Abstract:
A unique design for a portable kit for playing Tee Ball which provides the user a convenient, compact, and simple method to transport equipment for the game of Tee Ball. In one example, the device includes a five gallon bucket as a carrier, a lid that serves as home plate, and a batting post that secures to the lid. In other versions the bucket and lid are shaped in the form of a pentagon and the carrier may include additional optional equipment such as balls, gloves, and helmets.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to devices for storing and carrying baseball equipment, especially devices for carrying baseball batting tees and related equipment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Tee Ball is a game that requires a lot of equipment that can be cumbersome to carry to and from the field. In most cases, the tee is a specially-produced device having a heavy base and a telescoping ball holder. The additional balls, helmets, bats, gloves, and other equipment also must be carried to and from the field, often in an awkward manner. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention provides a more useful portable kit for playing tee ball by its unique design and construction. In the preferred version, the invention uses a standard five gallon bucket having a modified lid that is fitted with a means to secure to a batting post. In that fashion, the lid and post serve as a batting tee, with the lid also functioning as home plate. For storage and transportation, the post is either telescopically retracted to fit into the bucket and/or is removed from the lid and inserted into the bucket. The bucket further includes space for optional storage of other equipment such as balls, gloves, and helmets. 
         [0004]    In one example of the invention, the Tee Ball carrier provides a self-contained portable kit for playing Tee Ball that includes a lid, bucket, base, batting tee, balls, bat, and helmet. A portion of the bucket converts into the foundation for the batting tee for use at home plate during play. 
         [0005]    In some versions of the invention, the tee foundation is in the typical pentagonal shape that conforms to the regulation size and shape for a baseball home plate. In other versions, the tee foundation is round takes any other shape. The bucket is formed from plastic or other suitable materials for the above or other related baseball equipment. 
         [0006]    These and other examples of the invention will be described in further detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred example of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the example of  FIG. 1 , showing the lid sealing the container; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate example of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the example of  FIG. 3 , showing the container in an opened position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of yet another alternate example of the invention, showing the container in an opened position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the example of  FIG. 1 , showing an alternate handle configuration; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the example of  FIG. 1 , showing an alternate handle configuration; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate form of the invention, including wheels; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the version of  FIG. 8 , showing an extendable handle and removable lid; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is perspective view of the version of  FIG. 8 , showing the handle retracted and the lid removed; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a hinged example of the invention, incorporating an extendable handle and wheels; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a further example of the invention, incorporating and offset handle; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13A  is a view of a typical cylindrical bucket; 
           [0021]      FIG. 13B  is a view of an example of a sealable lid for use with the bucket of  FIG. 13A ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 13C  is a view of a batting tee and home plate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , one example of the invention includes a bucket or carrier  10  that is sized and configured to hold equipment typically necessary to play Tee Ball, including balls, a bat, a helmet, a batting tee post, a glove, and other items. In this case the carrier or container is shaped in the form of a pentagon as viewed from the top, with the pentagon being in the form of a regulation home plate. The carrier in the example of  FIG. 1  is formed from plastic or other suitable materials and is essentially a bucket, though with a pentagonal cross-sectional shape. 
         [0024]    The carrier  10  includes a lid  12  that secures to the rim  14  of the carrier to seal the contents within the carrier. In this version the lid is formed in a pentagonal shape that conforms to the size and shape of a typical home plate for use in playing baseball. Thus, the lid may be removed and used as the home plate. A top surface  16  of the lid  12  is preferably smooth, as with a typical home plate. An opposing surface  18  of the lid (best seen in  FIG. 13C ) preferably includes an internally threaded bore  20  for receiving a complementary externally threaded end  22  of a Tee Ball batting post  24 . The lid may further include an integrally molded cylinder extending away from the bore  20  (or instead of the bore  20 ) to provide further structural support for the attachment of the post  24 . Likewise, the top surface  16  of the lid  12  may be configured to receive a bolt that extends through the lid and into a mating bore within the threaded end of the post  24 . In other versions, the post and lid may secure to one another via a “quick connect” mechanism. 
         [0025]    The lid secures to the carrier in any suitable fashion. For example, the carrier may include an internal diameter that is sized to snugly receive the lid. A corresponding seat below the rim of the carrier holds the lid in place. Alternatively, the lid may include a downwardly depending flange that engages the outer surface of the carrier rim. As yet another alternative, the lid may include a peripheral channel configured to receive the carrier rim. In these or other configurations the lid is configured to close the open end of the carrier. 
         [0026]    A handle  30  is secured to one side of the carrier, enabling the carrier to be carried in a sideways orientation. The handle may be configured differently, such as described in other embodiments discussed below. 
         [0027]    In some versions of the invention, the carrier includes internal compartments to separately store a bat, balls, the tee post, and other items. In other version, the interior of the carrier forms a single large compartment. 
