Football

• US 20010005702A1
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Published: 06/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas International BV (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Adidas International BV (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Dobrounig, Otto
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/599
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ball, in particular a football. The ball according to the invention has, in its outer skin (11), a syntactic material (50) which consists of a matrix material (52) into which essentially dimensionally stable, elastic blow-moulded parts (54) are mixed. Furthermore, a new method of producing a ball with a verre églomisé print is also claimed.

Claims

1. A ball comprising an outer skin, the outer skin including a first layer which includes a syntactic material.

2. A ball according to

claim 1

wherein the syntactic material comprises a plurality of resilient spherical bodies dispersed in a matrix.

3. A ball according to

claim 1

wherein the syntactic material comprises a plurality of microspheres.

4. A ball according to

claim 3

wherein the syntactic material comprises a plurality of polymeric hollow microspheres.

5. A ball according to

claim 3

wherein the syntactic material comprises a plurality of acrylonitrile copolymer microspheres.

6. A ball according to

claim 1

wherein the matrix material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride, and latex.

7. A ball according to

claim 1

in which the outer skin further comprises a second layer (26) adjacent the first layer.

8. A ball according to

claim 7

wherein the second layer (26) comprises an aliphatic material.

9. A ball according to

claim 7

further comprising a third layer (28) adjacent the first layer.

10. A ball according to

claim 9

wherein the third layer comprises at least one fabric backing material.

11. A ball according to

claim 1

wherein the matrix material is an adhesive.

12. A ball according to

claim 1

further comprising a middle skin adjacent to the outer skin, a backing layer adjacent to the middle skin, and an inflatable bladder adjacent to the backing layer.

13. A ball comprising:

an inflatable bladder;

a first backing layer enclosing the inflatable bladder;

a middle layer enclosing the backing layer;

an outer skin enclosing the middle layer, the outer skin comprising;

a second backing layer;

a resilient layer enclosing the second backing layer and including a syntactic material, the syntactic material including polymeric microspheres dispersed in a polymeric matrix; and

,

a substantially opaque layer enclosing the resilient layer.

14. A ball according to

claim 13

further comprising:

a transparent layer enclosing the substantially opaque layer.

15. A ball according to

claim 14

wherein the transparent layer includes an inner surface having a graphic imprinted thereon.

16. A ball according to

claim 13

wherein the outer skin resilient layer polymeric matrix comprises a latex adhesive, and wherein the resilient layer is thereby bonded to the backing layer and the substantially opaque layer.

17. A method of manufacturing an outer covering material for a ball comprising the steps of:

a. forming a first transparent layer atop the substrate;

b. forming an image on the first transparent layer;

c. forming a second layer over the first transparent layer and the image;

d. forming a third layer over the second layer, the third layer comprising a syntactic material, the syntactic material including a plurality of hollow microspheres dispersed in a matrix; and

e. adhering a backing layer to the third layer.

18. The method of

claim 17

wherein the step of forming a first transparent layer comprises the steps of:

a. providing a high-gloss release paper substrate;

b. applying a layer of liquid polymeric material to the substrate; and

c. curing the liquid polymeric material to form a cured, pliable, transparent first layer.

19. The method of

claim 17

wherein the step of forming a second layer comprises the steps of:

a. applying a layer of liquid polymeric material to the first transparent layer; and

c. curing the liquid polymeric material to form a pliable second layer.

20. The method of

claim 17

wherein the step of forming a third layer comprises the steps of:

a. applying a layer of liquid syntactic material to the second layer, the liquid syntactic material comprising a plurality of resilient, hollow microspheres dispersed in a liquid polymeric material; and

b. curing the liquid syntactic material to form a resilient third layer.

21. The method of

claim 17

wherein the hollow microspheres are formed of acrylonitrile copolymer.

22. The method of

claim 17

wherein the hollow microspheres have an average diameter of between 10 and 100 μ

m.

23. The method of

claim 17

wherein the hollow microspheres have an average diameter of about 70 μ

m.