Game ball lacing

• US 6,767,300 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Guenther, Douglas G., Murphy, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US10/441,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 473/596, 473/597, 473/603, 473/599, 473/598, 473/607, 473/608, 403/27, D21/712
• US Class Current: 473/597
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/37 Drawstring, laced-fastener, or separate essential cooperating device therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24496 Foamed or cellular component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24512 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension

Abstract

A game ball including a casing and a lacing. The casing has a laced region. The lacing is coupled to the laced region of the casing. The lacing has an exposed surface comprised of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile. The outer material has a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm² and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm². At least a portion of the lacing can have an exposed pebbled surface.

Claims

1. An American football comprising:

a casing including first and second end portions separated by a central portion, the central porting having a laced region, the laced region including first and second sections position generally adjacent to each other; and

a lacing coupled to the laced region of the casing, the lacing including at least one transversely extending segment outwardly extending over at least a portion of the first and second sections of the laced region, the lacing having an exposed surface, at least a portion of the exposed surface of the lacing having a pebbled texture.

2. The football of claim 1, wherein the entire exposed surface of the lacing includes the pebbled texture.

3. The football of claim 1 wherein the casing is substantially an primarily formed in a first color and the exposed surface of the lacing is formed in a second color, and wherein the first and second colors are substantially the same color.

4. The football of claim 1 wherein the casing is substantially an primarily formed in a first color and the exposed surface of the lacing is formed in a second color, and wherein the first and second colors are different colors.

5. The football of claim 1 wherein the casing includes a plurality of lace holes and wherein the lacing is threaded to the casing through the lace holes.

6. The football of claim 1 wherein the lacing is integrally formed to the casing.

7. The football of claim 1, further including a bladder, wherein the central portion of the casing includes a slot for receiving the bladder, and wherein the at least one transversely tending segment extends over the slot to assist in retaining the bladder within the casing.

8. The football of claim 1, wherein the central portion of the casing has a maximum transverse dimension measured along a transverse plane, and wherein the at least one transversely extending segment has a length measured in the same direction as the maxium transverse dimension, which is at least five percent of the maximum transverse dimension.

9. The football of claim 1, wherein the first and second sections of the laced region are first and second quarter sections of the casing.