Method of making inflatable stitched sports balls

• US 6,206,794 B1
• Filed: 05/18/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chong Veng Chan
• Original Assignee: Chong Veng Chan
• Inventors: Chan, Chong Veng
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/313,826
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 473/598, 473/599, 473/604, 473/603, 473/605, 473/609, 156/169, 156/170, 156/171, 156/172, 273/DIG.20
• US Class Current: 473/599
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/02 Marking of balls

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an inflatable sports ball uses a stitching machine to join pairs of panels at a seam along respective edges. The inflatable sports ball has a body with a multiplicity of discrete panels joined together at seams along respective adjacent edges by stitching, preferably machine stitching, to define a volume, and an inflatable bladder disposed within the volume, with a valve extending through an aperture defined in the body outer surface. Each ball panel is formed of a multi-layer laminate consisting of an outer layer of synthetic polymeric material, an intermediate layer of expanded synthetic polymeric material and a woven fabric, and an inner layer of woven fabric.

Claims

1. A method for manufacture of an inflatable sports ball comprising a body formed of a multiplicity of discrete panels and containing an inflatable bladder, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a laminate comprising an outer layer of synthetic polymeric material, an intermediate layer of expanded synthetic polymeric material with a woven or knitted fabric, and at least one inner layer of woven fabric;

cutting the laminate into a plurality of panels of appropriate shape and size, each panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;

placing a pair of panels with respective outer surfaces in face to face engagement, and, using a stitching machine, joining the pair of panels at a seam along their respective adjacent edges;

repeating the previous step with additional pairs of panels to form an assembly of panels having the shape of a sports ball body and defining a volume;

reversing the assembly of panels through an opening in the assembly of panels to form a sports ball body defining a volume;

inserting an inflatable bladder through the opening into the volume of the sports ball body;

positioning a valve stem of the bladder through an aperture provided in the sports ball body; and

securing the opening into the sports ball body.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of joining together opposed surfaces of the bladder and sports ball body within the volume in a region about the valve team.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of trimming the exposed end of the valve stem to adjacent the outer surface of the sports ball body.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of securing the opening in the sports ball body by hand stitching.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the opening comprises an open seam in the sports ball body.

6. A method for manufacture of an inflatable sports ball comprising a body formed of a multiplicity of discrete panels and containing an inflatable bladder, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a laminate comprising an outer layer of synthetic polymeric material, an intermediate layer of expanded synthetic material with a woven or knitted fabric, and at least one inner layer of woven fabric;

cutting the laminate into a plurality of panels of appropriate shape and size, each panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;

placing a pair of panels with respective outer surfaces in face to face engagement and joining the pair of panels at a seam along their respective adjacent edges;

repeating the previous step with additional pairs of panels to form an assembly of panels having the shape of a sports ball body and defining a volume;

reversing the assembly of panels through an opening in the assembly of panels to form a sports ball body defining a volume;

inserting an inflatable bladder through the opening into the volume of the sports ball body;

positioning a valve stem of the bladder through the opening into the volume of the sports ball body; and

securing the opening into the sports ball body.