And Having Intermediate Layer Composed Of Wrapping Of Strands Or Strips Between Cover And Core Or Bladder Patents (Class 473/605)
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Patent number: 11071891Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing an exercise ball which is made by using a pasted ball such as a soft leather ball and which has a lower impact value compared to a conventional yarn-wound ball. The exercise ball comprises a spherical hollow rubber bladder (2) in which compressed air is sealed, and a yarn-wound reinforcement layer (3) formed by evenly winding a filament yarn around the surface of the rubber bladder, wherein the exercise ball is characterized in that nylon filament yarn, obtained by hard twisting two 30-50 denier nylon filaments 1-a, 1-b in a single-direction twist is used as a winding yarn (1).Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: MIKASA CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi Fujikura, Yukio Sunamori, Akinori Hamamoto
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Patent number: 10918913Abstract: A tennis ball may include a spherical hollow elastomeric core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm and a textile layer covering the spherical hollow core.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2018Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: William E. Dillon, Frank M. Simonutti
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Patent number: 10850165Abstract: The present invention relates to sports balls. A sports ball comprises a surface layer comprising a plurality of panels. The sports ball further comprises a lattice structure extending below the surface layer, wherein the lattice structure comprises a plurality of lattice cells comprising radially extending elements. The lattice cells which are adjacent to the surface layer have at least one dimension which is smaller than an average diameter of the panels.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: adidas AGInventors: Hans-Peter Nürnberg, Daniel Stephen Price, Henry Niles Hanson
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Patent number: 10391365Abstract: Tossing balls having a resilient skeletal body formed from a plurality of interconnected resilient ribs and defining an open internal volume and a plurality of passages between adjacent resilient ribs. The passages extend from an outwardly facing body portion of the body to the internal volume. The tossing balls may include an array of force-absorbing resilient fingers extending from the plurality of interconnected resilient ribs. The resilient fingers extend at least one of away from and toward the open internal volume. The tossing balls may have a nominal configuration in which the array of force-absorbing resilient fingers extends away from the open internal volume and is configured to cushion impact between the tossing ball and an external object. The tossing balls may include an everted configuration in which the resilient fingers that extended away from the open internal volume in the nominal configuration extend into the open internal volume.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2018Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Acorn Products, LLCInventors: Scott H. Stillinger, Kathryn Kelsey Anne Stillinger, Diane B. Stillinger
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Patent number: 9744409Abstract: A ball useful for basketball practice and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The ball includes an inflatable bladder covered with one or more flexible elongate elements wound around the surface of the bladder. The ball also includes an outer covering with at least two outer panels separated by at least one strip of elastomeric material. The outer panels and the strip(s) are placed directly onto the wound flexible elongate element(s). The manufacture-method particularly involves covering the inflatable bladder with the flexible elongate element(s) wound on the surface of the bladder, and placing the outer covering, including the outer panels separated by the strip(s) of elastomeric material, directly onto the wound flexible elongate element(s).Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2011Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: DECATHLONInventors: Ming-Chih Wang, Thomas Baillon
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Patent number: 9101802Abstract: A sports ball having a high-performance cover formed from a plurality of panels with attached foam backing. The panels may be stitched together at stitch lines which are 2-4 mm from the edges of each of the panels. During manufacturing, before compression is applied, foam attached to outer layers for each of the panels may be a distance 2-6 mm away from the stitch lines. Foam attached on the inside of the sports ball may provide support and a robust round shape for manufacturing of a high performance sports ball.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Inventor: Ali Hasnain Hussain
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Patent number: 8900077Abstract: A sportsball includes a barebone ball and an outer ball cover. The barebone ball includes an inflatable bladder body and a ball casing. The ball casing, which is formed in an integrated structure, has an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface to define an interior cavity to fittingly enclose the bladder body therein, and a plurality of pre-formed channels integrally and indently formed on the outer circumferential surface, such that the ball casing and the bladder body enclosed therewithin form a one piece integrated semi-product of the sportsball. The outer ball cover comprising a plurality of outer cover panels overlapping on the outer circumferential surface of the ball casing at a position that edges of each of the outer cover panels are aligned with the corresponding pre-formed channels respectively.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2008Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Topball Sports Inc.Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
