Illuminated tennis ball and kit for playing tennis in the dark

• Main Author: DAVID LESLIE BROWN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.03.2008
• Subjects: AMUSEMENTS; APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING,CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE; GAMES; HUMAN NECESSITIES; ROLLER SKATES; SKATES; SKIS; SPORTS; TRAINING EQUIPMENT

An illuminated tennis ball comprises flexible shell 1 enclosing gas- or foam-filled interior 2, the shell being provided with surface felt 3, and the ball including chemiluminescent light-generating chemicals held within internal voids of the shell, foam (where present) and/or felt. The light-generating chemicals are held separately from one another, such that squeezing or impacting the ball causes the chemicals to mix, react, and generate light to illuminate the ball. Each of the shell, foam (where present) and felt is sufficiently transparent that the generated light is visible and illuminates the tennis ball for play, and the ball is balanced and performs substantially as a corresponding conventional gas- or foam-filled tennis ball. The chemiluminescent chemicals may be held within internal voids in the felt 3, e.g. within microcapsules 6 each having two compartments 7 separated by a frangible wall 8 which is rupturable to allow mixing of the chemicals. The ball may form part of a kit including lighting strips which glow in the dark for delineating a tennis court (not shown). The lighting strips may incorporate light emitting diodes, and the kit may include means for lighting the top edge of a tennis net (not shown).