Table tennis ball storage device

Abstract

Table tennis ball storage devices provide a convenient place to store and retrieve table tennis balls during a game of table tennis. The ball storage device has an inner storage volume for receiving and retaining table tennis balls that is accessible from two openings, one designed to place table tennis balls into the storage volume and a second designed for removing table tennis balls. The first opening may be conveniently located on a playing end of a table tennis table and the second opening may be located on either the left or right side of the table tennis table. The first opening has a different shape than the second opening.

Claims

1. A table tennis table, comprising: two playing surfaces, wherein each playing surface comprises: a top surface; a bottom surface; a playing end surface; and left and right side surfaces; a table tennis ball storage device attached under the bottom surface of at least one of the playing surfaces, wherein the table tennis ball storage device comprises: an inner volume defined by a bottom floor, a playing end wall, a back wall opposite the playing end wall and a side wall connected to the playing end wall, wherein the bottom floor comprises a bottom surface extending from the bottom of the playing end wall, a ramp extending upward from the bottom surface away from the playing end wall, and an upper ledge extending from the top of the ramp to the back wall, wherein the inner volume is so dimensioned to store table tennis balls in two layers and the second layer of table tennis balls may extend onto the upper ledge such that the table tennis balls on the upper ledge will roll down the ramp and toward a first opening in the playing end wall and the upper ledge is dimensioned to store one or more rows of table tennis balls on the upper ledge; the first opening defined by the playing end wall on the playing end surface; and a second opening defined by the side wall on the left or right side surface, and a door is hingedly connected to one of the side wall and the bottom surface, wherein the door has an open position allowing a table tennis ball to be placed in the ball storage device through the second opening and a closed position that prevents a table tennis ball from being placed in the ball storage device through the second opening, the door comprises a wall and two side walls that define a filling region adjacent to the second opening, wherein the door in the open position results in the wall at an upward angle of between 10° and 80° with respect to a bottom floor and wherein the slope of the wall the table tennis balls are urged by gravity into the inner volume, and the second opening has a length greater than 60 mm and less than 85 mm and a height in the range of 50 mm to 70 mm.

2. The table tennis table of claim 1, wherein the open position is dimensioned to allow two table tennis balls to be simultaneously placed in the ball storage device through the second opening.

3. The table tennis table of claim 2, wherein the device is sized such that may be the table tennis balls may be stored side by side and stacked on top of another tennis ball within the inner volume.

4. The table tennis table of claim 2, wherein the table tennis table comprises an apron on one of the left and right side surfaces and the side wall of the device is flush with the apron.

5. The table tennis table of claim 1, wherein the bottom floor slopes from the second opening toward the first opening when the ball storage device is attached to the table tennis table in the playing configuration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the ball storage device from the playing end of the table tennis table;

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1 from the left side of the table tennis table;

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view obliquely from below the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view obliquely from above the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view obliquely from above the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view obliquely from below the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a table tennis table in the playing configuration comprising an embodiment of the ball storage device at the left side corner of the playing end of the table tennis table;

(9) FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the ball storage device and the corner of the table tennis table defined by the left side and the playing end of the embodiment of the table tennis table of FIG. 8 labeled A;

(10) FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the ball storage device from the playing end of the table tennis table; and

(11) FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of the embodiment of the ball storage device shown in FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION

(12) Table tennis ball storage devices provide a convenient place to store and retrieve table tennis balls during a game of table tennis. Embodiments of ball storage devices comprise an inner volume for receiving and retaining table tennis balls. The inner volume may be defined by at least one wall of the ball storage device. In embodiments, the at least one wall defines a first opening and a second opening. The at least one wall may comprise a bottom floor, a playing end wall, and a side wall at least partially defining the inner volume, for example. The first opening may be located on a playing end of a table tennis table and the second opening may be located on either the left or right side of the table tennis table. A table tennis ball may be passed through either the first or second opening. However, in specific embodiments, the first opening is different than the second opening. One of the first opening and second opening may be designed for adding table tennis balls to the ball storage device and the other of the openings may be designed for removing a table tennis ball from the ball storage device.

(13) In certain embodiments, the inner volume is adapted such that the table tennis balls may be arranged side by side in at least two dimensions and/or one above the other can be arranged. Therefore, the distance between a front wall and a back wall of the ball storage device may be at least 80 mm for a ball storage device designed to allow two table tennis balls to rest on the bottom surface or bottom surfaces of the ball storage device. Similarly, the distance between a front wall and a back wall of the ball storage device may be at least 120 mm for a ball storage device designed to allow three table tennis balls to rest on the bottom surface or bottom surfaces of the ball storage device.

(14) In one embodiment of the ball storage device, the first opening is designed for both adding to and removing a table tennis ball from the ball storage device. In one such embodiment, the first opening has two end portions on either side of a central region. The central region is sized for receiving a table tennis ball either by adding or removing the table tennis ball from the ball storage device. For example, the central region may have a circular shape. The central region may be other shapes such as, but not limited to, oval, square, rectangular, pentagonal, other shape or combination of shapes.

