Antimicrobial tennis ball
OwnerJeffrey L. Rodengen, Roger P. Tyzzerinventors
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Abstract
An antimicrobial sports equipment piece used in a sport or game, namely an antimicrobial tennis ball, is described. Also described are methods of using an antimicrobial tennis ball and methods of preventing, inhibiting, or killing microbes contacting the tennis ball during play to prevent or inhibit contamination by a microbe or cross-contamination between persons contacting the tennis ball.
Claims18
A tennis ball comprising a pressurized inner rubber core and a felt cover, said felt cover comprising an antimicrobial agent that mechanically interacts with a microbe contacting said felt cover to inhibit, prevent proliferation of, or kill said microbe.
A method for providing an antimicrobial tennis ball for inhibiting, preventing, or killing a microbe contacting said tennis ball during use of said tennis ball in a sport or game, said method comprising
- providing an antimicrobial agent which bonds to a material used in forming an outer surface of said tennis ball,
- bonding said antimicrobial agent to said outer surface material prior to manufacture of said tennis ball, and
- manufacturing said tennis ball using said surface material comprising the antimicrobial agent.
The method of clam 10 wherein said antimicrobial agent is 3-trimethoxysilylpropyloctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride.
A method for inhibiting or preventing contamination of a tennis ball during use of said tennis ball piece during a sport or game, said method comprising
- providing an tennis ball piece comprising an antimicrobial agent bonded to an outer surface of said tennis ball,
- using said tennis ball during a sport or game wherein said antimicrobial agent prevents, inhibits, or kills a microbe contacting said tennis ball during its use in said sport or game.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.