Ball throwing and retrieving device
AssigneeDoskocil Manufacturing Company, Inc.
InventorsSusan Matsumoto, Melvin Kennedy, Richard C. Levy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for throwing and picking up a sphere. A user may employ the apparatus, for example, to throw a sphere. The user may also employ the apparatus to pick up the sphere without requiring any portion of the user come into contact with the sphere. The apparatus may include a claw or gripper for holding the sphere. The claw may have three or more prongs for gripping the sphere and may be attached to a handle. The handle may telescope from a retracted position to an operating position. The handle may include gripping surfaces to aid a user in holding the handle, and a clip for attaching the throwing apparatus to a belt, a hanger or other suitable support.
Claims10
A ball-throwing apparatus, comprising:
- a three-prong claw-shaped member operative to grasp a ball including a diameter;
- and
- a handle attached to the three-prong claw-shaped member;
- wherein the three-prong claw comprises:
- a first prong;
- a second prong operatively attached to the first prong;
- a third prong operatively attached to the first prong;
- the first prong, the second prong, and the third prong configured to define a space for receiving the ball, the space defining a spherical diameter less than the diameter of the ball;
- the first prong, the second prong, and the third prong further configured to expand away from the space when receiving the ball within the space and to exert a force on the ball sufficient to retain the ball within the space;
- and
- the first prong extends further from a longitudinal axis of the handle than the second and third prongs wherein the first prong comprises a first length and a first width;
- and the first width is curved along at least a portion of the first length;
- and, wherein the second prong comprises a second width and second length;
- the third prong comprises a third width and a third length;
- the second length is at least partially curved;
- and the third length is at least partially curved.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.