NOVELTY BALL CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

A presentation football (100, 200) is disclosed which includes a lenticular panel (102) or cloth panel (202) with art work thereon. One or more lenticular panels (102) or cloth panels (202) are adhesively secured to the football panels (12, 14, 16, 18) forming the football itself The edges of the lenticular or cloth panel and football panels are sewn together with the football turned inside out. Once the sewing is completed, the football is turned inside out to form the football.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The market for novelty footballs has been a growing one recently. The novelty football usually has the shape and feel of a regulation football. An important aspect of the novelty football is the artwork presented thereon. A particular style of presentation football may be sold in large quantities. For example, if the football has a team logo thereon, a fan of that team would be the typical purchaser. However, a considerable market exists in the creation of novelty footballs with innovative printing technologies. For example, full-motion video frames, three dimensional graphics and dynamic color animation may be now incorporated into a novelty football.

[0002] Since the presentation football is not normally purchased for competitive use, its essential reason for existence, the artwork thereon, is very critical to its marketability. A need exists for a method of printing and the resulting improved novelty football which overcomes the shortcomings of prior designs, which includes lifting off of the artwork from the face of the football, fading or discoloration of the artwork, and an initial inability in the first instance to print vibrant colors and dimensional and special effects imaging and printing technologies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a novelty football is provided which includes a lenticular panel having artwork thereon and a plurality of football panels to form the presentation football. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the lenticular panel is adhesively secured to one of the football panels. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each of the lenticular and football panels have internal edges, each of said football panels being secured to the adjacent football panels at abutting internal edges, the internal edges of the lenticular panel being secured to the internal edges of the football panel to which it is adhered and also to the adjacent panel football panels so that the edges of the lenticular panel are not exposed.

[0004] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a novelty football is provided. The method includes the step of securing a lenticular panel or cloth panel to one or more football panels. A plurality of football panels are then secured together at their internal edges to form the football.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0006] FIG. 1 is a plan view of vinyl panel with artwork thereon forming a portion of the presentation football of the present invention,

[0007] FIG. 2 is a cross section through the presentation football illustrating the vinyl and football panels secured together;

[0008] FIG. 3 is a side view of the vinyl panel illustrating the adhesive backing thereon;

[0009] FIG. 4 is a side view of a printer utilized to print the artwork on the vinyl panel;

[0010] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a lenticular panel forming a portion of a first modification of the presentation football of the present invention,

[0011] FIG. 6 is a side view of the lenticular panel illustrating the adhesive or bonding agent thereon;

[0012] FIG. 7 is a cross section through the modified presentation football illustrating the lenticular and football panels secured together;

[0013] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a cloth panel forming a portion of a second modification of the presentation football of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 9 is a side view of the cloth panel illustrating the adhesive or bonding agent thereon; and

[0015] FIG. 10 is a cross section through the modified presentation football illustrating the cloth and football panels secured together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in particular to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a novelty football 10 forming a first embodiment of the present invention. A presentation football is generally not intended to ever be used in an actual football game. Often, it is the same size as a regulation football. However, it can be smaller or larger than a regulation football. However it is generally constructed of materials and in a style similar to a regular football.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the presentation football 10 is formed of four football panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 sewn or otherwise secured together to form the traditional football shape. A bladder 20 is provided within the cavity formed by the football panels for inflating the ball to the desired pressure. The football panel 12 has adhered to the exterior surface thereof a vinyl panel 22 which has artwork 24 on the exposed surface thereof The artwork may be a team logo, the name of a player, the score of an important football game, photograph and the like. As will be described in greater detail hereafter, the artwork is printed on the final panel by a variety of color printers including, but not limited to, a resin printer 42.

[0018] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the vinyl panel 22 can be seen to be formed of a high performance vinyl that is flexible and can easily be stretched, preferably about 2 mils thick. The exposed side 26 of the vinyl panel 22 is receptive to artwork 24 printed thereon by a permanent color ink process such as a resin printer. The interior surface 28 has a layer of adhesive 30 formed thereon which adheres the vinyl panel 22 to football panel 12. An adhesive backing sheet 32 protects and covers the adhesive 30 until the vinyl panel 22 is ready to be adhered to the football panel 12. As is typical, the backing sheet 32 is made of a material to allow ready removal from the adhesive 30 when desired.

