Abstract:
A sports ball carry bag having the shape of a sports ball and having a handle and an opening dimensioned to receive objects. The sports ball carry bag can be used to carry objects while at the same time convey a person&#39;s enthusiasm for a particular sport.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to a corresponding provisional application U.S. Serial No. 60/451,300, filed Feb. 28, 2003 in the name of the applicant of this application. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to carry bags and purses and, more specifically, to a sports ball-type carry bag or purse.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Sports, such as basketball, football, tennis and soccer, are played by millions of Americans. Sports are also a prime source of entertainment for millions of people who watch both professional and amateur games either live or on television.  
           [0004]    Many sports fans purchase various types of sports apparel and memorabilia and then either wear or display these items in order to identify themselves as fans of a particular sport, player or team. Carrying bags and backpacks imprinted with a sports team&#39;s logo or a sports&#39; professional association (e.g., “NBA”) are often used by players and fans alike to carry various items while at the same time expressing their affinity for a particular sport, player or team. Sports balls, as opposed to standard carrying bags and backpacks, carry the most immediately identifiable association with a particular sport. Although sports balls can be relatively large in size, their sealed design prevent them from being used as carrying devices.  
           [0005]    A need therefore existed for a sports ball carry bag comprising a ball having a standard sports ball shape and defining an opening that is dimensioned to allow a person to carry objects within the sports ball, in order to allow a person to carry objects while at the same time identify a particular sport of interest.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a sports ball carry bag having a handle and an opening dimensioned to receive objects.  
           [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sports ball carry bag having the shape of a standard sports ball in order to allow the carrier of the sports ball carry bag to be identified with a particular sport.  
           [0008]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
         [0009]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a sports ball carry bag is disclosed. The sports ball carry bag comprises, in combination, a sports ball, the sports ball defining an opening, and a handle coupled to the sports ball proximate the opening.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a sports ball carry bag is disclosed. The sports ball carry bag comprises, in combination, a sports ball defining an opening, the sports ball being at least one of a basketball, soccer ball, volleyball, football and tennis ball, a flap coupled to the sports ball and dimensioned to cover the opening so as to prevent objects located inside the sports ball from falling out of the opening, a support base coupled to an outer portion of the sports ball opposite the opening and dimensioned to prevent the sports ball from rolling when the support base being in contact with a substantially flat surface, a plurality of ribs dimensioned to be placed proximate an interior surface of the sports ball, the plurality of ribs dimensioned to substantially maintain an original shape of the sports ball, a fabric dimensioned to be coupled to the plurality of ribs proximate the interior surface of the sports ball, and a handle coupled to the sports ball proximate the opening.  
           [0011]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the sports ball carry bag of the present invention, showing a basketball defining an opening and having a flap, a handle, and a support base.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective, cut-away view of the sports ball carry bag of FIG. 1 without the basketball skin covering, and showing support ribs used to maintain the shape of the basketball.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the support ribs of FIG. 2, showing the support ribs coupled to one another by a single screw through a center portion of each rib.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3A is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing support ribs coupled to a base plate.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3B is a top view of the support ribs of FIG. 3.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3C is a top view of the support ribs of FIG. 3A.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a perspective, cut-away view of one embodiment of the sports ball carry bag of the present invention, showing fabric placed inside the sports ball and showing support ribs in phantom.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the sports ball carry bag of the present invention, showing a basketball defining an opening and having a handle and a support base.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5A is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a sports ball carry bag comprised of a football.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5B is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a sports ball carry bag comprised of a volleyball and having a plurality of feet.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5C is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a sports ball carry bag comprised of a general purpose ball having a design imprinted on an outer surface of the ball.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5D is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a sports ball carry bag comprised of a tennis ball.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    Referring to FIGS. 1, 2,  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C, and  5 D a sports ball carry bag, hereinafter sports ball carry bag  10 , is disclosed. The sports ball carry bag  10  comprises a sports ball  12  (shown in FIGS. 1, 4,  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C and  5 D). The sports ball  12  can be a basketball  14  (shown in FIGS. 1 and 5), a soccer ball (not shown), a football  16  (shown in FIG. 5A), a volleyball  18  (shown in FIG. 5B), a tennis ball  20  (shown in FIG. 5D), a general purpose ball  22  (shown in FIG. 5C), or any other type of sports ball capable of containing items. The sports ball  12  defines an opening  24 . The opening  24  is dimensioned to permit the placement of at least one object inside the sports ball  12 . In one embodiment, the opening  24  is created at a manufacturing stage, while in another embodiment, an incision is made to create the opening  24  at a post-manufacturing stage.  
