GB2283180A - Re-inflatable tennis ball - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention comprises a tennis ball of a kind that is formed by an elastomeric spherical core (1), encased in a felt covering (2), wherein, when it loses internal pressure, said ball can be re-inflated by means of a valve mechanism (3), which makes it possible to introduce air under pressure into it and consequently to maintain its internal pressure. <IMAGE>

Description

RE-INFLATABLE TENNIS BALL This invention pertains to an inflated lawn tennis ball which can be re-inflated when it loses its internal pressure and, consequently, loses its ideal characteristics of use.

It is known that the vast majority of the balls used for the game of lawn tennis are produced with a natural-rubber core and have to be inflated in order for ideal conditions of use to be achieved.

Because of the porosity of natural rubber, which is permeable to air, the tennis ball experiences a loss of internal pressure; with the passage of time or use in the game of tennis, the tennis ball becomes mushy (loses internal pressure), losing its ideal characteristics of use.

In order to attempt to prevent the loss of internal pressure in tennis balls, a pressurized storage case is offered on the market; this case, which works on the principle of equalizing pressures, keeps the balls from deflating.

The drawbacks here include the need to buy the above-mentioned case and the fact that the ball will deflate not just when it is in storage, but also when used in a game, and will then do so more rapidly.

In view of this, the object of this invention is to supply effective solutions to the problems mentioned above, by providing a tennis ball whose original characteristics as regards its internal pressure can be restored at any time with the aid of any ordinary air compression system.

Therefore, the first object of this invention is a tennis ball that makes it possible for the user always to be able to obtain the ideal internal-pressure characteristics of the tennis ball, whose service life will now be determined solely by the wear and tear on the external felt.

In this particular respect, it is presently known that, once the pressurized case has been opened, the inflated tennis ball has a service life of approximately four months if it is not used for professional play; for a user who play tennis for recreation, the felt coverings of the balls are almost always still in good condition after this time but become unusable for playing the game due to the loss of internal pressure.

Another goal to be achieved by this invention is to describe a tennis ball that will make it possible to defer for a long time the purchase of the abovementioned pressurized case for storing it, thus reducing the expense involved in engaging in the sport.

An additional goal to be achieved by this invention is to describe a tennis ball that can be stored indefinitely since it can be re-inflated by the user at any time.

In order to make this invention readily understandable, its object will be described in detail based on the drawings listed below, which depict a preferred embodiment of the re-inflatable tennis ball in question.

The present re-inflatable tennis ball does not, however, have to be limited to just this form described; other embodiments can also be considered without exceeding the scope of this invention.

Thus: Fig. 1 shows a top view of an inflated tennis ball that is equipped with a mechanism which makes it possible to re-inflate it; and Fig. 2 shows a front view, along section "AA" of the previous figure, with an inflation tip indicated (such as a perforated needle) that can be connected to an ordinary air-compression device.

The attached figures depict an inflated tennis ball, of a kind that is formed by an elastomeric spherical core (1), encased in a felt covering (2); when it loses internal pressure, said ball can be reinflated by means of an appropriate mechanism (3), which makes it possible to introduce air under pressure into it and consequently to maintain its internal pressure.

The tennis ball in question is also characterised by the fact that appropriate mechanism (3) consists of an elastomeric structure (4) that is located next to above-mentioned core (1) and is equipped with a labial cut running through the centre (8), having elastic characteristics, which makes it possible to insert an inflation needle (6) and, when the latter is withdrawn, to prevent or block the escape of the air pumped into it to re-inflate it.

This kind of re-inflation of the tennis ball is very simple and can be described as follows: an inflation tip (6), such as a perforated needle, is inserted into above-mentioned cut (5), and through said cut compressed air is pumped into core (1) by means of an ordinary external-air device in order to leave the core properly re-inflated.

As can be seen and deduced, the re-inflatable tennis ball in question is fully functional and, as such, is worthy of legal protection, now formalized.

Claims (4)

1. A lawn tennis ball comprising an elastomeric spherical core substantially encased in a felt covering, wherein the ball further comprises means for allowing inflation of the ball by the introduction of air under pressure, thereby maintaining the internal pressure of the ball.

2. A lawn tennis ball according to claim 1, wherein the means for allowing inflation of the ball comprises an elastomeric structure positioned adjacent the core, the elastomeric structure allowing the insertion of an inflation device and, on removal of the inflation device, preventing the escape of air from the ball.

3. A lawn tennis ball according to claim 2, wherein the elastomeric structure comprises a labial cut.

4. A lawn tennis ball substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.