Self contained sport ball inflation mechanism

• US 6,422,960 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Russell Brands LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Taylor, Malcolm E., Sykes, Robert C., Harvey, Andrew C., Feeney, Brian, Touhey, Daniel P., Stahl, Joseph E., Terrazzano, Richard F., Litscher, Eric K.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/594,547
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 473/593, 473/594, 473/595, 473/603, 473/604, 473/605, 473/607, 473/608, 473/609, 473/610
• US Class Current: 473/593
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2041/005 with counterweight for adjusting the centre of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/12 Tools or devices for blowing up or closing balls for pricking-balls A63B39/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 33/00 Pumps actuated by muscle power, e.g. for inflating
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/147 the closure elements having specially formed slits or being of an elongated easily collapsible form
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/202 and with flexible valve member

Abstract

An inflatable sport ball, such as a basketball, a football, a soccer ball, a volley ball or a playground ball, is provided with self-contained inflation means for inflating or more likely adding pressure to the ball. The inflation means is a vessel inside of the ball containing a high pressure gas which may be bled form the vessel into the interior of the ball surrounding the vessel such as by valve means operable from the outside of the ball.

Claims

1. An inflatable sport ball comprising a carcass defining an interior ball volume adapted to contain an inflating gas at a first pressure, a vessel supported inside of said carcass and within said interior ball volume adapted to contain a pressurizing gas at a second pressure greater than said first pressure, said vessel including means for bleeding pressurizing gas from said vessel into said interior ball volume to increase said first pressure, wherein said means for bleeding pressurizing gas from said vessel comprises valve means attached to said vessel manually operable from outside of said carcass.

4. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 and further including means for introducing gas into said vessel.

5. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 and further including means for bleeding pressure from said ball.

6. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 5 and further including means for adjusting said means for bleeding pressure from said ball.

7. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein the vessel contains compressed CO₂ gas.

8. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a basketball.

9. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a volley ball.

10. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a football.

11. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a soccer ball.

12. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a playground ball.

2. An inflatable sport ball comprising a carcass defining an interior ball volume adapted to contain an inflating gas at a first pressure, a vessel supported inside of said carcass and within said interior ball volume adapted to contain a pressurizing gas at a second pressure greater than said first pressure, said vessel including means for bleeding pressuring gas from said vessel into said interior ball volume to increase said first pressure, wherein said means for bleeding pressurizing gas from said vessel comprises a polymeric semipermeable vessel material which diffuses gas from said vessel into said interior ball volume.

3. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 2 and further including means for introducing gas into said vessel.

20. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 2 wherein said polymeric semipermeable vessel material is polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride or combinations thereof.

13. An inflatable sport ball comprising a carcass defining an interior ball volume adapted to contain an inflating gas at a first pressure, a vessel supported inside of said carcass and within said interior ball volume adapted to contain a pressurizing gas at a second pressure greater than said first pressure, said vessel including means for bleeding pressurizing gas from said vessel into said interior ball volume to increase said first pressure, wherein said means for bleeding pressurizing gas from said vessel comprises a semipermeable vessel material which diffuses gas from said vessel into said interior ball volume.

14. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 13 and further including means for introducing gas into said vessel.

15. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 13 and further including means for bleeding pressure from said ball, wherein said means for bleeding pressure from said ball are adjustable.

16. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 13 wherein said sport ball comprises a ball selected from the group consisting of basketballs, volleyballs, footballs, soccer balls and playground balls.

17. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 13 wherein the vessel contains compressed CO₂ gas.

18. The inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 16 wherein said sport ball is a soccer ball.

19. The inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 16 wherein said sport ball is a basketball.