Ball retrieving apparatus and methods of making and using same

Abstract

A ball retreiving assembly includes a housing, an ejection member and a cup member. The housing has a first end, a second end and a passageway extending between the first end and the second end. The ejection member is movably disposed within the passageway of the housing. The cup member is operationally connected to the housing and the ejection member, the cup member sized and dimensioned to receive a ball.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball retreiving assembly, comprising:
 a housing having a first end, a second end and a passageway extending between the first end and the second end;   a rod having a first end and a second end movably disposed within the passageway of the housing between the first end and the second of the housing, wherein a spring is wrapped about the second end of the rod so as to cooperate in moving the rod in a first direction toward the first end of the housing and a second direction toward the second end of the housing; and   a plurality of cup members wherein a first cup member is sized to receive a baseball, tennis ball or cricket ball and a second cup member is sized to receive a softball such the first cup member is interchangeable with the second cup member, each of the plurality of cup members being removably connected to the first end of the housing wherein each of the plurality of cup members has an opening for allowing insertion of the first end of the rod.   
     
     
         2 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rod is movable between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         3 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 2  wherein in the first position, the rod is retractable such that the first end of the rod is positioned against an inside of one of the plurality of cups and wherein in the second position, the rod is movable in a first direction toward the first end of the housing such that the first end of the rod is extendable through the opening in one of the plurality of cups and wherein the rod is moveable in a second direction toward the second end of the housing such that the rod is movable to the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1  wherein a cap attachable to the first end of the rod for engaging the ball for ejection and wherein an end cap attachable to the second end of the rod for receiving a thumb, finger or palm of an individual so as to operate the ball retrieving assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cup members is connectable to the rod. 
     
     
         6 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cup member is frusto-conical. 
     
     
         7 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1  wherein the housing and the cup member are constructed from a single material. 
     
     
         8 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first end of the housing is threaded to connect the cup member to the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The ball retrieving assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cup member is constructed from any material capable of frictionally gripping the ball. 
     
     
         10 . A method for retrieving a ball from the ground, comprising:
 positioning one of a plurality of cup members of a ball retrieving assembly over a ball lying on the ground, wherein the ball retrieving assembly has a housing having a first end, a second end and a passageway extending between the first end and the second end wherein a first cup member is sized to receive a baseball, tennis ball or cricket ball and a second cup member is sized to receive a softball such the first cup member is interchangeable with the second cup member, each of the plurality of cup members being removably connected to the first end of the housing wherein each of the plurality of cup members has an opening for allowing insertion of the first end of the rod;   moving one of the plurality of cup members in a downward direction to engage the ball in the one of the plurality of cup members so as to pick the ball up off of the ground; and   ejecting the ball from one of the plurality of cup members of the ball retrieving assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 positioning one of the plurality of cup members which holds the ball over a container for receiving the ball.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 positioning one of the plurality of cup members of the ball retrieving assembly over another ball lying on the ground;   moving one of the plurality of cup members in a downward direction to receive the other ball in the one of a plurality of cup members so as to pick the other ball up off of the ground; and   ejecting the other ball from one of the plurality of cup members of the ball retrieving assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of ejecting the ball from one of the plurality of cup members of the ball retrieving assembly, the ball retrieving assembly is provided with a rod, the rod having a first end and a second end movably disposed within the passageway of the housing between the first end and the second of the housing, wherein a spring is wrapped about the second end of the rod so as to cooperate in moving the rod in a first direction toward the first end of the housing and a second direction toward the second end of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the rod is movable between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein in the first position, the rod is retractable such that the first end of the rod is positioned against an inside of one of the plurality of cups and wherein in the second position, the rod is movable in a first direction toward the first end of the housing such that the first end of the rod is extendable through the opening in one of the plurality of cups and wherein the rod is moveable in a second direction toward the second end of the housing such that the rod is movable to the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the cup member is connected to the rod. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first end of the housing is threaded to connect the cup member to the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the cup member is frusto-conical. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the cup member is sized and configured to receive a correspondingly sized and shaped ball. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the cup member is constructed from any material capable of frictionally gripping the ball.