         [0025]    The sports ball carry bag  10  further comprises a handle  26  coupled to the sports ball  12  proximate the opening  24 . The handle  26  permits a person (not shown) to more easily carry the sports ball carry bag  10 .  
         [0026]    Referring now to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the sports ball carry bag  10  of the present invention is shown, in which a flap  28  is used to cover the opening  24 . The flap  28  is coupled to the sports ball  12  and dimensioned to cover the opening  24  so as to prevent objects located inside the sports ball  12  from falling out of the opening  24 . While, in this embodiment, the sports ball carry bag  10  comprises a flap  28 , it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from alternative embodiments of the present invention in which some other mechanism is used to secure the opening  24 , such as a foam or net, or in which the shape of the sports ball  12  is such that it closes over the opening  24  when the opening  24  is not being used to pass an object or hand therethrough, or in which there is no covering of any kind.  
         [0027]    In the preferred embodiment, the sports ball carry bag  10  comprises a support base  30  coupled to an outer portion of the sports ball  12  opposite the opening  24 . The support base  30  is dimensioned to prevent the sports ball  12  from rolling when the support base  30  is in contact with a substantially flat surface (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 5B, the sports ball carry bag  10  comprises a plurality of feet  32  coupled to an outer portion of the sports ball  12  opposite the opening  24 . The plurality of feet  32  are also dimensioned to prevent the sports ball  12  from rolling, or otherwise moving in an undesired way, when the feet  30  are in contact with a substantially flat surface. While, in several embodiments, the sports ball carry bag  10  comprises a support base  30  or a plurality of feet  32 , it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which alternative stabilizing means are used for preventing the sports ball carry bag  10  from rolling away (such as a sports ball  12  having a substantially flat bottom surface), or in which there is no mechanism for preventing the sports ball  12  from rolling. For example, the tennis ball  20  (shown in FIG. 5D) could be used with a small handle  26  to hold jewelry, make-up or other items capable of fitting into the interior of a tennis ball  20  without using a support base  30 .  
         [0028]    Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3,  3 A,  3 B and  3 C, the sports ball carry bag  10  preferably comprises a plurality of ribs  34  dimensioned to be placed proximate an interior surface of the sports ball  12 . The plurality of ribs  34  are dimensioned to substantially maintain an original shape of the sports ball  12 . The plurality of ribs  34  prevent the sports ball  12  from becoming deformed or otherwise misshapen due to the fact that the sports ball  12  is not inflated with pressurized air in order to maintain its shape. In one embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3 and 3B, the plurality of ribs  34  are coupled to one another through the use of a screw  35 . In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, the plurality of ribs  34  are coupled to a base plate  38  with a pair of screws  35 . However, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the plurality of ribs are: 1) not coupled to one another; 2) coupled to one another by some mechanism other than a screw  35 , such as being molded together; or 3) coupled to one another without the use of a base plate  38 . For example, the plurality of ribs may be coupled directly to an interior surface of the sports ball  12 .  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the sports ball carry bag  10  comprises a fabric  36  dimensioned to be placed proximate an interior surface of the sports ball  12 . The fabric  36  may be coupled to: 1) an interior surface of the sports ball  12 ; 2) the handle  26 ; 3) the support base  30 ; or 4) the plurality of ribs  34 . Alternatively, the fabric  36  may be dimensioned to be placed inside the sports ball  12  without the need for coupling it to any other object. For example, some fabrics have the ability to hold shape and could be dimensioned to be placed inside a sports ball  12  without the need for coupling. It is within the spirit and scope of this invention that a foam-type material be placed proximate an interior surface of the sports ball.  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIG. 5C, a design  40  may be imprinted on an outer surface of the sports ball  12  to provide a decorative effect to the sports ball  12 . The design  40  may be accomplished with paint, photographs, a team logo, or some other type of decoration so long as the basic shape of the sports ball  12  is maintained.  
         [0031]    In the preferred embodiment, the sports ball carry bag  10  is a purse, although it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative configuration in which the sports ball carry bag  10  is a more gender neutral item, such as a utility bag, a duffel bag, sports bag or the like.  
         [0032]    In one embodiment, the sports ball carry bag  10  is created by cutting an opening  24  into a sports ball  12 , and then attaching a handle  26  to the sports ball  12  proximate the opening  24 . Alternatively, the sports ball  12  may be constructed of an alternative material, such as plastic, leather, vinyl, lucite, etc., so long as it retains the shape of a standard sports ball  12 .  
         [0033]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.