U.S. patent application number 16/012242 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-19 for ball dispenser.
The applicant listed for this patent is Kenneth Lee Potts. Invention is credited to Kenneth Lee Potts.
Application Number | 20190381368 16/012242 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68838574 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190381368 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Potts; Kenneth Lee |
December 19, 2019 |
BALL DISPENSER
Abstract
A dispenser for golf balls, ping pong balls, and the like has a
tubular neoprene (polychloroprene) body with an inside diameter
marginally less than the diameter of the ball to be held. The
length of the body may be approximately three times the diameter of
the ball, so that up to three balls may be conveniently stored in
the body. The body includes an open insertion end whose inside
diameter is equal to that of the body and into which balls are
advanced into the body, and a sphincter-like dispensing end with an
inside diameter less than the diameter of the balls. Squeezing the
body results in urging a ball against the dispensing end to urge
the dispensing end open enough to permit the ball to pass.
Inventors: |
Potts; Kenneth Lee;
(Livingston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Potts; Kenneth Lee |
Livingston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
68838574 |
Appl. No.: |
16/012242 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2209/10 20130101;
A63B 2225/05 20130101; A63B 2209/00 20130101; A63B 1/00 20130101;
A63B 57/20 20151001; A63B 47/002 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 47/00 20060101
A63B047/00 |
Claims
1. A device comprising: a stretchable unitary tubular body with an
inside diameter marginally less than a diameter of a ball to be
held, the body defining a longitudinal axis; the body comprising an
open insertion end defining an inside diameter equal to that of the
body and into which balls are advanceable into the body, the
insertion end having a center point on the longitudinal axis of the
body, the body comprising a sphincter-like open dispensing end
having a center point on the longitudinal axis and defining an
opening with an inside diameter less than the diameter of the ball,
whereby squeezing the body results in urging a ball against the
dispensing end to urge the dispensing end open to permit a ball
inside the body to pass out of the body.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the body is made of neoprene
(polychloroprene).
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the body defines a length equal
to three times the diameter of the ball, +ten percent so that up to
three balls may be stored in the body.
4. The device of claim 1, comprising: at least a first strip of
elastic extending on a surface of the dispensing end to reinforce
the dispensing end.
5. The device of claim 4, comprising: at least a second strip of
elastic extending on a surface of the dispensing end to reinforce
the dispensing end.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first strip of elastic is
offset ninety degrees from the second strip.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the strips are attached to the
dispensing end at respective ends of the strips.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing end is a
continuous dome-shaped unitary piece of material.
9. A method, comprising: pushing at least one ball into a
stretchable tubular body through an insertion end of the body to
stretch the body to accommodate the ball; and squeezing the body to
urge the ball against a dispensing end having an opening smaller
than that of the ball to widen the opening and eject the ball from
the tubular body.
10. A device, comprising: a stretchable resilient tubular body made
of a unitary piece of material; the body defining a longitudinal
axis, an insertion opening and an ejection opening opposite the
insertion opening, at least the ejection opening having a diameter
smaller than an object insertable into the body through the
insertion opening, the ejection opening being smaller than the
insertion opening such that the object is retained against the
ejection opening until the body is squeezed to urge the object
against the ejection opening to enlarge the ejection opening to
permit passage of the object out of the ejection opening; at least
a first strip of elastic extending on a surface of the body around
the ejection end to reinforce the ejection end, the first strip of
elastic defining a semi-circle that is perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of the body.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the object comprises at least
one ball.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the ejection opening is defined
by a dispensing end.
13. The device of claim 10, wherein the body is made of
polychloroprene.
14. The device of claim 11, wherein the body defines a length equal
to three times the diameter of the ball, +ten percent so that up to
three balls may be stored in the body.
15. (canceled)
16. The device of claim 10, comprising: at least a second strip of
elastic extending on a surface of the dispensing end body to
reinforce the ejection dispensing end.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first strip of elastic is
offset ninety degrees from the second strip.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein the strips are attached to the
body respective ends of the strips.
19. The device of claim 12, wherein the dispensing end is a
continuous dome-shaped unitary piece of material.
