Basketball

• US 6,099,423 A
• Filed: 02/11/1999
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Top Ball Trading Company
• Original Assignee: Top Ball Trading Company
• Inventors: Ou, Tsung-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/247,862
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 473/599, 473/603, 473/604, 473/605, 473/607, 473/609
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor

Abstract

A basketball includes a ball bladder, a plurality of cloth pieces, and a plurality of rubber patches. The ball bladder has an outer surface, which is formed with a rib network that divides the outer surface of the ball bladder into a plurality of areas and that has a top surface. Each of the areas has a periphery along which an annular recess is formed. The cloth pieces are adhered to and cover entirely the areas, respectively. Each of the cloth pieces has a periphery, which extends into the recess in the corresponding area and which abuts against the rib network. The rubber patches are adhered to and cover entirely outer surfaces of the cloth pieces, respectively. Each of the rubber patches has a periphery, which abuts against the rib network and which has an outer surface that is flush with the top surface of the rib network to define a groove network in an outer surface of the basketball along the rib network.

Claims

1. A basketball comprising:

a ball bladder having an outer surface, which is formed with a rib network that divides said outer surface of said ball bladder into a plurality of areas and that has a top surface, each of said areas having a periphery, along which an annular recess is formed;

a plurality of cloth pieces adhered to and covering entirely said areas, respectively, each of said cloth pieces having a periphery, which extends into said recess in a corresponding one of said areas and which abuts against said rib network; and

a plurality of rubber patches adhered to and covering entirely outer surfaces of said cloth pieces, respectively, each of said rubber patches having a periphery, which abuts against said rib network and which has an outer surface that is flush with said top surface of said rib network to define a groove network in an outer surface of said basketball along said rib network.