Patent Application
20100323827
The invention relates to the field of sports equipment and more particularly to an apparatus for collecting, storing and transporting tennis balls.
Although the game of tennis requires two or more players, practice of the game of tennis typically is done by individuals. In such situations, an opponent is not available to return the played ball. Thus, a large number of balls are typically utilized to avoid having to retrieve or chase down each played balls. An automatic service machine may also be used to serve balls to the individual. Even though use of a large number of balls avoids interrupting the practice each time a ball is played, the played balls still must be retrieved for further use. Retrieving balls is time consuming and tedious and filling the automatic service machine can be cumbersome.
The present invention provides a ball hopper which overcomes the problems presented in the prior art and which provides additional advantages over the prior art, such advantages will become clear upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings
Briefly, the present invention discloses a ball hopper which allows for the easy retrieval and transportation of tennis balls. The ball hopper includes a basket defining a cavity for storing the tennis ball. Balls are retrieved through the base of the basket. A side wall of the basket includes a door which provides a passageway through which the balls can be dispensed without requiring inversion of the basket. Wheels allow for easy transportation of the basket between locations.
The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof; may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which:
While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, a specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein.
As best shown in
The basket 12 includes a base 18 and a sidewall 20 extending upwardly from the base 18 to define a ball cavity 22 for storing tennis balls. As best shown in
The basket 12 is preferably formed from shaped wires or rails which are secured together to fix the relative positions of the rails. The basket 12 includes a plurality of elongated front-to-rear rails 44, a plurality of side-to-side rails 46, an upper rail 48, the door 42, and corner supports 50.
Each front-to-rear rail 44 includes a central portion 44a, a front portion 44b and a rear portion 44c. The central portions 44a of the front-to-rear rails 44 are positioned parallel to one another and spaced a pre-determined distance to provide ball retrieval channels 52. The front portion 44b of each front-to-rear rail 44 is upwardly turned and attached to the upper rail 48 to form the front panel 34 of the sidewall 20. The rear portion 44c of each front-to-rear rail 44 is upwardly turned and attached to the upper rail 48 to form the rear panel 36 of the sidewall 20.
Each side-to-side rail 46 includes a central portion 46a, a left portion 46b, and a right portion 46c. The central portions 46a of the side-to side rails 46 are provided over the central portions 44a of the front-to-rear rails 44. The central portion 46a of a first side-to-side rail 46 is provided at the front edge 23 of the base 28 and the central portion 46a of a second side-to-side rail 46 is provided at the rear edge 24 of the base 28. The left portions 46b of the first and second side-to-side rails 46 are turned upwardly and attached to the upper rail 48 of the basket. The right portions 46c of the first and second side-to-side rails 46 are turned upwardly and attached to the upper rail 48 of the basket. The right portions 46c of the first and second side-to-side-rails 46 along with the central portion 44a of the right most front-to-rear rail 44 and the upper rail 48, define a ball passage 54 through the sidewall 20.
Corner supports 50 extend from the left and right portions 46b, 46c of the side-to side-rails 46 to the upper rail 48. Additional corner supports 50 extend from the front and rear portions 44b, 44c of the front-to-rear rails 44 to the upper rail 48. The corner supports 50 reduce the openings at the corners of the basket 12 to maintain the balls within the ball cavity 22.
As best illustrated in
As best shown in
The channel member 80 is secured to the side wall 20 such that the channel member 80 is positioned proximate to the passageway 54 in the right panel 40 of the side wall 20. The channel member 80 defines a channel 92 which receives the catch member 84.
The tube 82 is also secured to the side wall 20 and is spaced from the channel member 80. The tube 82 is generally cylindrically-shaped and includes a spring abutment wall.
The catch member 84 includes a head 94 proximate the front end of the catch member 94 and a cylindrically-shaped extension 96 proximate the rear end of the catch member 94. The head 94 includes a generally planar sliding surface 91, a door abutment corner 89, and a door guiding surface 99. The planar sliding surface 91 mates with the channel 92 of the channel member 80. The door abutment corner 89 includes a first surface 89a extending generally perpendicular to the planar sliding surface 91 and a second surface 89b generally perpendicular to the first surface 89a and 11 to the planar sliding surface 91. The door guiding surface 99 extends outwardly and rearwardly from the forward most end of the second surface 89b. A pin receiving aperture 97 is provided through the cylindrically-shaped extension 96.
The latch handle 88 is generally U-shaped. The latch handle 88 includes a gripping portion 83 and a sliding portion 85 generally perpendicular to the gripping portion 83. A pin receiving aperture is provided at the free end of the sliding portion 85. The spring 86 defines a spring passageway 87.
Assembly of the latch 62 is as follows. The free end of the sliding portion 85 of the latch handle 88 is passed through the tube 82 and through the spring passageway 87. The pin receiving aperture at the free end of the latch handle 88 is aligned with the pill receiving aperture 97 of the catch member 84. The pin 90 is positioned in aligned pin receiving apertures to secure the latch handle 88 to the catch member 84. The catch member 84 is aligned with the channel member 80 such that the sliding surface of the catch member 84 is positioned within the channel 92 of the channel member 80. Once assembled, a first end of the spring 86 will push against the spring abutment wall of the tube 82 and a second end of the spring 86 will push against the catch member 84 to push the assembled latch handle 88 and catch member 84 is a forward direction.
