BASKETBALL WITH ACCESSIBLE CHANNELS
A basketball formed of two sets of panels. The first panel set extends along a first longitudinal direction of the basketball, while the second panel set extends along a second longitudinal direction of the basketball that is orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction of the basketball. A channel separates the first panel set from the second panel set. The channel itself has two portions. The first portion runs between the end edges of the first panel set and the center portion of the second panel set, and is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal direction. The second portion runs between the end edges of the second panel set and the center portion of the first panel set, and is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal direction. With some examples, each panel set is made up of two panels, providing the basketball with four panels.
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The present invention relates to a basketball. Various aspects of the invention are particularly applicable to basketballs that have a channel accessible at every portion of the basketball.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFrom elementary schools to professional leagues, basketball players are continuously trying to improve their shooting accuracy. One important feature of a basketball shot is the position at which a player locates his or her hands to throw the ball. Many experts believe that one desirable hand position for throwing a basketball is with the fingers of the player's throwing hand positioned along or close to the channels separating the panels of the basketball. With conventional basketballs, however, the channels curve sharply at the poles, making it difficult if not impossible for a player to use the channels as a guide for hand placement.
For example,
Advantageously, various aspects of the invention relate to a basketball having a plurality of panels, each of which is separated from an adjacent panel by a channel. Each channel is then formed of channel segments that are substantially straight over a surface of the basketball. According to various examples of the invention, the basketball is formed of two sets of panels. The first panel set extends along a first longitudinal direction of the basketball, while the second panel set extends along a second longitudinal direction of the basketball that is orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction of the basketball. A channel separates the first panel set from the second panel set. The channel itself has two portions. The first portion runs between the end edges of the first panel set and the center portion of the second panel set, and is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal direction. The second portion runs between the end edges of the second panel set and the center portion of the first panel set, and is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal direction. With some examples of the invention, each panel set is made up of two panels, providing the basketball with four panels. With implementations of the invention, one or both of the panel sets may include only a single panel, or three or more panels.
As may be best seen in
It also should be appreciated that still other implementations of the invention may have fewer or more panels in one or both of the panel sets. With some embodiments of the invention, for example, the first panel set 203 may have only a single panel, or it may have three or more different panels. Similarly, with some embodiments of the invention, the second panel set 205 may have only a single panel, or it may have three or more different panels.
As shown in
Returning now to
Moreover, the channel 215 has segments 215A and 215B located between end edges of the second panel set 205 and the center portion 203A of the first panel set 203. As shown in
In addition to providing channels 215-219 that are substantially straight over the surface of the basketball 201, various configurations also provide a basketball 201 that has a relatively uncluttered appearance over its entire surface. For example, as seen in
In the illustrated embodiments, each of channels 215-219 has a width of about 7/16 inch (about 6.0 mm). Of course, it should be appreciated that the width of the channels 215-219 may be wider or narrower, as desired. The basketball 201 may be formed using any desired construction, such as any conventional basketball construction. For example, with some implementations of the invention, the basketball 201 may have an inner portion and an outer covering. The inner portion may include, e.g., consists a bladder and a carcass. With various examples of the invention, the bladder may be formed of butyl rubber, while the carcass may be formed of threads of nylon, polyester or other suitable material wound around the bladder. The outer covering can then be formed of any desired synthetic rubber, rubber, composition material, or leather. With some implementations of the invention, the outer covering may be formed of laminated rubber. The rubber may be natural or synthetic, and the rubber may be laminated with any desired material, such as polyurethane. Thus, the panels 207-213 may be formed of leather or synthetic material, and may have a texture to enhance gripping. Still further, the basketball 201 may be formed without an inner portion, i.e., such that the outer covering serves also as the airtight bladder for the ball. Various techniques and materials for constructing basketballs (and other game balls) are well known in the art, and thus will not be discussed here in more detail.
With some examples of the invention, each of the panels 207-213 may be formed of a separate piece of material, with the channels 215-219 falling along the seams of the separate pieces of material forming the panels 207-213. With these examples of the invention, a layer of sealing material, such as rubber, may be applied at the seams to form the channels 215-219. With still other examples of the invention, however, two or more of the panels 207-213 may be formed of a single piece of material. The channels 215-219 may then be formed by depressions in the material piece or pieces making up the panels 207-213.
CONCLUSIONWhile the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A basketball, comprising:
- a first panel set extending along a first longitudinal direction of the basketball;
- a second panel set extending along a second longitudinal direction of the basketball orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction of the basketball; and
- a channel separating the first panel set from the second panel set, the channel having a first portion between end edges of the first panel set and a center portion of the second panel set that is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal direction, and a second portion between end edges of the second panel set and a center portion of the first panel set is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal direction.
2. The basketball recited in claim 1, wherein the first panel set includes two panels.
3. The basketball recited in claim 2, further comprising a second channel between the panels in the first panel set.
4. The basketball recited in claim 3, wherein the two panels are symmetrical about the second channel.
5. The basketball recited in claim 1, wherein the second panel set includes two panels.
6. The basketball recited in claim 5, further comprising a second channel between the panels in the second panel set.
7. The basketball recited in claim 6, wherein the two panels are symmetrical about the second channel.
8. A basketball, comprising:
- a plurality of panels, and
- a plurality of channels, such that a channel separates adjacent panels, and each channel is formed of channel segments that are substantially straight over a surface of the basketball.
9. The basketball recited in claim 8, further comprising four channels.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 12, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 12, 2008
Applicant: Nike, Inc. (Beaverton, OR)
Inventors: Christopher J. Nascimento (Beaverton, OR), Karen Nkatha Spencer (Beaverton, OR), Glenn Geisendorfer (Atlanta, GA)
Application Number: 11/609,828
International Classification: A63B 41/08 (20060101);