Sweat-absorbing game ball

• US 6,024,661 A
• Filed: 07/30/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sproting Goods Company
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Guenther, Douglas G., Gaff, Bradley Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/126,293
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 473/569, 473/573, 473/574, 473/594, 473/595, 473/596, 473/604-607, 473/300, 473/301, 473/302, 473/303, 473/549, 473/550, 473/568
• US Class Current: 473/605
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor

Abstract

A sweat-absorbing game ball comprises an inflatable rubber bladder and a synthetic leather cover which surrounds the bladder. The synthetic leather cover includes a base fabric of polyurethane-impregnated nonwoven nylon fibers and an outer coating of wet-coagulated polyurethane. A pebbled surface configuration is molded into the outer surface of the cover, and the pebbled surface includes a plurality of outwardly projecting pebbles. Each pebble includes an outer surface and a side surface, and a plurality of small openings are formed in the polyurethane outer coating on the side surfaces of the pebbles.

Claims

1. A sweat-absorbing inflatable game ball comprising a bladder and a synthetic leather cover, the cover including a base fabric formed of polyurethane-impregnated polymeric fibers and a wet-coagulated polyurethane outer coating above the base fabric, the cover having a pebbled outer surface provided by a plurality of outwardly projecting pebbles and valleys between the pebbles, each of the pebbles having a side surface and an outer surface, the polyurethane outer coating of the cover having a plurality of openings on the side surfaces of the pebbles.

2. The game ball of claim 1 in which the polyurethane outer coating above the base fabric has a thickness of about 0.15 mm to about 0.25 mm.

3. The game ball of claim 1 in which the size of the openings is within the range of about 0.0007 mm to about 0.001 mm.

4. The game ball of claim 1 in which the outer surfaces of the pebbles are substantially impervious to sweat.