Sports ball with a woven fabric and method for manufacturing such a sports ball

• US 20060229149A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goedoen Holding FZC
• Original Assignee: Goedoen Holding FZC
• Inventors: Goedoen, Auranga Ajanta
• Granted Patent: US 8,021,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/598
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/06 Special coverings
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/02 Marking of balls

Abstract

The invention relates to a sports ball (1) comprising a core (2) and a cover (3) formed from a plurality of panel segments (4). One or more of said panel segments have an outer face covered with a woven fabric (7), preferably denim. The panel segments are connected at joints (6) and said woven fabric is attached to said outer face at said joints. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a sports ball.

Claims

1. A sports ball (1;

11;

21;

31) comprising a core (2;

12;

22) and a cover (3;

13;

23) formed from a plurality of panel segments (4;

14;

24;

34), one or more of said panel segments having an outer face covered with a woven fabric (7;

17;

27;

37;

40), preferably denim, wherein said panel segments are connected at joints (6;

16;

26;

36) and said woven fabric is attached to said outer face at said joints.

2. The sports ball (1;

11;

21) according to claim 1, wherein said joints comprise stitches (6;

16;

26) for holding said panel segments (4;

14;

24) together and said woven fabric (7;

17;

27) is attached to said outer face by said stitches.

3. The sports ball (1) according to claim 2, wherein said sports ball comprises a bladder (2) with a twill (8) provided around said bladder (2)

4. The sports ball (31) according to claim 1, wherein said joints (36) are thermally moulded joints for holding said panel segments (36) together and said woven fabric (37) is attached to said outer face by said thermally moulded joints.

5. The sports ball (1;

11;

21;

31) according to claim 1, wherein said woven fabric (40) is substantially covered by a transparent coating.

6. The sports ball (1;

11;

21;

31) according to claim 1, wherein said woven fabric on one or more of panels segments comprises one or more visible signs (38).

7. The sports ball according to claim 1, wherein said ball is a soccer ball, a baseball or a rugby ball.

8. A method for manufacturing a sports ball (1;

11;

21) according claim 1, comprising the step of sewing said panel segments (4;

14;

24) together to form said joints (6;

16;

26) substantially simultaneously with attaching said woven fabric (7;

17;

27;

40) at said joints.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said sewing step involves hand sewing.

10. A method for manufacturing a sports ball (31) according to claim 1, comprising the step of thermally moulding said panel segments (34) together to form said joints (36) substantially simultaneously with attaching said woven fabric (37;

40) at said joints.

11. A sports ball comprising a core (2;

12;

22) and a cover (3;

13;

23), wherein said cover comprises a woven fabric (40) protected by a transparent coating (41).

12. A woven fabric (41), preferably denim, having at least one side covered by a water impermeable transparent coating.