# US 8,771,375 B2 · Antimicrobial tennis ball

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,771,375 B2
- Document ID: US8771375B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/676,357
- Filed: 2012-11-14
- Published: 2013-06-06
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-05
- Applicants: Jeffrey L. Rodengen; Roger P. Tyzzer
- Inventors: Jeffrey L. Rodengen; Roger P. Tyzzer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771375B2

## CPC

- A63B 39/06: Special coverings
- A63B 43/00: Balls with special arrangements
- A63B 45/00: Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29)
- D06C 29/00: Finishing or dressing, of textile fabrics, not provided for in the preceding groups
- A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- D06C: FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tennis ball as in claim 1, wherein said antimicrobial agent electrostatically attracts said microbe to the antimicrobial agent.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tennis ball as in claim 1, wherein said antimicrobial agent is chemically bonded to said felt cover prior to said felt cover being attached to said rubber core.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The tennis ball as in claim 1 wherein the felt cover comprises fibers or filaments.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The tennis ball of claim 4, wherein the antimicrobial agent is covalently bonded to the fibers or filaments of said felt cover.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The tennis ball as in claim 1 wherein said antimicrobial agent is a polymer comprising a plurality of carbon chains forming a microscopic bed of spikes that physically or mechanically inhibits or kills said microbe by puncturing an outer cell membrane of said microbe coming in contact with the surface of said ball and said felt.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The tennis ball of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent has a chemical formula selected from the group consisting of:
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C18H37Cl−
(CH3CH2O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C18H37Cl−
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C18H37Br−
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(C10H21)2CH3Cl−
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C14H29Cl−
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C14H29Br−
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C16H33Cl−.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The tennis ball of claim 7 wherein the antimicrobial agent has the chemical formula:
(CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N+(CH3)2C18H37Cl−.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The tennis ball of claim 1 wherein said antimicrobial agent is 3-trimethoxysilylpropyloctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride.

### Claim 10

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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein said outer surface material is a fibrous or filamentous textile.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein said antimicrobial agent is chemically bonded to said outer surface material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein said chemical bond is a covalent bond.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein said outer surface material is a felt material for a tennis ball.

### Claim 15

The method of clam 10 wherein said antimicrobial agent is 3-trimethoxysilylpropyloctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride.

### Claim 16

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.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein said contamination is cross-contamination from one person contacting said sports tennis ball piece to another person contacting said tennis ball.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein said antimicrobial agent is 3-trimethoxysilylpropyloctadecyldimethyl ammonium chloride.