Basketball having a reduced moment of inertia

• US 10,022,593 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Krysiak, Kevin L, Bauer, Jonathan L., Simonutti, Frank M., Hare, Daniel E., Thurman, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCulloch, Jr., William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEICHLITER, CHASE E
• Application Number:
  US14/982,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 473415, 473593, 473599, 473604, 473605, 273 58 R, 273 65 R, 273 65 B, 273 65 EC, 273 65 ED, 273 58 BA
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2041/005 with counterweight for adjusting the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/02 Bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/10 Bladder and cover united
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 : with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 : Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

A basketball configured for organized, competitive play and having a total mass. The basketball includes an inflatable, generally spherical bladder, a set of winding surrounding the bladder, an elastomeric layer surrounding the set of windings and the bladder, and a plurality of cover panels positioned over the elastomeric layer. The bladder has a bladder mass that is greater than 25 percent of the total mass. The elastomeric layer and the set of windings have a collective mass that is less than 55 percent of the total mass.

Claims

1. A basketball for organized, competitive play and having a total mass, comprising:

an inflatable, generally spherical bladder having a bladder mass that is greater than 25 percent of the total mass;

a set of windings surrounding the bladder;

an elastomeric layer surrounding the set of windings and the bladder, the elastomeric layer and the set of windings having a collective mass that is less than 55 percent of the total mass; and

a plurality of cover panels positioned over the elastomeric layer, the basketball being formed without one or more of electronics, batteries and charging coils.

2. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the basketball is a size 7 basketball.

3. The basketball of claim 2, wherein the basketball has a moment of inertia less than 54.0 kg/cm².

4. The basketball of claim 2, wherein the basketball has a moment of inertia less than 53.0 kg/cm².

5. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the bladder mass is at least 30% of the total mass.

6. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the bladder mass is at least 35% of the total mass.

7. The basketball of claim 5, wherein the collective mass is less than 50% of the total mass.

8. The basketball of claim 6, wherein the collective mass is less than 45% of the total mass.

9. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the total mass is within the range 566 to 625 grams.

10. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the total mass is within the range of 580 to 605 grams.

11. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the density of the bladder is greater than 1.125.

12. The basketball of claim 1, further comprising a weight positioned at the center of the inflatable spherical bladder.

13. The basketball of claim 12, wherein the weight has a mass within the range of 5 to 25 grams.

14. The basketball of claim 12, wherein the bladder further includes internal structure for supporting the weight within the bladder.

15. The basketball of claim 14, wherein the internal structure is a tube inwardly extending from a wall of the bladder.

16. The basketball of claim 14, wherein the internal structure is a cross-member extending across the internal volume of the bladder.

17. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the bladder includes a bladder wall, and wherein the bladder wall has a thickness of at least 0.9 mm.

18. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric layer is formed of a sponge rubber compound.

19. The basketball of claim 18, wherein the sponge rubber compound includes a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent represents at least 2.5 percent of the weight of the rubber compound prior to curing of the rubber compound.

20. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cover panels including a backing layer, wherein the backing layer includes nano-fibers.