FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of ball sport accessories, and more specifically, to ball containers for storing and dispensing sporting balls as are used in various sports.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

All ball sports involve the inherent use of balls of some sort as part of the play. Moreover, many professional and recreational ball players have specific ways to practice the handling of the specific game balls. For example, many tennis players exercise their return shot (forehand, backhand, volley, and etc) techniques with a familiar that serves balls in a consecutive manner while the player trains his abilities to successfully shot the ball in return. This type of training methods, usually involve large containers for storing and dispensing balls, specific to the sport at matter. Most often than not, these containers are simple and standard bins adapted for storing and dispensing many kinds of movable objects. Other times, there are stands that were designed to serve as a placement for such standard bins that lack the standard bin itself and therefore, miss their purpose.

While serving balls to the trainee the amount of balls in the bin dwindles, and the trainee's familiar is required to bend his back while reaching for the next ball. Furthermore, where there is a small amount of balls in the bin, the balls scatter sporadically within the bottom of the bin. This requires the user to blindly search for a ball before reaching said ball.

It is to be mentioned that even when both bin and stand are available in the courtyard, one must bend his back and lift heavy weights in order to pour said balls into the bin placed upon the stand, or otherwise, place heavy full bins upon the stand.

Followed are several publications in the field that have disclosed devices that try to tackle the abovementioned problem:

US 5507541 A describe a wheeled container for retrieving and storing balls with a pair of handles. However, devices by these inventions are bulky to carry around; quite difficult to maneuver once the basket is full; need to be manually elevated to the proper height to obviate the need for back bending; and may not be used with existing standard bins.

US 2006/0228928 Al describes a container with a platform automatically moving downwards as the receptacle is filled with balls, and automatically moving upwards as the receptacle is emptied of balls in response to the weight of the balls and the biasing of the spring assembly. However, a device by this invention is very large in size and feels like strolling around with a shopping cart on a tennis court. One can imagine that the size will also affect its cost. Furthermore, the device may not be used with existing standard bins, nor can it dispense balls automatically.

US 2004/0004097 Al is a ball carrying portable container and dispenser directed for small diameter balls. It is designed as an elongated, cylindrical container. Plurality of balls stacked upon at each other are contained in the unit. The bottom of the unit is closed while the top has a flexible cap. In operation, a ball one at a time may be removed or extracted from under the flexible cap. A coil spring is disposed between the bottom of the container and a pusher below the stacked balls to apply a force to the balls to be moved upwardly against the flexible cap until a ball is dispensed from there, one ball at a time. However, a device by this invention may store only a limited number of balls; is adapted to use in ball games that involve small diameter balls and long distances (e.g., Golf) and may not be used in short distanced gamed (e.g., tennis), and with existing standard bins; balls are placed in the device, and dispensed therefrom on a one by one basis requiring wasting time placing balls inside the device and retrieving balls therefrom.

US 8177271 B2 is an increased capacity portable retriever for collecting and dispensing tennis balls. However, it is very big in size; difficult to operate and will also give the player the above-mentioned "shopping cart" feeling on the court; needs to be manually elevated to the proper height to obviate the need for back bending; and may not be used with existing standard bins;

As can be seen, there are no devices in the prior art that (a) automatically lift the bottom of the container as it empties from balls in order to eliminate the need for bending one's back to retrieve balls; (b) utilize existing common standard bins or stands as structure support thus efficiently conserving material for building the device claimed herein; (c) utilize existing stands located in the area of training for hanging the container where there are no standard bins; and (d) enable the player to pick up the balls blindly from a single constant position in the basket. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a ball container utilized in conjunction with existing standard storage bins for storing and dispensing sporting balls to the upper opening of the storage bins, said ball container comprised of a holding platform, a plurality of hooks, elastic connection means, a plurality of hooks, and an upper horizontal frame.

The holding platform is meant to move in a vertical axis within the standard storage bin, and constructed in a way that allows holding and supporting said sporting balls utilizing the platform and the bin's walls.