(15) The end portions of the first opening are adjacent to the central region and may be connected to the central region. The end portions may be horizontally disposed in relation to the central region if the device is attached to a table tennis table in the playing configuration. In such an embodiment, the playing end wall of the ball storage device may define a first opening comprising the two end portions connected to the central portion.

(16) In an embodiment of the ball storage device, the second opening is defined by the side wall such that at least two table tennis balls next to each other may be passed through the second opening. The second opening in such an embodiment is therefore greater than 80 mm in width and 40 mm in height.

(17) The ball storage device may further comprise a filling region adjacent to the second opening. The filling region may be a fixed shape or can be defined by a door capable of moving from an open position to a closed position. The filling region for the inner volume may comprise a wall that extends outwardly away from the walls surrounding the inner volume. In one embodiment, the wall defining a portion of the filling region may be at a fixed angle of between 10° and 80° with respect to a bottom surface of the inner volume, or the wall may be a door that may be moved to an open position wherein the door (hinged wall) is at an angle of between 10° and 80° with respect to a bottom surface of the inner volume. The wall may be hingedly attached to a side wall or the bottom surface of the ball storage device to form the door for opening or closing the second opening. As the door may be hingedly connected, the door comprises an open position allowing at least one table tennis ball to be placed in the ball storage device through the second opening and a closed position that prevents a table tennis ball from being placed in the ball storage device through the second opening. In some embodiments, the open position may allow at least two table tennis balls to be simultaneously placed in the ball storage device through the second opening. Typically, table tennis balls are added into the second opening and removed from the first opening at the player end of the table tennis table. It may be advantageous for embodiments of the ball storage device to have a bottom surface that slopes from an area adjacent to the second opening down to an area adjacent to the first opening. Therefore, a table tennis ball added through the second opening will tend to roll to an area accessible from the first opening to ease removal of the table tennis ball from the ball storage device for use. Additionally, the bottom floor may define a ramp and an upper ledge. Table tennis balls may be stored in two layers wherein the second layer of table tennis balls extends onto the ledge formed in the bottom floor. The table tennis balls on the ledge will roll down the ramp and toward the first opening as table tennis balls are removed from the ball storage device on a table in the playing configuration. The ledge may be sized to store one row of table tennis balls. An embodiment of a ball storage device that includes a ramp and ledge for storing table tennis balls can store more balls in the second layer of balls than in the first layer of table tennis balls.

(18) In one embodiment, the ball storage device is located at one of the corners of the playing surface and further may be attached to the table tennis table below the bottom surface. Thus, the first opening may be accessible from the playing end of the table and the second opening may be accessible from either the left or right side of the table tennis table. For example, the first opening may be defined by the playing end wall, the second opening may be defined by the side wall, and the door is hingedly connected to one of the side wall and the bottom surface.

(19) The table tennis ball storage device in certain embodiments may comprise at least one wall defining a table tennis ball storage volume, wherein the at least one side wall defines a first opening and a second opening.

EXAMPLE 1

(20) An example of an embodiment of the ball storage device is shown in the figures. The ball storage device 100 comprises a first opening 101 and a second opening 401, Adjacent to the second opening 401 is a filling region 102. The filling region 102 is defined by inclined wall 103 and two side walls 103a on three sides with the second opening on a fourth side, so that a table tennis ball which is put into the filling region 102 is transferred by gravity into the inner volume 400 of the ball storage device when the table tennis table is in the playing configuration. A table tennis table 800 in the playing configuration is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The table tennis table 800 has two playing surfaces 800a and 800b.

(21) The first opening 101 may be used for the removal of table tennis balls from the ball storage device 100. The first opening shown in FIG. 1 is defined by the playing end wall 107 having a center portion 105 located between two end portions 106. The end portions 106 are located adjacent to and connected to the central region 105 to form the first opening 101. In the ball storage device of FIG. 1, the center portion 105 has a circular shape. When taking a ball from the ball storage device, a user may insert two of his fingers into the end portions 106 to manipulate a table tennis ball from the inner volume 400 through the central portion 105 of the first opening 101. The playing end wall 107 extends below the central region 105 to for a lip to prevent table tennis balls from rolling out of the inner volume 400.

(22) The inner volume 400 is bounded below by a bottom floor or bottom surface 104. The bottom floor has a slope to the first opening 101 from the second opening 401 and the back wall 108, so that the table tennis balls are moved by gravity toward the first opening 101 with the table tennis table in the playing configuration. Additionally, the bottom floor 104 may define a ramp 111 and an upper ledge 112, Table tennis balls may be stored in two layers and the second layer of table tennis balls may extend onto the ledge 112 formed in the bottom floor 104. The table tennis balls on the ledge 112 will roll down the ramp 111 and toward the first opening 101 as table tennis balls are removed from the ball storage device 100 on a table tennis table 800 in the playing configuration. The ledge 112 may be sized to store one or more rows of table tennis balls, typically the ledge will be designed to hold one additional row of table tennis balls.

