Tennis Ball Retrieval and Storage System and Method of Making the Same

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

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.

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.

show a tennis ball retrieval and storage systemcomprising a vertical rodhaving a first endand a second end; a handleattached to the first endof the vertical rod; a hollow cylinderhaving a top endand a bottom end, wherein the top endof the hollow cylindercomprises a tennis ball outletand the bottom endof the hollow cylindercomprises a tennis ball intake. It should be noted that the hollow cylinderis parallelly attached to the vertical rodat a location adjacent to the second endof the vertical rod, such that the tennis ball intakeof the hollow cylinderis parallel or adjacent to the second endof the vertical rod. The hollow cylindermay be attached to the vertical rodvia one or more bolts, screws, or fasteners F, F. The one or more bolts, screws, or fasteners F, Fconnecting the hollow cylinderto the vertical rod, in turn, can be further secured thereto via one or more corresponding nuts. As shown in, the hollow cylinderand the second endof the vertical rodinclude one or more holes or openings H, Hthat align with each other and are adapted to receive the one or more bolts, screws, or fasteners F, Fthat are used to connect the hollow cylinderto the vertical rod. In a preferred embodiment, the hollow cylinderis a PVC pipe having a length of 6 inches and a diameter of 3 inches; the vertical rodhas a length of 30 inches; and the handlehas a rubber grip. Lastly, it is important to note that the bottom endof the hollow cylinderhas an angle of inclination in relation to the floor or ground, as shown in. Particularly, the portion Pof the bottom endon the hollow cylinderthat is in contact with the second endof the vertical rodis ⅝ inches shorter than its opposite portion Pon the bottom end(the opposite portion Prefers to the portion of the bottom endon the hollow cylinder that is not in contact with the second endof the vertical rodand that is directly opposite to the portion Pof the bottom end). The purpose of this angle is ergonomic, meaning that the tennis ball retrieval and storage systemis 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, the tennis ball retrieval and storage systemfurther comprises an elastic mesh or baghaving a first endattached or secured to a location adjacent to the first endof the vertical rod, and a second endattached or secured to the top endof the hollow cylinder, said elastic mesh or bagbeing adapted to receive a tennis ball that has been picked up by the tennis ball retrieval and storage system. In one embodiment, the second endof the elastic meshincludes a plurality of ringsattached thereto that are adapted to be attached or secured to the top endof the hollow cylinder. In this embodiment, the top endof the hollow cylinderincludes a plurality of holesthrough which each of the ringscan be individually inserted (i.e., one ring per hole) to secure the meshto the top endof the hollow cylinder. It should be noted that the tennis ball intakeis adapted to receive at least one tennis balland to provide access to said at least one tennis ballinto the elastic mesh or bagvia the tennis ball outlet. It is also important to note that the hollow cylindershould have a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the tennis ballso that the tennis ball can fit through the intake. The vertical rod, on the other hand, should have a diameter that is lesser than the diameter of the hollow cylinderto facilitate the grabbing of the vertical rodby a user of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system.

The elastic mesh or bag, in turn, includes an interior volumethat expands as additional tennis balls gain access therein. Specifically, the elastic mesh or bagis adapted to expand laterally and thereby allow 50 or more tennis balls within the interior volume, three times the amount permitted by the traditional systems. It should be further noted that the first endof the elastic mesh or bagis adapted to open and close. On one hand, closing the first endprevents the balls that have been retrieved via the tennis ball retrieval and storage systemfrom falling out of the elastic meshand keeps the balls securely stored inside the volume of the elastic mesh. On the other hand, the opening of the first endallows easy removal of the balls from the elastic meshonce 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 bagis achieved via a cordand cord lockmechanism. In one embodiment, the first endof the elastic mesh or bagmay be attached or secured to the location adjacent to the first endof the vertical rodwith the aid of the cordand cord lockmechanism. In this embodiment, the first endof the elastic mesh or bagincludes one or more cord openingsadapted to receive the cord. Particularly, the cordis inserted through each of the one or more cord openingson the first endof the elastic mesh or baguntil no more cord openingsare left available. The ends of the cordare then inserted through the cord lockand the remaining cord lengths are inserted through a hole or opening Hin the location adjacent to the first endof the vertical rod. Once inserted through the hole or opening H, the remaining cord lengths are then tied into a knot so that the cordremains securely fixed to the location adjacent to the first endof the vertical rod. 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 intakecomprises one or more spacer fastenersadapted to pinch the tennis ballupon entering the hollow cylinderand to prevent the ball from rolling out of the hollow cylinderduring the operation of the tennis ball retrieval and storage system, as shown in. Particularly, the tennis ball intakeincludes one or more holes-adapted to receive the one or more spacer fasteners, which can then be secured thereto via one or more nutsor a ratchet. The one or more spacer fasteners(and corresponding holes-) should preferably be equidistantly positioned with each other, as shown in. Once picked up, the ball is led into the elastic mesh or bagas 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 cylinderuntil falling unrestrained into the elastic mesh or bag. In one embodiment, the spacer fastenersare 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 cylinderbut at the same time prevents the balls from coming out of the ball intake

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 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.