TWO LAYER RECREATIONAL AIR-TIGHT OBJECT HAVING A PATTERNED ILLUMINATED SURFACE

• US 20160273738A1
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gigglicious, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gigglicious, LLC
• Inventors: WOLFINBARGER, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,799,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 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 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/06 with illuminating devices ; with reflective surfaces
• 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: F21V 3/026 being inflatable

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods related to recreational balls with patterned illuminated surfaces are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an air-tight object having an outer layer and an inner layer. The opacity of the outer layer is greater than the opacity of the inner layer. The outer layer defines an aperture. Additionally, a light module is configured to send light from an interior of the air-tight object through the aperture of the outer layer.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an air-tight object having an outer layer and an inner layer, an opacity of the outer layer being greater than an opacity of the inner layer, the outer layer defining an aperture; and

a light module encapsulated by the inner layer, the light module configured to send light from an interior of the air-tight object through the aperture of the outer layer.

2. A method, comprising:

forming an inner layer of an air-tight object such that a light module is encapsulated by the inner layer; and

disposing an outer layer relative to the inner layer such that an inner side of the outer layer is disposed between an outer side of the outer layer and the inner layer, the opacity of the outer layer being greater than an opacity of the inner layer, the outer layer defining an aperture.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein disposing the outer layer includes attaching the outer layer to the inner layer by at least one of being sprayed, overmolded or glued over the inner layer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein disposing the outer layer includes stretching the outer layer over the inner layer.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the outer layer is made of at least one of paint, thermoplastic rubber, thermoplastic urethane, thermoplastic elastomer, polyvinyl chloride, or foam.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

an air-tight object having an outer layer and an inner layer, an opacity of the outer layer being greater than an opacity of the inner layer, the outer layer defining an aperture;

a light module, the light module configured to send light from an interior of the air-tight object through the aperture of the outer layer; and

the inner layer including a first portion and a second portion mutually exclusive from the first portion, the first portion defining an edge, the second portion defining an edge, the first portion of the inner layer and the second portion of the inner layer coupled along the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion of the inner layer to form a substantially smooth outer surface of the inner layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first portion is shaped substantially as a hemisphere, the second portion is shaped substantially as a hemisphere, and the first portion of the inner layer and the second portion of the inner layer are coupled along the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion the inner layer to form a substantially spherical outer surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the outer layer is attached to the inner layer by being sprayed, overmolded or glued over the inner layer.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the outer layer is stretched over the inner layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the outer layer includes a first portion and a second portion mutually exclusive of the first portion of the outer layer, the first portion of the outer layer defining an edge, the second portion of the outer layer defining an edge, the first portion of the outer layer and the second portion of the outer layer coupled along the edge of the first portion of the outer layer and the edge of the second portion of the outer layer to form a substantially smooth outer surface of the outer layer.

11. A method, comprising:

attaching a light module to an inner surface of a first portion of an inner layer of an object, the inner layer including a second portion mutually exclusive from the first portion, the first portion of the inner layer defining an edge, the second portion of the inner layer defining an edge;

coupling the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion of the inner layer to define an air-tight interior of the inner layer;

disposing an outer layer relative to the inner layer such that an inner surface of the outer layer is disposed between an outer surface of the outer layer and the inner layer, the opacity of the outer layer being greater than an opacity of the inner layer, the outer layer defining an aperture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion of the inner layer includes ultrasonic welding the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion of the inner layer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion of the inner layer includes gluing the edge of the first portion of the inner layer and the edge of the second portion of the inner layer.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the outer layer includes a first portion and a second portion mutually exclusive from the first portion of the outer layer, the first portion of the outer layer defining an edge, the second portion of the outer layer defining an edge,

the method further comprising;

attaching the edge of the first portion of the outer layer and the edge of second portion of the outer layer.

15. A method, comprising:

forming an outer layer of an object, the outer layer defining an interior cavity, a first aperture and a second aperture;

forming an inner layer of an object, an opacity of the outer layer being greater than an opacity of the inner layer;

disposing a light module within the inner layer, the light module configured to send light from an interior of the object through the first aperture of the outer layer; and

inserting the inner layer through the second aperture of the outer layer such that the inner layer is disposed within the interior cavity of the outer layer and the outer surface of the inner layer is in contact with the inner surface of the outer layer when an interior cavity of the inner layer is expanded with air.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein disposing the light module includes attaching the light module with a surface of the inner layer.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

disposing a cover within the first aperture to form a substantially smooth outer surface of a portion of the outer layer including the cover.

18. A method, comprising:

inserting an inner layer of an object into an aperture of an outer layer of the object such that the outer surface of the inner layer is in contact with an inner surface of the outer layer when an interior cavity of the inner layer is expanded, an opacity of the outer layer being greater than an opacity of the inner layer; and

disposing a light module within the inner layer, the light module configured to send light from an interior of the object through the aperture of the outer layer.