Sport ball with indented casing

• US 9,370,693 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Berggren, Scott R., Cohen, Tal, White, Vincent F., Glahn, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US14/145,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20140179469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• 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 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29

Abstract

A sport ball may incorporate a casing that includes a plurality of panels joined at a plurality of seams, at least a first panel of the plurality of panels having (a) a first layer including a polymer material and positioned to form a portion of an exterior surface of the ball, (b) a second layer including a polymer foam material and positioned inward and adjacent to the first layer, and (c) a third layer positioned inward and adjacent to the second layer, the first panel of the casing defining one or more indentations in the exterior surface, the first layer being bonded directly to the third layer at the one or more indentations, wherein the one or more indentations include a first indentation. The first indentation may extend through substantially all of a thickness of the first panel, and the first indentation may have a substantially squared cross-sectional configuration.

Claims

1. A sport ball comprising:

a casing formed from a plurality of panels joined together at a plurality of seams;

wherein each of the plurality of panels includes a first panel having a first exterior surface, and a second panel having a second exterior surface and joined to the first panel at one of the plurality of seams;

wherein the first panel includes;

(a) a first outer layer that defines a first indentation in the first exterior surface;

wherein the first indentation has a substantially squared cross-sectional configuration;

(b) a first inner layer that defines a first interior surface of the first panel; and

(c) a first central layer;

wherein a majority of the first outer layer is spaced apart from the first inner layer by the first central layer;

wherein the first outer layer is directly bonded to the first inner layer at the first indentation;

wherein the second panel includes;

(a) a second outer layer that defines a second indentation in the second exterior surface;

(b) a second inner layer that defines a second interior surface of the second panel; and

(c) a second central layer;

wherein a majority of the second outer layer is spaced apart from the second inner layer by the second central layer;

wherein the second outer layer is directly bonded to the second inner layer at the second indentation;

wherein the first indentation and the second indentation extend proximate to the one of the plurality of seams; and

wherein the first indentation is configured to correspond with the second indentation across the one of the plurality of seams; and

a bladder located within the casing.

2. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the first indentation has an elongate configuration and the second indentation has an elongate configuration;

and

wherein the second indentation extends in substantial alignment with the first indentation.

3. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the first indentation has an elongate configuration and the second indentation has an elongate configuration;

and

wherein the first indentation and the second indentation are arranged to form a pattern.

4. The sport ball recited in claim 3, wherein the pattern includes one or more portions of a polygon.

5. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the first indentation and the second indentation continue a pattern formed by the plurality of seams.