Abstract:
A covering for enhancing, modifying, or altering sporting equipment that includes elastic and/or non-elastic material that defines a shape having an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one opening that opens to a chamber or passage. The chamber or passage is configured to receive the sporting equipment through the at least one opening. The covering is releasably secured to the sporting equipment to function as, among other things, an identifier, protector, equipment performance enhancer, equipment performance reducer, and the like.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 61/699,210, filed Sep. 10, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
       [0002]    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 facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0003]    Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a covering to enhance, modify, or alter sporting equipment. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Each type of sporting equipment has one or more intrinsic properties that distinguishes it from other types of sporting equipment. For example, intrinsic properties such as shape, dimensions, external (i.e., surface) materials, internal materials, threading, stitching, grip, grip patterns, weight, density, colors, designs, logos, and others, enable a consumer (e.g., a player) to distinguish one type of sporting equipment from another. A non-exhaustive list of sporting equipment includes: footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, discs, basketballs, rugby balls, volleyballs, softballs, table tennis rackets, water polo balls, field hockey balls, cricket balls, tennis balls, lacrosse balls, horseshoes, scuba tanks, dodge balls, Australian footballs, shot-put balls, and hand balls. 
         [0005]    While many different types of sporting equipment exist, consumers have been left with only the intrinsic properties for each type of sporting equipment and nothing more. Accordingly, there is a need to provide consumers with a way to enhance, modify, or alter sporting equipment beyond the one or more intrinsic properties that are typically associated with that particular piece of sporting equipment. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Briefly, and in general terms, various embodiments are directed to a covering that enhances, modifies, or alters one or more intrinsic properties of sporting equipment. In some embodiments, a covering for enhancing, modifying, or altering sporting equipment includes an elastic material that defines a shape having an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one opening that opens to a chamber or passage. The chamber or passage is configured to receive the sporting equipment through the opening. The elasticity of the material enables the covering to be deformed while the covering is releasably secured over the sporting equipment such that the inner surface of the elastic material is juxtaposed against the sporting equipment. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, the graphic design may be a logo. The logo may be any logo (e.g., a sport team logo), an advertisement, or a personalized logo designed by an individual user. In other embodiments, the graphic design may represent a company, business, association, organization, club, league, conference, division, tournament, sponsor, slogan, brand, trademark, or trademark dress. In another embodiment, the covering may be photo-luminescent so that the covering glows in the dark or at least provides greater visibility at dusk or other low light conditions. In still other embodiments, the covering for a football may include training aid graphics that illustrate to the user how to hold the football to properly execute a throw. In yet other embodiments, the covering and a complementary glove include complementary surfaces, such as high friction surfaces, that assist a user in catching or otherwise controlling the piece of sporting equipment that is enveloped by the covering with greater ease than without the covering. Lastly, in one embodiment, the covering functions as a sporting equipment protector, thereby increasing the longevity of the sporting equipment. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the covering for enhancing, modifying, or altering sporting equipment also includes an elastic material defining a shape having an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one opening that opens to a chamber or passage. Additionally, the chamber or passage is configured to receive the sporting equipment through the at least one opening. Continuing, the elasticity of the material enables the covering to be temporarily deformed while the covering is releasably secured over the sporting equipment such that the inner surface of the elastic material is juxtaposed against the sporting equipment. The covering has a greater thickness near the opening, which enables the greater thickness near the opening to increase the structural integrity of the covering, thereby helping prevent tears or other structural defects at the opening when the covering is being stretched during installation or removal from the sporting equipment. 
