Sport ball with self-contained dual action inflation mechanism

• US 6,966,857 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Russell Brands LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated), SSG Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Russell Asset Management, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Thomas J. III, Cloutier, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Steven
• Application Number:
  US10/742,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20040180740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 473/593, 473/610, 473/611, 446/220, 446/224, 417/478, 417/479, 417/488, 417/259, 417/526, 417/527, 36/29
• US Class Current: 473/593
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 Volleyball
• 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

Abstract

An inflatable sport ball, such as a basketball, a football, a soccer ball, a volleyball or a playground ball, is provided with a self-contained inflation mechanism, or multiple self-contained inflation mechanisms, for inflating or adding pressure to the ball. The mechanism is a pump which is positioned and retained inside of the ball and which is operable from outside of the ball to pump ambient air into the ball. The pump is a dual action pump allowing air to be added to the ball on both a forward stroke and a reverse stroke.

Claims

1. A sport ball having an integral pump, said ball comprising:

a flexible ball body adapted to retain pressurized air, said body defining an aperture;

a pump disposed in said aperture and retained within said ball body, said pump including (i) a cylinder defining a hollow interior, (ii) a piston disposed in said hollow interior of said cylinder, said piston defining a passage for air flow into said cylinder, said piston movable between an extended position and an inserted position, and (iii) a valve assembly including a first valve disposed in said passage defined in said piston, said first valve configured to restrict air flow such that air may only enter said piston upon moving said piston toward an extended position.

2. The sport ball of claim 1, said pump further including a primary seal disposed proximate an end of said piston and between an outer surface of said piston and an interior surface of said cylinder, wherein said primary seal moves in conjunction with said piston.

3. The sport ball of claim 2 wherein said primary seal is a two-way seal.

4. The sport ball of claim 1, said pump further including a secondary seal disposed between an outer surface of said piston and an interior surface of said cylinder, wherein said secondary seal is stationary with respect to said cylinder.

5. The sport ball of claim 4 wherein said secondary seal is a one-way seal.

6. The sport ball of claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a basketball.

7. The sport ball of claim 1 wherein said sport ball is a football.

8. The sport ball of claim 1, said ball further comprises a second integral pump.

9. An inflatable ball having an integral dual action pump assembly for changing air pressure within said ball, said ball comprising:

a rubber bladder defining an interior region adapted for retaining pressurized air;

an outer layer disposed about said rubber bladder; and

a pump assembly disposed in said interior region of said rubber bladder, said pump assembly including a movable plunger sealingly disposed within a cylinder secured to said rubber bladder, said plunger movable in both a forward stroke and a reverse stroke, said pump assembly adapted to transfer air to said interior region of said rubber bladder by moving said plunger in either said forward stroke or said reverse stroke, said plunger defining a hollow passage along at least a portion of its length, said plunger including a one-way valve disposed in said hollow passage, said one-way valve configured to only permit air flow through said plunger and into said rubber bladder during movement of said plunger in said reverse stroke.

10. The ball of claim 9 wherein upon movement of said plunger in said forward stroke, said one-way valve prevents air flow within said passage.

11. The ball of claim 9, wherein said pump assembly further includes at least one seal disposed between said plunger and said cylinder.

12. The ball of claim 9 wherein said ball is selected from the group consisting of a basketball, a football, a soccer ball, and a volleyball.

13. The ball of claim 9 wherein said ball is a basketball.

14. The ball of claim 9 wherein said ball is a football.

15. The ball of claim 9 wherein said ball further comprises a counterweight positioned on said ball and of a suitable mass such that the center of mass of said ball coincides with the geometric center of said ball.

16. The ball of claim 9 further comprising:

a secondary inflation valve.

17. The sport ball of claim 9, said ball further comprising a second integral pump.