# US 11,998,807 B2 · Racquet pick up scoop for balls

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- Number: US 11,998,807 B2
- Document ID: US11998807B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/974,380
- Filed: 2020-03-04
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-08
- Applicants: Kevin Scott Neff
- Inventors: Kevin Scott Neff
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998807B2

## CPC

- A63B 47/02: for picking-up {or collecting}
- A63B 49/02: Frames
- A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
- A63B 2102/02: Tennis
- A63B 2102/04: Badminton
- A63B 2102/06: Squash
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

A ball pick-up scoop can be attached to, or molded on, the head end of a tennis racquet. When mounted, formed, or attached the scoop protrudes roughly 80°-90° away from the face side of the racquet. While standing up straight and holding the handle of the racquet, the user slides/pivots the scoop under a ball (tennis, rubber, synthetic, etc.), which cradles the ball between the scoop's ball guides and the racquet's face to facilitate picking up the ball without ever bending over. Once the ball is cradled the user can pivot the racquet up to their opposite hand and grab the ball, or flip the ball up and hit the ball, or let it bounce and then hit the ball.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A ball scoop adapted to couple to a racquet, the ball scoop comprising:
a body comprising:
a front surface;
a back surface;
a generally planar racquet-engagement member; and
a generally planar scoop member extending distally at an angle from the racquet-engagement member;
a pair of non-parallel ball-guide ridges disposed on the scoop member on the front surface and mutually angled to diverge from one another along a distal-to-proximal direction toward the racquet engagement member;
at least one wear ridge disposed on the racquet-engagement member on the back surface; and
at least one mounting aperture located adjacent said at least one wear ridge configured to receive respective fixation members to couple the ball scoop to the racquet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ball scoop of claim 1, wherein the at least one wear ridge comprises a pair of wear ridges disposed on opposite sides of each of the plurality of apertures.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ball scoop of claim 1, wherein the fixation members comprise zip ties, and wherein the plurality of apertures are sized to receive the zip ties.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ball scoop of claim 1, wherein the front surface defines a plurality of alignment ridges configured to contact an outer-most edge of the racquet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ball scoop of claim 1, wherein the body defines a pair of air-relief ports extending from the front surface to the back surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ball scoop of claim 1, wherein the racquet-engagement member comprises a plurality of parallel cut lines for resizing the ball scoop to conform to a frame width of the racquet.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The ball scoop of claim 1, wherein the ball scoop is formed from a rubber material.

### Claim 8

A system comprising:
an athletic racquet; and
a ball scoop disposed on a frame of the athletic racquet, the ball scoop comprising:
a front surface;
a back surface;
a generally planar racquet-engagement member; and
a generally planar scoop member extending distally at an angle from the racquet-engagement member;
a pair of non-parallel ball-guide ridges disposed on the scoop member on the front surface and mutually angled to diverge from one another along a distal-to-proximal direction toward the racquet engagement member;
at least one wear ridge disposed on the racquet-engagement member on the back surface; and
at least one mounting aperture located adjacent said at least one wear ridge configured to receive respective fixation members to couple the ball scoop to the racquet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ball scoop is integrally formed with the frame of the athletic racquet.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of fixation members securing the ball scoop to the frame of the athletic racquet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the fixation members comprise zip ties.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one wear ridge comprises a pair of wear ridges disposed on opposite sides of each of the plurality of fixation members to protect the plurality of fixation members from frictional contact with a ground surface.