Football including indicia to improve visibility

• US 8,449,417 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Bevier, Joseph J., Cellan, Damon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US12/208,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20100062883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 473/603, 473/599, 473/597, 473/609, 403/27, D21/712
• US Class Current: 473/603
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06

Abstract

A prolate spheriodal ball includes first and second ends and first and second mid regions between the first and second ends and the tranverse axis, respectively. The ball is colored with a first color. First and second tips at first and second ends are colored to contrast with the first color. First and second mid regions include colored regions that are colored to contrast with the first color. The peripheries of the contrasting colored regions are continuous around the ball.

Claims

1. A prolate spheroidal ball, including

a body having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and made of material having a first color;

the body including a first tip located at the first end, the first tip being colored with a second color that contrasts with the first color, an outer periphery of the tip having a ring shape continuous around the body; and

the body further including a first mid region between the first tip and the transverse axis, a portion of the first mid region being colored with the second color, an outer periphery of the mid region portion colored with the second color having a ring shape continuous around the body and an inner periphery of the mid region portion colored with the second color having a ring shape continuous around at least half a circumference of the body;

wherein the ring shape of the first tip, the ring shape of the outer periphery, and the ring shape of the inner periphery are concentric; and

wherein a portion of the inner periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the second color extends substantially longitudinally to form a first finger portion adjacent a longitudinally oriented lace element, wherein the first finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element but is disposed in non-alignment with the lace element.

2. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 1, wherein the first color is a generally tan color and the second color contrasts highly with the first color.

3. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 1, wherein the second color has a dominant wavelength between about 520 and about 770 nm.

4. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 2, wherein the first color and the second color are flat.

5. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 2, wherein the three ring shaped peripheries form a series of concentric rings.

6. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 1, wherein a portion of the inner periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the second color extends longitudinally to form a second finger portion adjacent the lace element, wherein the second finger portion is disposed on an opposite side of the lace element from the first finger portion, and wherein the second finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element and the first finger portion.

24. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 1, the body including a second tip located at the second end;

and

the body further including a second mid region between the second tip and the transverse axis, a portion of second mid region being colored with the second color, an outer periphery of the portion of the mid region that is colored with the second color having a ring shape continuous around the body and an inner periphery having a ring shape continuous around at least half a circumference of the body; and

wherein a portion of the inner periphery of the portion of the second mid region that is colored with the second color extends substantially longitudinally to form a second finger portion adjacent the lace element, wherein the second finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element but is disposed in non-alignment with the lace element.

7. A prolate spheroidal ball, including:

a body having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and made of material having a first color;

the body including a first tip located at the first end, the first tip being colored with a second color that contrasts with the first color, an outer periphery of the tip having a ring shape; and

the body includes a mid region having an inner periphery and an outer periphery relative to a transverse axis of the body;

wherein the peripheries are arranged concentrically to form a series of concentric rings; and

wherein a portion of the inner periphery of the mid region is colored with the second color and extends substantially longitudinally to form a first finger portion adjacent a longitudinally oriented lace element, wherein the first finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element but is disposed in non-alignment with the lace element.

8. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 7, wherein the first color is a generally tan color and the second color contrasts highly with the first color.

9. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 7, wherein the second color has a dominant wavelength between about 520 and about 770 nm.

10. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 7, wherein the first color and the second color are flat.

11. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 7, wherein the second color covers no more than about 50% of a surface area of the body.

12. A prolate spheroidal ball, comprising:

a body having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, an external surface, and first and second ends;

wherein a first body portion extends from the transverse axis to the first end, the first body portion being conical in shape;

wherein the first body portion is divided into three sections, a first section extending from the first end and being conical in shape and terminating in a ring, a third section being frustoconical in shape and extending from the transverse axis to terminate in a ring, and a second section being frustoconical in shape and extending between the first section and the third section;

wherein the first section and the second section have contrasting colors, the second section and at least a first area of the third section are contrasting colors along their boundaries;

wherein the second section and at least a second area of the third section are substantially the same color and the at least a second area is separated from the second section by the at least a first area; and

wherein the first area of the third section extends substantially longitudinally to form a first finger portion adjacent a longitudinally oriented lace element, wherein the first finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element but is disposed in non-alignment with the lace element.

13. A prolate spheroidal ball, including:

a body having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and made of material having a first color;

the body including a first tip located at the first end;

the body further including a first mid region between the first tip and the transverse axis, a portion of the first mid region being colored with a second color, an outer periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the second color having a ring shape continuous around the body;

wherein an inner periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the second color includes an inner periphery that is ring shaped over at least half of a circumference of the body; and

wherein a portion of the inner periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the second color extends substantially longitudinally to form a first finger portion adjacent a longitudinally oriented lace element, wherein the first finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element but is disposed in non-alignment with the lace element.

14. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 13, wherein the first finger portion includes a first free end.

15. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 14, wherein the first free end is spaced from the transverse axis of the ball and wherein the first free end is on the same side of the transverse axis as the first mid region.

16. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 13, further comprising a second tip located at a second end;

the body further including a second mid region between the second tip and the transverse axis, a portion of the second mid region being colored with the second color, an outer periphery of the second mid region portion colored with the second color having a ring shape continuous around the body;

wherein an inner periphery of the second mid region portion colored with the second color includes an inner periphery that is ring shaped over at least half of the circumference of the body; and

wherein a portion of the inner periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the second color extends longitudinally to form a second finger portion adjacent the lace element, wherein the second finger portion is disposed on an opposite side of the lace element from the first finger portion, and wherein the second finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element and the first finger portion.

17. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 16, wherein the second finger portion includes a second free end spaced from the transverse axis of the ball, wherein the second free end is on the same side of the transverse axis as the second mid region and the first free end is adjacent to and spaced from the second free end.

18. A prolate spheroidal ball, including:

a body having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and made of material having a first color;

the body including a first tip located at the first end, the first tip being colored with a second color that contrasts with the first color, an outer periphery of the tip having a ring shape; and

the body further including a first mid region between the first tip and the transverse axis, a portion of the first mid region being colored with a third color different from the first color and the second color and that contrasts with the first color, an outer periphery of the first mid region portion colored with the third color having a ring shape continuous around the body;

wherein a first section of the first mid region portion that is colored with the third color extends substantially longitudinally to form a first finger portion adjacent a longitudinally oriented lace element, wherein the first finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element but is disposed in non-alignment with the lace element.

19. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 18, wherein the first color is a generally tan color and the second and third colors are colors that contrast highly with the first color.

20. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 18, wherein the second and third colors have dominant wavelengths between about 520 and about 770 nm.

21. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 18, wherein the first, second, and third colors are flat.

22. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 18, wherein a second section of the first mid region portion that is colored with the third color extends substantially longitudinally to form a second finger portion, wherein the second finger portion is disposed on an opposite side of the lace element from the first finger portion, and wherein the second finger portion extends substantially parallel to the lace element and the first finger portion.

23. The prolate spheroidal ball of claim 18 , wherein an inner periphery of the mid region portion colored with the third color includes an inner periphery that is ring shaped over at least half of a circumference of the body.