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Patent number: 8852039Abstract: A sport ball may include a plurality of panels having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface forming a majority of an exterior surface of the ball. In addition, the sport ball may include an interior layer secured to the second surface of the panels and forming substantially all of an interior surface of the ball to retain a fluid within the ball, the interior layer extending between the panels to join the panels together. Further the sport ball may include a valve secured to the interior layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Vincent F. White, Scott W. Johnson
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Patent number: 8801553Abstract: There is provided a sports ball capable of relieving the pain of the hands suffered from impact on the ball and having a soft feel and high flexibility. The sports ball comprises a spherical hollow rubber bladder (2) inflated with air injected into it, a fabric tape reinforcement layer (3) formed by winding a narrow adhesive-impregnated fabric tape (7) around a central spherical portion (6) of the rubber bladder about each of three axes of the rubber bladder with the exception of opposite spherical end portions (5) of the rubber bladder, whereby the fabric tape reinforcement layer is formed as orthogonal lap windings of the fabric tape over substantially all of the spherical surface of the rubber bladder, to provide a fabric tape wound ball core, and surface panels (4) adhered with adhesive to the fabric tape reinforcement layer on the rubber bladder, after vulcanization and forming of the fabric tape wound ball core.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2011Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Mikasa CorporationInventors: Takashi Fujikura, Osamu Kobayashi, Shuzo Matsuno
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Patent number: 8777787Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing, an intermediate layer, and a bladder. In manufacturing the sport ball, a panel element of the casing and the bladder may be located in a mold, and a polymer foam material of the intermediate layer may be injected into an area between the bladder and the panel element. In addition, edges of panel element may be heatbonded to each other to join the panel elements and form seams of the casing.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2012Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey C. Raynak, Zvi Rapaport, Vincent F. White, Mark McNamee
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Patent number: 8771115Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing, a bladder, and a valve. The casing forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder is located within the casing for enclosing a pressurized fluid, and the bladder may be formed from a material that includes a first layer of thermoplastic polymer material and a second layer of a barrier material. The valve is for introducing the fluid to the bladder, and the valve is secured to the bladder and accessible from an exterior of the casing. A tie layer may be located between the flange and a surface of the bladder to join the flange to the bladder.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Berggren, Mark McNamee, Scott W. Johnson, Eric L. Fliss
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Patent number: 8708847Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing includes a plurality of panels having edge areas joined to each other with bonds, and the edge areas project toward an exterior of the ball. The bladder is located within the casing. In another aspect, the casing includes a first panel and a second panel that each have an exterior surface facing outward and an opposite interior surface facing inward. The interior surface of the first panel is bonded to the interior surface of the second panel to form a seam that joins the first panel and the second panel together. A method of manufacturing the casing may include forming thermal bonds between the panels.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Berggren, Scott W. Johnson, Vincent F. White, Eleazar C. Chavez
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Publication number: 20140087900Abstract: A two-layer leak-proof ball comprises a sheath layer (1), an intermediate body layer (2), a winding yarn layer (3), an inner body layer (4) and a two-layer protective layer (5). The intermediate body layer (2), the winding yarn layer (3), the inner body layer (4) and the two-layer protective layer (5) are tightly set successively at the inside of the sheath layer (1). Also disclosed is the manufacturing method of the two-layer protective layer (5) of the two-layer leak-proof ball. High air-sealed bromide butyl mucilage is injected at the inside of the inner body layer (4), and vulcanized at low temperature, thus a glue film is formed at the inner wall of the inner body layer (4). The inner bag of the two-layer leak-proof ball has high tightness and long service life.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Inventor: Chun-Nan Lin
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Patent number: 8608599Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder located within the casing. The casing may include a plurality of panel elements joined to each other with welds, and portions of the panel elements that include the welds may project toward an interior of the ball. A method of manufacturing a sport ball may include providing a plurality of casing elements that include a thermoplastic polymer material. Edges of the casing elements are welded to each other to join the casing elements. The casing elements may then be turned inside-out through an aperture formed by at least one of the casing elements, and the aperture may be sealed.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2009Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey C. Raynak, Vincent F. White
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Patent number: 8602927Abstract: A game ball, such as a soccer ball, having a cover comprised of one or more cover panel blanks and one or more reinforcement material blanks, is provided. The cover panel blanks and reinforcement material blanks are heat bonded together so that the free edges and interior panel boundaries of the cover panel blanks are aligned with the reinforcement material blanks.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Vertex L.L.C.Inventor: Michel Marc
