US20120035007A1

US20120035007A1 - Attachable Ball

Info

Publication number: US20120035007A1
Application number: US13/080,625
Authority: US
Inventors: Keith Peter Sanna
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-08-05
Filing date: 2011-04-05
Publication date: 2012-02-09

Abstract

The “Attachable Ball” is a ball that simply and easily attaches & detaches to a strap, leash, rope , string, wire or netting. The attachable ball has a slit or cut within it that will allow the strap to be inserted into the ball. The inside walls of the ball will grip the strap and stay put. The inside and or outside of the ball may have any raised or indented images. When the ball is attached it allows the person with the ball to carry it hands free. Some uses would be: Ball attached to a leash. Ball attached to a backpack strap. Ball attached to a shoe string in addition to many more uses. Ball materials are infinite and can include rubber type materials.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an attachable ball in use according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a detail perspective view of the attachable ball according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the attachable ball, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a detail cross-sectional view of the attachable ball, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a rounded ball, or a ball with, for example, the contours of a football, having a slit therein that makes it attachable to various other objects. It can be particularly useful when walking a dog because the ball can be easily attached to and detached from any section of various leashes, leads, straps, webbing, ropes or any elongated object.
According to an exemplary embodiment (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4) the ball 12 can be made of rubber or plastic or any other suitable material and may have a smooth or a textured surface of some kind. The attachable ball 12 can also have a gap or slit 20 cut into it (FIG. 2). The ball 12 can have any of a range of diameters, and the size of the gap or slit 20 may vary with that dimension. The ball 12 can be easily attached and detached from various leashes, leads, straps, webbing, ropes or strings 14. The size and depth of the slit 20 (FIG. 4) can vary depending on the dimensions of the leash, lead, rope or string 14 to which it will attach. The slit 20 can be on one or both sides of a ball 12. The inside of the gap or slit 20 may be a surface that can grip or attach to other surfaces 22 (FIG. 3). The gripping surface 22 of the gap or slit can have the form of smooth, waffle texture, hex forms, lines, bumps, circles, suction cups or any other gripping surface 22 that will fasten any of the various leashes, leads, straps, webbing, ropes or strings 14 that may be wedged in the slit (FIG. 4).
The ball 10 that may be attached to a leash, lead, strap, webbing, rope or string can be exemplified in its use in walking a pet 18 more easily and safely for both the walker 16 and the pet 18. Many balls marketed for this purpose may have hooks, snaps or holes, with a rope stored inside. Because this ball 12 can attach to a leash, lead, strap, webbing, rope or string 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4), it may eliminate the need to carry the object in one's hand or pocket or to store it in a purse or backpack. However, the attachable ball 10 can be advantageously used in any activity, such as athletics, recreation, or child care, because of the ease of access and the simple attaching and detaching process.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An attachable ball, comprising

a ball; a slit cut from the exterior to the interior of the ball;

a gripping surface within the ball on one or both sides of the slit;

wherein the gripping surface within the slit enables the ball to be attached to and detached from an elongated object.