Tennis Court Corner Marker

Abstract

A device for marking the corner demarcation lines of a tennis court that facilitates identifying whether a ball lands inbounds or out-of-bounds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tennis court marker configured to be inserted into the intersecting lines of demarcation of a tennis court, comprising:
 a cross-piece having the shape of a cross with an opening at its point of intersection;   wherein the cross-piece includes a vertical section and a horizontal section that are perpendicular to each other;   wherein the vertical section is subdivided into an upper panel and a bottom panel;   wherein each panel in the vertical section includes a top surface;   wherein the upper panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the upper panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the upper panel;   wherein the bottom panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the bottom panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the bottom panel;   wherein the horizontal section is subdivided into a left panel and a right panel;   wherein each panel in the horizontal section includes a top surface;   wherein the right panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the right panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the right panel;   wherein the left panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the left panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the left panel;   wherein an end of the first leg of the left panel is connected to an end of the first leg of the upper panel, wherein an end of the second leg of the left panel is connected to an end the first leg of the bottom panel, wherein an end of the first leg of the right panel is connected to an end of the second leg of the upper panel, and wherein an end of the second leg of the right panel is connected to an end of the second leg of the bottom panel, thereby creating the opening at the point of intersection of the cross-piece and providing access to and visibility to the surface of the tennis court.   
     
     
         2 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the legs in each panel include a slanted or biased portion to facilitate the insertion or integration of the cross-piece into the tennis court surface. 
     
     
         3 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the opening corresponds to an intersection on the lines of demarcation of the tennis court. 
     
     
         4 . The tennis court marker of  claim 3 , wherein the intersection corresponds to the intersection between a singles sideline and a baseline of the tennis court. 
     
     
         5 . The tennis court marker of  claim 3 , wherein the intersection corresponds to the intersection between a service line and a singles sideline of the tennis court. 
     
     
         6 . The tennis court marker of  claim 3 , wherein the intersection corresponds to the intersection between a center service line and a service line of the tennis court. 
     
     
         7 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the upper panel is shorter in length than the bottom panel. 
     
     
         8 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-piece is a monolithic structure. 
     
     
         9 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , further comprising an interlocking mechanism for connecting the panels in the vertical section to the panels of the horizontal section. 
     
     
         10 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical section and the horizontal section have the same width as the lines of demarcation of a tennis court. 
     
     
         11 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the first leg of the left panel is seamlessly connected to the end of the first leg of the upper panel, wherein the end of the second leg of the left panel is seamlessly connected to the end the first leg of the bottom panel, wherein the end of the first leg of the right panel is seamlessly connected to the end of the second leg of the upper panel, and wherein the end of the second leg of the right panel is seamlessly connected to the end of the second leg of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         12 . The tennis court marker of  claim 1 , wherein the connection between the first leg of the left panel and the first leg the upper panel includes a first support piece, the connection between the first leg of the right panel and the second leg of the upper panel includes a second support piece, the connection between the second leg of the left panel and the first leg of the bottom panel includes a third support piece, and the connection between the second leg of the right panel and the second leg of the bottom panel includes a third support piece. 
     
     
         13 . A tennis court marker configured to be inserted into the intersecting lines of demarcation of a tennis court, comprising:
 a cross-piece having the shape of a cross;   wherein the cross-piece includes a vertical section and a horizontal section that are perpendicular to each other;   wherein the vertical section is subdivided into an upper panel and a bottom panel;   wherein each panel in the vertical section includes a top surface;   wherein the upper panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the upper panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the upper panel;   wherein the bottom panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the bottom panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the bottom panel;   wherein the horizontal section is subdivided into a left panel and a right panel;   wherein each panel in the horizontal section includes a top surface;   wherein the right panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the right panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the right panel;   wherein the left panel includes a first leg extending perpendicularly from a first end of the top surface of the left panel and a second leg extending perpendicularly from a second end of the top surface of the left panel;   wherein an end of the first leg of the left panel is connected to an end of the first leg of the upper panel, wherein an end of the second leg of the left panel is connected to an end the first leg of the bottom panel, wherein an end of the first leg of the right panel is connected to an end of the second leg of the upper panel, and wherein an end of the second leg of the right panel is connected to an end of the second leg of the bottom panel.   
     
     
         14 . The tennis court marker of  claim 13 , wherein the legs in each panel include a slanted or biased portion to facilitate the insertion or integration of the cross-piece into the tennis court surface. 
     
     
         15 . The tennis court marker of  claim 13 , wherein the cross-piece comprises a central panel between the left and right panel and between the upper and bottom panel. 
     
     
         16 . The tennis court marker of  claim 15 , wherein the central panel, right panel, left panel, upper panel and bottom panel have the same color. 
     
     
         17 . The tennis court marker of  claim 15 , wherein the central panel has a first color and the right panel, left panel, upper panel and bottom panel have a second color that is different from the first color.