Patent ID: 8182371

Claim:
A tether tennis game apparatus comprising: a hollow pole having a helix formation extending externally therefrom along an operative top segment thereof, the helix formation defining a helical guide path along the operative top segment, between an operative top end and an operative bottom end of the operative top segment a flexible line having a first end and a second end, a loop formation formed at the first end of the flexible line and a ball connected to the second end of the flexible line, the loop formation positioned around the hollow pole and displaced upwardly or downwardly along the helical guide path, engaging the flexible line with the hollow pole, an indicator arrangement including an elongate indicator element located for axial displacement within the hollow pole, the elongate indicator element being displaceable from a spring-loaded trapped position in which the elongate indicator element is retracted into the hollow pole, to a release position in which the elongate indicator element has moved operatively upwardly and extending outwardly from the operative top end of the hollow pole; two trigger elements located within the helical guide path defined by the helix formation of the hollow pole near the respective top and bottom operative ends of the helical guide path, each trigger element defining a guide formation and a stop formation part, the guide formation being configured operatively to guide the loop formation formed at the end of the flexible line to which the ball is connected and engaging the flexible line with the hollow pole, when rotatably displaced around the hollow pole and axially displaced with respect to the hollow pole along the helical guide path, to the stop formation part, which stops the rotation of the loop formation around the hollow pole and which is displaced in response to stopping the rotation of the loop formation around the hollow pole; and a trap arrangement located within the hollow pole and defining a trap formation for releasably trapping the elongate indicator element in the spring-loaded trapped position, the trap formation and the elongate indicator element being displaced with respect to one another, in response to displacement of the stop formation part, for releasing the elongate indicator element for displacement to a release position.