         [0009]    In still another embodiment, the covering for enhancing, modifying, or altering sporting equipment again includes an elastic material defining a shape having an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one opening that opens to a chamber or passage. Additionally, the chamber or passage is configured to receive the sporting equipment through the at least one opening. Notably, the coefficient of friction of the outer surface is greater than that of the intrinsic coefficient of friction of the sporting equipment to provide more grip to the user than the sporting equipment without the covering releasably secured thereon. The covering protects the sporting equipment to provide increased longevity of the sporting equipment. Continuing, the elasticity of the material enables the covering to be temporarily deformed while the covering is releasably secured over the sporting equipment such that the inner surface of the elastic material is juxtaposed against the sporting equipment. The covering has a greater thickness near the opening, which enables the greater thickness near the opening to increase the structural integrity of the covering, thereby helping prevent tears or other structural defects at the opening when the covering is being stretched during installation or removal from the sporting equipment. 
         [0010]    The foregoing summary does not encompass the claimed invention in its entirety, nor are the embodiments intended to be limiting. Rather, the embodiments are provided as mere examples. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a covering that is removed from a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates the covering that is partially installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a covering that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to one embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a covering that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., volleyball) according to one embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a covering that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., baseball) according to one embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a covering with a graphic design on the outer surface that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to one embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates a covering with a graphic design on the outer surface that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., basketball) according to one embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates a covering with a training aid that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to one embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 9-12  illustrate various embodiments of a covering with a training aid that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to one embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  illustrates a covering with an opening that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) to accommodate the laces of the football according to one embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  illustrates a covering with an outer surface that has a different coefficient of friction than the surface of the piece of sporting equipment according to one embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  illustrates a covering with a plurality of loop fasteners on the outer surface that is completely installed and elastically deformed over a piece of sporting equipment (i.e., football) according to one embodiment. 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  illustrates a covering with an RFID tag according to one embodiment. 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  illustrates a covering having a greater thickness near the opening of the covering according to one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the drawings and, more particularly to  FIGS. 1-17 , there are shown various embodiments of a covering for enhancing, modifying, or altering various types of sporting equipment. While various types of sporting equipment are shown in  FIGS. 1-17 , other embodiments may include a covering shown and/or described herein that is suitable to be installed on and/or elastically deformed over different sporting equipment, including by way of example only, and not by way of limitation: footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, discs, basketballs, rugby balls, volleyballs, softballs, table tennis rackets, water polo balls, field hockey balls, cricket balls, tennis balls, lacrosse balls, horseshoes, scuba tanks, dodge balls, Australian footballs, shot-put balls, and hand balls. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  illustrates a covering  10  that is removed from a piece of sporting equipment  20  (e.g., football) according to one embodiment. As shown, the covering  10  includes a wall  11  having an inner surface  12  and an outer surface  14 , a single opening  16 , and a chamber or cavity internal to the opening  16 . In some embodiments, the covering  10  may be an elastic material (e.g., rubber, latex, silicone, spandex, lycra, or the like) that has a non-deformed shape and a deformed (i.e., stretched) shape. Depending on the material, the elastic deformation of the material, and therefore the covering  10 , may be linear or non-linear. In other embodiments, the covering  10  may be a combination of non-elastic material and elastic material. 
         [0027]    Referring to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the covering  10  is shown in a non-deformed shape since it is made of elastic material that is sized to accommodate sporting equipment (e.g., a football in the illustrated embodiment). Referring to  FIG. 2 , the covering  10  is illustrated as being partially installed and elastically deformed over the sporting equipment  20  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . To reach the installation point shown in  FIG. 2 , the wall  11  and opening  16  expands and/or elastically deforms to accommodate the varying diameter of the sporting equipment  20  as the user pulls the covering  10  over the sporting equipment  20 . In addition, the chamber internal to the wall  11  and opening  16  expands as the covering  10  elastically deforms and is pulled over the sporting equipment  20  by the user. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the covering  10  is illustrated as being completely installed and elastically deformed over the sporting equipment  20  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . To reach the installation point shown in  FIG. 3 , the user continues to elastically deform the covering  10  by pulling it over the sporting equipment  20 . Due to the elasticity of the covering  10 , the covering  10  contracts or attempts to return to its non-deformed shape, which results in the covering  10  being releasably secured to the sporting equipment  20 . The friction between the inner surface  12  of the wall  11  and the outer surface of the sporting equipment  20  assists in securing the covering  10  in place on the piece of sporting equipment. To remove the covering  10  from the sporting equipment  20 , the user elastically again deforms the covering  10  by, for example, expanding the opening  16  so that the covering  10  can be pulled off of the sporting equipment  20 . 
         [0029]    When the covering  10  is releasably secured to the sporting equipment  20 , one or more intrinsic properties may be altered, modified, or enhanced. For example, while the shape of the sporting equipment  20  generally remains the same, the dimensions are slightly increased due to the thickness of the covering  10 . Altering the dimensional thickness of the covering  10  is discussed in greater detail below with respect to  FIG. 17 . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 3-16  show various embodiments of one or more intrinsic properties of sporting equipment that is altered, modified, or enhanced by an embodiment of covering  10 . In addition, the covering  10  functions as a sporting equipment protector thereby increasing the longevity of the sporting equipment. For example, a covering may be releasably secured to an indoor basketball to decrease the wear on the grip of the ball (i.e., outer surface of the ball) whether the ball and attached covering  10  are used indoors or outdoors. 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the covering  10  may be photo-luminescent so that the covering  10  glows in the dark or at least provides greater visibility at dusk or other low light conditions. For example, the elastic material of covering  10  may be photo-luminescent, coated with a photo-luminescent substance, or otherwise have one or more photo-luminescent properties. The photo-luminescent coating may be a graphic, such as a sports team logo, an advertisement, a personalized message and/or design. In this manner, a user may be able to envelop a ball with the favorite sports team of the user to customize the ball to the user&#39;s personal preferences. In other embodiments, the graphic design may represent a company, business, association, organization, club, league, conference, division, tournament, sponsor, slogan, brand, trademark, or trademark dress. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, a consumer may access a website, specify the type of sporting equipment for which a covering is to enhance, and personalize the covering with one or more graphics and/or one or more phrases, symbols, words, and the like. Continuing, the consumer may select whether the ink colors to be applied to the covering and/or the covering itself is photo-luminescent. 
         [0033]    One embodiment of a photo-luminescent covering is shown in  FIG. 3 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  also show photo-luminescent coverings that are completely installed and elastically deformed over a volleyball and a baseball, respectively. The coverings shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  are similar to the covering  10  shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , except that the coverings are sized and shaped to accommodate different sporting equipment (i.e., a volleyball and a baseball instead of a football). In some embodiments, a single covering may be sized and shaped such that it may be used on more than one type of sporting equipment. The elastic deformation of the covering enables the user to elastically deform the covering over different sized sporting equipment having the same shape. For example, a covering sized and shaped for a volleyball may also fit over a water polo ball or a soccer ball even though the amount of elastic deformation of the covering when releasably secured to the volleyball, water polo ball, or soccer ball may be different for each piece of sporting equipment. 
         [0034]    In yet other embodiments, the covering  10  may include a circuit (e.g., flex circuit) attached to the inner surface  12  having one or more light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes) powered by a power source (e.g., battery). The power source may be replaceable or rechargeable (e.g., through inductance or other suitable charging techniques). The circuit may include a processor to control the one or more light sources. In such embodiments, the one or more light sources may protrude through one or more openings in the covering  10  such that the one or more light sources may be perceived by a user. Alternatively, the one or more light sources may be attached to the outer surface  14  of the covering  10  with an electrical connection that extends through the elastic material of the covering to the circuit attached to the inner surface  12 . 
