OVERCAP FOR A TENNIS BALL CONTAINER
An overcap for a container for storing at least one tennis ball, the container extending along a longitudinal axis and having an open end. The overcap includes a body adapted for removably attachment to the open end of the tennis ball container. The body includes a peripheral rim for engaging an outer surface of the container at the open end, and a lip projecting from the peripheral rim toward the longitudinal axis. The peripheral lip extends over a portion of the open end of the tennis ball container. The lip defines a first opening.
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The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/781,547 filed on Feb. 4, 2020, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to an improved overcap for a tennis ball container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTennis balls are typically stored in a pressurized cylindrical body having a closed end and a second end that is sealed with a removable seal. Once the seal is removed, pressure is lost from the body and the second end becomes an open end. An overcap is commonly provided with most pressurized tennis ball containers to allow for the tennis balls to be placed into the cylindrical body through the open end, and then for the second end to be closed.
Existing overcaps are thick solid pieces of plastic that extend and fully cover the open end of the tennis ball container. The overcaps can add undesirable weight and cost to the tennis ball container. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for an improved overcap that can address these undesirable aspects of existing overcaps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides an overcap for a container for storing at least one tennis ball. The container extends along a longitudinal axis and has an open end. The overcap includes a body adapted for removably attachment to the open end of the tennis ball container. The body includes a peripheral rim for engaging an outer surface of the container at the open end, and a lip projecting from the peripheral rim toward the longitudinal axis. The peripheral lip extends over a portion of the open end of the tennis ball container. The lip defines a first opening.
According to a principal aspect of a preferred form of the invention, a tennis ball container includes a cylindrical body and an overcap. The tennis ball container is adapted for storing at least one tennis ball. Each of the at least one tennis balls has a maximum cross-sectional area and a diameter. The cylindrical body extends along a longitudinal axis and has a first closed end and a second end opposite the first end. The overcap is removably attached to the second end of the cylindrical body. The overcap includes a peripheral rim for engaging an outer surface of the container at the open end, and a lip projecting from the peripheral rim toward the longitudinal axis. The peripheral lip extends over a portion of the open end of the tennis ball container. The lip defines a first opening.
This invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings described herein below, and wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.
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Existing tennis ball containers are typically sold with a prior art overcap 30, which is a circular lid formed of a continuous piece of polymeric material, such as a thick plastic. The overcap is used, after the seal 22 has been removed from the second end 20, to store the tennis balls 12 and retain them in the container for later use. Existing overcaps 30 add to the cost, weight and waste associated with a tennis ball container. Accordingly, there is a continuing need to provide an improved overcap that can be produced at a lower cost, have a lighter weight, and result in less waste associated with the tennis ball container.
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The first opening 40 is sufficiently large enough that the amount of material used to produce the improved overcap 14 is at least 40 percent lower than the amount of material used to produce a conventional overcap. In another implementation, the opening 40 is sufficiently large enough that the amount of material used to produce the improved overcap 14 is at least 50 percent lower than the amount of material used to produce a conventional overcap 30. A conventional tennis container overcap can weigh approximately 6.1 grams, and in one implementation, the overcap 14 weighs 3.5 grams, which is a reduction in weight of over 42 percent. Accordingly, the weight of the overcap 14 was measured to be more than 40 percent lower than the weight of a conventional tennis can overcap. Accordingly, the improved overcap 14 results in significantly lower waste, significantly lower material cost, and significantly lower weight than a conventional overcap 30. Less material results in less material for recycling and/or landfills.
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While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, numerous departures therefrom can be contemplated by persons skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the foregoing description but only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A tennis ball container storing at least one tennis ball, each of the at least one tennis balls having a maximum cross-sectional area and a diameter, the container comprising:
- a cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first closed end and a second open end opposite the first closed end;
- a removable seal enclosing the second open end;
- an overcap removably attached to the second end of the cylindrical body, the overcap including a peripheral rim for engaging an outer surface of the container at the open end, and a lip projecting from the peripheral rim toward the longitudinal axis, the peripheral lip extending over a portion of the second open end and the removable seal of the tennis ball container, the lip extending over a portion of the removable seal, the lip defining a first opening.
2. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein, when the removable seal is attached to the second open end of the cylindrical body, the tennis ball container is pressurized.
3. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical container has a circular cross-sectional area.
4. The tennis ball container of claim 2, wherein the tennis ball container is pressurized within the range of 10 to 15 psi.
5. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the first opening of the body is sized to be smaller than one or both of the diameter of the tennis ball and the maximum cross-sectional area of the tennis ball.
6. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the lip uniformly projects from the peripheral rim.
7. The tennis ball container of claim 6, wherein the first opening is circular.
8. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the removable seal includes a pull tab, and wherein the lip extends over a portion of the pull tab.
9. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the tennis ball container is sized to retain no more than three tennis balls.
10. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the tennis ball container is positionable between first, second and third configurations, wherein, in the first configuration, the removable seal and the overcap are secured to the second open end of the cylindrical body, wherein, in the second configuration, both the removable seal and the overcap are removed from second open end of the cylindrical body such that the at least one tennis ball can exit the tennis ball container through the second open end, and wherein, in the third configuration, only the overcap is attached to the second open end of the tennis ball container such that the at least one tennis ball within the tennis ball container is inhibited from exiting the second open end of the cylindrical body.
11. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein, in the first configuration, the tennis ball container is pressurized.
12. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the lip extends from a first location about the peripheral rim to a second location about the peripheral rim.
13. The tennis ball container of claim 11, wherein the lip forms a band such that the lip defines the first opening and a second opening.
14. The tennis ball container of claim 12, wherein the band includes an outer surface, and wherein alphanumeric and/or graphical indicia is formed on the outer surface of the band.
15. The tennis ball container of claim 1, wherein the lip extends from a first location of the peripheral rim to at least second and third spaced-apart locations about the peripheral rim.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 23, 2021
Publication Date: Jan 13, 2022
Applicant: Wilson Sporting Goods Co. (Chicago, IL)
Inventors: Jason B. Collins (Wilmette, IL), Christopher W. Ryan (Bartlett, IL)
Application Number: 17/482,835