TENNIS BALL RETRIEVAL AND STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to a tennis ball retrieval and storage system and method of making the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is common knowledge that once an amateur tennis game or practice session is done, the tennis court will typically be filled with the plurality of tennis balls that were used during the game or practice session. Once the game or session is complete, or all the balls are used, they must be picked up to continue playing or to simply keep the tennis court free of tennis balls for the next session of play. In order to remove the tennis balls from the court, the player typically has to pick up each individual tennis ball by hand. This process is generally frustrating and time-consuming for the person picking up the balls.

Alternatively, tennis balls can be retrieved from the tennis court with the aid of a tennis ball retrieval system. Typically, these tennis ball retrieval systems comprise an elongated solid and straight cylindrical tube capable of storing the balls in a stacked array. These systems, however, typically have very little space for storing the balls as these tennis ball retrieving systems are limited by the size of the cylindrical tube. This, in turn, requires the user of such a device to have to continually empty the device before being able to continue the ball retrieval process, which becomes burdensome for the person picking up the balls. For example, traditional tennis ball pickup systems typically involve a rigid plastic tube that is used to both retrieve and store the tennis balls vertically. The maximum total number of tennis balls stored by the traditional systems varies between 14-17 balls.

Other examples of tennis ball retrieval systems in the prior can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,410, which discloses a ball retrieval, retaining and dispensing device comprising an elongated tubular housing; U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,632, which discloses a ball retrieval, storage, and dispensing system having a hollow tube; U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,751, which discloses a retrieval, storage and discharge device including an inner cylindrical tube; U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2016/0303434 A1, which discloses tennis ball pickup device, including a first barrel in form of a hollow cylinder; a second barrel in form of a hollow cylinder arranged in the first barrel, and capable of moving telescopically up and down and/or moving rotatably therein; and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2002/0151390 A1, which discloses a device for picking up, storing and controllably releasing tennis balls includes a straight hollow tube of adjustable length. As discussed above, however, these systems all have very little space for storing the balls as these tennis ball retrieving systems are limited by the size of the cylindrical tube.

As such, there is a need for a tennis ball retrieving device that provides the user with the ability to store additional balls without having to be limited by the size of the cylindrical tube. Likewise, there is a need for a tennis ball retrieving device that allows the user to quickly dispose of the tennis balls that have been retrieved with said device without the need to bend over to pick up each ball.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The subject disclosure relates to a tennis ball retrieval and storage system, comprising a vertical rod having a first end and a second end; a handle attached to the first end of the vertical rod; a hollow cylinder having a top end and a bottom end; wherein the top end of the hollow cylinder comprises a tennis ball outlet and the bottom end of the hollow cylinder comprises a tennis ball intake; wherein the hollow cylinder is parallelly attached to the vertical rod at a location adjacent to the second end of the vertical rod, such that the tennis ball intake of the hollow cylinder is parallel or adjacent to the second end of the vertical rod; an elastic mesh or bag having a first end attached or secured to the vertical rod and a second end attached or secured to the top end of the hollow cylinder, said elastic mesh or bag being adapted to receive at least one tennis ball that has been retrieved via the tennis ball intake; and wherein the tennis ball intake comprises one or more spacer fasteners adapted to pinch the at least one tennis ball upon entering the hollow cylinder and to prevent the ball from rolling out of the hollow cylinder.

The subject disclosure further relates to a method of making the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, comprising providing a vertical rod tube having a first end and a second end; attaching a handle to the first end of the vertical rod; providing a hollow cylinder having a top end and a bottom end; wherein the top end of the hollow cylinder comprises a tennis ball outlet and the bottom end of the hollow cylinder comprises a tennis ball intake; parallelly attaching the hollow cylinder to the vertical rod at a location adjacent to the second end of the vertical rod, such that the tennis ball intake of the hollow cylinder is parallel to the second end of the vertical rod; providing an elastic mesh or bag having a first end; attaching the first end of the elastic mesh or bag to the vertical rod; attaching the second end of the elastic mesh or bag to the top end of the hollow cylinder; wherein the elastic mesh or bag is adapted to receive at least one tennis ball that has been retrieved via the tennis ball intake; and wherein the tennis ball intake comprises one or more spacer fasteners adapted to pinch the at least one tennis ball upon entering the hollow cylinder and to prevent the ball from rolling out of the hollow cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the elastic mesh and hollow cylinder components of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-B show the hollow cylinder and vertical rod components of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows the cord and cord lock mechanism component of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows the tennis ball retrieval and storage system being used, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a left-side view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 shows a right-side view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 shows a top view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 shows a bottom view of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

