Tennis ball
AssigneeWilson Sporting Goods Co.
InventorsFrank M. Simonutti, William E. Dillon, Chloe J. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tennis ball including a spherical hollow elastomeric core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm, and a textile layer covering the spherical elastomeric hollow core. The spherical hollow core has an initial internal pressure of no greater than 5 psi. The tennis ball has a first tennis ball rebound height when measured at a first time when the tennis ball is unused and a second tennis ball rebound height measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused. The second tennis ball rebound height being at least 96% of the first tennis ball rebound height.
Claims27
A tennis ball comprising:
- a spherical hollow elastomeric core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm, the spherical hollow core has an initial internal pressure of no greater than 5 psi;
- and
- a textile layer covering the spherical elastomeric hollow core, the tennis ball having a first tennis ball rebound height when measured at a first time when the tennis ball is unused and a second tennis ball rebound height measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, and the second tennis ball rebound height being at least 96% of the first tennis ball rebound height;
- wherein the second tennis ball rebound height, measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, satisfies United States Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation standardized rebound height specifications as published by the International Tennis Federation as of Jul. 1, 2018.
A tennis ball comprising:
- a spherical hollow elastomeric core formed of at least one thermoplastic material and at least one rubber, the core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm, the spherical hollow core has an initial internal pressure of no greater than 5 psi;
- and
- a textile layer covering the spherical hollow core,
- wherein the tennis ball has a first tennis ball coefficient of restitution value of at least 0.53 when measured from an initial velocity of 90 feet/second at a fist time when the tennis ball is unused, and
- wherein the tennis ball has a second tennis ball coefficient of restitution value measured from an initial velocity of 90 feet/second after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, and
- wherein the second coefficient of restitution value is at least 95 percent of the first coefficient of restitution value;
- wherein the tennis ball has a rebound height, measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, that satisfies United States Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation standardized rebound height specifications as published by the International Tennis Federation as of Jul. 1, 2018.
A tennis ball comprising:
- a spherical hollow elastomeric core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm, the spherical hollow core has an initial internal pressure of no greater than 5 psi;
- and
- a textile layer covering the spherical elastomeric hollow core, the tennis ball having a first tennis ball rebound height when measured at a first time when the tennis ball is unused and a second tennis ball rebound height measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, and the second tennis ball rebound height being at least 96% of the first tennis ball rebound height;
- wherein the spherical hollow core is formed from a solid, non-foamed wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.