Patent Publication Number: US-7913840-B2

Title: Ball carrier device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Non-Provisional which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/962,769, entitled “BALL CARRIER DEVICE” filed Jul. 31, 2007, the entirety of which is incorporated herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a ball carrier, and in particular for holding smaller balls for games and sports, such as for example, golf balls, ping-pong, tennis, lacrosse, racquetballs and the like. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, it has been cumbersome and inconvenient for a golfer to carry golf balls on his person. Otherwise, the golfer will find himself at a loss for a ball when he cannot locate his ball which may have strayed off the fairway. Consequently, the golfer will have to trek back to their golf bag or golf cart to retrieve a new ball to continue on with their game. Since it is not convenient for a golfer to carry golf balls in their sales packaging and/or in their pockets, there is a need for a portable golf ball carrying device in which the golfer can conveniently carry on their person and quickly dispense a few extra golf balls as needed throughout the game. 
     Various pouches and carrying devices have been previously proposed, however, the prior art devices are not as durable and cannot properly support a golf ball&#39;s weight or jarring action of the golfer on the golf course. Traditionally, most ball carriers were integrated into the golf bag and/or caddy cart. Numerous disadvantages are inherent in the durability of their use and manufacture of the earlier golf ball carrying devices. For example, some require expensive tooling, molds, and materials. Those that were made of plastic broke easily and those made of metal having mechanical parts, like springs, were easily damaged, rusted and bent and made inoperable. 
     Attempts were also made at producing a soft golf ball carrying pouch. However, these prior art devices included closure mechanisms which were difficult to open and close. Likewise, other device could not adequately support the weight of the balls and/or the jarring motion of the athlete during their sporting event. 
     It is clear that this problem has not been solved and there is still a longstanding need for a portable, yet durable quick release carrying case for golf balls which will not fall from the contained under the weight of the ball and/or subjected to the jarring motion of the golfer while they are on the golf course. In accordance with this invention, an exemplary carrying device and configuration is described and shown below which solves this problem. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the shortcomings identified in providing a portable, yet durable quick release ball holder. 
     An object of this invention is to provide a portable ball holder for carrying a plurality of balls and dispensing them with ease. The ball holder includes a soft resilient sleeve having a diameter slightly less than that of a diameter of a golf ball and having first open end for receiving the balls and a second frusticonical shaped end for supporting and dispensing the balls. 
     The second frusticonical shaped end includes a slotted opening which is adapted to enhance the rigidity of the second dispensing end to counteract the weight and downward jarring forces that may result from a user while engaging in their chosen sport. 
     These and other objects, features, and/or advantages may accrue from various aspects of embodiments of the present invention, as described in more detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components or steps, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a ball holder in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the ball holder in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom view of the ball holder in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG. 4  depicts the extraction of a ball from the ball holder in accordance with this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the figures. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a ball holder  10 . The ball holder  10  is adapted to hold various sizes of smaller balls for games and sports, such as for example, golf balls, ping-pong, tennis, lacrosse, racquetballs and the like. 
     The ball holder  10  includes a sleeve  12 , a strap  14 , and a tee  7  and ball marker  24  retainer  16 . The ball holder  10  is composed of a ball receiving end  18  and a ball dispensing end  20 . 
     For exemplary purposes of this invention, the ball holder  10  will be described as a golf ball holder capable of holding more than one golf ball  8  and having a diameter substantially similar to the diameter of a golf ball (approximately 1.75 inch). The fabric sleeve  12  is constructed from an appropriate padded fabric formed from a rectangular piece joined with a sewn seam  2 . The sleeve  12  may be any length sufficient to support a number of golf balls, say for example, approximately 9 inches long. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the ball holder  10  illustrating the ball receiving end  18 . As shown, the opening at the ball receiving end  18  may be constructed slightly smaller than the diameter of a golf ball  8  (shown in hidden line) to prevent the golf ball  8  from escaping through the ball receiving end  18 . Alternatively, the ball receiving end  18  may be stabilized and reinforced with a layer  18   a  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of an elastomeric material sufficient to prevent the golf ball  8  from escaping from the sleeve  12  through the ball receiving end  18 . 
       FIG. 3  and  FIG. 1 . illustrate a bottom view of the ball holder  10  depicting the ball dispensing end  20 . The ball dispensing end  20  includes a slotted opening  22  having an upper lip  22   a  and a lower lip  22   b  through which the golf balls  8  are dispensed. The ball dispensing end  20  is constructed with a frusticonical shape. The frusticonical shape provides an enhanced degree of rigidity and produces greater upward resultant forces to counteract the weight of the golf balls and any downward jarring forces. 
