Ball pit ball with desiccant

• US 6,322,465 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Gentile
• Original Assignee: Robert Gentile
• Inventors: Gentile, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/480,293
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 473/577, 473/594, 473/595, 473/596, 473/610
• US Class Current: 473/594
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2039/003 substantially hollow and pressureless
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements

Abstract

A ball pit ball for use in ball pits or seas of balls with desiccant for absorbing moisture from a surface of the ball pit ball and from neighboring surfaces. The ball pit ball has a generally spherical hollow outer shell defining an open inner volume with a volume of desiccant material, such as calcium chloride, in the open inner volume of the outer shell. The desiccant material can be liquid, such as calcium chloride brine, or solid and can comprise one or more desiccant materials in combination. A volume of chlorine may be further disposed in the open inner volume of the ball pit ball, possibly with a proportion of two parts chlorine to one part calcium chloride.

Claims

1. A ball pit ball with desiccant for absorbing moisture from a surface of the ball pit ball with desiccant and from neighboring surfaces in a ball pit, the ball pit ball comprising:

a generally spherical hollow outer shell;

an open inner volume defined by an inner surface of the outer shell; and

a volume of desiccant material retained within the open inner volume of the outer shell wherein the desiccant material comprises a calcium chloride brine solution of approximately 30% to approximately 50% calcium chloride brine;

whereby the ball pit ball with desiccant absorbs moisture from the inner surface of the outer shell of the ball pit ball with desiccant and from neighboring surfaces in a ball pit.

2. The ball pit ball of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the outer shell is generally spherical.

3. The ball pit ball of claim 1 wherein the calcium chloride brine comprises a solution of approximately 35% to approximately 40% calcium chloride brine.

4. The ball pit ball of claim 3 wherein the calcium chloride brine comprises a solution of approximately 37% calcium chloride brine.

6. The ball pit ball of claim 1 wherein the desiccant material comprises a liquid.

7. The ball pit ball of claim 1 wherein the desiccant material comprises a solid.

5. A ball pit ball with desiccant for absorbing moisture from a surface of the ball pit ball with desiccant and from neighboring surfaces in a ball pit, the ball pit ball comprising:

a generally spherical hollow outer shell;

an open inner volume defined by an inner surface of the outer shell;

a volume of desiccant material retained within the open inner volume of the outer shell;

a volume of chlorine disposed in the open inner volume of the ball pit ball; and

whereby the ball pit ball with desiccant absorbs moisture from the inner surface of the outer shell of the ball pit ball with desiccant and from neighboring surfaces in a ball pit.

8. The ball pit ball of claim 5 wherein the desiccant material is chosen from the desiccant group consisting of activated charcoal, alumina, alumino silicate, calcium chloride, calcium fluoride, calcium oxide, calcium sulfate, clays, lithium chloride, molecular sieves, silica gel, starches, a zeolite, barium oxide, magnesium perchlorate, glycerin, calcium hydride, phosphoric anhydride, phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, ethylene glycol, barium oxide, and sodium sulfate.

9. The ball pit ball of claim 8 wherein the desiccant material comprises a combination of two or more of the desiccant materials from the desiccant group of claim 8.

10. The ball pit ball of claim 5 wherein the desiccant material comprises calcium chloride.

11. The ball pit ball of claim 10 wherein the calcium chloride is in liquid form.

12. The ball pit ball of claim 8 wherein the calcium chloride comprises calcium chloride brine.

13. The ball pit ball of claim 10 wherein the calcium chloride is in solid form.

14. The ball pit ball of claim 5 wherein the volume of desiccant materials comprises calcium chloride wherein the chlorine and the calcium chloride are provided in a proportion of two parts chlorine to one part calcium chloride.

15. The ball pit ball of claim 5 wherein the outer shell comprises a continuous, substantially sealed structure.

16. The ball pit ball of claim 5 wherein the outer shell has an outer diameter of between approximately 2 and approximately 3 inches.

17. The ball pit ball of claim 16 wherein the outer shell has an outer diameter of approximately 2.6 inches.

18. A ball pit ball with desiccant for absorbing moisture from a surface of the ball pit ball with desiccant and from neighboring surfaces in a ball pit, the ball pit ball comprising:

a generally spherical hollow outer shell;

an open inner volume defined by an inner surface of the outer shell; and

a volume of desiccant material retained within the open inner volume of the outer shell wherein the desiccant material comprises calcium chloride;

whereby the ball pit ball with desiccant absorbs moisture from the inner surface of the outer shell of the ball pit ball with desiccant and from neighboring surfaces in a ball pit.

19. The ball pit ball of claim 18 further comprising a volume of chlorine disposed in the open inner volume of the ball pit ball.

20. The ball pit ball of claim 18 wherein the chlorine and the calcium chloride are provided in a proportion of two parts chlorine to one part calcium chloride.