Sport ball with energy absorbing foam at varying locations

• US 6,916,262 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Russell Brands LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Russell Asset Management, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Laliberty, Ronald P., Veilleux, Thomas A., Lacroix, Matthew K.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US10/321,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 473/593, 473/610, 473/611, 473/594, 473/595, 473603-605, 473/607, 473/608, 473/609, 446/220, 446/224
• 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 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/12 Tools or devices for blowing up or closing balls for pricking-balls A63B39/04
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1033 Inflation devices or methods for inflating balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1083 Valves or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/10 Balloons connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; other than toy aspects B64B1/40
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2059/025 pneumatic, e.g. inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/02 Fenders integral with waterborne vessels or specially adapted therefor, e.g. fenders forming part of the hull or incorporated in the hull; Rubbing-strakes fenders on coasts, in harbours or on other fixed marine structures E02B3/26
• 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 soccer ball, a volleyball, a basketball, a football or a playground ball, is provided with a self-contained inflation mechanism for inflating or more likely adding pressure to the ball. The mechanism is a pump which is inside the ball and which is operable to pump ambient air into the ball. Energy absorbing foam panels are used at varying locations to maximize rebound performance by minimizing the rebound height differential. The foam panels may be of different types and/or thicknesses.

Claims

1. An inflatable sport ball comprising:

a carcass;

an internal pump, said pump including a cylinder having an air outlet into said ball, a one-way valve attached to said air outlet permitting air flow from said cylinder into said ball and preventing air flow from said ball back into said cylinder, means in said cylinder operable to draw ambient air from outside said ball into said cylinder and to force said drawn ambient air from said cylinder though said one-way valve into said ball, and further including means for operating said pump from outside said carcass;

a layer of energy absorbing foam in at least one location on the ball; and

a cover.

2. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 further including a pump actuator comprising:

a piston having a piston rod attached to said piston and extending through an opening in said carcass and movable between an extended position and an inserted position; and

means for locking said piston rod in said inserted position.

3. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said layer of foam covers essentially the entire ball.

4. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said ball includes at least two different types or thicknesses of foam at different locations of the ball.

5. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 4 wherein at least one type or thickness of foam absorbs more energy than at least one other type or thickness of foam.

6. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 4 wherein said sport ball comprises at least two types of thicknesses of energy absorbing foam has a lower rebound differential than a sport ball having all other components the same except the foam types or thicknesses.

7. A inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 and further including means attached inside said ball to counterbalance the weight of said internal pump.

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

9. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a volleyball or soccer ball.

10. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 4, wherein a first type or thickness of said energy absorbing foam includes a portion that covers the integral pump, and a second type or thickness of said energy absorbing foam includes a portion that covers an area of the sport ball other than the integral pump.

11. An inflatable sports ball comprising:

an internal pump, said pump including means for actuating said pump and wherein said pump includes means for pumping ambient air into said ball and means for preventing said pumped air from escaping out of said ball, wherein said pump is attached to the ball and is located in an opening in the ball such that said opening is covered when the ball is not in use and further wherein said pump is essentially flush with or below the surface of the ball when not in use; and

a first layer of energy absorbing foam on a first location of the ball, said layer having a predetermined type or thickness.

12. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 11, wherein said ball includes a second layer of energy absorbing foam.

13. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 12, wherein the first layer of foam and second layer of foam are configured to absorb different amounts of energy.

14. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 12, wherein the first layer of energy absorbing foam includes a portion that covers the internal pump, and the second layer of foam includes a portion that covers an area of the sport ball other than the internal pump.

15. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 11 wherein said ball includes a second layer of energy absorbing foam on a different location of the ball, said second foam layer having a different type or thicknesses of foam than the first foam layer.

16. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 11 wherein said sport ball is a basketball, volleyball, football, playground ball, or soccer ball.

17. An inflatable sport ball comprising an integral pump, wherein said pump is inside said ball and includes means selectively extendable outside of said bail for actuating said pump, and further wherein said pump is essentially flush with or below the surface of the ball when not in use;

and

a first layer of energy absorbing foam on a first location of the ball, said layer having a predetermined type or thickness.

18. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 17, wherein said ball includes a second layer of energy absorbing foam.

19. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 18, wherein the first layer of foam and second layer of foam are configured to absorb different amounts of energy.

20. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 18, wherein the first layer of energy absorbing foam includes a portion that covers the integral pump, and the second layer of foam includes a portion that covers an area of the sport ball other than the integral pump.

21. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 17, wherein said ball includes a second layer of energy absorbing foam on a different location of the ball, said second foam layer having a different type or thicknesses of foam than the first foam layer.

22. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 17, wherein said sport ball is a basketball, volleyball, football, playground ball, or soccer ball.

23. An inflatable sport ball comprising a carcass and an internal pump attached to said carcass, said pump including a cylinder having an air outlet into said ball, a one-way valve attached to said air outlet permitting air flow from said cylinder into said ball and preventing air flow from said ball back into said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder operable to draw ambient air from outside said ball into said cylinder and to force said drawn ambient air from said cylinder through said one-way valve into said ball and further including means for actuating said piston from outside said carcass, wherein said means for actuating said piston comprise a piston rod attached to said piston and extending through an opening in said carcass and movable between an extended position and an inserted position and further including a spring positioned to force said piston up in said cylinder away from said air outlet and force said piston rod to said extended position outside of said ball through said opening whereby said piston rod may be actuated and including means for locking said piston rod in said inserted position;

and

a first layer of energy absorbing foam on a first location of the ball, said layer having a predetermined type or thickness.

24. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 23, wherein said ball includes a second layer of energy absorbing foam.

25. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 24, wherein the first layer of foam and second layer of foam are configured to absorb different amounts of energy.

26. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 24, wherein the first layer of energy absorbing foam includes a portion that covers the internal pump, and the second layer of foam includes a portion that covers an area of the sport ball other than the internal pump.

27. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 23, wherein said ball includes a second layer of energy absorbing foam on a different location of the ball, said second foam layer having a different type or thicknesses of foam than the first foam layer.

28. An inflatable sport ball as recited in claim 23, wherein said sport ball is a basketball, volleyball, football, playground ball, or soccer ball.