US 11,951,360 B2
Tennis ball
Frank M. Simonutti, Wheaton, IL (US); William E. Dillon, Chicago, IL (US); and Chloe J. Lee, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to Wilson Sporting Goods Co., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by Wilson Sporting Goods Co., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/151,394.
Application 17/151,394 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/114,639, filed on Aug. 28, 2018, granted, now 10,918,913.
Prior Publication US 2021/0128985 A1, May 6, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A63B 39/06 (2006.01); A63B 39/02 (2006.01); A63B 39/00 (2006.01); A63B 102/02 (2015.01)
CPC A63B 39/02 (2013.01) [A63B 39/06 (2013.01); A63B 2039/006 (2013.01); A63B 2102/02 (2015.10)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tennis ball comprising:
a spherical hollow elastomeric core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm, the spherical hollow core has an initial internal pressure of no greater than 5 psi; and
a textile layer covering the spherical elastomeric hollow core, the tennis ball having a first tennis ball rebound height when measured at a first time when the tennis ball is unused and a second tennis ball rebound height measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, and the second tennis ball rebound height being at least 96% of the first tennis ball rebound height;
wherein the second tennis ball rebound height, measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused, satisfies United States Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation standardized rebound height specifications as published by the International Tennis Federation as of Jul. 1, 2018.