Training Soccer Ball

Abstract

A soccer ball having an opening formed in an outer surface of the ball and a connection element having a female portion fit within the opening and a male portion, having a first end configured to removably engage the female receiving portion and a second end having a partially open connection element. An elongated flexible element engages at a first end with the partially open connection element of the male portion.

Claims

1. A soccer ball comprising: an opening formed in an outer surface of the ball; a connector having a female receiving portion, the female receiving portion being fit within the opening; a male portion, the male portion having a first end configured to removably engage the female receiving portion and a second end having a partially open connection element; and an elongated flexible element being engaged at a first end with the partially open connection element of the male portion.

2. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the female portion is a threaded nut.

3. The soccer ball of claim 2 wherein the first end of the male portion includes complementary threading for the nut.

4. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the male portion snap fits with the female portion to facilitate removable engagement.

5. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the partially open connection element is a hook.

6. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the partially open connection element is an eye.

7. The soccer ball of claim 1- further comprising an air valve, the air valve being disposed within the female receiving portion.

8. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible element is elastic.

9. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the second end of the elongated flexible element includes a connector.

10. The soccer ball of claim 9 wherein the connector is a loop.

11. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the male portion includes an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end, wherein the partially open connection element of the second end is rotatable coupled to the intermediate portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a soccer ball having the male portion, the female portion and the elongated flexible element all engaged;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a soccer ball having the male portion, the female portion and the elongated flexible element all engaged;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the male portion, the female portion and the elongated flexible element all engaged away from the soccer ball;

[0019] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the male portion of the connection element; and

[0020] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the female portion of the connection element;

[0021] FIG. 6 shows portion A of the soccer ball of FIG. 1 having the female portion integrated therewith and the male portion disengaged; and

[0022] FIG. 7 shows a top view of the portion of the soccer shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] While this invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is described in detail herein, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosures are to be considered as exemplifications of the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0024] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a soccer ball as contemplated by the present invention having a connection element and elongated flexible element full engaged therewith, while FIGS. 6 and 7 show a portion of the soccer ball of FIG. 1 with a portion of the connection element and the elongated flexible element disengaged.

[0025] Soccer ball 10 is a general soccer ball having an outer surface 12. Within outer surface 12 is an opening 14 having a female portion 16 of connection element 18 fitted therein. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, male portion 20 of connection element 18 engages female portion 16 at a first end 22, while second end 24 of male portion 20 includes a partially open connection element to engage an elongated flexible element 26. First end 28 of elongated flexible element 26 engages second end 24 of male portion 20. Second end 30 of elongated flexible element 26 may also include a connection element 32 for tethering the soccer ball using elongated flexible element (and the connected soccer ball) to a user or a fixed body for training. Tethering may provide for better and more efficient training, as the a user can practice or learn to dribble the ball while it is tethered to the user, or work on passing or kicking accuracy while the ball is tethered to a stationary object or ground anchor.

[0026] As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, when male portion 20 and elongated flexible element 26 are disengaged from female portion 16, the outer edge or rim 42 of female portion 16 sits flush with outer surface 12 of soccer ball 10. Fitting the female portion within opening 14 and configuring the top edge or rim of the female portion flush with the outer surface of the soccer ball allows for the soccer ball to be used in either the training configuration with the male portion and elongated flexible element engaged, and to be an ordinary soccer ball when the male portion and elongated flexible element are disengaged. This allows for a single soccer to be both a training ball and a regular ball, eliminating the need to have two separate balls. In order to avoid damage or unwanted debris from being entering the female portion of the connection element when the male portion is disengaged, a plug or the like may be provided.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows connection element 18 and elongated flexible element 26, isolated with the male and female portions engaged, while FIG. 4 shows male portion 20 isolated and FIG. 5 shows female portion 16 isolated.

[0028] As seen in FIGS. 3-5, first end 22 of male portion 20 and interior or receiving portion 34 of female portion 16 may be cooperatively threaded to facilitate engagement. In this configuration, the male portion may screw in and out of the female portion.

[0029] Rather than be threaded, the first end of the male portion and interior or receiving portion of the female portion may cooperate and engage in other manners. For example, first end 22 of male portion 20 have a protrusion and/or a rib formed therein, while a cooperating ridge is formed in the interior 34 of female portion 16 into which the protrusion and/or rib snap fit to facilitate engagement.

[0030] Regardless of the type of configuration for facilitating engagement between the male and female portions, the female portion is substantially hollow to permit entry of the first end of the male portion. In some embodiments, the hollow nature of interior 34 of female portion 16 will allow for an air valve 36 to be housed therein (see FIG. 7). Placing an air valve within opening 14 and inside interior 34 of female portion 16 may act to protect the valve.

[0031] In order to engage elongated flexible element 26, second end 24 of male portion 20 includes a connection element formed as partially open having an opening or through hole 38 to allow first end 28 of elongated flexible element 26 to engage the second end. Though shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 as an eye, the connection element of second end 24 may also be a hook, a clip, a loop, a plate with a through hole, a buckle, a latch, a clamp, a receptacle or protrusion to facilitate a snap fit engagement with the second end of the elongated flexible element, or any other element known in the art which would enable the elongated flexible element to engage the second end, alone or with the use of a cooperating connector or element.

[0032] Elongated flexible element 26 may be resilient or elastic, or may be non-elastic, and may be a rope, a cord, a chain, a string, or a cable and configured in any desired length. The elongated flexible member may be of a length, for example, so that it can be fixed to a user's wrist or waist during practice, or enable great length between multiple users with the second end of the elongated flexible member being fixed to a pole or object or the like. In order for first end 28 of elongated flexible element 26 to engage the partially open connection element of second end 24 of male portion 20, first end 28 may include connector 40. Connector 40 may take any form which will cooperate with the connection element of the second end to facilitate engagement, like for example a loop as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Alternatively, first end 28 may include any other known connector to facilitate permanent or removable engagement between the elongated flexible element, like for example a clip, a hook, a mating snap fit protrusion or receptacle, a clamp, a receiving hole. Connector 40 may, for example, loop around the connection element of second end 24 in order to provide a tether or the like for the soccer ball when engaged with the male portion.

[0033] While connector 40 may be permanently engaged with second end 24, in some embodiments it is advantageous if connector 40 is disengageable from second end 24. Disengage ability of connector 40, and consequently elongated flexible element 26, allows for the elongated flexible element to be replaced if it becomes damaged or loses a desirable property, like for example some elasticity or resiliency without having to replace the entire male portion 20.

[0034] In order to avoid knotting or tangling during usage of the soccer ball with the male portion and elongated flexible element engaged with the female portion, the connection element of second end 24 may be directly or indirectly rotatably coupled to first end 22. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, second end may be rotatable in direction R, so that as a connected soccer ball is kicked, the connection can rotate to prevent knotting and tangling. In order to facilitate the rotation, the connection element of the second end may be, for example, ball jointed with first end 22 or an intermediate portion 42 connecting the first and second end together. Instead of being ball jointed, the connection element and second end may be held in place in a manner which allows for movement and rotation of the connection element without disengaging, by for example, having a plate or widened base fit within a hollow intermediate portion or first end with a collar or the like preventing the widened base from escaping the hollow portion.

[0035] While in the foregoing there has been set forth various embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein. While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the characteristics of the invention and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.