Sportsball and manufacturing method thereof

• US 5,772,545 A
• Filed: 12/20/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Top Ball Trading Company
• Original Assignee: Tsung Ming Ou
• Inventors: Ou, Tsung Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Steven B.
• Application Number:
  US08/771,264
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 473/594, 473/595, 473/598, 473/599, 473/603, 473/604, 473/605, 473/607, 473/608, 473/609, 473/613, 273/DIG. 20, 156/170, 156/169, 156/171, 156/172
• US Class Current: 473/605
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2041/005 with counterweight for adjusting the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor

Abstract

A sportsball includes a ball cover and a bladder. The ball cover has a valve hole provided thereon and consists of a plurality of panels connected edge to edge by machine sewing to form a roundness shape. Each of the panels has a predetermined shape and is made of leather or synthetic leather, wherein the synthetic leather has an outer coating layer, an inner lining layer, and an intermediate layer which is integrally formed between the outer coating layer and the inner lining layer and is strengthened and supported by the inner lining layer. The bladder is disposed inside the ball cover and includes a rubber made bladder ball, an exterior web layer integrally adhered on an outer surface of the bladder ball, and a valve stem which is mounted on the bladder ball and is extended through the valve hole of the ball cover to connected thereto for air inflation. The web layer includes at least an elongating strengthened thread evenly wound around and around the outer surface of the bladder ball. Therefore, the strengthened thread is overlapped with each other to form the web layer to entirely embrace the bladder ball for supporting the ball cover and resisting the stress and impact force of the sportsball.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, comprising the steps of:

(a) inflating a rubber bladder ball which has a valve stem provided thereon;

(b) coating at least an elongating strengthened thread with glue;

(c) winding said strengthened thread evenly around and around an outer surface of said rubber bladder ball to overlap with each other until said bladder ball is embraced by a web layer of said strengthened thread to form a bladder, wherein said overlapped strengthened thread is adhered with each other and to said outer surface of said bladder ball;

(d) heating said bladder in a mold until said strengthened thread is hardened to form said web layer which is permanently and rigidly united with said outer surface of said bladder ball integrally;

(e) cutting a ball cover material into a predetermined number of panels in predetermined shape;

(f) sewing said panels edge to edge together by a sewing machine to form a ball cover which has a valve hole provided thereon, wherein a section of said panels are not sewn together to form an inlet opening;

(g) heating said ball cover and turn said ball cover right side out;

(h) inserting said strengthened bladder into said ball cover through said inlet opening;

(i) aligning and gluing said valve stem of said bladder with said valve hole of said ball cover;

(j) semi-inflating said bladder to make sure that said bladder is propped against said ball cover;

(k) hand sewing said inlet opening of said ball cover together to form the sportsball; and

(l) fully inflating said sportsball to more than a standard pressure within a shaping mold to ensure a permanent structure and shape of said bladder and said ball cover.

2. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 1, after step (c), further comprising an additional step of adhering a rubber pad having a same weight of said valve stem integrally to an end, which is opposite to said valve stem, of said bladder in order to symmetrically balance said bladder.

3. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 1, in which said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

4. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 2, in which said strengthened thread is a nylon thread.

5. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 1, in which each of said panels of said ball cover (are) is made of thin leather which has a pad layer adhered underneath.

6. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 2, in which each of said panels of said ball cover (are) is made of thin leather which has a pad layer adhered underneath.

7. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 1, in which said panels of said ball cover are made of synthetic leather.

8. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 7, in which said panels of said ball cover are made of foaming polyurethane.

9. A manufacturing method of a sportsball, as recited in claim 7, in which said panels of said ball cover are made of foaming polyvinyl chloride.