Sporting ball with enhanced visual acuity

• US 8,303,442 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Todd, Reichow, Alan W., Citek, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baldori, Joseph B
• Application Number:
  US13/315,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20120142462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 473/598, 473/599, 473/600, 473/603, 473/604, 473/607, D21/707, D21/713, 403/27
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0027 visually handicapped
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06

Abstract

Sporting balls with enhanced visual acuity, casings for sporting balls with enhanced visual acuity, and methods for enhancing visual acuity of a soccer ball are described. In embodiments, the sporting ball has an exterior with a substantially spherical surface including a first pole opposing a second pole and an equator circumferentially intermediate the first pole and the second pole. Additionally, in embodiments a first exterior region of a first color may include a first hub section oriented at the first pole generally opposite a second hub section oriented at the second pole on the substantially spherical surface. The first hub section may have one or more first hub spokes extending spherically outwardly therefrom toward the equator, and the second hub section may have one or more second hub spokes extending spherically outwardly therefrom toward the equator. Further, in embodiments, the sporting ball may have a second exterior region of a second color.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing visual acuity of a sporting ball, comprising:

selecting a graphic pattern configured to create a rotationally induced peripheral flicker

selecting a first color of the graphic pattern, wherein the first color is located at a first position on a CIE (1931) Standard Chromacity Diagram;

selecting a second color of a casing of the sporting ball, wherein the second color is located at a second position on the CIE (1931) Standard Chromaticity Diagram that differs from the first position of the first color, the first position and second position are separated by a distance greater than 50% of a chromatic blend limit extending through both the first position and second position the chromatic blend limit extending substantially perpendicular to a central confusion line; and

positioning the graphic on the casing of the sporting ball.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected graphic pattern is configured to delay the onset of fusion as a rotational velocity of the sporting ball increases.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected graphic pattern is configured to account for sporting ball luminance.

4. A method for selecting a casing color and a graphic color of a sporting ball comprising:

defining a graphic region and a casing region on the sporting ball;

selecting a first target color, wherein the first target color is located at a first position on a CIE (1931) Standard Chromaticity Diagram;

selecting a second target color, wherein the second color is located at a second position on the CIE (1931) Standard Chromaticity Diagram that differs from the first position of the first color, the first position and second position are separated by a distance greater than 50% of a chromatic blend limit extending through both the first position and second position the chromatic blend limit extending substantially perpendicular to a central confusion line;

querying a pigment library to select the first target color and the second target color;

assigning the first target color to the graphic region; and

assigning the second target color to the casing region.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

identifying a line of color confusion, wherein the selecting of the first target color avoids a predefined color and the chromatic blend limit extends substantially perpendicular to the line of color confusion.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a background, wherein the background is an anticipated background for viewing the sporting ball;

retrieving a background spectral window, associated with the background, from a database; and

adjusting at least one of the first target color or the second target color based on the background spectral window.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting a target color further comprises:

reducing a reflectance of at least one of the first target color or the second target color in at least a portion of the background spectral window.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first target color and second target color are assigned a predetermined luminance contrast.