DUAL-BLADDER INFLATABLE BALL

• US 20080188333A1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Che-Hung Huang
• Original Assignee: Che-Hung Huang
• Inventors: TSAI, I-Chen
• Granted Patent: US 7,517,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/02 Bladders

Abstract

A dual-bladder inflatable ball includes: a valve unit; an outer cover defining a confining chamber therein and connected sealingly to the valve unit; a bladder unit enclosed in the confining chamber in the outer cover, connected to the valve unit, and including an inner bladder and an outer bladder enclosing the inner bladder and disposed between the outer cover and the inner bladder. The bladder unit is operable between an inflated state, where the inner and outer bladders are spherical in shape and the inner bladder abuts against the outer bladder, and a deflated state, where the inner and outer bladders are non-spherical in shape and cooperatively define a gap therebetween. The outer bladder has a first elongation percentage, and the inner bladder has a second elongation percentage greater than the first elongation percentage of the outer bladder.

Claims

1. A dual-bladder inflatable ball comprising:

a valve unit;

an outer cover defining a confining chamber therein and connected sealingly to said valve unit;

a bladder unit enclosed in said confining chamber in said outer cover, connected to said valve unit, and including an inner bladder and an outer bladder enclosing said inner bladder and disposed between said outer cover and said inner bladder, said bladder unit being operable between an inflated state, where said inner and outer bladders are spherical in shape and said inner bladder abuts against said outer bladder, and a deflated state, where said inner and outer bladders are non-spherical in shape and cooperatively define a gap therebetween, said outer bladder having a first elongation percentage, said inner bladder having a second elongation percentage greater than said first elongation percentage of said outer bladder.

2. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 1, wherein said outer bladder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate, natural rubber, artificial rubber, and latex.

3. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 1, wherein said inner bladder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate, natural rubber, artificial rubber, and latex.

4. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 1, wherein said valve unit includes a slit-type valve, each of said outer cover and said inner and outer bladders being formed with a hole for extension of said slit-type valve therethrough, said valve unit further including a hollow valve-supporting seat and a hollow valve-retaining member extending fittingly into said valve-supporting seat, said slit-type valve extending fittingly into said valve retaining member, each of said valve-supporting seat and said valve-retaining member having a rim portion extending outwardly therefrom and secured to a periphery of said hole in a respective one of said inner and outer bladders.

5. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 4, wherein said valve-supporting seat has an inner wall formed with an annular recess, said valve-retaining member having an annular portion fitted into said annular recess and defining an annular groove, said slit-type valve having an annular protrusion received fittingly in said annular groove in said annular portion of said valve-retaining member.

6. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 4, wherein said valve-supporting seat is made from a material having a third elongation percentage, said valve-retaining member made from a material having a fourth elongation percentage smaller than said third elongation percentage of said valve-supporting seat.

7. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 4, wherein said valve-supporting seat is made from a material the same as that of said inner bladder of said bladder unit.

8. The dual-bladder inflatable ball of claim 4, wherein said valve-retaining member is made from a material the same as that of said outer bladder of said bladder unit.