Game ball and method of manufacturing same

• US 8,602,927 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novation Iq LLC
• Original Assignee: Vertex India (Umicore S.A.)
• Inventors: Marc, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US12/980,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 473603-605, 473/607, 473/598, 473/599
• US Class Current: 473/605
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/10 Bladder and cover united
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3238 pressurized liquid acting directly or indirectly on the material to be formed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/02 Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/082 by shaping between complementary mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/14 using multilayered preforms or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/145 having at least one layer of textile or fibrous material combined with at least one plastics layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/18 Thermoforming apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/30 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/36 Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles B29C53/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/24 characterised by the means for heating the tool by impulse heating B29C65/38
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5042 covering both elements to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5071 and being composed by one single element
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5085 and comprising grooves, e.g. being E-shaped, H-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/72 by combined operations or combined techniques, e.g. welding and stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 : Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/229 : Other specific patterns not provided for in B29C66/221 - B29C66/227
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4322 : by joining a single sheet to itself B29C66/4332 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4326 : for making hollow articles or hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/49 : Internally supporting the, e.g. tubular, article during joining B29C66/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/494 : using an inflatable core
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 : one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 : characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7394 : characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8122 : characterised by the composition of the material constituting the pressing elements, e.g. constituting the welding jaws or clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81263 : Dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81423 : being concave
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 : Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/02 : Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/04 : Spherical articles, e.g. balls B29D22/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2007/00 : Use of natural rubber as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2019/00 : Use of rubber not provided for in a single one of main groups B29K2007/00 - B29K2011/00, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 : Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/003 : Thermoplastic elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2823/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2823/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 : Football balls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A game ball, such as a soccer ball, having a cover comprised of one or more cover panel blanks and one or more reinforcement material blanks, is provided. The cover panel blanks and reinforcement material blanks are heat bonded together so that the free edges and interior panel boundaries of the cover panel blanks are aligned with the reinforcement material blanks.

Claims

1. A sports ball comprising:

a first hemispherical cover portion comprising a first cover panel blank bonded to a first reinforcement material blank, wherein said first cover panel blank is formed from a first paneled sheet comprising a plurality of panels that are curved to have a radius of curvature of said sports ball, wherein said first paneled sheet is seamless such that each of said panels is integrally connected to adjacent panels of said sheet, and wherein said first reinforcement material blank comprises a plurality of linked polygon outlines;

a second hemispherical cover portion comprising a second cover panel blank bonded to a second reinforcement material blank, wherein said second cover panel blank is formed from a second paneled sheet comprising a plurality of panels that are curved to have said radius of curvature of said sports ball, wherein said second paneled sheet is seamless such that each of said panels is integrally connected to adjacent panels of said sheet, and wherein said second reinforcement material blank comprises a plurality of linked polygon outlines; and

wherein said first hemispherical cover portion is bonded to said second hemispherical cover portion to form said sports ball.

2. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second cover panel blanks comprises six pentagon panels and ten hexagon panels.

3. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein each of said polygon outlines has a width about 6 mm to 25 mm.

4. The sports ball of claim 1 further comprising a bladder housed inside said first and second hemispherical cover portions and an air valve in said bladder.

5. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second cover panel blanks comprises a polyurethane polyvinyl chloride, synthetic leather, or a combination thereof supported by a woven or non-woven fabric.

6. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein said panels of each of said first and second cover panel blanks are defined by interior panel boundaries and free edges.

7. The sports ball of claim 6 wherein said first and second reinforcement material blanks are bonded to said first and second cover panel blanks, respectively, along said interior panel boundaries and said free edges.

8. The sports ball of claim 7 wherein said first and second reinforcement material blanks are heat bonded to said first and second cover panel blanks, respectively, along said interior panel boundaries and said free edges.

9. The sports ball of claim 8 wherein said first and second reinforcement material blanks are formed from a reinforcement material and said first and second cover panel blanks are formed from a cover material, and wherein said cover material and said reinforcement material flow together along said interior panel boundaries and said free edges.

10. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein each of said cover panel blanks comprises a center pentagon panel having five sides, wherein each side of said center pentagon panel is adjacent to a first side of five inner hexagon panels, and wherein a second side of each said five inner hexagon panels is adjacent to a first side of five outer hexagon panels, and wherein a third side of said five inner hexagon panels is adjacent to a first side of five outer pentagon panels.

11. The sports ball of claim 10 wherein each of said first and second reinforcement material blanks comprises five linked polygon outlines and a plurality of radiating arms extending from the vertices of the polygon outlines.

12. The sports ball of claim 11 wherein one radiating arm extending from each pentagon outline has a Y-shaped terminus.

13. The sports ball of claim 12 wherein four radiating arms extending from each pentagon outline are generally linear and equidistant in length.

14. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein said first and second paneled sheets are molded in a molding apparatus.

15. The sports ball of claim 14 wherein said first and second cover panels blanks are cut from said first and second paneled sheets, respectively.

16. The sports ball of claim 1 wherein said first hemispherical cover portion is bonded to said second hemispherical cover portion along overlapping sections between said cover portions.

17. The sports ball of claim 16 wherein said first hemispherical cover portion is heat bonded to said second hemispherical cover portion along said overlapping sections.

18. A sports ball comprising:

a first cover portion comprising a first cover panel blank bonded to a first reinforcement material blank, wherein said first cover panel blank is formed from a first continuous sheet of cover material comprising a plurality of panels, wherein said first continuous sheet of cover material is seamless such that each of said panels is integrally connected to adjacent panels of said sheet, and wherein said first reinforcement material blank comprises a plurality of linked polygon outlines;

a second cover portion comprising a second cover panel blank bonded to a second reinforcement material blank, wherein said second cover panel blank is formed from a second continuous sheet of cover material comprising a plurality of panels, wherein said second continuous sheet of cover material is seamless such that each of said panels is integrally connected to adjacent panels of said sheet, and wherein said second reinforcement material blank comprises a plurality of linked polygon outlines; and

wherein said first cover portion is bonded to said second cover portion to form said sports ball.

19. The sports ball of claim 18 further comprising a bladder housed inside said first and second cover portions and an air valve in said bladder.

20. The sports ball of claim 18 wherein said panels of each of said first and second cover panel blanks are defined by interior panel boundaries and free edges.

21. The sports ball of claim 20 wherein said first and second reinforcement material blanks are bonded to said first and second cover panel blanks, respectively, along said interior panel boundaries and said free edges.

22. The sports ball of claim 18 wherein each of said first and second cover panel blanks comprises a center pentagon panel having five sides, wherein each side of said center pentagon panel is adjacent to a first side of five inner hexagon panels, and wherein a second side of each said five inner hexagon panels is adjacent to a first side of five outer hexagon panels, and wherein a third side of said five inner hexagon panels is adjacent to a first side of five outer pentagon panels.

23. The sports ball of claim 22 wherein each of said first and second reinforcement material blanks comprises five linked polygon outlines and a plurality of radiating arms extending from the vertices of the polygon outlines.

24. The sports ball of claim 23 wherein one radiating arm extending from each pentagon outline has a Y-shaped terminus.

25. The sports ball of claim 24 wherein four radiating arms extending from each pentagon outline are generally linear and equidistant in length.

26. The sports ball of claim 18 wherein said first and second continuous sheets of cover material are molded in a molding apparatus.

27. The sports ball of claim 26 wherein said first and second cover panels blanks are cut from said first and second continuous sheets of cover material, respectively.

28. The sports ball of claim 18 wherein said first cover portion is bonded to said second cover portion along overlapping sections between said cover portions.

29. The sports ball of claim 18 wherein said panels of each of said first and second cover panel blanks are curved to have a radius of curvature of said sports ball.