         [0035]    The one or more light sources may complement the sporting equipment the covering  10  is designed to accommodate. For example, a covering for a football may include a plurality of white light-emitting diodes located along the white stitches. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , two embodiments of a covering  10  with a graphic design  40  are shown that are completely installed on two different types of sporting equipment. These graphics do not include any photo-luminescent properties. The graphic-bearing covering  10  enables the user to no longer be limited to the graphic design with which a particular piece of sporting equipment is sold. In some embodiments, as depicted, the graphic design  30  may be a logo. The logo may be any logo, such as a sports team logo. In other embodiments, the graphic design may include an advertisement. For example, a covering  10  may be COCA-COLA® themed. In other embodiments, the graphic design may represent a company, business, association, organization, club, league, conference, division, tournament, sponsor, slogan, brand, trademark, trade dress, product, product line, or campaign. The graphic design may further include a movie, television, or comic book with respect to title, series, character, or combinations thereof. 
         [0037]    As disclosed herein, in some embodiments, a consumer may access a website, and specify the type of sporting equipment for which a covering is to enhance, alter, or modify. The user is further able to personalize a selected covering with one or more graphics designs (e.g., pictures, phrases, symbols, words, logos, training aids, and the like). 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, the covering  10  may include one or more training aids. For example, referring to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , a suggested or optimal grip training aid graphic  30  is illustrated. In some embodiments, the covering  10  may include a plurality of suggested or optimal grip training aid graphics to accommodate different hand sizes. In one embodiment, a covering  10  for a football may include training aid graphics that illustrate to the user how to hold the football to properly execute a throw. In another embodiment, a covering  10  for a baseball may include training aid graphics that illustrate to the user how to hold the ball to throw a certain pitch. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate one or more color and/or pattern training aid graphics  42  that may be included on the covering  10 .  FIG. 11  illustrates one or more number training aid graphics  44 , and  FIG. 12  illustrates one or more shape training aid graphics  46  that may be included on the covering  10 . The one or more training aid graphics  42 ,  44 , and  46  enable a training exercise intended to keep a user&#39;s eye on the ball up to the final point of catching the ball. In such a training technique, a coach may ask the player what color, pattern, number, and/or shape was facing upwards at the point of catching the piece of sporting equipment (e.g., a football). Therefore, the training aid graphics  42  enables the user to practice hand-eye coordination or other types of coordination training, depending on the type of sporting equipment. 
         [0040]    In other embodiments, the one or more training aid graphics included on the covering  10  relate to the sporting equipment that the covering is sized and shaped to accommodate. For example, a covering for a table tennis racket may include one or more illustrations of different ways a user may hold the table tennis racket. A covering for a scuba tank may include a safety checklist that a user may refer to prior to a dive. 
         [0041]    In some embodiments, the covering  10  may include more than one opening. For example, referring to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 13 , the covering  10  includes a slit so that the stitching of the sporting equipment  20  (e.g., football) is not covered. This embodiment enables the user to still make direct contact with the stitching when the piece of sporting equipment is gripped (e.g., when the football is being thrown). In other embodiments, the covering may include a graphic of stitching instead of including a slit for the stitches to protrude through. In yet other embodiments, the covering  10  may include a second opening opposite of opening  16  thereby defining a passage therebetween that is configured to receive one or more types of sporting equipment. 
         [0042]    Referring now to  FIG. 14 , an embodiment of a covering  10  is shown with the outer surface  14  affording the user with a different coefficient of friction than that afforded to the user by the surface of the sporting equipment. In some embodiments, the coefficient of friction of the outer surface  14  of covering  10  is greater than that of the intrinsic coefficient of friction of the sporting equipment (e.g., to increase the “grip” on the sporting equipment). In such embodiments, the sporting equipment may be easier to catch or control since the covering  10  provides increased grip to the user when compared against the surface of the sporting equipment without the covering  10  releasably secured thereon. Therefore, the covering  10  enables a user to hone his or her skills or make interaction with the sporting equipment easier by altering or enhancing an intrinsic property of the sporting equipment. The difference in the coefficient of friction may be based on, for example, the material properties of the covering  10  and the type of texture (if any) provided on the outer surface  14  of the covering  10 . 
