Apparatus and method for manufacturing sport balls
First Claim
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a sport ball, the apparatus comprising:
- a first component having a first baseplate and a plurality of support structures extending from the first baseplate;
wherein a first one of the plurality of support structures has a first height;
wherein a second one of the plurality of support structures has a second height that is less than the first height; and
a second component having a second baseplate and a plurality of welding dies extending from the second baseplate;
wherein a first one of the plurality of welding dies has a third height;
wherein a second one of the plurality of welding dies has a fourth height that is greater than the third height;
wherein the first component is disposed adjacent to the second component such that the first one of the plurality of support structures aligns with the first one of the plurality of welding dies and the second one of the plurality of support structures aligns with the second one of the plurality of welding dies; and
wherein the second component is configured to supply welding energy to the sport ball when the sport ball is compressed between the plurality of welding dies and the plurality of support structures.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for manufacturing a sport ball may include a first component having a first baseplate and a plurality of support structures extending from the first baseplate and a second component having a second baseplate and a plurality of welding dies extending from the second baseplate. The apparatus may be configured such that, when the first component is assembled with the second component, each of the plurality of welding dies extending from the second baseplate of the second component aligns with one of the support structures extending from the first baseplate of the first component. In addition, the apparatus may be further configured to compress edges of casing panels against one another between the welding dies and the support structures. Further, the second component may be configured to supply welding energy to edges of casing panels when the casing panels are compressed between the welding dies and the support structures.
8 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for manufacturing a sport ball, the apparatus comprising:
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a first component having a first baseplate and a plurality of support structures extending from the first baseplate; wherein a first one of the plurality of support structures has a first height; wherein a second one of the plurality of support structures has a second height that is less than the first height; and a second component having a second baseplate and a plurality of welding dies extending from the second baseplate; wherein a first one of the plurality of welding dies has a third height; wherein a second one of the plurality of welding dies has a fourth height that is greater than the third height; wherein the first component is disposed adjacent to the second component such that the first one of the plurality of support structures aligns with the first one of the plurality of welding dies and the second one of the plurality of support structures aligns with the second one of the plurality of welding dies; and wherein the second component is configured to supply welding energy to the sport ball when the sport ball is compressed between the plurality of welding dies and the plurality of support structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A sport ball manufacturing system comprising:
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an apparatus including; a first component having a first baseplate and a plurality of support structures extending from the first baseplate; wherein a first one of the plurality of support structures has a first height; wherein a second one of the plurality of support structures has a second height that is less than the first height; a second component having a second baseplate and a plurality of welding dies extending from the second baseplate; wherein a first one of the plurality of welding dies has a third height; wherein a second one of the plurality of welding dies has a fourth height that is greater than the third height; wherein the first component and the second component are translatable along an axis with respect to one another such that the first one of the plurality of support structures aligns with the first one of the plurality of welding dies and the second one of the plurality of support structures aligns with the second one of the plurality of welding dies; and a preassembled sport ball casing disposed between and in contact with the first component and the second component; wherein the preassembled sport ball casing is formed from a plurality of panels temporarily held together by the first component and the second component in an inside-out configuration; wherein a first one of the plurality of panels has a first edge; wherein a second one of the plurality of panels has a second edge abutting the first edge to form a first flange portion; wherein the first flange portion is disposed between the first one of the plurality of support structures and the first one of the plurality of welding dies; and wherein the first one of the plurality of welding dies is configured to weld the first edge and the second edge together by applying pressure to the first flange portion against the first one of the plurality of support structures and supplying welding energy to the first flange portion to form a first welded seam. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification