Ball

• US 4,463,951 A
• Filed: 03/09/1982
• Issued: 08/07/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TOYO Rubber Chemical Industrial Corporation
• Original Assignee: OYO Rubber Chemical Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Tada, Satomi, Kumasaka, Sadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US06/356,524
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 273/DIG. 5, 273/DIG. 8, 273/DIG. 20, 273/58 BA, 273/60 R, 273/60 A, 273/60 B, 273/58 A, 273/58 B
• US Class Current: 473/601
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/02 Special cores balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball cores A63B37/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/05 Vinyl
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/08 Urethane

Abstract

The invention provides a ball for a game having a spherical soft polyurethane foam and a surface layer of foamed polyvinyl chloride formed on the surface of the spherical body. The ball is produced by first casting the surface layer in a mold to form a hollow foamed PVC body having closed cells, and then charging a foamed polyurethane composition into the hollow thus formed, to produce a sphere of polyurethane having open cells within the surface layer. Also provided is a ball for games having a spherical body of foamed polyvinyl chloride and having a spherical cavity at the center. The ball is safe, has proper flexibility, and is not subject to punctures.

Claims

1. A ball comprising:

a spherical body of polyurethane foam having open cells, and

a surface layer of foamed polyvinyl chloride having closed cells integrally formed on the surface of said spherical body of polyurethane foam;

said ball having been produced by forming said surface layer by rotational casting in a mold to form a hollow foamed polyvinyl chloride body having closed cells and a central cavity therein and charging a foamable polyurethane composition into said cavity and foaming said composition to integrally form a spherical body of polyurethane foam having open cells integral with said surface layer of foamed polyvinyl chloride having closed cells.

2. The ball of claim 1 wherein said surface layer has a thickness of from 2 to 10 mm.

3. The ball of claim 1 wherein said surface layer is formed with a through hole during rotational casting and the through hole is closed by a non-foamed polyurethane after said foamable polyurethane composition is charged into said cavity.

4. The ball of claim 1 containing a water resistant layer between said surface layer and said spherical body and integral with said spherical body and said surface layer.

5. The process of forming a ball comprising rotationally casting foamable polyvinyl chloride to form a hollow spherical polyvinyl chloride layer having closed cells and a thickness of from 2 to 10 mm;

and charging a foamable polyurethane composition into the cavity formed in the interior of said hollow polyvinyl chloride spherical body and foaming said polyurethane composition to form a spherical body of polyurethane foam having open cells integral with and internal of said spherical body of foamed polyvinyl chloride thereby forming a ball having a surface layer of said foamed polyvinyl chloride having closed cells integral with said spherical body of polyurethane foam having open cells.