Method of manufacturing a sport ball
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
- bonding edges of a plurality of polymer elements together to define seams in a bladder;
joining an inflation tube to the bladder at a location of at least one of the seams;
locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing;
injecting a pressurized fluid into the bladder through the inflation tube; and
sealing the inflation tube;
wherein the bladder is formed of multiple layers of material including a first center layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein the first layer is disposed between the second layer and the third layer, and wherein the first layer is joined to both the second layer and the third layer;
wherein the first layer is formed of a first material, the second layer is formed of a second material, and the third layer is also formed of the second material, wherein the second material is different from the first material; and
wherein the first material includes an ethylene-vinyl copolymer, and wherein the second material includes a thermoplastic polyurethane.
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Abstract
A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing may form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder may be located within the casing and formed from a plurality of polymer bladder elements joined along abutting edges to form a sealed and valveless structure that encloses a pressurized gas. In some configurations, the bladder may be at least partially formed from an ether-based thermoplastic polyurethane material.
66 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
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bonding edges of a plurality of polymer elements together to define seams in a bladder; joining an inflation tube to the bladder at a location of at least one of the seams; locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing; injecting a pressurized fluid into the bladder through the inflation tube; and sealing the inflation tube; wherein the bladder is formed of multiple layers of material including a first center layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein the first layer is disposed between the second layer and the third layer, and wherein the first layer is joined to both the second layer and the third layer; wherein the first layer is formed of a first material, the second layer is formed of a second material, and the third layer is also formed of the second material, wherein the second material is different from the first material; and wherein the first material includes an ethylene-vinyl copolymer, and wherein the second material includes a thermoplastic polyurethane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
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bonding edges of a plurality of polymer elements together to define a bladder; joining an inflation tube to the bladder; locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing; and injecting a pressurized fluid into the bladder through the inflation tube; wherein the plurality of polymer elements are formed of alternating layers of material including a first center layer, a second adjacent layer, and a third adjacent layer, wherein the first layer is disposed between the second adjacent layer and the third adjacent layer; and wherein the first layer is formed of a material that includes an ethylene-vinyl copolymer, wherein the second adjacent layer is formed of a material that includes a thermoplastic polyurethane, and wherein the third adjacent layer is formed of a material that includes a thermoplastic material. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
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selecting a first material having a first diffusion rate for a first gas and a second diffusion rate for atmospheric gases, the first diffusion rate being lower than the second diffusion rate; forming a plurality of polymer elements, each of the polymer elements being formed of alternating layers of material including a first center layer, a second adjacent layer, and a third adjacent layer, wherein the first layer is disposed between the second layer and the third layer; and wherein the first layer is formed of the first material and at least one of the second layer and the third layer are formed of a second material; bonding edges of the plurality of polymer elements together to define seams in a bladder; joining an inflation tube to the bladder; locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing; injecting a quantity of the first gas into the bladder through the inflation tube to pressurize the bladder; and sealing the inflation tube. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
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bonding edges of a plurality of polymer elements together to define seams in a bladder; joining an inflation tube to the bladder at a location of at least one of the seams; locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing; injecting a pressurized fluid into the bladder through the inflation tube; and sealing the inflation tube; wherein the step of joining includes locating the inflation tube where the edges of at least three of the polymer elements are bonded together. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
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bonding edges of a plurality of polymer elements together to define seams in a bladder; joining an inflation tube to the bladder at a location of at least one of the seams; locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing; injecting a pressurized fluid into the bladder through the inflation tube; and sealing the inflation tube; wherein the step of sealing includes trimming the inflation tube. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
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bonding edges of a plurality of polymer elements together to define seams in a bladder; joining an inflation tube to the bladder at a location of at least one of the seams; locating the bladder within an interior of a casing of the sport ball such that the inflation tube extends through the casing and to an exterior of the casing; injecting a pressurized fluid into the bladder through the inflation tube; sealing the inflation tube; and placing the inflation tube into the casing following the step of sealing. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification