American-style football including improved bladder construction for mounting of electronics

• US 8,512,177 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• 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., Guenther, Douglas G., Gaff, Bradley L., Fisher, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US12/947,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20110118062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 473/570, 473603-605, 473/571, 473/594
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/52 modulated by measured values
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 : Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 : Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 : Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/02 : Bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 : Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 : electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 : Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29

Abstract

An American style football including an inflatable bladder, a cover surrounding the bladder, and an electronic circuit. The bladder includes first and second side walls defining an expandable cavity and a cross-member configured to extend through the expandable cavity. The side walls and cross-member are coupled together to form a bladder seam. The electronic circuit is coupled to the cross-member and produces a signal to enable the position and movement of the football to be monitored during use.

Claims

1. An American style football comprising:

an inflatable bladder including first and second side walls defining an expandable cavity and a cross-member configured to extend through the expandable cavity, the side walls and the cross-member coupled together to form a bladder seam;

a non-translucent cover surrounding the bladder; and

an electronic circuit coupled to the cross-member, the electronic circuit producing an electronic signal to enable the position of the football to be monitored during use, the football having a recommended operating pressure range, and the cross-member expanding in length and/or width within the range of 10 to 300 percent upon inflation of the bladder to the operating pressure range, the football configured for organized, competitive play.

2. The football of claim 1, wherein the first and second side walls are formed of multilayered sheets of flexible material.

4. The football of claim 1, wherein upon inflation of the bladder to the operating pressure range, the elongation of the cross-member is within the range of 10 to 300 percent in at least two directions.

5. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is formed of a material selected from group consisting of a urethane, a vinyl, a fabric, a thermoplastic material, a polymeric material, rubber and combinations thereof.

6. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is constructed from at least one structural member selected from the group consisting of a wire, a cord, a string, a spring, a strap, a band, a sheet, and combinations thereof.

7. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member defines or includes a pocket, and wherein the electronic circuit is positioned within the pocket.

8. The football of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is positioned at the longitudinal center of the bladder.

9. The football of claim 7, wherein the bladder has first and second ends, and wherein the pocket is positioned adjacent one of the first and second ends.

10. The football of claim 1, wherein the bladder has first and second ends, and wherein the electronic circuit is positioned adjacent one of the first and second ends.

11. The football of claim 10, wherein the electronic circuit is positioned at the first end, and further comprising a counterweight coupled to the cross-member adjacent the second end.

12. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member defines at least one opening to facilitate pressure equalization within the bladder upon impact of the football during play.

13. The football of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes at least one sensor.

14. The football of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group selected from a pressure sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a motion sensor, a temperature sensor, and combinations thereof.

15. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is bonded to the first and second side walls at at least one portion of the bladder seam.

16. The football of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a rechargeable battery.

17. The football of claim 16, further comprising a remote charger, and wherein the remote charger is configured to charge the rechargeable battery when positioned near the football.

18. The football of claim 1, further including a lacing coupled to the cover.

19. The football of claim 18, wherein the bladder further includes a flap coupled to the outer surface of the bladder and generally positioned to lie beneath the lacing.

20. The football of claim 1, wherein the signal produced by the electronic circuit can also be used to monitor one or more of the following characteristics of the football, movement, speed, acceleration, deceleration, rotation, internal air pressure, and temperature.

21. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is a sheet, and wherein the sheet is configured to elongate longitudinally and laterally upon inflation of the bladder.

22. The football of claim 1, wherein the bladder is positioned within but not stitched to the cover.

23. The football of claim 1, wherein the bladder seam extends around 360 degrees around the bladder, and wherein cross-member is coupled to the bladder seam over at least 10 percent of the bladder seam.

24. The football of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is coupled to the bladder seam at at least four spaced apart locations.

25. The football of claim 1, further including a remote receiver for receiving the electronic signal.

3. An American style football comprising:

an inflatable bladder including first and second side walls defining an expandable cavity and a cross-member configured to extend through the expandable cavity, the side walls and the cross-member coupled together to form a bladder seam;

a non-translucent cover surrounding the bladder; and

an electronic circuit coupled to the cross-member, the electronic circuit producing a an electronic signal to enable the position of the football to be monitored during use, the football having a recommended operating pressure range, the cross-member being formed of a material that becomes taut upon inflation of the bladder to the operating pressure range and wherein upon inflation of the bladder to the operating pressure range, the cross-member bears a tensile load of at least 10 psi, the football configured for organized, competitive play.

26. The football of claim 3, wherein the cross-member defines at least one opening to facilitate pressure equalization within the bladder upon impact of the football.

27. The football of claim 3, wherein the bladder is positioned within but not stitched to the cover.

28. The football of claim 3, wherein the bladder seam extends around 360 degrees around the bladder, and wherein cross-member is coupled to the bladder seam over at least 10 percent of the bladder seam.

29. The football of claim 3, wherein the cross-member is coupled to the bladder seam at at least four spaced apart locations.

30. The football of claim 3, further including a remote receiver for receiving the electronic signal.