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Patent number: 8597144Abstract: A sport ball may have a plurality of panels that are joined at seams to form a casing. The panels may include a thermoplastic polymer material applied to an interior side of the panels, and the thermoplastic polymer material may be heat-activated to extend across the seams. The ball may further include a bladder within the casing and an intermediate layer located between the casing and the bladder. The thermoplastic polymer material may also be heat-activated to bond with the intermediate layer or casing.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Chih-Chi Chang, Yi-Jung Shen, Scott R. Berggren
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Patent number: 8579743Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing that incorporates a plurality of joined panel elements, which include a first panel element with a first edge and a second panel element with a second edge. The first edge and the second edge are welded to each other. In some configurations, the first panel element has a first edge with a projection that extends outward from the first edge, the second panel element has a second edge that is located adjacent to the first edge, and the projection of the first edge is located between the second edge and the bladder. In another configuration, the first edge and the second edge are formed to have a rounded configurations. The sport ball may also include an intermediate layer and a bladder within the casing.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2010Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Tal Cohen, Geoffrey C. Raynak, Vincent F. White, Eleazar C. Chavez
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Patent number: 8574104Abstract: An inflatable sports ball structure and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The inflatable sports ball structure comprises of an inner bladder, a reinforced carcass containing thread, and an exterior material layer. The reinforced carcass covers the surface of the inner bladder, and has a thread wound layer. Part of the thread wound layer is embedded in the reinforced carcass and provides a constricting force towards the inner bladder, and a small remaining part of the thread wound layer may be exposed on the outer surface of the reinforced carcass.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Inventor: Keng-Hua Chou
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Patent number: 8388476Abstract: A sports ball includes an inflatable bladder, and a ball carcass. The ball pocket is constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior cavity receiving the inflatable bladder therein, wherein when the inflatable bladder is inflated, the ball pocket retains a true roundness shape of the inflatable bladder. The ball carcass includes a ball cushion and a plurality of carcass panels. Each of the carcass panels has a peripheral edge and a flat bottom surface defined within the peripheral edge, wherein the bottom surface of each of the carcass panels is entirely affixed to the ball cushion at a position that the peripheral edge of each of the carcass panels is fittingly aligned with the peripheral edges of the adjacent carcass panels to form a roundness carcass of the sportsball in a stitch-less manner.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
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Publication number: 20130035182Abstract: An inflatable sports ball which comprises an inflatable bladder which is provided with a bladder valve; a bladder pocket which encloses the bladder; an outer carcass which encloses the bladder pocket and is provided with an outer carcass valve hole; and a valve stem which extends from the bladder valve hole through the bladder pocket to the outer carcass valve hole. The bladder pocket is in form of a hosohedron with a plurality of identical lune faces, and each of the lune faces is formed by a panel which is made of a material cheaper in costs in comparison with materials which form the bladder or the outer carcass.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2011Publication date: February 7, 2013Applicant: NOBLE STAR HOLDINGS LIMITEDInventor: TAM HIN SING
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Publication number: 20120329587Abstract: A sports ball includes an inflatable bladder, a ball pocket and a ball carcass. The ball pocket has an interior cavity receiving the inflatable bladder therein, wherein the ball pocket has a plurality of panel guidelines protruded from an outer surface of the ball pocket to define a predetermined number of guiding contours between at least two adjacent panel guidelines. The ball carcass includes a plurality of carcass panels, wherein each of the carcass panels has a peripheral edge and a flat bottom surface defined within the peripheral edge, wherein the bottom surface of each of the carcass panels is entirely affixed to the ball pocket at a position that the peripheral edge of each of the carcass panels is fittingly aligned with the corresponding panel guidelines so as to fittedly affix on the corresponding guiding contours to form a sportsball in a stitch-less manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Inventor: Tsung Ming OU
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Patent number: 8210973Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing may form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder may be located within the casing and formed from a plurality of polymer bladder elements joined along abutting edges to form a sealed and valveless structure that encloses a pressurized gas. In some configurations, the bladder may be at least partially formed from an ether-based thermoplastic polyurethane material.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Zvi Rapaport, Vincent F. White, Bhupesh Dua
