GAME BALL WITH GRIP ZONES

• US 20150031482A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PSI 91 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PSI 91 Incorporated
• Inventors: Swiszcz, Louis, Frank, John P., Touhey, Daniel P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/597
• 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 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/002 with special configuration, e.g. non-spherical discs for throwing A63B65/10

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a game ball having one or more grip zones that have greater frictional interaction compared to the outer surface of the game ball. The grip zones are made by stitching of a coated thread upon at least one cover panel to create the grip zone. The grip zone formed from the coated thread enhances the handling characteristics and playability of the resulting game ball.

Claims

1. A game ball, comprising:

an inflatable bladder; and

a cover layer surrounding the bladder, the cover layer being formed from a plurality of cover panels;

wherein at least one of the cover panels includes at least one grip zone formed from stitches created by a thread interwoven into the cover panel, the grip zone having a static coefficient of friction greater than a static coefficient of friction of an outer surface of the cover panel, when measured according to ASTM D1894 using the pebbled side of a Pattern 62 glass as the test surface.

2. The game ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one grip zone has an annular shape or a trapezoidal shape.

3. The game ball of claim 2, wherein the at least one grip zone includes a first grip zone and a second grip zone, the first grip zone and the second grip zone both being located on the same longitudinal side of the at least one cover panel, and the first grip zone and the second grip zone forming a first set of grip zones.

4. The game ball of claim 3, wherein (a) the first grip zone has an annular shape, and the second grip zone has a different annular shape;

or (b) the first grip zone has a trapezoidal shape, and the second grip zone has a different trapezoidal shape.

5. The game ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one cover panel includes a first stripe member attached to the outer surface on a first longitudinal side of the cover panel, the first stripe member having a first stripe edge adjacent the outer surface and a second stripe edge adjacent the outer surface.

6. The game ball of claim 5, wherein the at least one grip zone includes a first grip zone and a second grip zone, the first grip zone being located on the outer surface next to the first stripe edge, and the second grip zone being located on the outer surface next to the second stripe edge.

7. The game ball of claim 5, wherein the at least one grip zone is located upon the first stripe member between the first stripe edge and the second stripe edge.

8. The game ball of claim 1, wherein the game ball further comprises a lacing, and either:

(a) the lacing defines a first plane and a second plane which are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the game ball, and the at least one grip zone parallels the lacing and is located between the first plane and the second plane;

or

(b) the at least cover panel having the at least one grip zone is a top panel that contacts the lacing;

or

(c) the at least cover panel having the at least one grip zone is a bottom panel that does not contact the lacing.

9. The game ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one grip zone includes a first grip zone having an ogive shape and located at a first longitudinal end of the at least one cover panel.

10. A game ball, comprising:

an inflatable bladder;

a cover layer surrounding the bladder, the cover layer being formed from a plurality of cover panels; and

a lacing;

wherein the plurality of cover panels includes at least one top panel that contacts the lacing and includes at least one bottom panel that does not contact the lacing; and

wherein the cover layer includes at least one grip zone formed from stitches created by a thread interwoven into the cover layer, the grip zone having a static coefficient of friction greater than a static coefficient of friction of the cover layer, when measured according to ASTM D1894 using the pebbled side of a Pattern 62 glass as the test surface.

11. The game ball of claim 10, wherein the at least one grip zone includes a first grip zone, a second grip zone, a third grip zone, and a fourth grip zone on the cover layer;

wherein the first grip zone and the third grip zone are of identical shape; and

wherein second grip zone and the fourth grip zone are of identical shape to each other but a different shape from the first grip zone and the third grip zone.

12. The game ball of claim 11, wherein the first grip zone is located on a first longitudinal side of the at least one top panel proximate a center of the top panel, the second grip zone is located on the first longitudinal side of the at least one top panel distal the center of the top panel, the third grip zone is located on a second longitudinal side of the at least one top panel proximate the center of the top panel, and the fourth grip zone is located on the second longitudinal side of the at least one top panel distal the center of the top panel.

