Sportsball and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20020086749A1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tsung Ming Ou
• Original Assignee: Tsung Ming Ou
• Inventors: Ou, Tsung Ming
• Application Number:
  US09/752,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2041/005 with counterweight for adjusting the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor

Abstract

A sportsball includes a ball cover, a bladder disposed in the ball cover, and a stress absorbing layer provided between the ball cover and the bladder. The ball cover has a valve hole provided thereon and consists of a plurality of panels each having a predetermined shape connected edge to edge to form a roundness shape. The bladder includes a rubber bladder ball, an exterior web layer integrally adhered on an outer surface of the bladder ball, and a valve stem which is mounted on the bladder ball and is outwardly extended through the valve hole of the ball cover for air inflation. The stress absorbing layer consists of a plurality of sheets each has a predetermined shape corresponding to the shape of the panel and each sheet is attached to an inner surface of the panel of the ball cover to provide a uniform thickness of the ball cover. Therefore, the stress absorbing layer is adapted for not only increasing a contact area between the bladder and the ball cover but also evenly distributing and absorbing an impact force and a stress applied on the sportsball.

Claims

1. A sportsball, comprising:

a ball cover having a valve hole provided thereon and a plurality of panels each having a predetermined shape connected edge to edge to form a roundness shape;

a bladder which is disposed inside said ball cover comprising a bladder ball, an exterior web layer integrally attached on a predetermined area of an outer surface of the bladder ball, and a valve stem which is mounted on said bladder ball and is outwardly extended to an exterior of said ball cover through said valve hole for air inflation, wherein said web layer comprises at least an elongated strengthened thread evenly wound around said outer surface of said bladder ball in such a manner that said strengthened thread is overlapped to form said web layer to entirely embrace said bladder ball for supporting said ball and resisting a stress and impact force applied to said sportsball; and

a stress absorbing layer comprising a plurality of absorbing pad having a flexibility ability fittedly attached to said panels respectively for filling up a gap between said ball cover and said bladder, so as to increase a contact area therebetween and reinforce said roundness shape of said sportsball.

2. A sportsball, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said absorbing pad having a predetermined shape corresponding to said panel of said ball cover is attached to an inner surface of said panel for providing a uniform thickness of said ball cover.

3. A sportsball, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said panel of said ball cover made of synthetic leather has an outer coating layer, an inner lining layer, and an intermediate layer which is integrally formed between said outer coating layer and said inner lining layer and is strengthened and supported by said inner lining layer.

4. A sportsball, as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said panels of said ball cover made of synthetic leather has an outer coating layer, an inner lining layer, and an intermediate layer which is integrally formed between said outer coating layer and said inner lining layer and is strengthened and supported by said inner lining layer.

5. A sportsball, as recited in claim 1, wherein said panels of said ball cover is made of thin leather.

6. A sportsball, as recited in claim 2, wherein said panels of said ball cover is made of thin leather.

7. A sportsball, as recited in claim 2, wherein said bladder ball with said strengthened thread thereon are cured together by heating in a mold, so that said adhering strengthened thread is hardened to form said web layer which is permanently united with said outer surface of said bladder ball integrally.

8. A sportsball, as recited in claim 4, wherein said bladder ball with said strengthened thread thereon are cured together by heating in a mold, so that said adhering strengthened thread is hardened to form said web layer which is permanently united with said outer surface of said bladder ball integrally.

9. A sportsball, as recited in claim 6, wherein said bladder ball with said strengthened thread thereon are cured together by heating in a mold, so that said adhering strengthened thread is hardened to form said web layer which is permanently united with said outer surface of said bladder ball integrally.

10. A sportsball, as recited in claim 4, wherein said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

11. A sportsball, as recited in claim 6, wherein said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

12. A sportsball, as recited in claim 9, wherein said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

14. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 13, wherein each of said absorbing pad having a predetermined shape corresponding to said panel of said ball cover is attached to an inner surface of said panel for providing a uniform thickness of said ball cover.

15. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said panel of said ball cover made of synthetic leather has an outer coating layer, an inner lining layer, and an intermediate layer which is integrally formed between said outer coating layer and said inner lining layer and is strengthened and supported by said inner lining layer.

16. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 14, wherein said panels of said ball cover is made of thin leather.

17. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 15, wherein said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

18. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 16, wherein said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

19. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 13, after step (c), further comprising an additional step of adhering a rubber pad having a same weight of said valve stem integrally to an end, which is opposite to said valve stem of said bladder in order to symmetrically balance said bladder.

20. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 14, after step (c), further comprising an additional step of adhering a rubber pad having a same weight of said valve stem integrally to an end, which is opposite to said valve stem of said bladder in order to symmetrically balance said bladder.

13. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, comprising the steps of:

(a) inflating a bladder ball which has a valve stem provided thereon;

(b) coating at least an elongated strengthened thread with glue;

(c) winding said strengthened thread evenly around an outer surface of said bladder ball until said bladder ball is embraced by a web layer of said strengthened thread to form a strengthened bladder, wherein said overlapped strengthened thread is adhered with each other and to said outer surface of said bladder ball;

(d) heating said bladder in a mold until said strengthened thread hardened to form said web layer which is permanently and rigidly united with said outer surface of said bladder ball;

(e) cutting a ball cover material into a predetermined number of panels in predetermined shape;

(f) sewing said panels edge to edge together by a sewing machine to form a ball cover which has a valve hole provided thereon, wherein a section of said panels is remained unsewn to form an inlet opening;

(g) cut a stress absorbing layer into a predetermined number of absorbing pads each having a predetermined shape corresponding to said panel of said ball cover;

(h) attaching said absorbing pads of said stress absorbing layer to said panels of said ball cover respectively, wherein one of said absorbing pads has a valve through hole provided thereon, which is aligned with said valve hole of said ball cover;

(i) heating said ball cover and turn said ball cover right side out;

(j). inserting said strengthened bladder into said ball cover through said inlet opening;

(k) aligning and gluing said valve stem of said bladder with said valve hole of said ball cover;

(l) semi-inflating said bladder to ensure that said inflated bladder is adapted for propping against said ball cover;

(m) hand sewing said inlet opening of said ball cover together to form said sportsball; and

(n) fully inflating said sportsball to more than a standard pressure within a shaping mold to ensure a permanent structure and shape of said bladder and said ball cover.