US4072256A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Game ball holder
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-06-01
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Granted: 1978-02-07
•
Expires: 1996-06-01
Abstract
Abstract A portable ball-holding device for carrying tennis balls or the like and which can be worn by the player at the small of the back in an unobtrusive manner. A substantially flat base member has a facing surface, a reverse surface and a plurality of projections extending from the facing surface and mutually spaced to define a plurality of ball receiving regions each dimensioned to removably receive one ball. Each projection is provided with an enlarged head portion at the distal end to facilitate retention of a ball. Several alternate means for attaching the holding device to a carrying member include a central portion of the base member and a pair of flanking flexible tab members formed so that the tab members may be inserted into the waistband of a player's garment, with the rear surface of the base member and the front surface and the free end of each tab member textured to provide improved frictional engagement with the player's garment; and adhesion means secured to the reverse surface of the base member for releasable attachment to a complementary adhesion means secured to the player's garment; and a pair of slots formed in opposing edges of the base member through which a fabric or leather belt may be passed to secure the device around the player's waist. A cover member fabricated from transparent plastic forms a protective package for the balls, which may also function as a pressurized original sale carton by providing a rupturable seal at the junction between the cover portion and the base member.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel L. Young
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:38
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B47/00; A63B47/001; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S224/00; Y10S224/919
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
310 words
A portable device capable of holding a plurality of balls, said device comprising: a unitary substantially flat base member having a facing surface, a reverse surface, a plurality of elongate projections extending from said facing surface in a direction substantially normal thereto and each terminating in a distal end having an enlarged portion for clenching a ball, said plurality of projections including a first sub-plurality of projections, each located at a different apex of a first isosceles triangle, and a second sub-plurality of projections located within the perimeter of said first isosceles triangle, each located at a different apex of a second isosceles triangle, each of said second sub-plurality of projections being substantially equi-distant from a pair of adjacent projections of said first sub-plurality, the linear distance between any two of said second sub-plurality of projections being less than the linear distance between the mid-points of each line joining a pair of said projections of said first sub-plurality, each of said projections of said first sub-plurality and the two of said projections of said second sub-plurality in closest proximity being arranged at points on one of a plurality of circles in a plane parallel to said facing surface, each one of said circles having a radius substantially equal to the radius of a ball, each of said projections of said second sub-plurality being arranged at a point on two of said circles, a plurality of pairs of reinforcement rib portions extending along said facing surface with each of said pairs associated to a different one of said projections of said first sub-plurality, each one of said rib portions of a given pair extending between the associated projection of said first sub-plurality and a different one of the two projections of said second sub-plurality in closest proximity to said associated projection, and means for attaching said device to a carrying member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
310 words
A portable device capable of holding a plurality of balls, said device comprising: a unitary substantially flat base member having a facing surface, a reverse surface, a plurality of elongate projections extending from said facing surface in a direction substantially normal thereto and each terminating in a distal end having an enlarged portion for clenching a ball, said plurality of projections including a first sub-plurality of projections, each located at a different apex of a first isosceles triangle, and a second sub-plurality of projections located within the perimeter of said first isosceles triangle, each located at a different apex of a second isosceles triangle, each of said second sub-plurality of projections being substantially equi-distant from a pair of adjacent projections of said first sub-plurality, the linear distance between any two of said second sub-plurality of projections being less than the linear distance between the mid-points of each line joining a pair of said projections of said first sub-plurality, each of said projections of said first sub-plurality and the two of said projections of said second sub-plurality in closest proximity being arranged at points on one of a plurality of circles in a plane parallel to said facing surface, each one of said circles having a radius substantially equal to the radius of a ball, each of said projections of said second sub-plurality being arranged at a point on two of said circles, a plurality of pairs of reinforcement rib portions extending along said facing surface with each of said pairs associated to a different one of said projections of said first sub-plurality, each one of said rib portions of a given pair extending between the associated projection of said first sub-plurality and a different one of the two projections of said second sub-plurality in closest proximity to said associated projection, and means for attaching said device to a carrying member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said attaching means includes a central portion of said reverse surface of said base member and first and second flexible tab members formed along opposing portions of said base member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein said tab members are provided with a textured facing surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein said central portion of said reverse surface is textured.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said attaching means comprises adhesion means secured to said reverse surface and adapted to be releasably attached to a complementary adhesion means secured to said carrying member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein said adhesion means and said complementary adhesion means are fabricated from Velcro.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said attaching means includes a pair of slotted apertures provided in opposite edges of said base member adapted to receive a flexible belt member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 1 further including a cover member releasably secured to said base member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination of claim 8 wherein joined portions of said base member and said cover member are provided with a a rupturable sealing joint.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said elongate projections is substantially cylindrical.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said elongate projections has an outer surface which is tapered inwardly along said direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The combination of claim 11 wherein the taper angle is substantially 1°.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-06 | 1981-08-08 | 1982-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-06 | 1985-08-08 | 1986-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-06 | 1989-08-08 | 1990-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |