Method and apparatus for carrying racquet balls

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing a racquet ball container, such as a typical tennis ball can, to a racquet or racquet cover. The container may protect the balls from external environmental conditions, such as moisture, dirt or ambient air pressure. The racquet cover may be arranged to at least partially cover only a single racquet, yet have a ball can removably secured.

1 . A racquet and ball combination comprising: 
 a racquet or racquet cover;    one or more racquet balls that are adapted for use in a game played with the racquet;    a container in which the one or more balls are carried; and    a securing device that removably secures the container to the racquet or racquet cover.    
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the container protects the one or more racquet balls from external environmental conditions including moisture, dirt or ambient air pressure.  
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the container carries a plurality of balls.  
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a ball can.  
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the container is a tennis ball can.  
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes an elastic band that engages with the container and is attached to the racquet cover or racquet.  
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a strap that engages with the container and is attached to the racquet cover or racquet.  
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 7 , wherein the securing device includes a strap that encircles the container.  
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the racquet or racquet cover and a second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the container.  
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes two engageable strap portions attached to the racquet or racquet cover, and wherein the two strap portions are adapted to extend around a portion of the container and engage with each other to secure the container to the racquet or racquet cover.  
   
   
       11 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a bar member attached to the racquet or racquet cover, the bar member carrying the container.  
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a clip that engages with the racquet or racquet cover.  
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a flexible band that engages with and at least partially conforms to the shape of the container.  
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a pocket attached to the racquet or racquet cover into which the container is received.  
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a first fastener that engages with the racquet or racquet cover, and a second fastener that engages with the container.  
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the first fastener is a clip, and the second fastener is a strap.  
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a strap that engages with the container and first and second complementary portions of a hook-and-loop fastener, the first portion of the hook-and-loop fastener being attached to the racquet or racquet cover and the second portion of the hook-and-loop fastener being attached to the strap.  
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device includes a strap that is made of a resilient material and only partially extends around the container to engage with the container.  
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a flexible pouch.  
   
   
       19 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the container is secured to a racquet cover that is constructed and arranged to at least partially cover a single racquet, and wherein the securing device includes a pocket that is attached to the racquet cover into which the container is placed.  
   
   
       20 . A method for securing a plurality of racquet balls to a racquet or racquet cover, the method comprising: 
 providing a racquet or racquet cover;    providing a plurality of racquet balls;    providing the plurality of racquet balls in a container; and    removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of racquet balls in a container comprises providing a plurality of racquet balls in a ball can.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover by way of a flexible band.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises positioning a strap around a portion of the container and attaching the strap to the racquet or racquet cover.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises securing the container by engaging a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the racquet or racquet cover with a second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the container.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises extending two strap portions around a portion of the container and engaging the two strap portions with each other to secure the container to the racquet or racquet cover.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises attaching the container to a bar member attached to the racquet or racquet cover.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises engaging a clip attached to the container with the racquet or racquet cover.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of removably securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises engaging a flexible strap with the container, the flexible strap at least partially conforming to the shape of the container.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the step of providing a racquet or racquet cover comprises providing a racquet cover constructed and arranged to at least partially cover only a single racquet and having a pocket attached to the cover, and the step of securing the container to the racquet or racquet cover comprises placing the container in the pocket.  
   
   
       30 . A racquet and ball combination comprising: 
 a racquet or racquet cover that is intended to at least partially cover only a single racquet;    two or more racquet balls that are adapted for use in a game played with the racquet;    a ball can in which the two or more balls are carried, the ball protecting the racquet balls from external environmental conditions including moisture, dirt or ambient air pressure; and    a securing device that removably secures the ball can to the racquet or racquet cover.