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Patent number: 8192311Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing, a restriction structure, and a bladder. The casing forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The restriction structure is located within the casing and includes a textile element having a seamless portion with a non-planar configuration. The bladder is also located within the casing. The textile element may be a knitted fabric. Although the restriction structure may be seamless, the restriction structure may also include at most one seam or multiple seams that joins edges of the textile element. In addition, the seamless portion of the textile element may cover at least thirty percent or more of the surface of the bladder.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Vincent F. White, Geoffrey C. Raynak
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Patent number: 8163375Abstract: Customizable articles and a method of customization are disclosed. The method produces customizable articles having a graphic or pigment arrangement sandwiched between a film transfer layer and an exterior surface of the customizable articles. The process involves aligning a customizable article and a graphical transfer assembly on a press assembly, heating the press assembly, and applying pressure to the customizable article using the press. After removing the customizable article from the press assembly, the process comprises removal of the carrier layer and inspection of the resulting customizable article.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Elizabeth Langvin, David P. Jones
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Publication number: 20120052994Abstract: A soccer ball includes a plurality of sheet plates connected with each other and a plurality of reinforcement strips connected with the sheet plates. Each of the sheet plates has a plurality of connecting sides, and the opposite connecting sides of any two adjacent sheet plates are connected to construct a plurality of connections. Each of the reinforcement strips is bonded onto a respective one of the connections to reinforce the strength of the respective connection of the sheet plates. Thus, the reinforcement strips encompass the connections of the sheet plates completely so that the connections of the sheet plates are reinforced and limited by the reinforcement strips to prevent the connections of the sheet plates from being torn or broken due to a stress concentration so as to enhance the lifetime of the soccer ball.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2010Publication date: March 1, 2012Inventor: Ching-Feng Su
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Publication number: 20120004058Abstract: There is provided a sports ball capable of relieving the pain of the hands suffered from impact on the ball and having a soft feel and high flexibility. The sports ball comprises a spherical hollow rubber bladder (2) inflated with air injected into it, a fabric tape reinforcement layer (3) formed by winding a narrow adhesive-impregnated fabric tape (7) around a central spherical portion (6) of the rubber bladder about each of three axes of the rubber bladder with the exception of opposite spherical end portions (5) of the rubber bladder, whereby the fabric tape reinforcement layer is formed as orthogonal lap windings of the fabric tape over substantially all of the spherical surface of the rubber bladder, to provide a fabric tape wound ball core, and surface panels (4) adhered with adhesive to the fabric tape reinforcement layer on the rubber bladder, after vulcanization and forming of the fabric tape wound ball core.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2011Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: Mikasa CorporationInventors: Takashi Fujikura, Osamu Kobayashi, Shuzo Matsuno
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Patent number: 8033936Abstract: A sports ball includes an inflatable bladder, and a ball carcass. The ball pocket is constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior cavity receiving the inflatable bladder therein, wherein when the inflatable bladder is inflated, the ball pocket retains a true roundness shape of the inflatable bladder. The ball carcass includes a ball cushion and a plurality of carcass panels. Each of the carcass panels has a peripheral edge and a flat bottom surface defined within the peripheral edge, wherein the bottom surface of each of the carcass panels is entirely affixed to the ball cushion at a position that the peripheral edge of each of the carcass panels is fittingly aligned with the peripheral edges of the adjacent carcass panels to form a roundness carcass of the sportsball in a stitch-less manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
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Publication number: 20110183791Abstract: An inflatable ball includes an outer cover defining a confining chamber therein, a bladder unit disposed in the confining chamber, and a valve unit connected to the bladder unit. The bladder unit includes an outer bladder defining an accommodation chamber, an inner bladder disposed in the accommodation chamber and defining an inflating space, and a winding thread layer disposed in the accommodation chamber and covering an outer surrounding surface of the inner bladder. The outer bladder has a first elongation percentage. The inner bladder has a second elongation percentage greater than the first elongation percentage of the outer bladder. The winding thread layer has a third elongation percentage less than the first elongation percentage of the outer bladder. The bladder unit can be deflated and inflated.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2010Publication date: July 28, 2011Inventor: Chuan-Hsin LO