FIGS. 1-11 show a tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1 comprising a vertical rod 2 having a first end 2a and a second end 2b; a handle 3 attached to the first end 2a of the vertical rod 2; a hollow cylinder 4 having a top end 4a and a bottom end 4b, wherein the top end 4a of the hollow cylinder 4 comprises a tennis ball outlet 10a and the bottom end 4b of the hollow cylinder 4 comprises a tennis ball intake 10b. It should be noted that the hollow cylinder 4 is parallelly attached to the vertical rod 2 at a location adjacent to the second end 2b of the vertical rod 2, such that the tennis ball intake 10b of the hollow cylinder 4 is parallel or adjacent to the second end 2b of the vertical rod 2. The hollow cylinder 4 may be attached to the vertical rod 2 via one or more bolts, screws, or fasteners F1, F2. The one or more bolts, screws, or fasteners F1, F2 connecting the hollow cylinder 4 to the vertical rod 2, in turn, can be further secured thereto via one or more corresponding nuts. As shown in FIG. 2A, the hollow cylinder 4 and the second end 2b of the vertical rod 2 include one or more holes or openings H1, H2 that align with each other and are adapted to receive the one or more bolts, screws, or fasteners F1, F2 that are used to connect the hollow cylinder 4 to the vertical rod 2. In a preferred embodiment, the hollow cylinder 4 is a PVC pipe having a length of 6 inches and a diameter of 3 inches; the vertical rod 2 has a length of 30 inches; and the handle 3 has a rubber grip. Lastly, it is important to note that the bottom end 4b of the hollow cylinder 4 has an angle of inclination in relation to the floor or ground, as shown in FIGS. 4, 8 and 9. Particularly, the portion P1 of the bottom end 4b on the hollow cylinder 4 that is in contact with the second end 2b of the vertical rod 2 is ⅝ inches shorter than its opposite portion P2 on the bottom end 4b (the opposite portion P2 refers to the portion of the bottom end 4b on the hollow cylinder that is not in contact with the second end 2b of the vertical rod 2 and that is directly opposite to the portion P1 of the bottom end 4b). The purpose of this angle is ergonomic, meaning that the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1 is comfortable during use and conforms to the angle created by the horizontal distance between the user's hand and the ball to be retrieved.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 8, and 9, the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1 further comprises an elastic mesh or bag 5 having a first end 5a attached or secured to a location adjacent to the first end 2a of the vertical rod 2, and a second end 5b attached or secured to the top end 4a of the hollow cylinder 4, said elastic mesh or bag 5 being adapted to receive a tennis ball that has been picked up by the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1. In one embodiment, the second end 5b of the elastic mesh 5 includes a plurality of rings 12 attached thereto that are adapted to be attached or secured to the top end 4a of the hollow cylinder 4. In this embodiment, the top end 4a of the hollow cylinder 4 includes a plurality of holes 13 through which each of the rings 12 can be individually inserted (i.e., one ring per hole) to secure the mesh 5 to the top end 4a of the hollow cylinder 4. It should be noted that the tennis ball intake 10b is adapted to receive at least one tennis ball 6 and to provide access to said at least one tennis ball 6 into the elastic mesh or bag 5 via the tennis ball outlet 10a. It is also important to note that the hollow cylinder 4 should have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the tennis ball 6 so that the tennis ball can fit through the intake 10b. The vertical rod 2, on the other hand, should have a diameter that is lesser than the diameter of the hollow cylinder 4 to facilitate the grabbing of the vertical rod 2 by a user of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1.