[0019] The vinyl panel 22 is cut from flat stock into the shape of the football panels as illustrated in FIG. 1. The vinyl panel has ends 34 and 36 and curved side edges 38 and 40.

[0020] Before adherence to the football panel 12, the artwork is printed on the vinyl panel 22 by a color ink process including, but not limited to, a resin printer 42. Water proof or water resistant outdoor durable inks are satisfactory. The artwork is designed on a template created in a computer 44. The computer 44 forms part of the resin printer 42, as seen in FIG. 4. Resin printers suitable for this operation are sold by Fargo Electronics of Eden Prairie, Minn. as Model 310S, Roland Digital Group of Irvine, Calif. as Model ColorCAMM; Western Graphtec of Irvine, Calif. as Model GC1300, and Gerber Scientific Products of Manchester, Conn. as Model Edge.

[0021] After the artwork 24 is printed on the vinyl panel 22, the backing sheet 32 is removed and the vinyl panel is placed on the exterior surface of the football panel 12, which itself is cut from a flat stock of suitable material, such as vinyl or leather, in the same basic shape and dimensions as the vinyl panel 22, and which has curved edges 45 and 46. A squeegee is preferably used to firmly apply the vinyl panel 22 on the football panel 12 to remove any air bubbles and pockets between the two materials so that the vinyl panel is securely adhered to the football panel 12 by the adhesive 30. While a resin printer is suggested, other suitable printers could be used.

[0022] With the vinyl panel 22 adhered to the football panel 12, the football panels 12-18 are formed into the novelty football 10 itself The curved edges of each of the panels are turned inwardly, as seen in FIG. 2, and secured to the inwardly turned edges of the adjacent panel by sewing with thread 50 or other securing techniques, such as gluing, clipping, heat bonding, and the like. The assembly of the football is typically done inside out from the final shape as shown in FIG. 2 so that the edges are exposed to facilitate sewing or otherwise securing the edges together. One of the panels 12-18 will have a split therein and lacing as with a regular football. The football 10 is turned inside out through this split.

[0023] The edges 38 and 40 are sewed or otherwise secured between the edges 45 and 46 of football panel 12 and the adjacent edges of football panels 14 and 18 so that they are hidden from exterior the football and also provide another mechanism to secure the vinyl panel on the football panel 12 in addition to the adhesive. Also, the dimensions of the vinyl panel 22, if larger than the football panel 12, may not be significant because any overlapping vinyl will ultimately be on the inside of the football and unseen.

[0024] After the football panels have been secured together, the football is then turned right side out into the configuration as shown in FIG. 2. This is preferably done by hand to avoid tearing of the vinyl panel 22 and the artwork 24 thereon. However, it may be possible to design automated machinery to perform this function.

[0025] A bladder 20 is then placed within the football through the split in one of the panels 12-18. The bladder has an air valve passing through a precut hole in one of the football panels to allow the insertion of an inflation needle. The football can then be laced and inflated to the desired pressure, typically 13 psi. It remains only then to package and ship the completed presentation football 10 to the customer.

[0026] In addition to, or in substitution for, bladder 20, the football can be filled with a filler. The filler can, for example, be sand, paper, cork, recycled material, material similar to that used in stuffed animals, a rigid core and the like. The filler material can be selected depending on cost and the application desired.

[0027] Mass personalization of display or presentation footballs has never been successfully achieved before mainly because the technology would not allow for cost effective production. Silkscreening has been widely used in the past but is not feasible for small runs due to high set up costs. The present invention provides a process and apparatus allowing the printing of decorative footballs with a permanent, premium quality impression. Advances in resin ink imprinting have aided this new process of printing novelty footballs with exceptional quality. It has been found that the properties of the resin artwork does not adversely affect the football manufacturing process. Even so, it has been found to be important that the footballs are turned inside out manually. The printed image is durable and will withstand moisture and abrasion. Because of flexibility of resin print process and other permanent color printing processes, there are virtually no limits to what artwork can be created. In fact, the above process is truly a new football manufacturing process and could be used to make regulation footballs as well.

