Cover of ball tube

Abstract

The invention relates to a cover of a ball tube, which includes a body part (3), to which are located a pressure valve (4), fastening elements (1, 2, 9) for fastening the body part to the ball tube, which fastening elements include annular top part (1) and bottom part (2), located on top of each other around the body part, and seal (9), located between the bottom part (2) and the body part (3), as well as moving elements for moving the bottom part and the body part in relation to each other. In accordance with the invention, the body part (3) of the cover of the ball tube is locatable partially inside the ball tube, the bottom part (2) is arranged to be located around the opening of the ball tube (10) and it extends on both sides of the top edge of the ball tube, the seal (9) is inside the ball tube, and the top part (1) is arranged to move the bottom part (2) and the body part (3) in relation to each other for moving the seal (9) against the inner surface of the ball tube (10) and for fastening the cover to the ball tube in a pressure-proof way.

Description

[0001] COVER OF BALL TUBE

[0002] The invention relates to a cover of a ball tube, which includes a body part, to which are located a pressure valve, fastening elements for fastening the body part to the ball tube, which fastening elements include annular top part and bottom part, located on top of each other around the body part, and seal, located between the bottom part and the body part, as well as moving elements for moving the bottom part and the body part in relation to each other.

[0003] Tennis and padel balls or equivalent balls include a layer manufactured of a rubberlike or similar material, inside of which, there is pressurised air. On top of the rubber material, there is a top layer manufactured of felt. Due to pressurised air, tennis and padel balls bounce in a way required in these sports. After manufacture, these balls are put into ball tubes where they are kept under a slight positive pressure. Tennis and padel balls are stored under about 1 bar of overpressure to ensure better preservation. The balls are stored and sold in these ball tubes. Balls start to lose their internal pressure as soon as the ball tube is opened and the balls are taken out of the ball tube because the rubber layer of the balls is not totally tight. Their internal pressure decreases gradually and, at some point, their bounce characteristics have worsened so much that they cannot be used in matches any more. Even though the balls are put back to the ball tube, the ball tube is no longer tight and pressurised.

[0004] There exist various containers or ball tubes and their covers, by means of which, one tries to keep the internal pressure of tennis and padel balls as constant as possible and / or to restore the pressure to a higher level during storage after taking them into use. These containers or ball tubes usually include a cover to be fastened to them in a pressure-proof way, which cover contains a pressure valve or equivalent for pressurising the container for the storage of the balls. Usually, these containers are separate containers, ball tubes or similar manufactured for this purpose which include separate structures for fastening the cover to them in a pressure-proof way. Balls are put into these containers after they have been taken from ball tubes where they are when bought. The original ball tubes are then thrown away to trash or to be recycled. This brings more waste material and incurs costs. Furthermore, the structures are often complex and expensive.

[0005] Spanish specification ES1028L20U, German specification DE4106374A1 and Australian specification 1999383 A present covers for a ball tube, which include a body part, to which a pressure valve and fastening elements for fastening the body part to the ball tube are located. The fastening elements include annular top part and bottom part, located on top of each other around the body part, and a ring seal. In the covers presented in these specifications, the body part, the top part and the bottom part exist and operate outside the ball tube and the ring seal is above the edge of the opening of the ball tube and is pressed against it.

[0006] An object of the invention is to introduce a cover of a ball tube by means of which the above problems are eliminated. A particular object of the invention is to introduce a cover of a ball tube which is fastenable to the original ball tube and reliably pressurable afterwards. An additional object of the invention is to introduce a cover of a ball tube which is cost-effective to manufacture, pressure-proof and easy to use.

[0007] The object of the invention is achieved with a cover of a ball tube which is characterised by what is presented in the claims.

[0008] It is characteristic for the cover of a ball tube according to the invention that the body part is locatable partially inside the ball tube, the bottom part is arranged to be located around the opening of the ball tube and it extends on both sides of the top edge of the ball tube, the seal is located inside the ball tube, and the top part is arranged to move the bottom part and the body part in relation to each other for moving the seal against the inner surface of the ball tube and for fastening the cover to the ball tube in a pressure-proof way.

[0009] Such a structure of the ball tube is simple and cost-effective to manufacture. The structure is extremely durable when the greatest force is applied to the body part of the cover. Less material is required when forces applied to the cover are inside the tube. This enables the use of lighter covers, which results in savings in material costs. The cover is lockable in a pressure-proof way to the original ball tube, and the pressure remains inside the ball tube. This enables the longer useful life of the balls and, by means of the cover, the tube of the original packaging of the balls can be utilised in the storage of the balls. Therefore, balls can be preserved and stored in the same ball tube where they were when bought, and there is no need for a separate container. In this case, raw materials and cost savings are achieved. Additionally, the cover is easy to use and cost-effective of its manufacture costs.

[0010] In an advantageous further embodiment, the cover includes locking elements for locking the bottom part and the body part to each other. The locking elements are locking elements known as such, by means of which, such structures are lockable to each other and unlocked from each other.

[0011] In an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, threads are formed on the sides of the body part and there are equivalent threads on the inner sides of the top part and the bottom part. In another advantageous further embodiment, there is a free space on the inner side of the bottom part at the point of the threads of the body part. In both cases, it is possible to move the body part in the vertical direction in relation to the top and bottom parts by rotating the top part.

[0012] In an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, a section of the bottom edge of the bottom part being against the body part is bevelled such that the edge of the bottom part being against the body part is at a lower plane than the other edge, and a protrusion extending radially is formed to the bottom edge of the body part, the top edge of which is at least partially bevelled. In addition, the seal is located between the protrusion of the body part and the bottom edge of the bottom part. In such a structure, the seal remains well in place in the initial position. The seal is easily movable against the inner surface of the ball tube when the bevelled parts / edges are moved towards each other and the seal is pressed between these parts / edges and the inner surface of the ball tube.

[0013] In an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, the seal is a ring seal which is located between the protrusion of the body part and the bottom edge of the bottom part. The material of the seal can vary in different embodiments of the invention. It is of elastic / stretching material, such as rubber, plastic, silicone, or some other similar material. The shape of the cross-section of the ring seal can also be different in different embodiments; it can be circular, rectangular, triangular or some other shape.

[0014] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a cover of a ball tube according to the invention,

[0016] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the cover of a ball tube of Fig. 1,

[0017] FIG. 3 shows a cross section A-A of the cover of a ball tube of Fig. 2, and

[0018] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the structure and operation of the cover of a ball tube of Figs. 1-3 in a larger scale. A cover of a ball tube of figs. 1-5 includes an annular top part 1 and an annular bottom part 2. Furthermore, the cover includes a body part 3 to which are located a pressure valve 4 and a pressure indicator, such as a pressure gauge. Threads 5 are formed on the sides of the body part 3. Equivalent threads are formed on the inner sides of the top part 1 and the bottom part 2. The top part 1 is located around the body part 3, and it is arranged rotatable in relation to the body part, whereby its position changes in the vertical direction of the body part. The bottom part 2 is located around the body part 3 below the top part 1 such that the bottom surface of the top part 1 is against the top surface of the bottom part 2. The bottom part is in principle a part in the shape of the letter U with threads on its one side.

[0019] A bottom edge 6 of the bottom part being against the body part is bevelled inwards such that its side being against the body part is at a lower plane than the outer side. A protrusion 8 extending radially is formed on the bottom edge of the body part, a top edge 7 of which is at least partially bevelled to extend from down inwards. Furthermore, the cover includes a ring seal 9 which is located in a space between the protrusion 8 of the body part and the bevelled surfaces of the bottom part against these bevelled surfaces and the surface of the body part 3.

[0020] When using the cover of a ball tube of the figures, balls are initially put in the ball tube. After that, the cover is put on top of the ball tube 10 in a way shown by Fig. 4. The body part 3 is partially inside the ball tube. The annular bottom part 2 on the side of the body part is around the edge of the opening of the ball tube 10 and extends on both sides of the top edge. On the opening of the ball tube, there is usually a collar extending inwards. The side of the bottom part 2 extending inside the ball tube extends on the bottom side of this collar. The top part 1 is above the bottom part 2. The ring seal 9 is inside the ball tube between the body part and the bottom part.

[0021] When fastening the cover, the top part 1 of the cover is rotated in relation to the body part 3, whereby the body part moves upwards in relation to the top part and the bottom part. When the body part moves upwards, the protrusion 8 of the body part and its bevelled top edge 7 move towards the bevelled bottom edge 6 of the bottom part. Then, these bevelled surfaces push the ring seal 9 between them against the inner surface of the ball tube 10 in a way shown by Figs. 3 and 5. When there is a collar on the opening of the ball tube, the parts of the cover are locatable in such a way that the ring seal is also pressed against the bottom part of this collar. This forms an airtight structure between the ball tube and the cover. After this, the ball tube and the balls inside are pressurisable by conveying air to the tube by the pressure valve. By means of the pressure indicator, the magnitude of pressure may be checked, if required, when adding air and afterwards during storage.

[0022] Other embodiments include different kinds of moving elements for moving the bottom part and the body part in relation to each other. The main point is that, by means of the moving elements, the bottom part and the body part is movable in relation to each other, whereby the above-mentioned bevelled surfaces move towards each other and push said seal against the inner surface of the tube. In some embodiments, the body part is movable in relation to the bottom part by pressing or lifting the top part. Furthermore, embodiments include various locking elements for fastening the top part to the body part of the bottom part. The locking element may be one or more slots or grooves in the one part and a movable pin or equivalent in the other part. The locking element can also be e.g. a latch or an equivalent element. In some embodiment, the top part may be at a distance from the bottom part.

[0023] The invention is not limited to the described advantageous embodiments, but it can vary within the scope of the inventive idea presented in the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A cover of a ball tube, which includes a body part (3), to which are located a pressure valve (4), fastening elements (1, 2, 9) for fastening the body part to the ball tube, which fastening elements include annular top part (1) and bottom part (2), located on top of each other around the body part, and seal (9), located between the bottom part and the body part, as well as moving elements for moving the bottom part and the body part in relation to each other, characterised in that the body part (3) is partially locatable inside the ball tube, the bottom part (2) is arranged to be located around the opening of the ball tube (10) and it extends on both sides of the top edge of the ball tube, the seal (9) is located inside the ball tube, and that the top part (1) is arranged to move the bottom part (2) and the body part (3) in relation to each other for moving the seal (9) against the inner surface of the ball tube (10) and for fastening the cover to the ball tube in a pressure-proof way.

2. A cover of a ball tube according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover includes locking elements for locking the bottom part and the body part to each other.

3. A cover of a ball tube according to claim 1, characterised in that threads (5) are formed on the sides of the body part (3) and there are equivalent threads on the inner sides of the top part (1) and the bottom part (2).

4. A cover of a ball tube according to any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that a section (6) of the bottom edge of the bottom part (2) being against the body part (3) is bevelled such that the edge of the bottom part being against the body part is at a lower plane than the other edge, and a protrusion (8) extending radially is formed to the bottom edge of the body part, the top edge (7) of which is at least partially bevelled.

5. A cover of a ball tube according to claim 4, characterised in that the seal is a ring seal (9) which is located between the protrusion (8) of the body part and the bottom edge (6) of the bottom part.

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