The elastic connector means (e.g., springs, elastic cords, or elastic fiber cloth) connect the holding platform to the plurality of hooks; elastically elongating and thus lowering the platform as it being filled with balls, and gradually return to normal state as the platform is being emptied of balls; The number and distribution manner of the elastic connector means, allow holding and supporting said sporting balls between them;

The plurality of hooks are connected to elastic connector means and adapted to cling into the edges of the storage bin allowing the elastic elongation of said elastic connector means; and

The upper horizontal frame between said hooks and said elastic connector means having a similar surface area to that of the said holding platform for maintaining the vertical deformation axis of said elastic connector means.

The present invention further provides a ball container utilized by hanging from a stand for storing and dispensing sporting balls to the upper opening of the ball container, which is comprised of: a holding platform, elastic connector means, an upper horizontal frame, a plurality of horizontal rims, and a plurality of hooks. The holding platform is meant to move within in a vertical axis, and is constructed in a way that allows holding and supporting said sporting balls with the elastic connector means,

The elastic connector means connects the holding platform to the plurality of hooks, 95 and an upper horizontal frame, whereas said connectors elastically elongate and lower the platform as it being filled with balls, and further gradually return to normal state as the platform is being emptied of balls. The number and distribution manner of the elastic connector means, allow holding and supporting said sporting balls between them.

100 The upper horizontal frame is located between said hooks and said elastic connector means having a similar surface area to that of the said holding platform for maintaining the vertical deformation axis of said elastic connector means.

The plurality of horizontal rims are engulfing said elastic connector means intended to minimize the horizontal elastic deformation thereof, potentially caused by the filling 105 of said balls, thus minimizing possibility for balls falling from the sides of the device.

The plurality of hooks are connected to said upper horizontal frame and adapted to cling into said stand allowing the elastic elongation of said elastic connector means.

It is within the provision of the invention that the hooks that connect the device to the storage bin have a lower clamping member and together with the hook, clamp the 110 edges of the storage bin allowing more secure grip with said bin.

It is further within the provision of the invention that the device having variable length connectors (e.g., length adjustable straps) connected between the hooks and the upper horizontal frame allowing said hooks to cling to all walls of storage bins having a shape other than a circular shape (e.g., Rectangle shaped bin), where there often 115 varied distances between the storage bin walls.

It is further within the provision of the invention that said holding platform is constructed with an incline allowing balls to roll in a specific location within the device wherever there is a small amount of balls in the device. Thus, the user is able to retrieve a ball from the same specific place within the device.

120 The above function has another advantage over known art. The invention obviates the user's need to blindly search for a ball before reaching said ball, where there is a small amount of balls in the device, because the balls will not scatter sporadically within the bottom of the device.

As can be seen, the invention claimed herein has many advantages over the known 125 art, and among them: (a) the invention automatically (elastically) lifts the bottom of the container as it empties from balls and eliminates the need for bending one's back to retrieve balls; (b) utilize existing common standard bins as structure support thus, efficiently conserving material for building the device claimed herein; (c) utilize existing stands located in the area of training for hanging the container where there 130 are no standard bins; and (d) enable the player to pick up the balls blindly from a single constant position in the basket.

Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.

135 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the emptied and an unmounted ball container.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the ball container installed on a standard storage bin 140 depicting the motion of the a holding platform as the springs are elastically elongated, causing a downward movement of the platform as it is filled with balls, and further as the springs return to normal state as the platform is being emptied of balls.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the ball container installed on a round shaped standard storage bin.

145 FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the ball container installed on a square shaped standard storage bin.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the invention involving an incline to the holding platform.

As can be seen, the holding platform is constructed with an incline allowing balls to 150 roll in a specific location within the device wherever there is a small amount of balls in the device. Thus, the user is able to retrieve a ball from the same specific place within the device.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view an embodiment of the invention installed on a standard storage bin.

155 A can be seen, the elastic connectors here are in the form of elastic fiber cloth.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view an embodiment of the invention involving variable length connectors.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the ball container installed on a rectangular shaped standard storage bin.

