A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present disclosure relates generally to softball and/or baseball bags. More particularly, this disclosure pertains to softball and/or baseball equipment transportation bags.
Current softball and/or baseball bags are designed only for equipment transportation and have no functional utility beyond transportation of equipment to and from the field. Current bags are design for transporting baseballs and/or softballs, as well as other equipment, such as, baseball bats, softball bats, gloves and the like to and from the field. Additional equipment that may need to be transported to and from the field includes a batting tee, in the case of tee-ball or for general batting practice, a home plate for a pitcher to use as a reference target, laptops, note pads, and the like. Current bags do not accommodate the transportation of the above noted additional equipment.
This Brief Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
What is needed is a baseball and/or softball bag that allows a user to easily consolidate and transport all of the equipment needed to and from the field for baseball and/or softball practice or game play. The present disclosure provides a tee-ball bag apparatus and training tool to help consolidate everything a user may need to bring to the field. The tee-ball bag apparatus allows a user to combine a baseball/softball bucket of balls, a batting tee, a Homeplate, baseball/softball bats, gloves, notepads, additional rubber bases, and the like equipment, in an all in one easily to transport bag. The tee-ball bag apparatus further allows the user to have their own hitting station by including a plurality of internal tee slots for receiving and supporting the hitting tee.
One aspect in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein is a tee-ball bag apparatus comprising a pentagonal bottom portion, a rear wall, first and second side walls, first and second forward walls, and a removable pentagonal lid. The rear wall may extend vertically from the pentagonal bottom portion with the rear wall including an upper end. The first and second side walls may extend vertically from the pentagonal bottom portion. The first and second side walls may be coupled to the rear wall. The first and second forward walls may be coupled together and may extend vertically from the pentagonal bottom portion. The first and second forward walls may be coupled to the first and second side walls, respectively. The pentagonal bottom portion, the rear wall, the first and second side walls, and the first and second forward walls may define a bag interior. The removable pentagonal lid may be pivotally coupled to the upper end of the rear wall. The removable pentagonal lid may include a lid perimeter and a plurality of flaps extending from the lid perimeter. Each of the plurality of flaps may be configured to be coupled to one of the first side wall, the second side wall, the first forward wall, or the second forward wall.
In certain embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the removable pentagonal lid may be coupled to the upper end of the rear wall using a zipper positioned along the upper end of the rear wall.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, two of the plurality of flaps may be couplable to the first and second side walls, respectively, using a hook and loop material.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, two of the plurality of flaps may be couplable to the first and second forward walls, respectively, using buckles.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the removable pentagonal lid in combination with the plurality of flaps may define a combined width of the removable pentagonal lid between 16-inches and 18-inches.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the removable pentagonal lid in combination with the plurality of flaps may be configured to be removed and placed on a ground surface for use as a Homeplate reference.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the tee-ball bag apparatus may further comprise a plurality of rigid insert panels. Each of the plurality of rigid insert panels may be positioned within one of the bottom portion, the rear wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, the first forward wall, or the second forward wall. In accordance with this aspect, at least one of the plurality of rigid insert panels may be removable.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the tee-ball bag apparatus may further comprise a plurality of vertical tee slots positioned within the bag interior and spaced along the rear wall. Each of the plurality of vertical tee slots may be configured to receive a tee-ball tee. In accordance with this aspect, each of the plurality of vertical tee slots may extend along a height of the rear wall.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the tee-ball bag apparatus may further comprise a tee storage slot coupled to an exterior surface of one of the first or second side walls. The tee storage slot may be configured to receive a tee-ball tee.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the tee-ball bag apparatus may further comprise a plurality of bat storage slots coupled to an exterior surface of one or more of the first or second side walls. In accordance with this aspect, each of the plurality of bat storage slots may include an upper tapered portion and a zipper defined along the upper tapered portion.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the tee-ball bag apparatus may further comprise a pair of backpack straps coupled between the upper end of the rear wall and a lower end of the rear wall.
One aspect in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein is a method of using a tee-ball bag apparatus comprising (a) opening a lid of the tee-ball bag apparatus to expose an upper opening of the tee-ball bag apparatus and (b) positioning a tee-ball tee within one of a plurality of tee-ball tee slots defined within an interior of the tee-ball bag apparatus, each of the plurality of tee-ball tee slots defining a pitch location, the tee-ball tee extending above the upper opening.
In certain embodiments in accordance with this aspect, step (a) of the method may further comprise removing the lid from the tee-ball bag apparatus.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, the method may further comprise positioning the lid on a ground surface to function as a to-scale Homeplate reference.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, step (b) of the method may further comprise removing the tee-ball tee from an exterior slot of the tee-ball bag apparatus.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, step (b) of the method may further comprise defining a first pitch location by positioning the tee-ball tee in a first slot of the plurality of tee-ball tee slots, and defining a second pitch location by positioning the tee-ball tee in a second slot of the plurality of tee-ball tee slots.
In other embodiments in accordance with this aspect, step (b) of the method may further comprise defining a third pitch location by positioning the tee-ball tee in a third slot of the plurality of tee-ball tee slots.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more drawings of which are set forth herein. Each drawing is provided by way of explanation of the present disclosure and is not a limitation. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment.
Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in, or are obvious from, the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present disclosure.
