Patent Application
20120021857
This Invention relates in general to amusement devices involving game balls, and more particularly game balls that can be used in an environment exposed to water.
Games involving the tossing of balls such as baseball, football, volleyball and basketball are common amusement games. Game balls can be made of various materials, including synthetic materials, fibers, or leather,or a combination thereof. The external covering of game balls can include multiple layers of materials designed to impart desirable characteristics to the game ball such as durability, strength, and grippability. External coverings can be made by enclosing the entire ball with one continuous layer, or by attaching together several panels of external material. Internal components of game balls typically include an inflatable bladder which is filled with air.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,512,777, 4,169,594, 4,515,852, 4,917,381 and 5,669,838 discusses external surfaces of game balls. U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,777 discloses an inflatable game ball in which raised simulated seams and the outer cover panels are all molded at the same time. A laminated material for use in play balls with layers of thermoplastic synthetic resins having different tensile strengths is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,594. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,852, a leather-like sheet material having low slip characteristics made with a fibrous substrate and an elastomeric surface layer results in a sheet material with a high friction coefficient suitable to prevent slipperiness in objects such as balls and baseball gloves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,381 discloses a variable-weight play ball having an inflatable inner bladder of elastomeric material disposed with a non-stretchable outer casing of flexible material to create a water region in between. A game ball having a high end synthetic leather cover formed from a non-woven fiber mat impregnated with polyurethane is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,838.
The present inventor has recognized that known prior art pertaining to game ball coverings described, and others, have been disadvantageous for various reasons. For example, some of the prior art ball covers are not suitable for use in a wet environment as the covers do not provide adequate grip. Further, prior art that attempts to address the issue of slipperiness require the entire external surface of the game ball to be covered or treated with materials to enhanced a user's grip on the ball.
The present inventor has recognized the need for a cost efficient game ball with improved grippability for use in wet environments.
The present inventor has recognized the need for a game ball with improved grippability that does not require an additional coating or surface treatment of the outer shell.
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a game ball with an inflatable bladder and an outer shell secured over the inflatable bladder. The game ball has a body which is generally in the shape of the desired type of ball. For example, if the game ball is a football, a generally elliptical shaped body is selected, while a spherically shaped body is used for volleyballs or basketballs. The inflatable bladder can be constructed with materials having resilient or elastic characteristics, such as rubber.
Preferably the outer shell comprises an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. The outer layer may be made from a flexible cloth material such as nylon or polyester, a combination thereof. Other synthetic or natural materials can also be used to form the outer layer. The cloth material may be smooth or rough to impart the desired tactile sensation and the desired grippability. For example, a larger game ball which may be harder to grasp when wet may use a rough cloth material on the outer layer to increase grippability.
The intermediate layer is disposed in contact with the outer layer and the inner layer. The intermediate layer is a water absorbent layer. The intermediate layer may be a sponge or foam material which is water permeable. The thickness of the foam layer may vary in accordance with various considerations, such as the type of g ball, the desired depth of grip, and the final weight of the ball when wet.
The inner layer is the layer in contact with the inflatable bladder and the intermediate layer. The inner layer may be a woven fabric, and may be made from synthetic fibers such as polyamide, polyester, polyurethane, natural fibers such as cotton, or a combination thereof. The inner layer may be water resistant or water absorbent. The inner layer is preferably a fabric comprising cotton and polyester.
The outer shell may comprise of several panels joined to adjacent panels at a seam. The seam lines may mimic those of a foot ball, volleyball, basketball, and other types of game balls.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present Invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated,
Typically the inflatable bladder is filled with air. The inflatable bladder is preferably constructed of materials having resilient or elastic characteristics, such as rubber, to allow for expansion when filled. Other suitable materials for the inflatable bladder include synthetic rubbers, natural rubber, a combination of synthetic and natural rubbers, latex, and polyurethane. The inflatable bladder is constructed generally in the shape of the desired type of game ball. In
An outer shell 30 is disposed over the inflatable bladder 20, and encompasses or covers the inflatable bladder 20 in its entirety. The outer shell 30 can comprise a plurality of panels 30a, 30b, 30c which are sewn, adhered, or otherwise connected together along a seam line 32. The outer shell 30 comprises at least one layer of water absorbent material. The outer shell comprises an outer layer 40, and inner layer 60, and an intermediate layer 50 between the outer and inner layers.
The outer layer 40 is the surface that comes in contact with the user. The outer layer 40 comprises a cloth material which is permeable to water and/or water absorbent. Preferably, the cloth material is sufficiently flexible to impart the degree of softness or hardness suitable for the particular game ball. Other materials, or woven and non-woven mats can also be used to form the outer layer. The texture of the outer layer can be smooth or rough, depending on the desired tactile sensation. In one embodiment the cloth material is a combination of nylon and polyester.
The intermediate layer 50 is a water absorbent layer. The intermediate water absorbent layer may comprise foam and/or sponge. The intermediate layer has a suitable pore density to impart desired softness and compressibility for the particular type of game ball. The pore density can also be used to suitably adjust the degree of water absorption and penetration desired depending on the water absorbent characteristics of the material used to construct the foam or sponge layer. The absorbent layer may comprise an open cell structure to increase the water absorbent properties of the game ball. The thickness of the absorbent layer can be any suitable thickness depending on various factors including the type of game ball, the degree of absorption of the layer, and weight considerations of the game ball when wet. For example, a football according to one embodiment of he invention may comprise an intermediate layer of about 4 mm in thickness.
The inner layer 60 comes into contact with the inflatable bladder 20, as shown in
The outer shell 30 may be connected and disposed over the inflatable bladder by connecting adjacent panels along a seam line 32. The seam lines 32 can simulate the seam lines of the particular game ball. Because the outer shell comprises a plurality of adjacent panels, it is possible to have adjacent panels with varying characteristics. For example, adjacent panels may alternate such that one panel is water absorbent while another panel is not water absorbent in order to provide more variation to the outer shell surface. In another embodiment, adjacent panels may be of different sizes.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.
