Patent Application
20100018936
The present invention relates generally to storing sports and athletic equipment, and specifically to a ball dispenser for easy storage and access to varying sized athletic balls
School gyms, recreation centers, and other facilities require numerous types and quantities of equipment to support multiple athletic activities that go on at the same time. Balls, such as basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, and kick balls, are often required in great numbers, and these numbers create storage difficulties. Other types of balls such as bocce balls, softballs, croquet balls, and field hockey balls pose the same storage problem. In addition to balls, other types of equipment, such as hoops and jump ropes, used to support various athletic programs require storage. Usually, such equipment is stored in a closet of a school gym or recreation center. When stored in a closet, balls and other types of equipment, are often strewn about or stacked haphazardly. Not only does a disorganized storage space cause delay in the start of activities as equipment is retrieved, but a disorganized storage space presents a safety hazard for students, players, or coaches seeking to hurriedly retrieve equipment. Even when neatly stored, access to a particular type of ball, racket, or training device may be difficult, as some items are more easily accessed than others.
The placement of various sized balls into one large container or storage bin is also problematic when one desires the use of only one type or size ball. Quick access to a specific ball type or size is difficult when balls of different sizes and types are mixed together.
Thus, a need exists for a storage device that allows organized storage of large numbers of balls of different sizes as well as other equipment supporting physical training. Preferably a solution to this problem would not require use of an existing room but would be usable within the gym itself. Moreover, a solution should allow access to balls of varying sizes without having to empty a bin or barrel,
The invention that meets the needs described above is a ball dispenser having a plurality of basic sections and a plurality of connecting members dimensioned for a particular ball size. Each basic section has three portions, a triangular portion at the top, a vertical portion at the middle, and a rectangular portion at the base. When two or more basic sections are integrally connected together by a plurality of connecting members, a funnel section, column section and bin section are formed, such that a number of balls may be placed into the funnel section, at the top of the ball dispenser, and then fall one at a time through the column section and into the bin section. Ball dispenser may be constructed with any number of basic sections and connecting members. The width between the basic sections, which is also the width of the column section, is sized to the dimension of a particular ball size. Once a ball is removed from the bin section of the ball dispenser, another ball takes its place as the balls in the column section press downward and move into the bin section. The assembled ball dispenser is mounted against a wall so that the floor of the gym provides the bottom of the bin sections and a gym wall, to which the ball dispenser is affixed, provides the back of the ball dispenser. Various extensions of the ball dispenser provide for storage of hoops, ropes, and other equipment.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives, and advantages thereof, will be understood best by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
a depicts an exploded view of a ball dispenser,
b depicts a condensed view of a ball dispenser;
Referring to
b depicts a ball dispenser 100 constructed according to the specifications described in
In one embodiment, ball dispenser 100 is constructed out of metal rods or tubes, affixed together by welding, bolting or screws. These metal rods or tubes may be manufactured from various types of metals, and may be square, rectangular, triangular, or circular in cross section. Ball dispenser 100 may also be affixed to wall 250 by hardware, such as bolts, anchors, taga wings, or rods.
b depicts ball dispenser 100 sized for small, medium, and large balls, as ball dispenser segment A 210, ball dispenser segment B 220, and ball dispenser segment C 230. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the width or size of each ball dispenser segment may vary depending on the requirements of the user and the size and type of balls required to be stored. Nevertheless, each ball dispenser segment is dimensioned so that the width between each basic section 120 will only allow for passage of a particular size ball or balls of a lessor size. For example, if ball dispenser segment C 230 is sized for basketballs, all lesser sized balls will pass through ball dispenser segment C 230 to bin portion 280. However, if ball dispenser segment C 230 is sized for volleyballs, basketballs will not pass through ball dispenser segment C 230 to bin portion 280. Preferably, the width between each basic section 120 or the width of each ball dispenser segment A, B, and C (210 through 230) may not be less than 2″ larger than the ball width it is designed to hold, in order to allow for easy travel of the balls through ball dispenser. Thus, in one embodiment, the width between each basic section 120 is 7,″ 12,″ and 14,″ The 7″ width is used to store a 5″ diameter ball, the 12″ width is used to store a 10″ diameter ball, and the 14″ width is used to store a 12″ diameter ball. In another embodiment, each sized ball dispenser segment A, B, and C (210 through 213) may be color coded, pictures of balls may be affixed to connecting members 110, or other means may be used to indicate which funnel section 260 to toss balls up into. Moreover, ball dispenser segments A, B, and C (210 though 230) may be arrayed from smallest width to largest width, and further constructed so that balls tossed up into the left most funnel section 260 will roll until an opening into a funnel section 260 is encountered that has a width to allow passage of the ball size. In this configuration, balls can self-sort into the appropriate size ball dispenser segment.
In another embodiment, depicted in
In another embodiment, ball dispenser 100 has a storage case 360 that allows for storage of bats, tennis rackets, badminton rackets and the like. Storage case 360 is constructed as a box-like structure and comprises interconnecting vertical and horizontal members separated into sections. In one embodiment, the interconnecting vertical and horizontal members form a box-like structure 3′ by 3′ and 4′ by 4′ in size. Storage case 360 may be connected to a basic section 120 of ball dispenser 100, by welding, screws, hooks and the like.
In another embodiment, depicted in
In another embodiment, depicted in
In another embodiment, depicted in
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. The novel spirit of the present invention is still embodied by reordering or deleting some of the steps contained in this disclosure. The spirit of the invention is not meant to be limited in any way expect by proper construction of the following claims.