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Publication number: 20110177895Abstract: A ball inner bladder structure, particularly suitable for a seamless ball, includes a bladder in the form of a spherical bag, a yarn layer enclosing the bladder, an emulsion layer applied over the yarn layer, and a ball cover layer bonded to the emulsion layer. The yarn layer is an integrally knitted web structure having a 3D spherical shape. Knitted yarns subjected to pressure can displace relative to one another to finely adjust a surface configuration of the web structure for the same to completely bear against the bladder. The emulsion layer fills up voids on the yarn layer to provide a smooth spherical surface. The specifically knitted yarn layer can effectively control an expansion degree of the bladder when the same is inflated. And, expansion or compression pressure applied to the bladder is uniformly distributed over interlocking points of knitted yarns, preventing the bladder from deformation and breaking.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2010Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: Long Way Enterprise Co., Ltd.Inventor: Mei Sun Lin
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Publication number: 20110165979Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing that incorporates a plurality of joined panel elements, which include a first panel element with a first edge and a second panel element with a second edge. The first edge and the second edge are welded to each other. In some configurations, the first panel element has a first edge with a projection that extends outward from the first edge, the second panel element has a second edge that is located adjacent to the first edge, and the projection of the first edge is located between the second edge and the bladder. In another configuration, the first edge and the second edge are formed to have a rounded configurations. The sport ball may also include an intermediate layer and a bladder within the casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2010Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Tal Cohen, Geoffrey C. Raynak, Vincent F. White, Eleazar C. Chavez
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Publication number: 20110124448Abstract: A sportsball includes a ball carcass having an air cavity therein, wherein the ball carcass includes two ball shells, each of the ball shells having an outer surface, a plurality of channels indented on the outer surface to form a plurality of panel contours thereon, and a contouring edge defining a starting point at one of the channels to continuously extend from the channel to another the adjacent channel until the contouring edge is extended back to the starting point, wherein the two ball shells are integrally bonded with each other to form the ball carcass that the contouring edges of the ball shells are alignedly linked to form a common edge of the ball carcass, such that the common edge of the ball carcass, which is a molding line thereof, also forms as the channels of the ball carcass to invisible the molding line thereat.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Inventor: Tsing Ming Ou
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Patent number: 7909715Abstract: A basketball having an outer surface and including a first set of channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball. The basketball further includes a bladder, a carcass and at least one cover panel. The carcass covers the bladder and has an outer surface that defines a second set of channels. The cover panel(s) is positioned over the carcass and over at least one of the channels of the second set of channels. The cover panel(s) generally conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the carcass such that the cover panel defines at least one groove in the outer surface of the basketball corresponding to the channels of the second set of channels. The depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2009Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventor: Kevin L. Krysiak
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Publication number: 20110015011Abstract: An inflatable sports ball structure and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The inflatable sports ball structure comprises of an inner bladder, a reinforced carcass containing thread, and an exterior material layer. The reinforced carcass covers the surface of the inner bladder, and has a thread wound layer. Part of the thread wound layer is embedded in the reinforced carcass and provides a constricting force towards the inner bladder, and a small remaining part of the thread wound layer may be exposed on the outer surface of the reinforced carcass.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Inventor: KENG-HUA CHOU
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Patent number: 7837581Abstract: A sports ball includes an inflatable bladder, and a ball carcass. The ball pocket is constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior cavity receiving the inflatable bladder therein, wherein when the inflatable bladder is inflated, the ball pocket retains a true roundness shape of the inflatable bladder. The ball carcass includes a ball cushion and a plurality of carcass panels. Each of the carcass panels has a peripheral edge and a flat bottom surface defined within the peripheral edge, wherein the bottom surface of each of the carcass panels is entirely affixed to the ball cushion at a position that the peripheral edge of each of the carcass panels is fittingly aligned with the peripheral edges of the adjacent carcass panels to form a roundness carcass of the sportsball in a stitch-less manner.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2006Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Inventor: Tsing Ming Ou
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Patent number: 7785219Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 31, 2005Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventor: Richard Avis
