Pickleball apparatus

Abstract

A pickleball apparatus is disclosed, wherein the pickleball apparatus comprises a spherical body and a plurality of holes defined therethrough. The plurality of holes may be defined through the spherical body from an exterior surface of the spherical body to an interior surface of the spherical body. Each of the plurality of holes may be countersunk to the exterior surface to form an outer ring and an inner ring. Each of the plurality of holes may taper from the outer ring to the inner ring such that the inner ring has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the outer ring, the outer ring is coterminous with the exterior surface of the spherical body, and the inner ring has an inset depth relative to the exterior surface of the spherical body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pickleball apparatus comprising:
 a spherical body having an exterior surface and interior surface, the interior surface defining a hollowed space within the spherical body and the exterior surface exposed to environmental conditions external to the spherical body;   a plurality of holes defined through the spherical body from the exterior surface to the interior surface, each of the plurality of holes countersunk to the exterior surface of the spherical body to form an outer ring and an inner ring, wherein each of the plurality of holes taper from the outer ring to the inner ring such that:
 the inner ring has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the outer ring, and 
 the outer ring is coterminous with the exterior surface, and the inner ring has an inset depth relative to the exterior surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of holes comprises from 26 circularly shaped holes to 40 circularly shaped holes.   
     
     
         3 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more support ribs disposed on the interior surface of the spherical body.   
     
     
         4 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the one or more support ribs are disposed about a perimeter of the inner ring of each of the plurality of holes.   
     
     
         5 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the one or more support ribs comprise at least one enclosed shape on the interior surface of the spherical body.   
     
     
         6 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the at least one enclosed shape includes two or more enclosed shapes disposed on the interior surface of the spherical body, the one or more support ribs comprising elongate ribs connecting the two or more enclosed shapes.   
     
     
         7 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the at least one enclosed shape includes a first enclosed shape located at a first pole of the interior surface and a second enclosed shape located at a second pole of the interior surface, the second pole being located opposite the first pole.   
     
     
         8 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the one or more support ribs comprise a plurality of elongate ribs extending from the first enclosed shape to the second enclosed shape.   
     
     
         9 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the one or more support ribs are arranged in a lattice framework on the interior surface of the spherical body.   
     
     
         10 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the one or more support ribs of the lattice framework are arbitrarily disposed on the interior surface of the spherical body.   
     
     
         11 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the one or more support ribs of the lattice framework are interconnected at one or more nodes, each of the one or more nodes defined by an intersection of the one or more ribs.   
     
     
         12 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the one or more nodes is located at a one of the plurality of holes.   
     
     
         13 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a transition between the outer ring and the inner ring of each of the plurality of holes is substantially linear.   
     
     
         14 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a transition between the outer ring and the inner ring of each of the plurality of holes is substantially curved.   
     
     
         15 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a transition between the outer ring and the inner ring of each of the plurality of holes is stepped.   
     
     
         16 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spherical body comprises two hemispheres coupled together at a seam.   
     
     
         17 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the two hemispheres include a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, the plurality of holes defined through the spherical body of each of the first and second hemispheres are arranged in a hole pattern, and the hole pattern of the first hemisphere mirrors the hole pattern of the second hemisphere.   
     
     
         18 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the two hemispheres include a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, the plurality of holes defined through the spherical body of each of the first and second hemispheres are arranged in a hole pattern, and the hole pattern of the first hemisphere is offset relative to the hole pattern of the second hemisphere.   
     
     
         19 . A pickleball apparatus comprising:
 a spherical body having a plurality of holes defined through an exterior surface of the spherical body to an interior surface of the spherical body;   one or more of the plurality of holes countersunk to the exterior surface of the spherical body to form an outer ring on the exterior surface and an inner ring inset with respect to the exterior surface, such that the plurality of holes taper from the outer ring to the inner ring; and   the inner ring has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the outer ring.   
     
     
         20 . The pickleball apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 an interior surface defining a hollowed space within the spherical body; and   one or more support ribs disposed on the interior surface of the spherical body.