Game ball having optimally positioned grooves and/or ridges

• US 7,585,236 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Krysiak, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US11/497,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 473/596, 473/597, 473/599, 473603-605, 473/595, 473/609, 473600-602, D21/713
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor

Abstract

A basketball having an outer surface and including a first set of channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball. The basketball further includes a bladder, a carcass and at least one cover panel. The carcass covers the bladder and has an outer surface that defines a second set of channels. The cover panel(s) is positioned over the carcass and over at least one of the channels of the second set of channels. The cover panel(s) generally conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the carcass such that the cover panel defines at least one groove in the outer surface of the basketball corresponding to the channels of the second set of channels. The depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.

Claims

1. A basketball having an outer surface and comprising:

a first set of channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball, the first set of channels defining a plurality of cover panel attachment regions and defining a first pattern;

a bladder;

a carcass covering the bladder, the carcass having an outer surface defining a second set of channels; and

at least two cover panels positioned over the carcass and at least one of the cover panels extending over at least one of the channels of the second set of channels, the at least two cover panels generally conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the carcass such that at least one of the cover panels defines at least one groove in the outer surface of the basketball corresponding to the at least one channel of the second set of channels, the depth of the groove being greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, the at least one groove defining a second pattern that is different and largely spaced apart from the first channel pattern.

2. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the basketball is configured for organized, competitive play.

3. The basketball of claim 1 wherein the first set of channels define between two and sixteen cover regions, wherein the at least one cover panel is at least two to sixteen cover panels, and wherein the cover panels generally correspond to the cover regions.

4. The basketball of claim 3 wherein the first set of channels define eight cover regions, and wherein the at least one cover panel is eight cover panels.

5. The basketball of claim 3 wherein the first set of channels define ten cover regions, and wherein the at least one cover panel is ten cover panels.

6. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the second set of channels number at least two channels and less or equal to forty channels.

7. The basketball of claim 6, wherein the second set of channels number at least eight channels and less than or equal to twenty-four channels.

8. The basketball of claim 3 wherein the second set of channels includes a separate channel associated with each cover region of the basketball.

9. The basketball of claim 3 wherein the second set of channels includes at least two channels corresponding to each cover region of the basketball.

10. The basketball of claim 3 wherein the second set of channels includes at least three channels corresponding to each cover region of the basketball.

11. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the width and depth of the at least one groove is sufficiently sized to receive a portion of one or more fingertips of a user.

12. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 4 mm.

13. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 1.0 mm and less than or equal to 1.3 mm.

14. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the width of the groove is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 20 mm.

15. The basketball of claim 14, wherein the width of the groove is greater than or equal to 4 mm and less than or equal to 8 mm.

16. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the basketball includes an outer surface having first and second diametrically opposed reference points, wherein each groove includes first and second ends, and wherein each of the grooves extends generally longitudinally about the outer surface of the basketball from the first end positioned at or near the first reference point to the second end positioned at or near the second reference point.

17. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the second set of channels are configured in a shape selected from the group consisting of a line segment, a curved segment, a circle, a closed curved shape and combinations thereof.

18. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the width of the first and second sets of channels is approximately the same, and wherein the depth of the first and second sets of channels is approximately the same.

19. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the second set of channels are entirely spaced apart from each other and do not interconnect.

21. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the at least two cover panels include a backing selected from the group consisting of a textile, a non-woven fabric, and combinations thereof.

22. The basketball of claim 1 wherein the at least two cover panels include an outer layer of material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, butyl rubber, natural leather, synthetic leather, polyurethane, a synthetic polymeric material and combinations thereof.

23. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the carcass is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a latex, a natural rubber, butyl rubber, a synthetic polymeric plastic material, other elastomeric materials, and combinations thereof.

42. The basketball of claim 1, wherein the first pattern resembles the pattern of channels on a conventional basketball.

20. A basketball having an outer surface and including a first set of channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball, the basketball comprising:

a bladder;

a carcass covering the bladder, the carcass having an outer surface defining a second set of channels; and

at least one cover panel positioned over the carcass and over at least one of the channels of the second set of channels, the at least one cover panel generally conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the carcass such that the cover panel defines at least one groove in the outer surface of the basketball corresponding to the at least one channel of the second set of channels, the depth of the groove being greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, wherein the first set of channels and second set of channels are spaced apart from each other such that the first set of channels do not interconnect the second set of channels.

24. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the basketball is configured for organized, competitive play.

25. The basketball of claim 20 wherein the first set of channels define between two and sixteen cover regions, wherein the at least one cover panel is at least two to sixteen cover panels, and wherein the cover panels generally correspond to the cover regions.

26. The basketball of claim 25 wherein the first set of channels define eight cover regions, and wherein the at least one cover panel is eight cover panels.

27. The basketball of claim 25 wherein the first set of channels define ten cover regions, and wherein the at least one cover panel is ten cover panels.

28. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the second set of channels number at least two channels and less or equal to forty channels.

29. The basketball of claim 28, wherein the second set of channels number at least eight channels and less than or equal to twenty-four channels.

30. The basketball of claim 25 wherein the second set of channels includes a separate channel associated with each cover region of the basketball.

31. The basketball of claim 25 wherein the second set of channels includes at least two channels corresponding to each cover region of the basketball.

32. The basketball of claim 25 wherein the second set of channels includes at least three channels corresponding to each cover region of the basketball.

33. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the width and depth of the at least one groove is sufficiently sized to receive a portion of one or more fingertips of a user.

34. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 4 mm.

35. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 1.0 mm and less than or equal to 1.3 mm.

36. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the width of the groove is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 20 mm.

37. The basketball of claim 36, wherein the width of the groove is greater than or equal to 4 mm and less than or equal to 8 mm.

38. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the basketball includes an outer surface having first and second diametrically opposed reference points, wherein each groove includes first and second ends, and wherein each of the grooves extends generally longitudinally about the outer surface of the basketball from the first end positioned at or near the first reference point to the second end positioned at or near the second reference point.

39. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the second set of channels are configured in a shape selected from the group consisting of a line segment, a curved segment, a circle, a closed curved shape and combinations thereof.

40. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the width of the first and second sets of channels is approximately the same, and wherein the depth of the first and second sets of channels is approximately the same.

41. The basketball of claim 20, wherein the second set of channels are spaced apart from each other and do not interconnect.