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Patent number: 7753813Abstract: The ball for a ball game of the invention includes a fabric layer 1 having a spherical 12-hedron where twelve right pentagonal fabric pieces 2 are sewn together. The marginal edges of the fabric piece being folded by 90 degrees, and the marginal edges are sewn together with a sewing machine. The fabric layer is then reversed through cross-like slits 5a, 5b formed in the fabric layer in a location opposite to a valve opening 5 (also formed in the fabric layer) in such a manner that the marginal edges are located on an inner side of the fabric layer. After the bladder is accommodated within the fabric layer through the closure hole 5, the hole 5 is closed by a patch. Onto a surface of the fabric layer, there is adhered the panels. Thereby, the ball for a ball game having no unevenness and soft feeling is attained.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignees: Molten Corporation, adidas International Marketing B.V.Inventors: Harufusa Taniguchi, Hideomi Shishido, Shigeo Doi, Yoshihisa Okimura
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Publication number: 20100167850Abstract: A seamless ball structure, particularly suitable for balls used in different ball games, such as soccer, volleyball and basketball, includes an inner bladder, and an inner yarn layer, an emulsion layer and an outer cover layer sequentially provided on an outer surface of the inner bladder from inner to outer side. The emulsion layer inwardly permeates into voids among the yarns of the inner yarn layer. The outer cover layer is attached at an inner fabric layer thereof to an outer surface of the emulsion layer. The emulsion layer being heated and pressurized is in an adhering state to sufficiently tightly attach to the inner yarn layer and the outer cover layer, giving the ball so formed an increased structural strength. The ball can be easily and quickly manufactured at reduced manufacturing cost to thereby provide an improved ball structure that does not require any sewing with threads.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: Long Way Enterprise Co., LtdInventor: Mei Sun LIN
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Publication number: 20100144470Abstract: A method of making a sporting article includes: providing a plurality of sheet segments each of which is made of a multi-layered material that includes a thermoplastic foamed layer, and a thermoplastic non-foamed layer laminated on the foamed layer, each of the sheet segments having at least one connection end; and assembling the sheet segments to form the sporting article by heat-sealing the connection ends of the sheet segments, thereby forming heat-sealed seams in the sporting article.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2009Publication date: June 10, 2010Inventor: Keng-Hsien LIN
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Patent number: 7699727Abstract: A game ball is formed by molding a carcass in the final shape of the ball, spraying a mold surface with cover material, inserting the carcass into the mold, and molding the cover material onto the carcass.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2003Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: Douglas G. Guenther, Kevin L. Krysiak
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Patent number: 7648434Abstract: The present invention provides a ball for ball games which has equivalent or increased cushioning properties when compared conventional balls. The ball for ball games of the present invention includes a bladder made of rubber or elastomer, and a foamed layer covering the outside of the bladder, in which a skin layer is provided on each surface sectionalized by partition portions extending from the surface of the foamed layer, the partitions having a lesser degree of expansion than the main portion of the surface which is sectionalized by the portions.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: Molten CorporationInventors: Yukinori Nagao, Hidesuke Kuriki
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Publication number: 20090325742Abstract: A basketball having an outer surface and including a first set of channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball. The basketball further includes a bladder, a carcass and at least one cover panel. The carcass covers the bladder and has an outer surface that defines a second set of channels. The cover panel(s) is positioned over the carcass and over at least one of the channels of the second set of channels. The cover panel(s) generally conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the carcass such that the cover panel defines at least one groove in the outer surface of the basketball corresponding to the channels of the second set of channels. The depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventor: Kevin L. Krysiak
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Publication number: 20090325746Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing, a restriction structure, and a bladder. The casing forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The restriction structure is located within the casing and includes a textile element having a seamless portion with a non-planar configuration. The bladder is also located within the casing. The textile element may be a knitted fabric. Although the restriction structure may be seamless, the restriction structure may also include at most one seam or multiple seams that joins edges of the textile element. In addition, the seamless portion of the textile element may cover at least thirty percent or more of the surface of the bladder.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2008Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey C. Raynak, Vincent F. White
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Publication number: 20090325747Abstract: A sportsball includes a ball carcass, an inflatable ball body received in a ball cavity of the ball carcass, and a stitchless seam arrangement which includes an elongated adhesive layer having a contour matching with a contour of an opening of the ball carcass, wherein after the ball body is disposed in the ball carcass, edge portions of the opening are adhered on an outer surface of the ball body via the adhesive layer, such that the opening is sealed to close the ball cavity for enclosing the ball body in the ball cavity of the ball carcass in a stitchless seam manner. Therefore, the manufacturing method of the sportsball excludes the traditional final assembling operation of hand stitching to reduce the time-consuming manufacturing procedure of the sportsball while being cost effective.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: December 31, 2009Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