         [0028]    In the example of  FIG. 2 , the carrier  10  includes a first flap  40  and a second flap  42  that pivotally open to allow access to the interior. The first flap  40  is hingedly secured along the top  41  of one sidewall  45  while the second flap  42  is secured along the top  43  of the opposing sidewall. The handle  30  may be attached to one or both flaps. The configuration of  FIG. 2  allows easier access to the interior of the carrier and may be configured to better trap the lid  12  within channels formed in the sidewalls and flaps. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 3 and 4  depict yet another example in which the carrier  10  is hinged to allow it to be separated longitudinally along a hinge line  50 . In this example, the handle may be separated into two separate halves  301 ,  30   b  that mate together to form a single handle when the carrier is closed. The lid  12  removably forms one wall of the container and is retained in place by mating grooves, seats, or channels, as described above. 
         [0030]    In a further example as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the carrier  10  separates along a longitudinal hinge line but there is no separable lid as in the versions described above. Rather, each end  60 ,  62  of the carrier is permanently secured or integrally formed with the carrier. The interior of the carrier is sized, however, to enable it to receive a base  18  such as that shown in  FIG. 13C  within the carrier. 
         [0031]    In the examples above, the handle  30  has been shown as being attached along one sidewall of the carrier. In other versions, the handle may be configured differently. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the handle may be attached to the top of the carrier to allow it to be carried in an upright fashion. In this case, the handle includes a metal or plastic wire arc together with a grip made from plastic, wood, foam or other materials. The handle orientation of  FIG. 6  may be applied to any version of the invention, including those described above in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
         [0032]    As seen in  FIG. 7 , for example, the lid  12  may be configured to be removably attached to a carrier  10  having a wire handle secured to the top of the carrier. 
         [0033]    In still other versions of the invention, the carrier  10  includes one or more wheels. As best seen in  FIGS. 8-10 , one exemplary carrier  10  includes two wheels  70  aligned along one side of the base of the carrier. While the wheels may be incorporated into any version of the invention, as shown in  FIGS. 8-10  they may be ideally joined with an extendable handle  80  that can be moved along a track or guide between a retracted position ( FIG. 8 ) or an extended position ( FIG. 9 ). Likewise, the handle may telescope without the use of a track. As seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the remainder of the carrier, such as the removable lid  12 , may be configured in accordance with any of the versions described above. 
         [0034]    In another example, the lid  12  of the carrier  10  may be hingedly attached to the carrier by one or more hinges  90 . Likewise, the lid may include one or more locks, snaps, or the like to secure it in place, either with or without hinges. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the handle  30  may be offset to one side or the other, rather than being secured along one angle of the cross-sectional pentagon. Thus, as shown, the handle  30  is secured to one flap  40  adjacent the angle. 
         [0036]    In the examples discussed above, the cross-sectional shape of the carrier has been in the form of a pentagon in order to match the shape of a typical home plate for a baseball or Tee Ball game. In other versions of the invention, the carrier may have a cross-sectional shape that is square, circular, or otherwise shaped. As shown in  FIG. 13A , for example, the carrier may be circular in cross-sectional shape, thereby forming a cylinder. In one such version, the carrier is a standard five-gallon bucket having a typical handle attached to it. 
         [0037]    One version of a lid  12  for the bucket is shown in  FIG. 13B . As shown, the lid includes a cylindrical flange  13  that is configured to mate with the rim of the bucket and thereby serve as a lid. The lid may be modified in other versions, however, to reduce or eliminate the flange so that the lid has an interior surface that is generally flat and more suitable for use as home plate. In one such version the lid may include a peripheral groove or channel that is configured to receive the upper rim of the bucket for attachment. 
         [0038]    As illustrated, lid further has a perimeter that forms a pentagon that is the same as or closely approximates a home plate. Thus, the lid may seal the bucket and be removed for use as a home plate. In alternate versions of the invention the lid is round as with a standard five gallon bucket lid. In such a version the lid may still be used as the base for the batting post and for home plate, but is round rather than pentagonal. 
         [0039]    While a standard five gallon bucket lid is suitable in most applications, in other versions the lid is modified to increase the weight of the lid and provide more stability to the base. In particular, the weight of the lid is increased such that the center of gravity of the tee is no higher than one third of the height of the tee. Alternatively, the post may be formed with sufficient weight at the base of the post (that is, where it connects to the lid) to achieve the desired stability without any need to modify a standard lid. 
         [0040]    The lid further includes a bore  20  that is internally threaded or otherwise configured to secure to a Tee Ball post such as that seen in  FIG. 13C . As with the versions above, the post may be connected differently such as with a quick-connect fitting. 
         [0041]    While the lid of  FIG. 13B  is configured to secure to the top of a bucket, it may alternatively be attached to the bottom of the bucket. In such a version of the invention, the bucket will preferably have a standard circular lid of the type commonly used with a five gallon bucket. In use, the post extends upward, out of the base of the bucket. 
         [0042]    In further versions of the invention, the carrier is in the form of a bucket having an oval (including circular) cross section such that the Tee Ball base  18  of the type shown in  FIG. 13C  fits entirely within the bucket and does not serve as a lid for the bucket. In such a version, the base  18  may be configured to fit within a five gallon bucket, or the bucket may be sized to accommodate a home plate base  18  of regulation size. A bucket or carrier of this version preferably further is sized and shaped to accommodate balls, a batting tee, a glove, and a helmet. In most cases, the batting tee or post  24  will be telescopically configured to allow it to be reduced in size for storage as well as adjusted for the height of the batter. 
         [0043]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.