The elastic mesh or bag 5, in turn, includes an interior volume 7 that expands as additional tennis balls gain access therein. Specifically, the elastic mesh or bag 5 is adapted to expand laterally and thereby allow 50 or more tennis balls within the interior volume 7, three times the amount permitted by the traditional systems. It should be further noted that the first end 5a of the elastic mesh or bag 5 is adapted to open and close. On one hand, closing the first end 5a prevents the balls that have been retrieved via the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1 from falling out of the elastic mesh 5 and keeps the balls securely stored inside the volume of the elastic mesh 5. On the other hand, the opening of the first end 5a allows easy removal of the balls from the elastic mesh 5 once it is full or if the user wishes to gain access to the tennis balls stored therein. The opening and closing of the elastic mesh or bag 5 is achieved via a cord 11a and cord lock 11b mechanism. In one embodiment, the first end 5a of the elastic mesh or bag 5 may be attached or secured to the location adjacent to the first end 2a of the vertical rod 2 with the aid of the cord 11a and cord lock 11b mechanism. In this embodiment, the first end 5a of the elastic mesh or bag 5 includes one or more cord openings 14 adapted to receive the cord 11a. Particularly, the cord 11a is inserted through each of the one or more cord openings 14 on the first end 5a of the elastic mesh or bag 5 until no more cord openings 14 are left available. The ends of the cord 11a are then inserted through the cord lock 11b and the remaining cord lengths are inserted through a hole or opening H3 in the location adjacent to the first end 2a of the vertical rod 2. Once inserted through the hole or opening H3, the remaining cord lengths are then tied into a knot so that the cord 11b remains securely fixed to the location adjacent to the first end 2a of the vertical rod 2. The manufacturing material of the elastic mesh or bag should preferably comprise an interwoven “bungee cord” material. However, any other elastic material capable of being adapted into a bag may be used.

It should be noted that the tennis ball intake 10b comprises one or more spacer fasteners 8 adapted to pinch the tennis ball 6 upon entering the hollow cylinder 4 and to prevent the ball from rolling out of the hollow cylinder 4 during the operation of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 9. Particularly, the tennis ball intake 10b includes one or more holes 9a-b adapted to receive the one or more spacer fasteners 8, which can then be secured thereto via one or more nuts 15 or a ratchet. The one or more spacer fasteners 8 (and corresponding holes 9a-b) should preferably be equidistantly positioned with each other, as shown in FIG. 2B. Once picked up, the ball is led into the elastic mesh or bag 5 as the user continues to pick up additional balls. With every ball captured the balls are pushed against each other vertically along the length of the hollow cylinder 4 until falling unrestrained into the elastic mesh or bag 5. In one embodiment, the spacer fasteners 8 are ¼″ thick and ½″ long screws with a convex head. The three convex heads create the necessary pressure without generating much friction on the tennis balls. In this manner, the head of the screw acts as a “spacer” that allows the balls to gain access into the hollow cylinder 4 but at the same time prevents the balls from coming out of the ball intake 10b.

The subject disclosure further relates to a method of making the tennis ball retrieval and storage system 1, comprising providing a vertical rod tube having a first end and a second end; attaching a handle to the first end of the vertical rod; providing a hollow cylinder having a top end and a bottom end; wherein the top end of the hollow cylinder comprises a tennis ball outlet and the bottom end of the hollow cylinder comprises a tennis ball intake; parallelly attaching the hollow cylinder to the vertical rod at a location adjacent to the second end of the vertical rod, such that the tennis ball intake of the hollow cylinder is parallel or adjacent to the second end of the vertical rod; providing an elastic mesh or bag having a first end; attaching the first end of the elastic mesh or bag to the vertical rod; attaching the second end of the elastic mesh or bag to the top end of the hollow cylinder; wherein the elastic mesh or bag is adapted to receive at least one tennis ball that has been retrieved via the tennis ball intake; and wherein the tennis ball intake comprises one or more spacer fasteners adapted to pinch the at least one tennis ball upon entering the hollow cylinder and to prevent the ball from rolling out of the hollow cylinder.

Although certain exemplary embodiments and methods have been described in some detail, for clarity of understanding and by way of example, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art that variations, modifications, changes, and adaptations of such embodiments and methods may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the claims. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.

The invention is not limited to the precise configuration described above. While the invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention after considering this specification together with the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by this invention as defined in the following claims and their legal equivalents. In the claims, means plus function clauses, if any, are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.

All of the patents, patent applications, and publications recited herein, and in the Declaration attached hereto, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein. All, or substantially all, the components disclosed in such patents may be used in the embodiments of the present invention, as well as equivalents thereof. The details in the patents, patent applications, and publications incorporated by reference herein may be considered to be incorporable at applicant's option, into the claims during prosecution as further limitations in the claims to patently distinguish any amended claims from any applied prior art.