Stitching ball with intermediate construction ball pocket

• US 6,663,520 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topball Sports, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Li Chin Ou Chen
• Inventors: Ou Chen, Li Chin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T.
• Application Number:
  US09/978,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 473/604, 473/605, 473/611, 446/220, 446/221
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 Hollow inflatable balls

Abstract

An intermediate construction ball pocket includes an inflatable bladder having a valve stem extended therefrom and a fabric made construction ball pocket which has a receiving cavity defined therein for receiving the inflatable bladder therein and a valve hole provided therein for the valve stem extended to an exterior of the ball pocket bladder, wherein the ball pocket bladder is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of the inflatable bladder after inflation. The ball pocket bladder is capable of disposing in a ball carcass of a stitching ball, so as to pop up and support the ball carcass after the inflatable bladder is inflated. Therefore, intermediate construction ball pocket is adapted for retaining the roundness of the stitching ball and enhancing the softness thereof.

Claims

1. A ball pocket bladder adapted for disposing in a ball carcass of a stitching ball for propping up and supporting said ball carcass, comprising:

an inflatable bladder having a valve stem extended therefrom; and

a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder inside and a valve hole for said valve stem extended therethrough to an exterior of said construction ball pocket, wherein said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated, wherein an outer spherical surface of said inflatable bladder is spaced apart from an inner spherical surface of said construction ball pocket so as to form an air cushion layer therebetween.

2. The ball pocket bladder, as recited in claim 1, wherein a surrounding area of said valve stem of said inflatable bladder is attached on a respective surrounding area of said valve hole of said construction ball pocket so as to retain said valve stem of said inflatable bladder in position.

3. The ball pocket bladder, as recited in claim 2, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

4. The ball pocket bladder, as recited in claim 1, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

5. A ball pocket bladder adapted for disposing in a ball carcass of a stitching ball for propping up and supporting said ball carcass, comprising:

an inflatable bladder having a valve stem extended therefrom; and

a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder inside and a valve hole for said valve stem extended therethrough to an exterior of said construction ball pocket, wherein said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated, wherein said ball pocket comprises a plurality of ball pocket leaves integrally connected edge to edge together to form said construction ball pocket having a spherical shape, wherein an outer spherical surface of said inflatable bladder is spaced apart from an inner spherical surface of said construction ball pocket so as to form an air cushion layer therebetween.

6. The ball pocket bladder, as recited in claim 5, wherein a surrounding area of said valve stem of said inflatable bladder is attached on a respective surrounding area of said valve hole of said construction ball pocket so as to retain said valve stem of said inflatable bladder in position.

7. The ball pocket bladder, as recited in claim 6, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

8. The ball pocket bladder, as recited in claim 5, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

9. A method for manufacturing a ball pocket bladder, adapted for disposing in a ball carcass of a stitching ball for propping up and supporting said ball carcass, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of ball pocket leaves each having a predetermined shape and being soaking with an adhesive material until meshes of said ball pocket leaf are filled with said adhesive material;

(b) integrally connecting said ball pocket leaves edge with edge together by overlapping edge sections of one of said ball pocket leaves with said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound so as to form a hollow round ball body defining said receiving cavity therein, wherein one of said ball pocket leaves is remained unattached to form an inlet opening, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of;

(b-1) applying a removing agent on a spherical surface of an inflated spherical mold bladder having a true roundness shape,

(b-2) placing said ball pocket leaves on said spherical surface of said mold bladder in such a manner that said edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves are overlappedly adhered with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves placed therearound, and

(b-3) vulcanizing said ball pocket leaves on said mold bladder with heat for integrally bonding said ball pocket leaves together to form said hollow round ball body having said inlet opening provided thereon;

(c) inserting an inflatable bladder into said hollow round ball body through said inlet opening; and

(d) sealing said inlet opening with said ball pocket leaf remained unattached in the step (b) for sealedly enclosing said receiving cavity said hollow round ball body to form said ball pocket bladder.

10. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said mold bladder has a plurality of guiding sections formed on an outer spherical surface thereof for guiding each of said ball pocket leaves to place on said mold bladder.

11. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein the step (b) further comprises the step of:

(b.4) releasing a compression air inside said inflated mold bladder to shrink said mold bladder; and

(b.5) removing said mold bladder from said hollow round ball body through said inlet opening.

12. The method, as recited in claim 11, after the step (b) and before the step (c), further comprising a step of also applying said removing agent on said inflatable bladder.

13. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of:

(d.1) covering said inlet opening on said hollow round ball body by adhering said edge sections of said ball pocket leaf remained unattached in the step (b) with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves positioned therearound; and

(d.2) vulcanizing said construction ball pocket with heat for integrally enclosing said inlet opening of said construction ball pocket and securely receiving said inflatable bladder therein.

14. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of:

(d.1) covering said inlet opening on said hollow round ball body by adhering said edge sections of said ball pocket leaf remained unattached in the step (b) with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves positioned therearound to form a first layer of ball pocket leaves;

(d.2) overlappedly adhering a second layer of ball pocket leaves on said first layer of ball pocket leaves; and

(d.3) vulcanizing said first and second layers of ball pocket leaves with heat until all said ball pocket leaves are integrated to form an integral layer to form said construction ball pocket.

15. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said ball pocket leaves of said second layer of ball pocket leaves is arranged and aligned to be placed perpendicularly to said respective ball pocket leaf of said first layer of ball pocket leaves which is positioned right below.

16. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of:

(d.1) covering said inlet opening on said hollow round ball body by adhering said edge sections of said ball pocket leaf remained unattached in the step (b) with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves positioned therearound; and

(d.2) vulcanizing said construction ball pocket with heat for integrally enclosing said inlet opening of said construction ball pocket and securely receiving said inflatable bladder therein.

17. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of:

(d.1) covering said inlet opening on said hollow round ball body by adhering said edge sections of said ball pocket leaf remained unattached in the step (b) with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves positioned therearound to form a first layer of ball pocket leaves;

(d.2) overlappedly adhering a second layer of ball pocket leaves on said first layer of ball pocket leaves; and

(d.3) vulcanizing said first and second layers of ball pocket leaves with heat until all said ball pocket leaves are integrated to form an integral layer to form said construction ball pocket.

18. The method, as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said ball pocket leaves of said second layer of ball pocket leaves is arranged and aligned to be placed perpendicularly to said respective ball pocket leaf of said first layer of ball pocket leaves which is positioned right below.

19. A method for manufacturing a ball pocket bladder, adapted for disposing in a ball carcass of a stitching ball for propping up and supporting said ball carcass, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of ball pocket leaves each having an adhesive ability and a predetermined shape;

(b) integrally connecting said ball pocket leaves edge with edge together by overlapping edge sections of one of said ball pocket leaves with said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound so as to form a hollow round ball body defining said receiving cavity therein, wherein one of said ball pocket leaves is remained unattached to form an inlet opening;

(c) applying a removing agent on said inflatable bladder;

(d) inserting an inflatable bladder into said hollow round ball body through said inlet opening; and

(e) sealing said inlet opening with said ball pocket leaf remained unattached in the step (b) for sealedly enclosing said receiving cavity said hollow round ball body to form said ball pocket bladder.

20. A stitching ball, comprising:

an inflatable bladder having a valve stem extended therefrom;

a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder inside and a valve hole for said valve stem extended therethrough to an exterior of said construction ball pocket, wherein said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated, wherein an outer spherical surface of said inflatable bladder is spaced apart from an inner spherical surface of said construction ball pocket so as to form an air cushion layer therebetween; and

a ball carcass, which comprises a plurality of carcass panels sewn edge to edge together, receiving said construction ball pocket therein and having a stem hole for said valve stem attached thereto, wherein said inflatable bladder is capable of popping up and supporting said ball carcass after said inflatable bladder is inflated.

21. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 20, wherein a surrounding area of said valve stem of said inflatable bladder is attached on a respective surrounding area of said valve hole of said construction ball pocket so as to retain said valve stem of said inflatable bladder in position.

22. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 21, said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

23. A stitching ball, comprising:

an inflatable bladder having a valve stem extended therefrom;

a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder inside and a valve hole for said valve stem extended therethrough to an exterior of said construction ball pocket, wherein said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated, wherein said construction ball pocket comprises a plurality of ball pocket leaves integrally connected edge to edge together to form said construction ball pocket having a spherical shape, wherein an outer spherical surface of said inflatable bladder is spaced apart from an inner spherical surface of said construction ball pocket so as to form an air cushion layer therebetween; and

a ball carcass, which comprises a plurality of carcass panels sewn edge to edge together, receiving said construction ball pocket therein and having a stem hole for said valve stem attached thereto, wherein said inflatable bladder is capable of popping up and supporting said ball carcass after said inflatable bladder is inflated.

24. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 23, wherein a surrounding area of said valve stem of said inflatable bladder is attached on a respective surrounding area of said valve hole of said construction ball pocket so as to retain said valve stem of said inflatable bladder in position.

25. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 24, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

26. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 25, wherein said ball carcass further comprises a plurality of cushion pads which are shaped to fittingly attach under said carcass panels respectively.

27. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 24, wherein said ball carcass further comprises a plurality of cushion pads which are shaped to fittingly attach under said carcass panels respectively.

28. The stitching ball, as recited in claim 23, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent bail pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat.

29. A stitching ball, comprising:

an inflatable bladder having a valve stem extended therefrom;

a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder inside and a valve hole for said valve stem extended therethrough to an exterior of said construction ball pocket, wherein said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated, wherein an outer spherical surface of said inflatable bladder is spaced apart from an inner spherical surface of said construction ball pocket so as to form an air cushion layer therebetween, wherein said ball pocket leaves are connected with each other by overlapping and integrally bonding edge sections of each of said ball pocket leaves with said edge sections of said adjacent ball pocket leaves therearound by means of vulcanization with heat; and

a ball carcass, which comprises a plurality of carcass panels sewn edge to edge together, receiving said construction ball pocket therein and having a stem hole for said valve stem attached thereto, wherein said inflatable bladder is capable of popping up and supporting said ball carcass after said inflatable bladder is inflated.