IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,569,723
Granted Patent B2
US 12,569,723 · App. 19/234,686 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Pickleballs

Inventor: William Richard Kowalski (Honolulu, HI)
Assignee: Selkirk Sport, LLC
A63B37/0098A63B39/00B29D22/04A63B2102/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,569,723
App. No.
19/234,686
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ball may include a spherical shell, and apertures defined in the spherical shell. The apertures may be formed in the spherical shell based at least in part on a N-frequency tessellation of the spherical shell. A method of forming a ball may include molding a first hemisphere, molding a second hemisphere, and coupling the first hemisphere to the second hemisphere to form a spherical shell. The spherical shell may include apertures defined in the spherical shell based at least in part on a N-frequency tessellation of the spherical shell.

Claims (55)

1 . A ball comprising:

a spherical shell;

first apertures formed in the spherical shell, individual apertures of the first apertures being formed in the spherical shell at an intersection of first lines of a geodesic polyhedron, the first lines including a first length; and

second apertures formed in the spherical shell, individual apertures of the second apertures being formed in the spherical shell at an intersection of second lines of the geodesic polyhedron, the second lines including a second length that is different than the first length.

2 . The ball of claim 1 , wherein:

the first apertures have a first diameter; and

the second apertures have a second diameter different than the first diameter.

3 . The ball of claim 2 , wherein:

the first diameter is based at least in part on the first length; and

the second diameter is based at least in part on the second length.

4 . The ball of claim 1 , further comprising:

third apertures formed in the spherical shell, individual apertures of the third apertures being formed in the spherical shell at an intersection of:

one or more of the first lines,

one or more of the second lines, and

one or more third lines, the one or more third lines including a third length that is different than the second length.

5 . The ball of claim 4 , wherein:

the first apertures have a first diameter;

the second apertures have a second diameter less than the first diameter; and

the third apertures have a third diameter less than the first diameter and greater than the second diameter.

6 . The ball of claim 1 , wherein:

edges of the individual apertures of the first apertures are spaced apart from one another by a distance;

edges of the individual apertures of the second apertures are spaced apart from one another by the distance; and

the edges of the individual apertures of the first apertures and the edges of the individual apertures of the second apertures are spaced apart by the distance.

7 . A ball comprising:

a hollow sphere; and

apertures formed in the hollow sphere based at least in part on a N-frequency tessellation of the hollow sphere, the apertures being disposed at an intersection of line segments that form the N-frequency tessellation, the line segments including at least:

a first line segment having a first length, and

a second line segment having a second length different than the first length.

8 . The ball of claim 7 , wherein the apertures include:

first apertures having a first size; and

second apertures having a second size different than the first size.

9 . The ball of claim 8 , wherein:

the first apertures are disposed at an intersection of at least three first line segments; and

the second apertures are disposed at an intersection of at least three second line segments.

10 . The ball of claim 9 , wherein:

the apertures include third apertures having a third size different than the second size;

the line segments include a third line segment having a third length different than the second length; and

the third apertures are disposed at an intersection of at least two first line segments, at least two second line segments, and at least two third line segments.

11 . The ball of claim 8 , wherein the apertures include third apertures having a third size different than the second size and the first size.

12 . The ball of claim 7 , wherein the line segments include a third line segment having a third length different than the second length.

13 . The ball of claim 7 , wherein the N-frequency tessellation of the hollow sphere is a 3-frequency tessellation of the hollow sphere.

14 . The ball of claim 7 , wherein the apertures have an equal spacing between edges of adjacent apertures.

15 . A ball comprising:

a spherical shell; and

apertures defined in the spherical shell, the apertures being disposed at an intersection of line segments of a geodesic polyhedron, the apertures including at least:

first apertures with a first diameter, and

second apertures with a second diameter different than the first diameter,

wherein the apertures have an equal spacing between edges of adjacent apertures.

16 . The ball of claim 15 , wherein the apertures are formed in the spherical shell based at least in part on an N-frequency tessellation of the spherical shell.

17 . The ball of claim 16 , wherein the N-frequency tessellation is a 3-frequency tessellation of the spherical shell.

18 . The ball of claim 16 , wherein the line segments include at least:

a first line segment with a first length, and

a second line segment with a second length different than the first length.

19 . The ball of claim 18 , wherein the line segments include a third line segment with a third length different than the second length.

20 . The ball of claim 15 , wherein the apertures include third apertures with a third diameter different than the second diameter and the first diameter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2025
From: KOWALSKI, WILLIAM RICHARD
To: SELKIRK SPORT, LLC
Reel/Frame 071386/0479 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 18988426 · Dec 19, 2024
Provisional Application 63621408 · Jan 16, 2024
Related Publication 20250303239A1 · Oct 2, 2025
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