Sports ball
First Claim
1. A sports ball comprising:
- an outer layer and an inner layer, whereinsaid outer layer comprises at least two polygonal panels, each said polygonal panel having edges and vertices, each said edge being bound by two said vertices, each said polygonal panel meeting at least one more said panel at said vertex, andsaid inner layer comprises at least two polygonal panels, each said polygonal panel having edges and vertices, each said edge being bound by two said vertices, each said polygonal panel meeting at least one more said panel at said vertex, and whereinsaid inner layer is the topological dual of said outer layer and comprises the same number of said polygonal panels as the number of said vertices in said outer layer and further comprises the same number of said vertices as the number of said polygonal panels in said outer layer, and whereinsaid inner layer is oriented so that each of the vertices of said outer layer overlay exactly one of the panels of said inner layer, and each of said polygonal panels of said outer layer overlay exactly one of the vertices of said inner layer, and whereineach of the polygonal panels of the outer layer being shaped differently than each of the polygonal panels of the inner layer, and whereinthe number of polygonal panels of said inner layer is different from the number of polygonal panels of said outer layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
New designs for a sports ball comprising at least two polygonal panels and having an improved performance and uniformity. Each panel has doubly-curved edges that curve along and across the surface of the sphere. The panels are p-sided curved polygons, where p is an integer greater than 1. The single panels, in an imagined flattened state, have curved edges where each edge curves inwards, outwards or undulates in a wave-like manner. The edges are arranged so each individual panel is without mirror-symmetry and the edge curvatures are adjusted so the panel shape can be varied to achieve more uniform panel stiffness as well as economy in manufacturing. The ball also has a possible shape-induced spin due to the panel design and the overall rotational symmetry of the design. In various embodiments, the ball comprises at least two multi-paneled layers that are topological duals of each other, wherein each layer provides a compensatory function with respect to the other layer such that the ball has a uniformly performing surface. Applications include but are not limited to designs for soccer balls, baseballs, basketballs, tennis balls, rugby, and other sports or recreational play. The shape of the ball can be spherical, ellipsoidal or other curved convex shapes.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A sports ball comprising:
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an outer layer and an inner layer, wherein said outer layer comprises at least two polygonal panels, each said polygonal panel having edges and vertices, each said edge being bound by two said vertices, each said polygonal panel meeting at least one more said panel at said vertex, and said inner layer comprises at least two polygonal panels, each said polygonal panel having edges and vertices, each said edge being bound by two said vertices, each said polygonal panel meeting at least one more said panel at said vertex, and wherein said inner layer is the topological dual of said outer layer and comprises the same number of said polygonal panels as the number of said vertices in said outer layer and further comprises the same number of said vertices as the number of said polygonal panels in said outer layer, and wherein said inner layer is oriented so that each of the vertices of said outer layer overlay exactly one of the panels of said inner layer, and each of said polygonal panels of said outer layer overlay exactly one of the vertices of said inner layer, and wherein each of the polygonal panels of the outer layer being shaped differently than each of the polygonal panels of the inner layer, and wherein the number of polygonal panels of said inner layer is different from the number of polygonal panels of said outer layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification