An artificial shuttlecock feather for implanting in a circular ring shape into a base of a shuttlecock, the artificial feather includes: a vane section; and a rachis section supporting the vane section, the rachis section being formed from a material having a Charpy impact strength of 30 kJ/m.sup.2 or greater and a flexural modulus of 4 GPa or greater, and preferably having a Charpy impact strength of 36 kJ/m.sup.2 or greater and a flexural modulus of 4.7 GPa or greater.

A plurality of nested shuttlecocks are stored inside a storage tube that has removable (e.g., screwable) caps covering both ends of the tube. There are two removable caps, one at each end of the tube. One cap is long enough to hold a perforated container (i.e., puck) that contains a humidifying material (e.g., water-containing Propylene glycol, or water-containing Polymer); while the other (opposing) cap is long-enough to contain a battery-powered, electronic hygrometer

A plurality of nested shuttlecocks are stored inside a storage tube that has removable (e.g., screwable) caps covering both ends of the tube. There are two removable caps, one at each end of the tube. One cap is long enough to hold a perforated container (i.e., puck) that contains a humidifying material (e.g., water-containing Propylene glycol, or water-containing Polymer); while the other (opposing) cap is long-enough to contain a battery-powered, electronic hygrometer

An artificial shuttlecock feather that is to be implanted in a circular ring shape into a base of a shuttlecock, the artificial shuttlecock feather includes: a vane section; and a rachis section having one end in an axial direction of the rachis section fixed to the base and supporting the vane section provided to another end side of the rachis section, a hole being formed in the vane section so as to penetrate the vane section, and a porosity of a first region of the vane section being lower than a porosity of a second region of the vane section, the first region spanning from an edge on the one end side in the axial direction to a predetermined position further toward the one end side than a center of vane section in the axial direction, the second region spanning from the predetermined position to an edge on the other end side in the axial direction.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency are disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency are disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

A shuttlecock loading mechanism with a grabbing mechanism and a pair of ejecting wheels defining a wheel plane. The grabbing mechanism receives a shuttlecock entering the loading mechanism in a vertical position and ejects the shuttlecock from the loading mechanism in an orientation parallel to the wheel plane wherein the pitch of the wheel plane about a wheel horizontal axis is selectively indexed about the wheel's horizontal axis.

A shuttlecock loading mechanism with a grabbing mechanism and a pair of ejecting wheels defining a wheel plane. The grabbing mechanism receives a shuttlecock entering the loading mechanism in a vertical position and ejects the shuttlecock from the loading mechanism in an orientation parallel to the wheel plane wherein the pitch of the wheel plane about a wheel horizontal axis is selectively indexed about the wheel's horizontal axis.

A pet toy comprises a ball and at least one feather attached to the ball. When used, the pet toy bounces in various directions and its feathers and pet toy movement attract a pet and trigger the pet's hunting instinct. While chasing and capturing the pet toy, the pet is entertained and exercised. The pet toy disclosed has a high coefficient of restitution and is of particular interest to cats.

The present disclosure provides generally for systems and devices for a game utilizing a projectile. According to the present disclosure, the projectile-based game system may comprise multiple components including a projectile, a plurality of contacting elements, a plurality of players, and a base structure comprising internal and external partitioning elements. The projectile-based game may include a base structure with various components and designs. Additionally, the present disclosure may include at least one exemplary process for utilizing a projectile-based game system.