The words “connected”, “attached”, “joined”, “mounted”, “fastened”, and the like should be interpreted to mean any manner of joining two objects including, but not limited to, the use of any fasteners such as screws, nuts and bolts, bolts, pin and clevis, and the like allowing for a stationary, translatable, or pivotable relationship; welding of any kind such as traditional MIG welding, TIG welding, friction welding, brazing, soldering, ultrasonic welding, torch welding, inductive welding, and the like; using any resin, glue, epoxy, and the like; being integrally formed as a single part together; any mechanical fit such as a friction fit, interference fit, slidable fit, rotatable fit, pivotable fit, and the like; any combination thereof; and the like.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, any part of the apparatus of the present disclosure may be made of any appropriate or suitable material including, but not limited to, metal, alloy, polymer, polymer mixture, wood, composite, or any combination thereof.
Referring to
Upper ends of the rear wall 112, the first side wall 114, the second side wall 116, the first forward wall 118, the second forward wall 120 define an upper opening 124 of the tee-ball bag apparatus 100. The pentagonal bottom portion, the rear wall 112, the first side wall 114, the second side wall 116, the first forward wall 118, the second forward wall 120, and the removable pentagonal lid 122 define an exterior surface 126 of the tee-ball bag apparatus 100.
The rearward wall 112 is configured to extend vertically from the pentagonal bottom portion 110. The first and second side walls 114, 116 are configured to extend vertically from the pentagonal bottom portion 110 and are coupled to opposite vertically extending edges of the rear wall 112. The first and second forward walls 118, 120 are coupled together along a respective vertically extending edge of each and are configured to extend vertically from the pentagonal bottom portion 110. The first and second forward walls 118, 120 are further coupled to vertically extending edges of the first and second side walls 114, 116, respectively. The pentagonal bottom portion 110, rear wall 112, the first and second side walls 114, 116, and the first and second forward walls 118, 120 define a bag interior 130. The bag interior 130 may also be referred to herein as an interior.
The rear wall 112 includes an upper end 132. The removable pentagonal lid 122 is configured to be coupled to the upper end 132 of the rear wall. The tee-ball bag apparatus may further include a zipper 134 for coupling the removable pentagonal lid 122 to the upper end 132 of the rear wall. A first portion of the zipper 134 is positioned along the upper end 132 of the rear wall 112 and a second portion of the zipper 134 is coupled along a free edge of the removable pentagonal lid 122.
Referring to
First and second flaps 142A, 142B (e.g., two flaps) of the plurality of flaps 142 may be aligned with the first and second side walls 114, 116. The first and second flaps 142A, 142B are configured to be coupled to the first and second side walls 114, 116, respectively, using a hook and loop material 144. As shown in
Third and fourth flaps 142C, 142D (e.g., two flaps) of the plurality of flaps 142 may be aligned with the first and second forward walls 118, 120. The third and fourth flaps are configured to be coupled to the first and second side walls 114, 116, respectively, using a buckle 146. As shown in
As shown in
The tee-ball bag apparatus 100 further includes a pair of backpack straps 156 coupled between the upper end 132 of the rear wall 112 and a lower end 136 of the rear wall 112. Alternatively, as shown in
The tee-ball bag apparatus 100 further includes a plurality of rigid insert panels 160. Each of the plurality of rigid insert panels 160 may positioned within one of the pentagonal bottom portion 110, the rear wall 112, the first side wall 114, the second side wall 116, the first forward wall 118, or the second forward wall 120. The slots within which the plurality of rigid insert panels 160 may include a padded layer (not shown) sewn therein. In certain optional embodiments, the removable pentagonal lid 122 may include a rigid insert panel positioned therein. At least one of the plurality of rigid insert panels 160 is removable in order to reduce the cost of shipping the tee-ball bag apparatus 100. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The removable pentagonal lid 122 in combination with the plurality of flaps 142 is configured to be removed from the tee-ball bag apparatus 100 and placed on a ground surface 102 for use as a to-scale Homeplate reference 182. The removable pentagonal lid 122 in combination with the plurality of flaps 142 may be the same size dimensionally as a standard Homeplate, except it is missing connections between the plurality of flaps 142 (e.g., where the cutouts are located).
The rear wall 112, the first and second side walls 114, 116, and the first and second forward walls 118, 120 defining a portion of the exterior surface 126 may be made from a durable ply 1680D/PVC fabric material or the like. The pentagonal bottom portion 110 and the removable pentagonal lid 122 may be externally and/or interially covered with a 0.55 mm PVC tarpaulin waterproof material or the like.
Referring to
Step (a) of the method 200 may further include removing the removable pentagonal lid 122 from the tee-ball bag apparatus 100.
The method 200 may further include positioning the removable pentagonal lid 122 on a ground surface 102 to function as a to-scale Homeplate reference 182.
Step (b) of the method 200 may further include removing the tee-ball tee 164 from a tee storage slot 170 of the tee-ball bag apparatus 100.
Step (b) of the method 200 may further include defining a first pitch location 166A by positioning the tee-ball tee 164 in a first slot 162A of the plurality of vertical tee slots 162, and defining a second pitch location 166B by positioning the tee-ball tee 164 in a second slot 162B of the plurality of vertical tee slots 162.
Step (b) of the method 200 may still further include defining a third pitch location 166C by positioning the tee-ball tee 164 in a third slot 162C of the plurality of vertical tee slots 162.
To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms have been defined above. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims. The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
The previous detailed description has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of a new and useful TEE-BALL BAG APPARATUS and method of use, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this disclosure except as set forth in the following claims
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Entry |
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PCT Search Report for PCT/US2021/045569 dated Dec. 1, 2021 (11 pages). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220203195 A1 | Jun 2022 | US |