Description
FIELD
[0001] This application relates to ball dispensers.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Many games such as golf and ping-pong usually entail the use
of more than one ball during play, as balls can become lost or
damaged. When that occurs, a player often has to hunt for extra
balls.
SUMMARY
[0003] A device includes a stretchable unitary tubular body with an
inside diameter marginally less than a diameter of a ball to be
held. The body includes open insertion end defining an inside
diameter equal to that of the body and into which balls are
advanced into the body. The body also includes a sphincter-like
dispensing end with an inside diameter less than the diameter of
the ball. Squeezing the body results in urging a ball against the
dispensing end to urge the dispensing end open to permit a ball
inside the body to pass out of the body.
[0004] In example embodiments, the body is made of neoprene
(polychloroprene). In non-limiting examples, the body defines a
length equal to three times the diameter of the ball, +ten percent
so that up to three balls may be stored in the body. Greater or
fewer balls may be accommodated.
[0005] In some examples, a first strip of elastic extends on a
surface of the dispensing end to reinforce the dispensing end. If
desired, a second strip of elastic may extend on a surface of the
dispensing end to reinforce the dispensing end. Additional strips
may be used. The first strip of elastic may be offset ninety
degrees from the second strip, and in example implementations the
strips are attached to the dispensing end at respective ends of the
strips. The dispensing end may be a continuous dome-shaped unitary
piece of material that may be made unitarily with the tubular
body.
[0006] In another aspect, a method includes pushing at least one
ball into a stretchable tubular body through an insertion end of
the body to stretch the body to accommodate the ball and squeezing
the body to urge the ball against a dispensing end having an
opening smaller than that of the ball to widen the opening and
eject the ball from the tubular body.
[0007] In another aspect, a device includes a stretchable resilient
tubular body made of a unitary piece of material. The body defines
an insertion opening and an ejection opening opposite the insertion
opening and having a diameter smaller than an object insertable
into the body through the insertion opening. The ejection opening
is smaller than the insertion opening such that the object is
retained against the ejection opening until the body is squeezed to
urge the object against the ejection opening to enlarge the
ejection opening to permit passage of the object out of the
ejection opening.
[0008] The details of the present application, both as to its
structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to
like parts, and in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser from the open
dispensing end in an exploded relationship with an example golf
ball that has been dispended from the dispenser, with the connector
not shown;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser from the open
insertion end, showing an example connector;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dispenser from the open
insertion end through which three balls have been advanced into the
dispenser to deform the tubular body slightly;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the dispenser from the open
dispensing end showing a golf ball emerging by deforming the end to
a stretched (wide) configuration;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an example dispenser from
the open dispensing end in the relaxed configuration, with
reinforcing elastic strips; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a person squeezing a ball out
of the dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a device 10 includes a
stretchable unitary tubular body 12. The body 12 is hollow and
preferably has a circular cross-section. The body 12 can be made of
a material that can be deformed as by stretching and when the
deforming force is removed, re-assume its relaxed shape. In
examples, the body 12 may be made of neoprene
(polychloroprene).
[0016] As shown in cross-reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the body 12
defines a longitudinal axis "Axis" and opposed open ends the center
points of which are on or substantially on the axis, namely, an
insertion opening 14 and a dispensing opening 16 formed in a
dispensing end 18. In the example shown, the dispensing end 18 is
formed as a continuous dome-shaped unitary piece of material, and
may be unitarily made, as by molding, with the tubular body 12.
[0017] As shown best in FIG. 2, the insertion end 14 defines an
inside diameter ID.sub.L that is marginally less than a diameter
D.sub.B of an object 20 such as a ball that is to be held within
the body 12. In the example shown, the object 20 is configured as a
golf ball, it being understood that present principles apply to
other objects to be held, such as ping-pong balls, other
recreational game balls with a hard or semi-hard outer shell and
that are typically smaller than a softball, e.g., dog retrieving
balls, hand balls, hurling balls, baseballs or angle balls, disks,
etc. The object 20 can be advanced through the insertion end
opening 14 by slightly deforming the insertion end to accommodate
the object 20. The insertion end may be outwardly flared in a
frusto-conical configuration to be at the extreme end 15% (as an
example) wider than the rest of cylindrical body for easier
insertion of the balls.