When in the locked position, the door abutment corner 89 of the catch member 84 is positioned to secure the door 42 in the closed position. Specifically, the second surface 89b of the door abutment corner 89 will extend over the door 62 when the door is in a closed position to prevent the door from pivoting outwardly. To open the latch 62, the user grasps the gripping portion 83 of the latch handle 88 and pulls the latch handle 88 along with the attached catch member 84 rearwardly to overcome the force of the spring 86. As the latch handle 88 and catch member 84 are pulled rearwardly, the sliding surface 91 of the catch member 84 slides within the channel 92 of the channel member 90 until the second surface 89b of the door abutment corner 89 clears the door 42 of the basket 12, allowing the door 42 to pivot outwardly.
As best shown in
A first wheel 70 is mounted on the rear panel 36 of the sidewall 20 proximate the base 18 of the basket 12 and a second wheel 72 is mounted on the rear panel 36 of the sidewall 20 proximate the base 18 of the basket 12 and spaced from the first wheel 70.
Balls can be retrieved using the ball hopper 10 as follows. When the base 18 of the basket 12 of the ball hopper 10 is seated against the ground as shown in
Next, the user grasps the gripping member 68c of the handle 16. The user then pulls the handle 16 in a generally downward and rearward direction to tip the hopper 10 on to the wheels 70, 72, while supporting the ball hopper 10 with the handle 16. The user then rolls the hopper 10 to the location of a ball, and places the base 18 of the basket 12 over the ball. The user then tips the basket 12 forward and the ball will begin to pass through one of the ball retrieval channels 52. When the surface of the ball contacts the front-to-rear rails 44 of the basket 12, the user will gently push forward and downward tipping the hopper back to the stationary or storage position. As the user pushes, the force of the rail 44 against the ball, causes the ball to deform slightly allowing the ball to pass through the retrieval channel 52 and into the cavity 22 of the basket 12. In addition to deformation of the balls, as the user pushes, the rails 44 may also flex away from the ball to enlarge the channel 52 allowing the ball to more easily pass through the retrieval channel 52. After passing through the retrieval channel 52 the ball will expand and thereby be retained within the cavity 22. The user can then again tip the hopper 10 onto the wheels 70, 72 and transport the hopper to another ball location and retrieve another ball in the same manner. As the user continues to retrieve balls, the balls will fill the cavity 22 defined by the basket 12 and balls will be pushed upward toward the upper rail 48 of the basket 12.
Once the user has retrieved all the balls it desires to retrieve, or the basket 12 of the hopper 10 is full, the user can transport the hopper 10 on its wheels to a desired location, for example the automatic ball service machine. The user can then lift the hopper 10 and position the right side of the base 18 proximate the ball bin of the service machine. Once appropriately aligned, the user then grasps the gripping portion 83 of the latch 62 and pulls the gripping member rearwardly to unlatch the latch 62. When the forward most end of the catch member 84 of the latch 62 is rearward of the door 42, the door 42 will be pushed outwardly due to the force of the balls against the door, the passageway 54 will be opened and the balls will exit the ball hopper 10. Use of the door 42, allows the user to easily dispense the collected balls from the hopper 10 to the ball bin of the service machine without requiring the user to invert the ball hopper 10. In addition, as the balls are exiting the ball hopper, the user can utilize the door 42 to assist in directing the balls into the ball bin. Thus the door 42, eliminates the cumbersome process of inverting the ball hopper and reduces the probability of spilling the balls as the ball bin is filled.
Once the basket 12 is emptied, the user pivots the door 42 back to the closed position. As the door is closed, the door 42 will contact the door guiding surface 99 of the latch 62 and the user will again grasp the gripping portion 83 of the latch handle 88 and pull rearwardly on the latch handle 88 to slide the latch handle 88 and catch member 84 rearwardly until the forward most end of the catch member 84 is rearward of the door 42. The door 42 is then positioned over the passageway 54 to close the passageway 54. When the user releases the gripping portion 83 of the latch handle 88, the spring 86 will urge the catch member 84 and latch handle 88 forward to secure the door 42 in the closed position. With the door 42 secured in the closed position, the basket 12 is again ready for retrieval of tennis balls.
As shown in
Formation of the basket 12 from wire or rails provides for a lightweight basket which can be easily lifted even when filled with tennis balls. The wire can be coated with paint or other materials to provide a weather resistant finish. Although the basket 12 of the invention has been described as being formed from wires or rails, it is to be understood that the basket can be formed from other materials including plastic. In addition, although ball retrieval channels are necessary through the base 18 of the basket 12, the sidewall 20 can be provided by a solid surface.
The door 42 has been shown on the right panel of the basket and is hinged to the top rail 48 of the basket 12 to allow the door to swing upward. It is to be understood that the door 42 can also be provided on the left, front or rear panel. Although the door 42 has been described as providing a portion of the right side panel 40, it is also to be understood that the door 42 can be provided by the entire panel 40.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