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Publication number: 20090209374Abstract: A sportsball includes a barebone ball and an outer ball cover. The barebone ball includes an inflatable bladder body and a ball casing. The ball casing, which is formed in an integrated structure, has an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface to define an interior cavity to fittingly enclose the bladder body therein, and a plurality of pre-formed channels integrally and indently formed on the outer circumferential surface, such that the ball casing and the bladder body enclosed therewithin form a one piece integrated semi-product of the sportsball. The outer ball cover comprising a plurality of outer cover panels overlapping on the outer circumferential surface of the ball casing at a position that edges of each of the outer cover panels are aligned with the corresponding pre-formed channels respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
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Publication number: 20090137352Abstract: A sports ball includes a ball cover having a ball cavity and a valve hole, and an inflatable ball bladder. The inflatable ball bladder, which is disposed in the ball cavity of the ball cover and is adapted to be inflated through the valve hole to support the ball cover, includes an outer bladder portion layer, an inner bladder portion layer disposed in the outer bladder portion layer, and a webbing layer. The webbing layer is disposed between the inner and outer bladder portion layers, wherein the inner and outer bladder portion layers are treated to integrally embed the webbing layer therebetween to enhance the strength of the ball bladder such that the webbing layer allows the ball bladder to be fully inflated for evenly distributing air pressure therein to support the ball cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2007Publication date: May 28, 2009Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
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Publication number: 20090011878Abstract: A sportsball includes a ball carcass having an air cavity therein, wherein the ball carcass includes two ball shells, each of the ball shells having an outer surface, a plurality of channels indented on the outer surface to form a plurality of panel contours thereon, and a contouring edge defining a starting point at one of the channels to continuously extend from the channel to another the adjacent channel until the contouring edge is extended back to the starting point, wherein the two ball shells are integrally bonded with each other to form the ball carcass that the contouring edges of the ball shells are alignedly linked to form a common edge of the ball carcass, such that the common edge of the ball carcass, which is a molding line thereof, also forms as the channels of the ball carcass to invisible the molding line thereat.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2007Publication date: January 8, 2009Inventor: Tsing Ming Ou
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Patent number: 7427246Abstract: The ball for a ball game of the invention includes a fabric layer (1) having a spherical 12-hedron where twelve right pentagonal fabric pieces (2) are sewn together. The marginal edges of the fabric piece being folded by 90 degrees, and the marginal edges are sewn together with a sewing machine. The fabric layer is then reversed through cross-like slits (5a, 5b) formed in the fabric layer in a location opposite to a valve opening (5) (also formed in the fabric layer) in such a manner that the marginal edges are located on an inner side of the fabric layer. After the bladder is accommodated within the fabric layer through the closure hole (5), the hole (5) is closed by a patch. Onto a surface of the fabric layer, there is adhered the panels. Thereby, the ball for a ball game having no unevenness and soft feeling is attained.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2002Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Assignees: Molten Corporation, adidas International Marketing B.V.Inventors: Harufusa Taniguchi, Hideomi Shishido, Shigeo Doi, Yoshihisa Okimura
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Publication number: 20080188334Abstract: A game ball having a highly durable cover exterior formed of a urethane gum rubber compound. The urethane material of the cover exterior is a cross-linked molded rubber material which provides superior abrasion resistance compared to ball covers made from a molded natural rubber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2003Publication date: August 7, 2008Applicant: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Brian Feeney, Thomas J. Kennedy, R. Dennis Nesbitt
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Publication number: 20080064541Abstract: A play ball comprising an outer casing having a vent and a balloon is provided. The outer casing is substantially non-porous. An uninflated balloon is inserted into the outer casing through an opening. During inflation of the balloon, air from within the outer casing is vented.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2006Publication date: March 13, 2008Inventor: Donald Spector
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Patent number: 7137915Abstract: A ball with a foam carcass has an inner bladder, a winding layer, a foam carcass layer, a colored rubber ink layer, and a leather layer. The inner bladder is hollow. The winding layer is attached to and covers the inner bladder. The colored rubber ink is brushed on and covers the foam carcass layer. The foam carcass layer with the colored rubber ink layer with the colored rubber ink is attached to and covers the winding layer to form a foam covered carcass. The foam covered carcass is vulcanized. The colored rubber ink layer covers the uneven foam-carcass layer to form an even foam covered carcass. The leather layer is attached to the foam covered carcass.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: Yuan Chi Sports Enterprise Co., LtdInventor: Chun-Nan Lin