[0028] The process of the present invention can also be used to place panel images on a football after the football is made. The process can utilize a mold in the shape of an inflated football panel which transfers images to the football.

[0029] With reference now to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 a modification of the presentation football, illustrated as presentation football 100, is illustrated. The presentation football 100 is formed of four football panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 just as novelty football 10. However, rather than vinyl panel 22, a lenticular panel 102 is secured to the panel 12. As is well known, lenticular material reflects light to present a three-dimensional appearance. The use of the lenticular panel can thus provide an enhanced appearance to the presentation football. As with vinyl panel 22, a layer of adhesive 30 can be applied to the back of the lenticular panel 102 when the panel 102 is ready for application. In all other regards, the lenticular panel 102 can be used interchangeably with the vinyl panel 22, as desired. Lenticular graphics suitable for this operation are sold by Optigraphics, of Grand Prairie, Tex. and Eastman Kodak Company as Dynamic Imaging Technology.

[0030] With reference now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 a modification of the presentation football, illustrated as presentation football 200, is illustrated. The presentation football is formed of four football panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 just as presentation footballs 10 and 100. However, rather than vinyl panel 22, or lenticular panel 102, a fabric or cloth panel 202 is secured to the panel 12. As is well known, fabric, particularly polyester and nylon, accepts sublimation inks and wax-thermal transfers very well. The use of the cloth panel allows dazzling, customized graphics to be applied both before and after the football has been assembled. As with vinyl panel 22, a layer of adhesive 30 can be applied to the back of the cloth panel 202 when the panel 202 is ready for application. In all other regards, the cloth panel 202 can be used interchangeably with the vinyl panel 22, or lenticular panel 102, as desired. Furthermore, many types of synthetic and natural textiles may be used, including, but not limited to, polyester, nylon, cotton, felt, satin, silk etc. or blends of these.

[0031] It will be understood that more than one vinyl panel 22, lenticular panel 102 or cloth panel 202 can be used on a given presentation football by applying panels 22, 102 or 202 to football panels 14, 16 and 18. A given presentation football can have a mix of panels 22, 102 and 202, if desired. In fact, all the football panels 12, 14, 16 and 18 could have vinyl, lenticular or cloth panels adhered to them. In other words, the entire football could be covered by vinyl, lenticular or cloth.

[0032] Although a single embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A presentation football comprising:

at least one panel selected from the group consisting of a lenticular panel and a cloth panel;

a plurality of football panels;

adhesive bonding the lenticular or cloth panel to one of said football panels; and

the football panels being secured together to form a football.

2. The presentation football of

claim 1 wherein each of said panels has edges, the edges of each of said panels being secured to the edges of the adjacent panel.

3. The presentation football of

claim 2 wherein threads secure the panels together at their edges.

4. The presentation football of

claim 1 further including an air bladder to inflate the football.

5. The presentation football of

claim 1 wherein the lenticular and cloth panels have dimensions which are at least equal to the dimensions of said football panel to which it is secured, each of said panels having edges secured to the edges of adjacent panels, the edges of the lenticular and cloth panels and said one of the football panels to which it is secured thereby being secured the edges of adjacent football panels.

6. The presentation football of

claim 1 wherein the football is filled with a filler.

7. The presentation football of

claim 6 wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of:

sand, paper, cork, recycled material and a rigid core.

8. A method for manufacturing a presentation football, comprising the steps of:

forming at least one lenticular or cloth panel;

securing the lenticular or cloth panel to one of a plurality of football panels; and

securing the panels together to form the football.

9. The method of

claim 8 further comprising the step of securing the lenticular or cloth panel to the football panel with the adhesive.

10. The method of

claim 8 further comprising the steps of securing each of said football panels to an adjacent football panel at the edges thereof.

11. The method of

claim 10 wherein the method further includes the step of securing the football panels at the edges thereof with the edges exposed and then manually turning the panels inside out to form the football.

12. The method of

claim 8 further including the step of inserting an air bladder to inflate the presentation football.

13. The method of

claim 8 further comprising the step of filling the presentation football with a filler.

14. The method of

claim 13 wherein the step of filling the football includes the step of filling the football with filler selected from the group consisting of sand, cork, paper, recycled material and a rigid core.