Baseball or softball

• US 4,660,830 A
• Filed: 02/04/1985
• Issued: 04/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Home of Champions SA
• Original Assignee: Home of Champions SA
• Inventors: Tomar, Julius
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US06/698,176
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 273/DIG. 008, 273/60 R, 273/60 A, 273/60 B, 273/58 A, 273/63 R, 273/63 F, 273/63 G, 273/230, 273/218, 273/59 R, 273/59 A, 273/59 B, 273/DIG. 005 , 273/217, 273/223
• US Class Current: 473/601
• 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: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/83 Injection molding of polyolefin-type foam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/08 Urethane

Abstract

A game ball for use as a conventionally sized baseball or softball comprises an inner core of a first material characterized by at least high durability; at least one locator pin of the first material extending radially outwardly from and affixed to the inner core; and a spherical outer core of a second material, characterized by at least high durability and conventional rebound. Preferably, the inner core has four integrally formed locator pins extending radially outwardly therefrom. These pins are positioned 90° apart on an imaginary plane through the equator of the inner core. The first material is selected from the group consisting of cork, kapok, rubber, or a thermoplastic resin such as an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer or a blend of both. The second material for the outer core, preferably polyurethane foam, consists of 100 parts of a resin mixture, a blowing agent, and either 51 or 60 parts isocyanate. The resin mixture comprises between about 95 or 97 percent polyether polyol and small amounts of silicone and a catalyst.

Claims

1. In a baseball or softball, the combination comprising:

an inner core defining the innermost component of said game ball and formed of a first material characterized by at least high durability;

at least one locator pin of the first material extending radially outwardly from and affixed to the inner core; and

a spherical outer core of a foamed polyurethane material, characterized by at least high durability and conventional rebound, surrounding and tightly adhered to the inner core and the locator pin and having a thickness equal to the length of said pin.

2. The ball of claim 1 wherein said spherical outer core of said polyurethane foam material is about 12-13 mm. in thickness.

3. The ball of claim 1 wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of cork, kapok, rubber or a thermoplastic resin.

4. The ball of claim 3 wherein said thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer or a blend of both.

5. The ball of claim 4 wherein said ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer selected for forming the inner core has between 12 and 30 percent by weight polymerized vinyl acetate units therein.

6. The ball of claim 3 wherein said thermoplastic resin is comprised of a 50/50 mixture of partially blown ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers having 12.5 percent and 24 percent, respectively, by weight polymerized vinyl acetate units therein.

7. The ball of claim 1 which is a conventionally sized softball, wherein said inner core weighs between about 60 to 70 grams and said spherical outer core weighs between about 85 to 95 grams.

8. The ball of claim 1 wherein said polyurethane foam material consists of 60 parts isocyanate and 100 parts of a resin mixture and a blowing agent combined to form the outer core of a regular flight softball.

9. The ball of claim 8 wherein said resin mixture further comprises about 95 percent polyether polyol and small amounts of silicone and catalyst.

10. The ball of claim 1 wherein said polyurethane foam material consists of 51 parts isocyanate and 100 parts of a resin mixture and a blowing agent combined to form the outer core of a restricted flight softball.

11. The softball of claim 10 wherein said resin mixture further comprises about 97 percent polyether polyol and small amounts of silicone and catalyst.

12. The ball of claim 1 wherein a plurality of locator pins extend radially outwardly from said inner core.

13. The ball of claim 1 wherein said locator pin is integral with said inner core.

14. The ball of claim 1 wherein four locator pins are positioned 90°

apart.

15. The ball of claim 1 further comprising a layer of adhesive between said inner and outer cores.