Soccer ball and method of making a soccer ball

• US 20150080155A1
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zwyxis HongKong Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zwyxis HongKong Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Bulfin, Roy
• Application Number:
  US14/026,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20150080155A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2039/006 pressurised
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/06 Special coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/08 made of two halves
• 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: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/04 Spherical articles, e.g. balls B29D22/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 Football balls

Abstract

The invention is directed toward a soccer ball and a method of making a soccer ball. The method comprises the steps of forming a pair of molded semi-hemispheric core halves from an elastomer material, connecting the edges of the core halves together, permanently affixing the edges of the core halves together to form one sphere, applying adhesive to the surface of the sphere, cutting a surface material to a desired shape, applying adhesive to the back side of the surface material, applying the back of the surface material to the surface of the sphere, and allowing the adhesive to cure until the surface material is permanently affixed to the sphere. The synthetic material is cut into a predetermined shape to match the shape of a predetermined template prior to affixing the surface material to the core.

Claims

1. The method of manufacturing a soccer ball comprising

Forming a pair of molded semi-hemispheric core halves from an elastomer material

Connecting the edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves together

Permanently affixing said edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves together to form one sphere

Applying adhesive to the surface of the sphere

Cutting a surface material to a desired shape

Applying adhesive to the back side of said surface material

Applying said back of said surface material to said surface of said sphere

Allowing said adhesive to cure until said surface material is permanently affixed to said sphere

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising

Creating a predetermined template of said desired shape of said surface material

Prior to affixing said surface material to said sphere tracing an outline of said predetermined template on surface of said sphere

Cutting said surface material in a desired shape which is substantially identical to said predetermined template

Aligning said surface material with said outline on said sphere when applying surface material to said sphere

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

Sanding edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves prior to connecting edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves.

Applying adhesive to said edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves

Allowing said adhesive to cure until said semi-hemispheric core halves become permanently affixed

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said adhesive is heat-curable and further comprising

Heating said semi-hemispheric core halves until said adhesive cures

Heating said final soccer ball until said adhesive on surface of said sphere and on back of said surface material cures

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said semi-hemispheric core halves comprise a plethora of differentiated layers and wherein said differentiated layers have different physical properties.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the spherical core halves are permanently affixed by means of ultrasonic welding

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the spherical core halves are permanently affixed by means of adhesive applied to said edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

Sanding edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves prior to connecting edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves.

Applying adhesive to said edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves

Allowing said adhesive to cure until said semi-hemispheric core halves become permanently affixed

Creating a predetermined template of said desired shape of said surface material

Prior to affixing said surface material to said sphere tracing an outline of said predetermined template on surface of said sphere

Cutting said surface material in a desired shape which is substantially identical to said predetermined template

Aligning said surface material with said outline on said sphere when applying surface material to said sphere

9. The method of making a soccer ball comprising

Forming a pair of molded semi-hemispheric core halves from an elastomer material

Connecting the edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves together

Permanently affixing said edges of said semi-hemispheric core halves together to form one sphere

Applying an outer layer of liquid polyurethane to said sphere

Allowing said liquid polyurethane to cure

Applying a graphic decal to the outer surface

10. The method as in claim 9 wherein said outer layer of liquid polyurethane is applied by dipping said sphere into said liquid polyurethane

11. The method as in claim 10 wherein said polyurethane is a thermoplastic urethane and further comprising heating said thermoplastic urethane to cure said thermoplastic urethane

12. The method as in claim 9 wherein said outer layer of liquid polyurethane is applied by spraying said liquid polyurethane onto said sphere

13. The method as in claim 12 wherein said polyurethane is a thermoplastic urethane and further comprising heating said thermoplastic urethane to cure said thermoplastic urethane

14. A soccer ball comprising

A generally spherical core formed of an elastomer material

A synthetic material affixed to said core

15. The ball as in claim 14 wherein said core is formed by permanently affixing two semi-hemispherical core halves

16. The ball as in claim 15

Wherein said synthetic material is cut in a shape substantially equal to a predetermined template prior to affixing to said core

Wherein said synthetic material is permanently affixed to said spherical core by means of an adhesive

Wherein said synthetic material is affixed thereon in a desired pattern

17. The ball as in claim 16 wherein said synthetic material is polyvinyl chloride

18. The method of applying an outer finished surface material to a soccer ball core comprising

Formulating a desired graphic image or design on said surface material

Cutting blanks of a desired pattern from said surface material

Applying adhesive to the backside of said surface material

Applying said backside of said surface material to a spherical core

19. The method as in claim 18 wherein said spherical core comprises a pair of molded semi-hemispheric core halves from an elastomer material affixed together

20. The method as in claim 19 further comprising heating said adhesive to cure said adhesive