Sports equipment organizer

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for organizing and maintaining a baseball or softball player's equipment (batting helmet, batting gloves, sweats, sweatshirts, hats, water bottle, fielder's mitt or glove, catcher's chest protector, catcher's mask, catcher's shin protectors, and sliders). The device is easily fastened and unfastened to any standard chain link fence, and when properly fastened does not swing or sag when equipment is hung or removed. The device may also be permanently mounted in dugouts or other areas. The device is easily stored in a standard equipment bag and can serve as a form for the fielder's glove or mitt while in storage. This is also true of the catcher's configuration, which includes storage cylinders. These cylinders can be removed from the device and continue to hold the chest protector and shin guards while stored in the catcher's equipment bag.

1 . An equipment organizing device, comprising: 
 a central vertically longitudinal portion;    a first hanger extending horizontally from a first side the central portion;    a support slat extending vertically parallel with and horizontally spaced apart from the central longitudinal portion,    where the support slat is attached to an upper end of the central longitudinal portion on a second opposite side of the central longitudinal portion.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a ball-shaped attachment mounted to an upper surface of the first hanger, where the ball-shaped attachment is sized to have a diameter similar to a baseball or a softball.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a second hanger extending horizontally from the first side of the central portion at a position lower than the first hanger.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , in which the second hanger includes a hook portion extending vertically from an end of the second hanger distal from the central portion, where the hook portion is sized to receive and support a batting helmet or a catcher's helmet.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , in which the slat is sized and shaped to fit through an opening in a chain-link fence.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one generally cylindrically shaped horizontal sleeve mounted on the first side of the central portion at a position lower than the first hanger, where the at least one generally cylindrically shaped horizontal sleeve has an inner diameter sized to receive a rolled up chest protector or leg protectors worn by a catcher.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a generally half-circularly shaped strap extending horizontally from the first face of the central portion at a position above the first hanger, where the half-circularly shaped strap is sized and shaped to receive and provide lateral support to a water bottle placed on the first hanger.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a holding material mounted to a vertical surface of the central portion.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , in which the holding material mounted to a vertical surface of the central portion includes a hook material mounted to a first vertical surface of the central portion and a loop material mounted to a second vertical surface of the central portion.  
   
   
       10 . An equipment organizing device, comprising: 
 a hanger adapted to receive and support sports equipment; and    a device support hanger adapted to provide stable support when the device is removably attached to a chain-link fence when sports equipment is received on the hanger.    
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10 , in which the hanger adapted to receive and support sports equipment includes an attachment adapted to receive and support a fielder's glove or mitt.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a second hanger having a hook adapted to support a batting helmet or a catcher's helmet.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one sleeve adapted to store a rolled chest protector or leg protectors worn by a catcher.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 11 , in which the attachment adapted to receive and support a fielder's glove or mitt includes a ball-shaped attachment, where the ball-shaped attachment is sized to the same diameter as a baseball or a softball.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 10 , in which the hanger adapted to receive and support sports equipment is adapted to receive and support a water bottle.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 10 , in which the device is sized to fit in a standard equipment bag.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 10 , in which the device support hanger includes a slat spaced apart from a main portion of the device, where the slat is sized and shaped to fit through an open portion of the chain-link fence.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 10 , further comprising a holding material mounted to a surface of the device.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , in which the holding material is one of a hook and loop material.