     In particular, the frusticonical shape design provides better overall support and prevents the golf balls  8  from slipping through the slotted opening  22  under the force of gravity and/or extraneous force due to a jarring action encountered as the golfer moves on the golf course. As shown, the frusticonical shaped end of the ball dispensing end  20  may be constructed by wrapping a single piece of material into a seam  20   a . The seams  20   a  and  12   a  may be fastened together in any number of possible manners, including but not limited to, stitching the material, bonding, fusing, an adhesive, and/or any other method for fastening the material together. 
     The slotted opening  22  may be constructed as a slotted circumferential aperture disposed at approximately at a location where the frusticonical shape of the ball dispensing end  20  meets the lowermost portion of the cylindrical sleeve  12 . The location and size of the slotted opening  22  take into consideration the size of the ball to be fed through the slotted opening  22  and the amount of continuous material needed to provide opposing resultant forces to overcome the weight and normal jarring movement projected by the golf balls  8  as the golfer moves along the golf course. 
     The ball holder  10  may be made from a variety of flexible elastomeric materials, such as for example: neoprene, vinyl, vinyl denier taffeta, fabric-lied foam rubber, or a canvas shell with a dense cotton padding, a stretch cotton fabric, nylon, and any other material capable of providing the elasticity described in accordance with this invention. 
     In operation, the golf balls  8  are inserted into the ball holder  10  by pushing the golf balls  8  into the ball receiving end  18  until the first ball inserted reaches the ball dispensing end  20 . As the golf balls  8  are pushed in gently, the fabric distorts somewhat and the elastic sleeve  12  stretches outward to allow the golf balls  8  to pass though the sleeve  12 . The golf balls  8  are secured within the sleeve  12  under the contraction force of the elastic sleeve  12  being stretched. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the exemplary mode for dispensing the golf balls  8 . As shown, the golf balls  8  are dispensed when the user  40  applies a downward squeezing pressure to the sleeve  12  in the direction of the ball dispensing end  20 . The pressure exerted by the hand  40 ; overcomes the counteracting resultant forces exerted by the frusticonical shaped end of the ball holder  10 , and forces the lowermost golf ball  8  adjacent to the ball dispensing end  20  through the stretched open slotted opening  22  of the ball holder  10 . The slotted opening  22  stretches large enough to allow the golf ball  8  to be dispensed through the slotted opening  22  and out of the ball holder  10 . Once the dispensed golf ball  8  clears the slotted opening  22 , it is expelled from the ball holder  10  and the frusticonical end of the ball holder  10  and the slotted opening  22  snap back into place (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) to retain any remaining golf balls  8 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment for the retainer  16  is depicted to suitably hold a plurality of golf tees  7  and/or a ball marker  24 . As shown, the retainer  16  is constructed as a circumferential strap encircling the sleeve  12  defining a plurality of tee receiving slots  16   a  and at least one marker receiving pocket  16   b.    
     A strap  14  may also be integrated as part of the ball holder  10 . Although the strap  14  shown simply depicted in a belt loop configuration being attached at both ends, it is within the scope of this invention to design the strap in a variety of different ways so that at least one end of the strap  14  may be released and secure, for example using Velcro, or the like. Alternatively, the strap  14  may be replaced with a hook fastening clip element and/or any other carrying mechanism for attaching one object to another, such as for example by attaching the ball holder  10  to a golf bag, the handle of a golf cart or steering wheel and/or on the belt of the golfer where the golfer is not wearing a belt. 
     As mentioned previously, although the present invention has been described with reference to a particular golf ball carrying implementation, other ball carrying embodiments and/or versions are possible. Also, other alternative materials may be used such as fabric-lined closed cell neoprene, fabric-lined foam rubber, or a canvas shell with dense cotton padding. Additional pockets may be included to hold a score card, a pencil, a divot fixer, a spike cleaner, a ball brush, and/or any other items. 
     It is also understood that the ball holder  10  may be adapted to be conveniently attached to sports bags and caddy carts as well as directly to the user. This invention will not damage golf bags, clothing, or balls since according to one exemplary embodiment the holder is made of soft resilient material. The holder  10  is portable and compact and does not add any substantial volume beyond the dimensions of the golf balls carried therein. This invention may be made of common materials which are available in a large variety of colors and patterns. The construction of the holder in is economical to manufacture because the cost of material and simple construction is low. The ball holder  10  of this invention may be utilized as a promotional item. Dispensing of the balls  8  from the ball holder  10  is easy and can be done with one hand. 
     It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is understood therefore that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments which are described, but is intended to cover all modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the invention.