball return assembly having one or more tracks with guide surfaces for guiding returned balls to the retrieval area. 
     
     
         11 . A customizable housing for a bowling ball return at a bowling lane, comprising:
 a housing body;   a passage or discharge defined in or through the housing body that is sized, dimensioned, or configured to allow for passage of the one or more bowling balls to a retrieval area; and   one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions of a selected size, dimension, shape, or configuration that are configured to be selectively coupled to the housing body, and that include a surface or face with one or more selected colors, images, depictions, graphics, themes, finishes, textures, or combinations thereof provided on the surface or face.   
     
     
         12 . The customizable housing of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions include a high-pressure laminate material. 
     
     
         13 . The customizable housing of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions include a substrate layer that comprises at least one of plywood, fiber board, composite materials, layered materials, or combinations thereof and is formed into the selected size, dimension, shape, or configuration, and a design layer that includes at least one of a laminate sheet material, a paper material, a plastic material, or combinations thereof, with the one or more selected colors, images, depictions, graphics, themes, finishes, textures, or combinations thereof provides along a surface thereof, and is at least partially received over the substrate layer. 
     
     
         14 . The customizable housing of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions includes at least one replaceable top portion including an upper part configured to extend along and substantially cover a top part of the housing body, and a pair of opposing side parts that extend downwardly from the upper part and substantially cover side parts of the housing body. 
     
     
         15 . The customizable housing of  claim 11 , wherein the retrieval area includes an elongated body configured to receive and support a plurality of returned bowling balls for retrieval by the bowlers at the bowling lane. 
     
     
         16 . The customizable housing of  claim 11 , further including one or more connecting mechanisms that are configured to releasably couple the one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions or sections together and/or to at least a portion of the housing body. 
     
     
         17 . The customizable housing of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more bowling balls includes ten-pin balls, duckpin balls, five-pin balls, or candlepin balls.