Patents on the soles of your shoes...: Oh, patents! Pickleballs

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Oh, patents! Pickleballs

Made from plastic, resin, or polymer, measuring between 2.874 inches (7.3 cm) and 2.972 inches (7.54 cm) in diameter, pickleballs come in two different configurations: indoor and outdoor. Indoor pickleballs have 26 holes, averaging .43 inches in diameter. Outdoor pickleballs have 40 holes, averaging .282 inches in diameter.

According to pickleball experts, the number of pickleball holes has an impact on weight, resistance, and speed of the pickleball. Indeed, the wider indoor pickleball holes create less resistance to air, therefore indoor balls travel at a slower speed through the air, whereas the smaller outdoor pickleball holes offer more resistance to air, therefore increasing the speed of outdoor balls. As a result, indoor games are slower-paced than outdoor games.

The difference in the number of pickleball holes also creates a small 1% difference in the weight of the balls. In turn, this difference has an impact on how the ball bounces, and how it travels through the air. Heavier balls will bounce slightly higher than lighter balls.

The design of pickleball holes is patented. The US design patent, USD800236S1, titled Pickle Ball, was awarded on October 17, 2017.

Below, Figures 1 and 2, extracted from the patent, respectively depict front and side views of the pickleball. The solid lines, showing the holes, correspond to the ornamental design that is claimed. The broken lines illustrate other parts of the pickleball that are not part of the claimed invention design. An image of an outdoor pickleball with smaller holes, similar to the ones claimed in USD800236S1, is also included below.