Game ball having optimally positioned grooves and/or ridges

• US 8,579,742 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• 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:
  US13/397,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 473/596, 473/597, 473/599, 473603-605, 473/606, 473/609, 473600-602, D21/713
• US Class Current: 473/603
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor

Abstract

A football having first and second ends and including a bladder, a cover and a lacing. The cover is disposed over the bladder and defines channels. The cover has an outer surface and includes a plurality of ridges. The height of the ridge is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm. The football includes an upper central region positioned between first and second upper end regions, and a lower central region positioned between first and second lower end regions. The lacing is coupled to the upper central region. The ridges extend over the upper central region, the first and second upper end regions, and the first and second lower end. The lower central region is formed without ridges. The lacing has a first length and the lower central region has a second length that is generally equal to the first length.

Claims

1. A football having a generally prolate spheroidal shape and opposing first and second ends, the football comprising:

a bladder;

a cover disposed over the bladder, the cover formed of at least one cover panel, the cover defining, at least in part, a first set of channels extending generally longitudinally from at or near the first end of the football to at or near the second end of the football, the cover having an outer surface and including a plurality of outwardly projecting ridges configured to facilitate grasping and throwing of the football, the height of the ridge being greater than or equal to 0.3 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm; and

a lacing, the football including an upper central region positioned between first and second upper end regions, and a lower central region positioned between first and second lower end regions, the lacing coupled to the upper central region of the football, the plurality of ridges extending over the upper central region, the first and second upper end regions, and the first and second lower end of the football, the lower central region of the football being formed without the plurality of ridges, the lacing having a first length and the lower central region having a second length that is generally equal to the first length.

2. The football of claim 1, further comprising a carcass covering the bladder and disposed under the cover.

3. The football of claim 1, further comprising at least one pad positioned between the bladder and the cover.

4. The football of claim 3, wherein the at least one pad has an outer surface that defines a plurality of ribs, and wherein the cover generally conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the at least one pad such that the plurality of ridges in the outer surface of the football generally correspond to the second set of ribs.

5. The football of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of spaced apart elements positioned between the bladder and the cover.

6. The football of claim 5, wherein the cover generally conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the plurality of spaced apart elements such that the spaced apart elements contribute to the formation of the plurality of outwardly projecting ridges in the outer surface of the football.

7. The football of claim 1, wherein the cover has a variable wall thickness enabling regions of reduced thickness in the cover to define, at least in part, the plurality of ridges.

8. The football of claim 1, wherein the cover includes an outer layer and a backing, and wherein the backing has variable thickness enabling the cover to define the plurality of ridges.

9. The football of claim 1, wherein the football is configured for organized, competitive play.

10. The football of claim 1, wherein the cover includes at least two and no more than ten cover panels, and wherein the first set of channels generally define edges of the cover panels.

11. The football of claim 10, wherein each cover panel defines at least one of the plurality of ridges.

12. The football of claim 10, wherein each cover panel defines at least two of the plurality of ridges.

13. The football of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ridges number within the range of two to forty ridges.

14. The football of claim 13, wherein the plurality of ridges number within the range of four to twenty ridges.

15. The football of claim 1, wherein the height of the plurality of ridges is greater than or equal to 0.6 mm and less than or equal to 7 mm.

16. The football of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ridges extends longitudinally about the outer surface of the football.

17. The football of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ridges extends about the outer surface of the football in a transverse direction.

18. The football of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ridges 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.

19. The football of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the cover includes a pebbled texture.

20. The football of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of ridges extends longitudinally about the outer surface of the ball from a first location at or near the first end to a second location at or near the second end.