Abstract:
A backpack has a body with an interior chamber that holds a plurality of balls. A dispenser near the bottom of the backpack on the left side, the right side or both allows the wearer to easily access a ball within the interior chamber. An opening on the top of the backpack provides access to the interior chamber, allowing it to be filled with a plurality of balls. The backpack may also include a mesh pouch for holding a tennis racket and pockets for storing other items.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/518,010 filed on Apr. 29, 2011. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0005]    Not Applicable 
       FIELD 
       [0006]    The present invention relates to systems and methods for tennis equipment backpacks and more particularly to a tennis backpack providing quick and ready access to a nimiety of tennis balls. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0007]    When practicing tennis, on one&#39;s own or with an instructor, several balls are used in quick succession. Generally, a ball hopper, a tennis ball basket, or a box full of balls on a chair is placed on the court next to the instructor or person practicing. However, this creates an obstruction on the tennis court, restricting lateral mobility. This restricts the interplay of volleying between instructor and student. Students love to rally with an instructor and this allows play to be unhindered by obstructions on the court. 
         [0008]    It is also desirable to provide a device or method for granting an instructor access to several readily available tennis balls without obstructing the tennis court. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a tennis ball backpack made from similar materials as conventional tennis bags for rackets, personal items, balls, etc. but having additional features including holding tennis balls. The backpack of the invention may feed tennis balls quickly and easily to a student or instructor while allowing him or her to step sideways and sustain rallies without a ball hopper getting in the way. More time is thus spent teaching and less time picking up balls. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, a backpack has a body having a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a front, a back and an internal chamber, an opening on the top of the body, at least one dispenser on at least one of the right side and the left side, and at least one strap for holding the body against an operator. The dispenser may have a height less than the diameter of a ball and a width greater than the diameter of a ball and a perimeter greater than the circumference of a ball. The ball may be a tennis ball. The ball may optionally be a golf ball. The dispenser may be sealed with one or more drawstrings. The dispenser may be sealed with one or more zippers. The dispenser may be sealed with a magnet. The backpack may have a mesh pouch on the back of the backpack, a belt, one or more pockets, one or more handles on the back of the backpack, one or more handles on one or more of the sides of the backpack. The opening may be sealed with one or more zippers. The opening may have a height less than the diameter of a ball and a width greater than the diameter of a ball and a perimeter greater than the circumference of a ball. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment, a backpack may have a body having a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a front, a back and an internal chamber, an opening on the top of the body, at least one dispenser on at least one of the right side and the left side and having a height less than the diameter of a ball and a width greater than the diameter of a ball and a perimeter greater than the circumference of a ball, one or more pockets, at least one strap for holding the body against an operator. The ball may be a tennis ball. The backpack may include a mesh pouch on the back of the backpack and one or more handles on the back of the backpack. The opening may be sealed with one or more zippers. The opening may have a height less than the diameter of a ball and a width greater than the diameter of a ball and a perimeter greater than the circumference of a ball. 
         [0012]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a backpack that gives the wearer easy and fast access to a nimiety of tennis balls within the pack while being worn. 
         [0013]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a left environmental view of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1   a  is an enlarged view of a dispenser in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a back view of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a left environmental view of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5   a  is plan view of an alternative dispenser in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view of an alternative dispenser in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6   a  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6   b  is a back view of an alternative embodiment of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6   c  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a backpack in accordance with the principles of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows the backpack  10  worn on the back of an instructor. The backpack  10  may have a body  12  having a top  14 , a bottom  16 , a back  18  and a left side  20 . The backpack  10  may be held against an instructor or operator by straps  22  and belt  24 . The body  12  may be parallelepiped in shape or may be asymmetrical, for example having one more more sides trapezoidal in shape and may hold a variety of items but consists primarily of a chamber for holding tennis, or other, balls. The chamber may consist of the entire interior of the body  12  or only a portion of it. The chamber may be accessed through opening  26  that may open and close by means of a zipper  28 . Optionally buttons, snaps, laces, tongue and groove, loop and hook, a tear drop opening, drawstring or other device(s) for holding a closing an opening in a backpack may be used. Near the bottom  18  , on the left side  20  of the body  12  may be dispenser  30 . Dispenser  30  may be a flap  32  that may be closed and opened with zippers  34 . Optionally hook and loop, tongue and groove, buttons, snaps, laces, a tear drop opening, drawstring or other mechanisms may be used to open and close dispenser  18 . Figure la shows dispenser  30  in the open position with the flap  32  down so that balls within the backpack may be accessed by the operator reaching behind himself and pulling a tennis ball out of the dispenser. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows the back  18  of the backpack  10  and right side  36  may also be seen. The right side  36  also includes a dispenser  30 . The backpack  10  may include handles  38  for carrying the backpack  10  in a manner similar to a duffel bag. The backpack  10  also optionally includes a mesh pocket  40  for holding a tennis racket  42  or other device.  FIG. 3  shows the front of the backpack  10  with straps  22  and optional belt  24 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment of a backpack  50  in accordance with the present invention. The backpack  50  may have a body  52  held in place by straps  54  and belt  56 . Straps  54  may join at a buckle  58  that may optionally feature a logo or other ornamental feature. The body  52  may include a mesh pouch  60  for holding a tennis racket  62  or other object. The body  52  may also include one or more pockets  54  for holding smaller objects. In this embodiment, the ball dispenser  66  may be a “tear drop” design, that is, a slit-shaped aperture. The height of the aperture may be less than the diameter of a tennis ball but wider than the diameter of a tennis ball, while the total perimeter of the aperture is greater than the the circumference of a tennis ball. This configuration may allow an operator to pull a ball through the aperture and prevent a ball from falling out on its own. In this emboiment, the aperture narrows to points at either hozizontal end. Optionally, the aperture may be rectangular, diamond-shaped or have a different geometry. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show an alternative embodiment of a dispenser  67 . Dispenser  67  may be a collar comprised of a flexible and/or elastic material and may have an aperture  68  that may be held closed by drawstrings  69 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 6   a - 6   c  show an alternative embodiment of a backpack  70  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The backpack  70  may have a mesh pouch  72  for holding a tennis racket  74  or similar device. Tear drop shaped opening  76  may provide for insertion of several tennis balls into the backpack  70 . Straps  78  and belt  80  may allow the backpack  70  to be carried easily on an operator&#39;s back. Handles  82  may facilitate carrying of the backpack  70  without use of the straps  78  an belt  80 . The backpack  70  also may optionally include a pocket  84 . The backpack  70  may also include a tear drop shaped dispenser  86 . There may be a dispenser  86  on both sides of the backpack  70  so that an operator may access the dispenser  86  with either the left or right hand. Optionally, only on dispenser may be provided. Buckle  88  may include an ornamental feature such as, for example, a logo. 
         [0030]    The backpack of the present invention may be used for tennis balls or other types of athletic balls, such as, for example, golf balls. The body of the backpack may be parallelepiped in shape or may have any of a variety of shapes. 
         [0031]    Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention. Descriptions of the embodiments shown in the drawings should not be construed as limiting or defining the ordinary and plain meanings of the terms of the claims unless such is explicitly indicated. 
         [0032]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.