13. The game ball of claim 11, wherein the at least one top panel includes a first stripe member attached to the outer surface on a first longitudinal side of the top panel and a second stripe member attached to the outer surface on a second longitudinal side of the top panel, each stripe member having an interior stripe edge proximate the lacing and an exterior stripe edge distal to the lacing.

14. The game ball of claim 13, wherein the first grip zone is next to the interior stripe edge of the first stripe member, the second grip zone is next to the exterior stripe edge of the first stripe member, the third grip zone is next to the interior stripe edge of the second stripe member, and the fourth grip zone is next to the exterior stripe edge of the second stripe member.

15. The game ball of claim 13, wherein the at least one top panel has a horizontal edge which contacts the at least one bottom panel and a vertical edge which contacts the lacing;

and

wherein the first grip zone is located upon the first stripe member proximate to the vertical edge, the second grip zone is located upon the first stripe member proximal to the horizontal edge, the third grip zone is located upon the second stripe member proximal to the vertical edge, and the fourth grip zone is located upon the second stripe member proximal to the horizontal edge.

16. The game ball of claim 11, wherein the at least one bottom panel has a horizontal edge which contacts the at least one top panel and a vertical edge which contacts another bottom panel;

and

wherein the first grip zone is located on a first longitudinal side of the at least one bottom panel proximate a center of the at least one bottom panel, the second grip zone is located on the first longitudinal side of the at least one bottom panel distal the center of the at least one bottom panel, the third grip zone is located on a second longitudinal side of the at least one bottom panel proximate the center of the at least one bottom panel, and the fourth grip zone is located on the second longitudinal side of the at least one bottom panel distal the center of the at least one bottom panel.

17. The game ball of claim 16, wherein the first grip zone, the second grip zone, the third grip zone, and the fourth grip zone are either (a) proximate the horizontal edge;

or (b) distal to the horizontal edge.

18. The game ball of claim 10, wherein the at least one grip zone includes a first grip zone and a second grip zone, wherein the first grip zone and the second grip zone are of identical shape;

wherein the at least one top panel includes a first stripe member attached to the outer surface on a first longitudinal side of the top panel and a second stripe member attached to the outer surface on a second longitudinal side of the top panel; and

wherein the first grip zone is located on the at least one bottom panel in parallel with the first stripe member and the second grip zone is located on the at least one bottom panel in parallel with the second stripe member.

19. The game ball of claim 10, wherein the lacing defines a first plane and a second plane which are orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the game ball;

wherein the at least one grip zone includes a first grip zone and a second grip zone, the first grip zone and the second grip zone being of identical shape;

the first grip zone parallels the lacing and is located between the first plane and the second plane on one side of the lacing; and

the second grip zone parallels the lacing and is located between the first plane and the second plane on the other side of the lacing.

20. The game ball of claim 10, wherein (a) the at least one grip zone includes at least eight grip zones, with at least four grip zones being located on the at least one top panel and at least four grip zones being located on the at least one bottom panel;

or (b) every cover panel in the plurality of cover panels has a grip zone of ogive shape located at a first longitudinal end of the game ball.

21. A game ball, comprising:

an inflatable bladder;

a cover layer surrounding the bladder, the cover layer being formed from a plurality of cover panels;

a lacing; and

a stitching proximate the lacing, wherein the stitching is formed from stitches created by a thread interwoven into the cover layer, the stitching having a static coefficient of friction greater than a static coefficient of friction of an outer surface of the cover layer, when measured according to ASTM D1894 using the pebbled side of a Pattern 62 glass as the test surface.

22. The game ball of claim 21, wherein the stitching has a pattern selected from the group consisting of zigzag, straight, zipper, loop, arch, and combinations thereof.

23. The game ball of claim 21, further comprising a patch between the bladder and the cover layer and located under the lacing, the stitching being located on a perimeter of the patch.