(23) The filling region 102 is adjacent to the second opening 401, the table tennis balls may be guided or poured through the filling region 102 through the second opening 401 and into the inner volume 400. In the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIG. 1, the inner volume 400 is large enough that at least two table tennis balls can be arranged side by side and/or one over the other in two dimensions as the balls pass through the second opening 401. The second opening 401 is sized such that at least two adjacent table tennis balls can pass through the second opening simultaneously.

(24) The inclined wall 103 and two side walls 103a form a hinged door for opening and closing the second opening 401. The hinged door is shown in the open position in FIGS. 1 to 7, 10 and shown in the closed position in FIGS. 8 and 9. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the hinged door comprises a pin 103c. The pin 103c is received within a recess 103d in the side wall of the ball storage device 100. The pin 103c is rotatably retained within the recess 103d such that the hinged door may be selectively moved from an open position to a closed position.

(25) The hinged door may further comprise stops 103b on side walls 103a. The stops 103b contact the wall of the ball storage device 100 in the open position to prevent the hinged door from further opening and hold the inclined wall 103 at the desired angle in the open position.

(26) FIG. 8 shows how an embodiment of the ball storage device 100 may be attached to a table tennis table 800 in the playing configuration. The table tennis table comprises two playing surfaces 800a and 800b. Each playing surface comprises a top surface 801, a bottom surface 802 (not shown), a playing end surface 803 at each playing end of the table tennis table, and left side surface 804L and right side surfaces 804R. The ball storage device 807 is located in a corner 900 of the table tennis table 800 below the playing surface 801. The ball storage device 807 is positioned with the front wall 807F of the ball storage device 807 substantially flush with the playing end 803 apron 805 and with the side wall 807L of the ball storage device 807 substantially flush with the left side 804L apron 807L. The apron of the table tennis table may be flush with the edge of the table tennis table surface or recessed under the edge. A hinged door 808 may be opened to provide a sloping wall forming a filling region (not shown in FIG. 8, shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 as 102) protrudes outward of the apron 804L, so that filling the ball storage device 807 with table tennis balls is particularly simple. At this position, it is also particularly easy for a used to reach the first opening 101 to remove table tennis balls from the device 807 for convenient play.

EXAMPLE 2

(27) A second example of an embodiment of the ball storage device is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. An embodiment of the ball storage device 200 is shown at the corner of a table tennis table 900 between a playing end and the left side of the table tennis playing surface. The ball storage device 200 comprises a first opening 201 and a second opening 401. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, adjacent to the second opening 401 is a filling region 202. The filling region 202 is defined by inclined wall 203 and two side walls 203a on three sides with the second opening 401 on a fourth side, so that a table tennis ball which is put into the filling region 202 is transferred by gravity into the inner volume 400 of the ball storage device when the table tennis table is in the playing configuration.

(28) The first opening 201 may be used for the removal of table tennis balls from the ball storage device 200. The first opening shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is defined by the playing end wall 207 having a center region 205 connected to a bottom portion 206. The bottom portion 206 is located below and connected to the central region 205 to form the first opening 201.

(29) In the ball storage device of FIGS. 10 and 11, the center portion 205 has a circular shape. When taking a ball from the ball storage device, a user may insert a finger underneath a ball resting above bottom portion 206 to manipulate a table tennis ball from the inner volume 400 through the central portion 205 of the first opening 201. The playing end wall 207 extends into a playing end trough wall 207a. The playing end trough wall 207a is connected to the bottom surface trough wall 204a that extends up to the bottom surface 204. The trough 210 retains table tennis balls in the inner volume 400 in an area adjacent to the playing end wall 207 so that the table tennis balls are accessible through the first opening 201.

(30) The inner volume 400 is bounded below by a bottom floor or bottom surface 204. In some embodiments, the bottom floor 204 and the trough 210 have a slope to the first opening 201 from the second opening 401, so that the table tennis balls are moved by gravity towards the first opening 201 of the ball storage device 200 connected to a the table tennis table in the playing configuration.

(31) The filling region 202 is adjacent to the second opening 401, the table tennis balls may be guided or poured through the filling region 202 through the second opening 401 and into the inner volume 400. In the embodiment of the ball storage device of FIGS. 10 and 11, the inner volume 400 is large enough that at least two table tennis balls can be arranged side by side and/or one over the other in two dimensions as the balls pass through the second opening 401.

(32) The embodiments of the described table tennis ball holder device and method are not limited to the particular embodiments, components, method steps, and materials disclosed herein as such components, process steps, and materials may vary. Moreover, the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments only and the terminology is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

(33) Therefore, while embodiments of the invention are described with reference to exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should not be limited to the above discussed embodiments, and should only be defined by the following claims and all equivalents.