         [0043]    In other embodiments, the coefficient of friction of the outer surface  14  of the covering  10  is less than that of the intrinsic coefficient of friction of the sporting equipment. In one embodiment, the coefficient of friction may be reduced for the outer surface  14  of the covering  10  for a soccer ball. In some embodiments, the sporting equipment may be harder to catch or control since the covering  10  provides decreased grip to the user when compared against the surface of the sporting equipment without the covering  10  releasably secured thereon. 
         [0044]    Referring now to  FIG. 15 , an embodiment of covering  10  is shown with the outer surface  14  having a plurality of loop fasteners (e.g., VELCRO® loops). The covering  10  may have a complementary glove that has a plurality of hook fasteners (e.g., VELCRO® hooks). In one such embodiment, the complementary glove is configured to fit the user&#39;s non-throwing hand so that the natural throwing motion is not impaired by the hook and loop fasteners. In such an embodiment, the hook fasteners on the catching glove (for the non-throwing hand) and the loop fasteners on the covering  10  thereby create a temporary binding. Therefore, the user is able to catch or otherwise control the sporting equipment  20  that is enveloped by the covering  10  with greater ease than without the covering  10 . In other embodiments, the covering  10  may have the hook fasteners, and the glove may have the loop fasteners. In still other embodiments, the covering  10  and the complementary glove include complementary surfaces (other than a hook and loop), such as high friction surfaces, that assist a user in catching or otherwise controlling the sporting equipment  20  that is enveloped by the covering  10  with greater ease than without the covering  10 . 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIG. 16 , in one embodiment a covering with an integrated RFID tag  50  is shown. In the embodiment shown, the RFID tag  50  is integrated or otherwise attached to the covering  10  by material  52  disposed over the RFID tag  50  and attached to the inner surface  12  of the covering  10 . Alternatively or additionally, the RFID tag  50  may be permanently attached to the covering  10  via an adhesive. The RFID tag  50  enables the user to identify his or her sporting equipment using an RFID reader. In other embodiments, the covering  10  includes a locator tag that transmits a strong enough signal to assist in locating or tracking the piece of sporting equipment. 
         [0046]    Referring now to  FIG. 17 , an embodiment of a covering having a greater thickness near the opening  16  is shown. The greater thickness near the opening  16  increases the structural integrity of the covering  10  and helps prevent tears or other structural defects when the covering is being stretched or otherwise stressed in use. Having an increased thickness near the opening  16  is beneficial since there are increased stresses placed on this area of the covering  10  near the opening  16  since this area has to deform to a greater degree to stretch over the piece of sporting equipment. The thickness of the covering  10  may also be increased in other areas of the covering  10  that are identified as bearing increased stress loads that are proportionally higher than other areas of the covering. In some embodiments, the structural integrity of the opening  16  of the covering  10  may be increased in other ways, such as using a more stress-resistant material at the opening  16  of the covering  10  or incorporating a ring of strengthening material at the opening  16  onto the base material of the covering  10 . 
         [0047]    In some embodiments, the covering  10  is a system that includes two or more pieces that are releasably secured to a piece of sporting equipment  20  (e.g., football). In one such embodiment, a first member of the covering system is stretched onto one end of the football, and a second member of the covering system is stretched onto the other end of the football. In such a multi-member covering system, each member of the covering system only has to cover just over fifty percent of the piece of sporting equipment  20  in order to have the piece of sporting equipment fully covered. This is in contrast to the one-piece cover that is configured to stretch over most of the surface of the sporting equipment  20 . The multi-member covering system may be useful with respect to installing the covering system on some types of sporting equipment and/or when it is desired to cover every portion of the piece of sporting equipment  20 . However, the multi-member covering system may create alignment issues (e.g., with the graphic design  40 ) with respect to the installation of the multiple members. 
         [0048]    The various embodiments and examples described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the claimed invention, nor the scope of the various embodiments and examples. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the claimed invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims. In addition, various embodiments may be combined. Therefore, reference to an embodiment, one embodiment, in some embodiments, in other embodiments, and the like does not preclude one or more features of different embodiments from being combined.