Sport ball casing and methods of manufacturing the casing

• US 9,457,525 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Berggren, Scott R., Chavez, Eleazar C., White, Vincent F., Johnson, Scott W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Minskey, Jacob T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Vishal I
• Application Number:
  US14/220,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20140283985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/04 Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• 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 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• 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 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/26 Hot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/62 Stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/72 by combined operations or combined techniques, e.g. welding and stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/74 by welding and severing , or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/743 using the same tool for both joining and severing, said tool being monobloc or formed by several parts mounted together and forming a monobloc B29C65/2046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7808 in the form of holes or slots B29C65/7814 takes precedence; holding or clamping means cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined B29C65/7844
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0326 Cutting, e.g. by using waterjets, or perforating using heat B29C66/0346
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0346 Cutting or perforating, e.g. burning away by using a laser or using hot air simultaneously joining and severing using a fluid B29C65/7471; simultaneously welding and severing using radiation B29C65/7473
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/133 Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/24249 : forming a specific polygon not provided for in B29C66/24241 - B29C66/24243
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 : Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4326 : for making hollow articles or hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells
• 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 66/712 : the composition of one of the parts to be joined being different from the composition of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72327 : consisting of natural products or their composites, not provided for in B29C66/72321 - B29C66/72324
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72341 : for gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 : being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 : Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7292 : coated B29C66/72941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 : characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81422 : being convex
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 : comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83221 : cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool 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 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 2711/08 : Leather
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 : Football balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 : Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/108 : Flash, trim or excess removal

Abstract

A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing includes a plurality of panels having edge areas joined to each other with bonds, and the edge areas project toward an exterior of the ball. The bladder is located within the casing. In another aspect, the casing includes a first panel and a second panel that each have an exterior surface facing outward and an opposite interior surface facing inward. The interior surface of the first panel is bonded to the interior surface of the second panel to form a seam that joins the first panel and the second panel together. A method of manufacturing the casing may include forming thermal bonds between the panels.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:

providing a first panel and a second panel that each have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;

joining together the first panel and the second panel to form a seam by;

(a) locating the second surface of the first panel against the second surface of the second panel; and

(b) forming a bond that joins the second surface of the first panel to the second surface of the second panel;

wherein the first panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the first panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material and having a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced apart from the seam, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of an interior surface of the first panel;

wherein the second panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the second panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material and having a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced apart from the seam, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of an interior surface of the second panel; and

orienting the first panel and the second panel such that;

(a) the first surface of the first panel and the first surface of the second panel face outward and toward an exterior of the sport ball; and

(b) the second surface of the first panel and the second surface of the second panel face inward and toward an interior of the sport ball.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein joining includes applying heat to form a thermal bond between the first panel and the second panel.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein providing includes incorporating a thermoplastic polymer material into at least one of the first panel and the second panel.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the first panel and the second panel each have a flange area;

and

wherein joining includes;

placing the flange area of the first panel in contact with the flange area of the second panel;

compressing the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel together; and

heating the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel.

5. The method recited in claim 4, further including, after heating, trimming the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel.

6. The method recited in claim 4, wherein the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel each define a plurality of registration apertures;

and wherein joining further includes aligning the plurality of registration apertures defined by the flange area of the first panel with the plurality of registration apertures defined by the flange area of the second panel.

7. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:

providing a first panel and a second panel that is each formed from a thermoplastic polymer material;

wherein the first panel has a first flange and the second panel has a second flange;

forming a seam between the first panel and the second panel by placing the first flange in contact with the second flange, compressing the first flange and the second flange together, and heating the first flange and the second flange;

wherein the first panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the first panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material and having a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced apart from the seam, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of an interior surface of the first panel;

wherein the second panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the second panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material and having a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced apart from the seam, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of an interior surface of the second panel;

removing at least a portion of the first flange and the second flange to define a protruding portion of the seam; and

orienting the protruding portion of the seam toward an exterior of the sport ball.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein forming includes compressing the polymer foam material to reduce a thickness of the first flange and the second flange.

9. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the first panel and the second panel each has an edge, and further wherein orienting includes exposing the edge of the first panel and the edge of the second panel on the exterior of the sport ball.

10. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the first flange and the second flange each define a plurality of registration apertures, and wherein forming the seam further includes aligning the plurality of registration apertures defined by the first flange and the plurality of registration apertures defined by the second flange.

11. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:

providing at least a first panel and a second panel that each have a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first panel and the second panel each having a layered configuration including a first layer, a second layer formed from a polymer foam material, and a third layer;

joining a portion of the third layer of the first panel to a portion of the third layer of the second panel by applying heat to the first panel and the second panel to form a thermal bond, thereby forming a seam, including compressing the second layer of the first panel and the second layer of the second panel to a lesser thickness at adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced from the seam; and

orienting the first panel and the second panel such that the first layer of the first panel and the first layer of the second panel form portions of an exterior surface of the sport ball and the third layer of the first panel and the third layer of the second panel form portions of an interior surface of the sport ball.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein joining includes:

placing a first flange area of the first panel in contact with a second flange area of the second panel;

compressing the first flange area and the second flange area together; and

heating the first flange area and the second flange area.

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the step of joining further includes aligning registration apertures in the first flange area the registration apertures in the second flange area.

14. The method recited in claim 12, further including a step of trimming the first flange area and the second flange area.

15. The method recited in claim 14, wherein trimming the first flange area and the second flange area includes removing at least a portion of the first flange area and the second flange area to define a protruding portion of the seam;

and

wherein orienting the first panel and the second panel further includes orienting the protruding portion of the seam toward the exterior of the sport ball.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of orienting the protruding portion of the seam toward the exterior of the sport ball includes exposing edges of the first panel and the second panel on the exterior of the sport ball.

17. The method recited in claim 11, further including incorporating a thermoplastic polymer material into at least one of the first panel and the second panel.

18. The method recited in claim 11, wherein joining the first panel to the second panel forms at least a portion of a casing of the sport ball;

and

wherein the method further includes inserting an inflatable bladder into the casing.