Having Plural Intermediate Layers, At Least One Being Of Material Diverse From Material Of Core, Cover, Or Another Intermediate Layer; Or Having Core Or Cover Composed Of Three Or More Layers, At Least Two Being Of Diverse Materials Patents (Class 473/602)
  • Patent number: 10583331
    Abstract: [Problem] To make a ball easy to be grabbed. [Solution] In a skin body 3 which covers a ball main body 2, a skin part 2 and a circumferential wall part 3 protruding from a peripheral edge part of the skin part 2 to a back side are integrally formed by molding of injecting a soft material made of resin or rubber into a mold. Alternatively, a structure is such that a step part or flat surface part where a finger is hung is provided on a front surface of the ball main body 2 or a front surface of the skin body 3 which covers the ball main body 2. Alternatively, a front surface of one of adjacent skin bodies 3 and a front surface of the other thereof configure a step part in a radial direction of a ball 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Molten Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Wakibayashi, Yosuke Sato, Naoyuki Fujiwara, Yukinori Nagao
  • Patent number: 9248349
    Abstract: An embodiment herein includes a baseball having a cover and a core. The cover encapsulates the core and there at least four images on an exterior surface of the cover. At least four of the images do not substantially extend from one of the panels to another one of the panels. The ball may have a profile substantially similar to a conventional ball. A second embodiment of the ball is where the core is weighted in an asymmetric manner. A method of using an embodiment of the ball includes a player calling out a description of the image as the player fields the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Joseph M Boyan
  • Patent number: 8771114
    Abstract: A baseball capable of being tested under ASTM F1887-09 wherein the baseball is projected at a strike plate at a speed of approximately 60 mph to measure the COR of the baseball. The baseball includes a core formed of a diene-based rubber composition, at least one layer of yarn surrounding the core, and a cover assembly surrounding the one layer of yarn. The core has a diameter of less than 2.0 inches and a weight less than 1.5 ounces. The baseball has a circumference of less than 9.5 inches and a weight of less than 5.5 ounces. The baseball has an initial COR value when tested in accordance with ASTM F1887-09 and a second COR value measured after the baseball has undergone at least 60 impacts of approximately 60 mph against the strike plate. The second COR value is greater than 95 percent of the initial COR value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Michael Markovich, Patrick J. Udelhofen, Frank M. Simonutti, Benny Tong, Bradley L. Gaff, Ty B. Goodwin
  • Patent number: 7785219
    Abstract: A game ball is disclosed that includes a polymer foam layer processed with an inert fluid blowing agent, such as nitrogen. The polymer foam may be a polyolefin material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylvinylacetate, and the inert fluid blowing agent may have a relatively high-purity. The polymer foam may be manufactured with a process that includes impregnating a polymer with the inert fluid blowing agent and expanding the polymer by heating the polymer above a softening temperature of the polymer, reducing a fluid pressure surrounding the polymer, and cooling the polymer. The game ball may be a soccerball, football, or volleyball, for example, that includes the polymer foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Avis
  • Patent number: 6638189
    Abstract: A sports or games balls having an inflatable bladder in which the bladder is re-inforced by a plurality of cloth (or other woven materials) pieces which are adhered to the bladder surface in a substantially orthogonal manner. The cloth-wrapped bladder is heat treated within a mould assembly to strengthen the glue bonding between the cloth pieces and the bladder surfaces and to provide a bladder with a well-defined shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventor: I-Teh Chang
  • Patent number: 6592477
    Abstract: A ball includes a core, and two 8-shaped leather cover pieces secured onto an outer peripheral portion of the core with such as the adhesive materials. A water-proof outer layer is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the core for protecting the core and for preventing the core from being wetted, the 8-shaped cover pieces are secured onto the outer layer. The outer layer includes an 8-shaped seam for forming two 8-shaped recesses and for receiving the cover pieces. The seam has a number of bulges for simulating the raised seam or stitches of the typical balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventor: Wen Hsiang Yang
  • Patent number: 6379270
    Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a solid core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, the solid core or the cover is provided with a plurality of protrusions penetrating into the intermediate layer. Provided the protrusions are spaced apart a distance X (mm) and have a length L (mm), those protrusions satisfying L≦X≦5L account for at least 60% of the entire protrusions. The protrusions penetrating into the intermediate layer optimizes the buckling phenomenon whereby the ball is improved in flight performance, control and feel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Maruko, Yutaka Masutani
  • Patent number: 6267695
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the cover consists of an outer layer and an inner layer having a lower hardness than the outer layer. The cover inner layer is formed with a plurality of recesses in its outer surface and the cover outer layer is formed over the cover inner layer in such a manner that the cover outer layer penetrates into the recesses in the cover inner layer to form protrusions. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the protrusions at their base accounts for 2-45% of the surface area of an imaginary smooth cover inner layer. The protrusions have a height corresponding to 30-100% of the thickness of the cover inner layer where no recesses are formed. The ball receives a reduced spin and travel a distance upon driver shots, but receives an increased spin and is easy to control upon iron or sand wedge shots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Masutani
  • Publication number: 20010000507
    Abstract: A ball for baseball is proposed which has properties similar to those of ordinary balls and superior in waterproofness. The ball for baseball has a layer of woolen yarn provided around a rubber core having a baked cork inside, and an outermost layer provided around the layer of woolen yarn through a layer of cotton yarn. The outermost layer is formed from a water-impermeable resin and the total weight is 142 to 148 g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: April 26, 2001
    Inventors: Haruo Uchida, Koji Uchida
  • Patent number: 5788591
    Abstract: A practice baseball having a circumference in the range of approximately 65% to 90% of the circumference of an official league baseball and having a weight in the range of approximately 70% to 85% of the weight of an official baseball as required for use in league games by Rule 1.09 of the Official Baseball Rules. Use of the smaller and lighter practice baseball for batting practice should improve the batting skills of a player due to the greater difficulty of hitting the smaller practice baseball. The practice baseball has the same durability and resiliency as an official baseball because it is constructed in a similar manner. The resiliency of the practice baseball is achieved by wrapping the core of the baseball with materials of a tension sufficient to provide a proper coefficient of restitution, one that is similar to the coefficient of restitution of an official baseball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Decker Products Co.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Decker
  • Patent number: 5704858
    Abstract: A baseball includes a spherical core of foamable material and three layers of foamable material engaged on the spherical core and a cover layer engaged on the three layers. The intermediate layer of the three layers includes a hardness and a density greater than that of the other two layers and less than that of the spherical core, for allowing the other two layers to form a cushioning device and for preventing the players from being hurt by the baseball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Inventor: Wen Hsiang Yang