160 the device having variable length connectors, in the form of length adjustable straps connected between the hooks and the upper horizontal frame allowing said hooks to cling to all walls of storage bins having a shape other than a circular shape (e.g., Rectangle shaped bin), where there often varied distances between the storage bin walls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

165 Before the present invention is described in further detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

170 For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on of the container are not described in detail. It should be apparent however, that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The device, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the disclosure. Moreover, in

175 interpreting the disclosure, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, illustrated is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention where the container 10 is empty and unmounted.

The ball container 10 comprising: horizontal rods 11 forming the holding platform in

180 a way that allows holding and supporting the balls; springs 12 that are attached to the platform in the bottom; rounded hooks 13 at the top; and a circular upper horizontal frame 14. Generally the ball container intended to contain a quantity of balls, such as tennis balls, baseballs, or any other kind of athletic balls. The container 10 includes a plurality of vertical springs 12 spaced apart, circled horizontal metal rods 11 generally 185 constituting the holding platform The spring assembly 12 may be connected to the platform 15 by a connector means, such as clamps screws, or other fasteners. The spring assembly 12 is operatively connected to the platform 15 for lowering or raising the platform 15. The spring assembly is designed to raise the platform 15 as it is emptied of balls and allow the platform 15 to lower as it is filled with balls.

190 One of average skill in the field may choose the elastic connectors composition in the following way. Whereas the elastic connector means are springs or strings, their type is chosen for their material's elasticity modulus which may be deducted in the following method:

(a) Weighing the intended holding platform.

195 (b) Weighing the sporting balls that fit in the standard storage bin.

(c) Measuring the height of the standard storage bin deducting around 6 cm (eg.) from the figure.

(d) Choosing and counting the preferable number of elastic connectors to be incorporated in the embodiment.

200 (e) Whereas:

F= sporting balls weight + holding platform weight; K= modulus of elasticity for each incorporated elastic connector; X= height of the standard bin minus around 6 centimeters (eg.); N= number of intended elastic connectors;

205 Calculating the preferable modulus of elasticity with the following formula:

F/X/N = K

It is to be mentioned that one must choose material that may elongate to achieve the height of the standard bin from its initial length of 6 Centimeters (eg.).

It is to be mentioned that the initial length of 6 Centimeters is derived from the 210 diameter of Tennis balls. For the storage of other types of balls, a figure similar to the diameter of the intended ball should be used.

FIG. 2 illustrates the ball container installed on a standard storage bin depicting the motion of the a holding platform as the springs are elastically elongated 21, causing a downward movement of the platform as it is filled with balls, and further as the 215 springs return to normal 22 state as the platform is being emptied of balls.

It is indicated the ball container 10 is placed within the edges of the standard bin, while the springs 12 and the platform 15 are perfectly fitted within the standard bin. It is contemplated that the springs 12 need not be directly connected to the hooks 13, so long as the spring assembly serves to bias the platform 11 automatically moving 220 downwards as the platform 15 is filled with balls and automatically moving upwards as the platform 15 is emptied of balls in response to the weight of the balls and the biasing of the springs 12.

Turning now to FIG. 3 where the ball container 10 is connected to circular shaped standard bin 30 indicating the container as it enables the user to access a ball without 225 having to bend over each time to reach down for a ball as the bin empties. Using the container, the user is able to access the balls with less delay caused by the emptying bucket. It is contemplated that the hooks can alternatively be square, with clamps, or otherwise shaped.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the ball container installed on a square shaped 230 standard storage bin 40.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the invention involving an incline to the holding platform.

As can be seen, the holding platform is constructed with an incline 50 allowing balls to roll in a specific location within the device wherever there is a small amount of balls in 235 the device. Thus, the user is able to retrieve a ball from the same specific place within the device.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view an embodiment of the invention installed on a standard storage bin.

As can be seen, the elastic connectors are formed from elastic fiber cloth 60.

240 FIG. 7 illustrates a side view an embodiment of the invention involving variable length connectors 70.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the ball container installed on a rectangular shaped standard storage bin 80.

As can be seen, variable length connectors 70 (e.g., length adjustable straps) allow the 245 hooks to cling to all walls of storage bins having a shape other than a circular shape (e.g., Rectangle shaped bin 80), where there are varied distances between the storage bin walls.

The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention have been presented for the purposes of illustration. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above descriptions in any form.

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