Sports ball with suspension system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024001203-A1
Application number	US-202217856302-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2022
Priority date	Jul 1, 2022
Publication date	Jan 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sports ball, for example a soccer ball, comprising a hollow shell and a pit suspended within the hollow shell by a plurality of cords. In some embodiments, the plurality of cords may comprise a first end coupled to the hollow shell at a first location, a second end coupled to the hollow shell at a second location, and a center portion coupled to the pit. In some embodiments, the pit may be suspended within the hollow shell by a plurality of cords, with each of the plurality of cords comprising a frayed end secured to the hollow shell at one of a plurality of spaced apart locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sports ball, comprising:
a hollow shell; and a pit suspended within the hollow shell by a plurality of cords, wherein each of the plurality of cords comprises:
a first end coupled to the hollow shell at a first location,
a second end coupled to the hollow shell at a second location, and
a center portion coupled to the pit.

2 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the first location comprises a first pad bonded to an exterior surface of the hollow shell, and wherein the second location comprises a second pad bonded to the exterior surface of the hollow shell.

3 . The sports ball of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality cords is a fibrous cord, wherein the first end comprises frayed fibers of the cord, and wherein the frayed fibers are bonded to the first pad.

4 . The sports ball of claim 3 , wherein the first pad comprises a first pad layer and a second pad layer, and wherein the frayed fibers are sandwiched between the first pad layer and the second pad layer.

5 . The sports ball of claim 4 , wherein the first pad layer comprises an opening through which the first end of the cord is received.

6 . The sports ball of claim 4 , wherein the first pad layer comprises a first effective diameter, and wherein the second pad layer comprises a second effective diameter greater than the first effective diameter.

7 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the center portion of each of the plurality of cords is looped through the pit.

8 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the center portion of each of the plurality of cords is looped through one of a plurality of grooves located on an exterior surface of the pit.

9 . The sports ball of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of grooves comprises a first curve, a second curve, and a socket connecting the first curve and the second curve.

10 . The sports ball of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of cords extends to a respective one of the first locations from the first curve of one of the plurality of grooves, and wherein each of the plurality of cords extends to a respective one of the second locations from the second curve of one of the plurality of grooves.

11 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the pit comprises a plurality of sockets, each of the sockets comprising a recessed portion surrounded by a wall, and wherein the center portion of each of the plurality of cords is fixed in the recessed portion of one of the sockets.

12 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the first location and the second location are spaced equidistantly around a surface area of the hollow shell.

13 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cords is a continuous cord extending from the first end to the second end.

14 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the pit comprises an electronic device.

15 . The sports ball of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device comprises a battery and a wireless transmitter.

16 . The sports ball of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor, a global positioning system sensor, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, a hall sensor, a temperature sensor, a cellular phone module, and a combination thereof.

17 . The sports ball of claim 1 , wherein the pit comprises a mass of less than or equal to 50 grams.

18 . A method of making a sports ball, the method comprising:
coupling a plurality of cords to a pit such that each of the cords comprises a first end, a second end, a center portion coupled to the pit; disposing the pit within a hollow shell, the hollow shell comprising a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings; pulling the first end of each cord through a respective one of the plurality of first openings; pulling the second end of each cord through a respective one of the plurality of second openings; attaching a plurality of first pads to the first ends of each cord pulled through the respective one of the plurality of first openings, each first pad attached to a respective one of the first ends; attaching a plurality of second pads to the second ends of each cord pulled through the respective one of the plurality of second openings, each second pad attached to a respective one of the second ends; bonding each of the first pads to the hollow shell at a respective one of the first openings; and bonding each of the second pads to the hollow shell at a respective one of the second openings.

19 . A sports ball, comprising:
a hollow shell; and a pit suspended within the hollow shell by a plurality of cords, each of the plurality of cords comprising a frayed end secured to the hollow shell at one of a plurality of spaced apart locations.

20 . The sports ball of claim 19 , wherein each of the spaced apart locations comprises a pad bonded to an exterior surface of the hollow shell, and wherein the frayed end of each cord is bonded to the pad at each respective spaced apart location.

Assignees

• Adidas Ag

Inventors

• Tomlinson Scott
• Munson Ian Michael
• Mannie Barry Grant
• Dibenedetto Christian Walter

Classifications

• A63B43/004 Primary

  electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration · CPC title

• A63B45/00

  Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29) · CPC title

• A63B2225/50

  Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry · CPC title

• A63B2220/833

  Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement · CPC title

• A63B2243/0025

  Football · CPC title