Sport ball casing with integrated bladder material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457239-B2
Application number	US-201414490909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2008
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
joining together a first panel and a second panel to form a casing, wherein each of the first panel and the second panel have:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface;
an interior layer abutting the second surface; and
an edge;

wherein joining includes bonding together the interior layer of the first panel and the interior layer of the second panel to form substantially all of an interior surface of the sport ball that is configured to retain a fluid within the sport ball; and
concurrent to joining, orienting the first panel and the second panel such that:
(a) the first surface of the first panel and the first surface of the second panel face outward toward an exterior of the sport ball,
(b) the second surface of the first panel and the second surface of the second panel face inward toward an interior of the sport ball; and
(c) the edge of the first panel and the edge of the second panel form an exterior surface of the sport ball.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein joining includes applying heat to form a thermal bond between the first panel and the second panel.

3. The method recited in claim 2 , wherein each of the first panel and the second panel further include a flange area; and
wherein joining includes:
placing the flange area of the first panel in contact with the flange area of the second panel;
compressing the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel together; and
heating the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel to form a flange joint.

4. The method recited in claim 3 , wherein the flange area of the first panel includes a first free edge and the flange area of the second panel includes a second free edge; and
wherein placing includes orienting the first free edge and the second free edge so that the first free edge and the second free edge extend radially outward from a center of the sport ball.

5. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein joining forms a chamber that is defined by the interior surface; and wherein the interior layer of the first panel and the interior layer of the second panel include a first layer formed from a thermoplastic polymer and a second layer formed from an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.

6. The method recited in claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a thermoplastic urethane.

7. The method recited in claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic urethane is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether, polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene, polycarbonate macroglycol based materials, and mixtures thereof.

8. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
joining a plurality of panels to one another at a plurality of seams to form a casing, wherein a first one of the plurality of panels and a second one of the plurality of panels have:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface;
an interior layer abutting the second surface; and
an edge; and

wherein joining includes bonding together the interior layer of the first one of the plurality of panels and the interior layer of the second one of the plurality of panels to form substantially all of an interior surface of the sport ball that is configured to retain a fluid within the sport ball; and
concurrent to joining, orienting the first panel and the second panel right side out such that:
(a) the first surface of the first one of the plurality of panels and the first surface of the second one of the plurality of panels face outward toward an exterior of the sport ball;
(b) the second surface of the first one of the plurality of panels and the second surface of the second one of the plurality of panels face inward toward an interior of the sport ball; and
(c) the edge of the first one of the plurality of panels and the edge of the second one of the plurality of panels form an exterior surface of the sport ball;

wherein joining forms a chamber that is defined by the interior surface; and
wherein the interior layer of the first one of the plurality of panels and the interior layer of the second one of the plurality of panels include a first layer formed from a thermoplastic polymer and a second layer formed from an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.

9. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer a thermoplastic urethane.

10. The method recited in claim 9 , wherein the thermoplastic urethane is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether, polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene, polycarbonate macroglycol based materials, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein the interior layer of the first one of the plurality of panels and the interior layer of the second one of the plurality of panels further include a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer; and wherein the third layer is formed from a mixture of a thermoplastic urethane and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.

12. The method recited in claim 8 , wherein joining includes defining a plurality of indentations between the plurality of panels at the plurality of seams along the exterior surface.

13. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:
joining a first panel and a second panel to one another at seam to form a casing;
wherein the first panel and the second panel have:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface;
an interior layer abutting the second surface;
a central portion;
a flange area spaced apart from the central portion; and
an edge disposed along the flange area;

wherein joining includes:
bonding together the interior layer of the first panel and the interior layer of the second panel to form substantially all of an interior surface of the sport ball that is configured to retain a fluid within the sport ball;
turning the flange area of the first panel toward an exterior of the sport ball;
turning the flange area of the second panel toward the exterior;

concurrent to joining, abutting the first flange area of the first panel to the flange area of the second panel, thereby orienting the first panel and the second panel right side out such that:
(a) the first surface of the first panel and the first surface of the second panel face toward the exterior;
(b) the second surface of the first panel and the second surface of the second panel face inward toward an interior of the sport ball; and
(c) the edge of the first panel and the edge of the second panel form an exterior surface of the sport ball; and

bonding together the second surface of the first panel and the second surface of the second panel at the flange area of the first panel and the flange area of the second panel to form the interior layer;
wherein the interior layer of the first panel and the interior layer of the second panel are configured for enclosing a pressurized fluid within the casing.

14. The method recited in claim 13 , wherein the interior layer of the first panel and the interior layer of the second panel include a first layer formed from a thermoplastic polymer and a second layer formed from a barrier material that is configured to limit transmission of the pressurized fluid.

15. The method recited in claim 14 , wherein the barrier material is formed from an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.

16. The method recited in claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a thermoplastic urethane.

17. The method recited in claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic ur

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• White Vincent F
• Johnson Scott W

Classifications

• A63B45/00 Primary

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

• A63B41/10

  Bladder and cover united · CPC title

• A63B41/085

  Closures · CPC title

• A63B41/08

  Ball covers; Closures therefor · CPC title

• Y10T156/10

  Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor · CPC title