Sport Ball Casing And Methods Of Manufacturing The Casing

• US 20100240479A1
• Filed: 03/20/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Raynak, Geoffrey C., White, Vincent F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/04 Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/10 Bladder and cover united
• 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: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/108 Flash, trim or excess removal

Abstract

A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder located within the casing. The casing may include a plurality of panel elements joined to each other with welds, and portions of the panel elements that include the welds may project toward an interior of the ball. A method of manufacturing a sport ball may include providing a plurality of casing elements that include a thermoplastic polymer material. Edges of the casing elements are welded to each other to join the casing elements. The casing elements may then be turned inside-out through an aperture formed by at least one of the casing elements, and the aperture may be sealed.

Claims

1. A sport ball comprising:

a casing that includes a plurality of panel elements joined to each other with welds, portions of the panel elements that include the welds projecting toward an interior of the ball; and

a bladder located within the casing.

2. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the exterior surface defines indentations between the panel elements.

3. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer is located between the casing and the bladder.

4. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the panel elements have a pentagonal shape.

5. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the panel elements include a thermoplastic polymer material.

6. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the panel elements include a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

10. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material is a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

7. A sport ball comprising:

a casing that forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball, the casing including;

a first panel at least partially formed form a thermoplastic polymer material, the first panel defining a first edge area, and

a second panel at least partially formed form the thermoplastic polymer material, the second panel defining a second edge area,

the first edge portion and the second edge portion being joined to each other with a weld, and the first edge portion and the second edge portion being oriented to project toward an interior of the ball; and

a bladder located within the casing.

8. The sport ball recited in claim 7, wherein the first edge portion is a first flange and the second edge portion is a second flange, the first flange and the second flange projecting toward the interior of the ball.

9. The sport ball recited in claim 7, wherein an intermediate layer is located between the casing and the bladder.

11. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of casing elements that include a polymer material;

welding edges of the casing elements to each other to join the casing elements;

turning the casing elements inside-out through an aperture formed by at least one of the casing elements; and

sealing the aperture.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the step of welding includes applying heat to polymer material to form a bond between (a) the polymer material in a first of the casing elements and (b) the polymer material in a second of the casing elements.

13. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the step of welding includes:

placing a flange area of a first of the casing elements in contact with a flange area of a second of the casing elements;

compressing the flange areas together; and

heating the flange areas.

14. The method recited in claim 13, further including a step of trimming the flange areas.

15. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the step of welding further includes aligning registration apertures in the flange areas.

16. The method recited in claim 11, further including a step of inserting a bladder through the aperture.

17. The method recited in claim 16, further including a step of inserting an intermediate layer through the aperture.

18. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:

providing a first panel and a second panel that each include a thermoplastic polymer material, the first panel defining a first flange and the second panel defining a second flange;

forming a seam between the first panel and the second panel by placing the first flange in contact with the second flange, compressing the first flange and the second flange together, and heating the first flange and the second flange;

removing at least a portion of the first flange and the second flange to define a protruding portion of the seam; and

orienting the protruding portion of the seam toward an interior of the sport ball.

19. The method recited in claim 18, wherein the step of forming the seam further includes aligning registration apertures in the first flange and the second flange.