[0018] Indeed, and referring briefly to FIG. 3, in one example the
length of the body 12 is three times the diameter of the object,
+ten percent so that up to three balls may be stored in the body as
shown by the three bulges 22 depicted in FIG. 3. Fewer or greater
than three balls may be accommodated. For example, up to twelve
balls may be accommodated.
[0019] In contrast to the insertion opening 14 diameter, the
dispensing opening 16 of the dispensing end 18 defines an inside
diameter ID.sub.S in a relaxed state that is less than the diameter
D.sub.B of the ball and less than the diameter ID.sub.L of the
insertion opening 14. Nonetheless, owing to the stretchability of
the material of the device 10, as shown in FIG. 4 squeezing the
body 12 results in urging a ball 20 against the dispensing end 18
to urge the dispensing end open by enlarging the opening 16 to
permit a ball inside the body 12 to pass out of the body. Once the
ball passes out of the body 12, owing to material bias the
dispensing opening 16 closes to its relaxed diameter. In this
sense, the dispensing end functionally is sphincter-like.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows that if desired, a connector 24 may be engaged
with the body 12. In the example shown, the connector 24 is
attached to the body 12 at or near the insertion opening 14 by an
attachment ring 26 that extends through the wall of the body 12 as
shown. The example connector 24 includes a carabiner-type clip 28
with a pivot arm 30 that can be manipulated to push the pivot arm
30 inward to allow clipping the connector 24 onto another object
such as a golf club bag strap, and may be spring-loaded such that
when released, the arm 30 assumes the closed configuration shown in
FIG. 2.
[0021] Other connectors that may be used include but are not
limited to a suction cup to attach to fiberglass, Plexiglas or the
smooth surface of a golf cart, a different clip that might attach
to a waist belt or the waist hem of a pant or even a nylon webbing
strap with tabs of hook & loop (Velcro.RTM.) so the dispenser
bag can be attached to the underside edge of a ping pang table, a
small carrying handle loop, etc.
[0022] FIG. 5 shows that if desired, the dispensing end 18 may be
reinforced. In the example shown, a first strip 32 of elastic
extends on the surface of the dispensing end 18 to reinforce the
dispensing end. In one example, the first strip defines a
semi-circle that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
body 12. If desired, a second strip 34 of elastic may also extend
on the surface of the dispensing end 18 to reinforce the dispensing
end 18, and the first strip 32 of elastic may be offset ninety
degrees from the second strip 34 as shown. The strips 32, 34 can be
attached to the dispensing end 18 at respective ends 36 of the
strips. More than two strips can be used. For example, three strips
may be used and offset from each other around the circumference of
the body by 120 degrees. Or four strips may be used, offset from
each other around the circumference of the body by 90 degrees (no
overlap) or 120 degrees (sonic overlap).
[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates a hand squeezing the body 12 to eject a
ball. This hand action motion of dispensing a ball is unique in
that it uses and easy and convenient squeeze using the webbing of
the hand between the forefinger and thumb. The neoprene body 12 may
be manufactured to have a varying thickness and strength
progressively towards the dispensing end, thus bypassing the need
for additional elastic material strips being added to create the
proper resistance to the contents to keep it secure from falling
out without the reasonable amount of pressure applied by the manual
action of a hand squeezing the tube behind the ball nearest the
dispending end, using the webbing of the hand between the
forefinger and thumb.
[0024] By having a unique fit of the balls (or other contents) the
dispenser also performs as a `cushioned` game ball carrier that
adds the benefit of protection to the contents by not letting it be
damaged by transport or banging and rubbing into other balls or
objects.
[0025] While the particular device is herein shown and described in
detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is
encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the
claims.
[0026] Components included in one embodiment can be used in other
embodiments in any appropriate combination. For example, any of the
various components described herein and/or depicted in the Figures
may be combined, interchanged or excluded from other
embodiments.
[0027] "A system having at least one of A, B, and C" (likewise "a
system having at least one of A, B, or C" and "a system having at
least one of A, B, C") includes systems that have A alone, B alone,
C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together,
and/or A, B, and C together, etc.
* * * * *