Ball for a ball sport

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694247-B2
Application number	US-201414179273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2014
Priority date	Feb 15, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Described are balls for a ball sport, wherein the ball includes at least one heating element.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A ball for a ball sport comprising:
at least one heating element arranged inside the ball and substantially at a geometric center of the ball; and
a regulator arranged inside the ball suitable for regulating a current for heating the at least one heating element in such a manner that a temperature of the ball substantially reaches a predetermined value,
wherein the regulator constantly regulates the current provided to the at least one heating element when the ball is used from zero to a maximum available current.

2. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is an electrically conductive fabric.

3. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is a radiant heater.

4. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is a conductive polymer.

5. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the ball is inflatable.

6. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the ball comprises a bladder in its interior and the at least one heating element is arranged on the bladder.

7. The ball according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one heating element is a heating wire that is vapor-deposited or imprinted on the bladder or a wire mesh that is vapor-deposited or imprinted on the bladder.

8. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is arranged within an outer casing of the ball.

9. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the ball comprises a valve that comprises a first end, which is arranged outside the outer casing of the ball and a second end, which is arranged within the outer casing of the ball, whereby the at least one heating element is arranged at the second end of the valve.

10. A ball for a ball sport comprising:
at least one heating element arranged inside the ball and substantially at a geometric center of the ball;
at least one electrical power source; and
a regulator arranged inside the ball suitable for regulating a current for heating the at least one heating element in such a manner that a temperature of the ball substantially reaches a predetermined value, wherein:
the at least one electrical power source provides an electrical current for heating the at least one heating element and with which it is electrically connected; and
the temperature of the ball is a temperature of a filler gas of the ball or a temperature of the outer casing of the ball.

11. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one electrical power source is arranged substantially opposite a valve of the ball.

12. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one electrical power source is a battery or an accumulator battery.

13. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one electrical power source can be charged by means of electromagnetic induction.

14. The ball according to claim 10 , further comprising at least one electric generator that is configured to convert rotational energy and/or kinetic energy of the ball into current, which can be fed to the at least one heating element or the at least one electrical power source.

15. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined value ranges between 5° C. and 15° C.

16. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the regulator is a switch that is configured to automatically switch on the current for heating the at least one heating element when the temperature of the ball drops below a first predefined threshold value, and to automatically switch the current off when the temperature of the ball rises above a second predetermined threshold value.

17. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one heating element, the at least one electrical power source, and the regulator are arranged in such a manner that a center of mass of the ball substantially coincides with the geometric center of the ball.

18. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one heating element and/or the at least one electrical power source and/or the regulator are arranged in such a manner that a distribution of mass of the ball is substantially spherically symmetric.

19. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the regulator functions during usage of the ball regardless of an orientation or motion of the ball.

20. The ball according to claim 10 , wherein, when the ball is used, the regulator constantly regulates the current provided to the at least one heating element from zero to a maximum available current.

21. A ball for a ball sport comprising:
at least one heating element arranged inside the ball and substantially at a geometric center of the ball;
at least one electrical power source; and
a regulator arranged inside the ball suitable for regulating a current for heating the at least one heating element in such a manner that a temperature of the ball substantially reaches a predetermined value, wherein:
the at least one electrical power source provides an electrical current for heating the at least one heating element and with which it is electrically connected; and
the at least one electrical power source is arranged substantially opposite a valve of the ball.

22. A ball for a ball sport comprising:
at least one heating element arranged inside the ball and substantially at a geometric center of the ball;
at least one electrical power source;
a regulator arranged inside the ball suitable for regulating a current for heating the at least one heating element in such a manner that a temperature of the ball substantially reaches a predetermined value; and
at least one electric generator that is configured to convert rotational energy and/or kinetic energy of the ball into current, which can be fed to the at least one heating element or the at least one electrical power source, wherein:
the at least one electrical power source provides an electrical current for heating the at least one heating element and with which it is electrically connected.

23. A ball for a ball sport comprising:
at least one heating element arranged inside the ball and substantially at a geometric center of the ball;
at least one electrical power source; and
a regulator arranged inside the ball suitable for regulating a current for heating the at least one heating element in such a manner that a temperature of the ball substantially reaches a predetermined value, wherein:
the at least one electrical power source provides an electrical current for heating the at least one heating element and with which it is electrically connected; and
the predetermined value ranges between 5° C. and 15° C.

24. A ball for a ball sport comprising:
at least one heating element arranged inside the ball and substantially at a geometric center of the ball;
at least one electrical power source; and
a regulator arranged inside the ball suitable for regulating a current for heating the at least one heating element in such a manner that a temperature of the ball substantially reaches a predetermined value, wherein:
the at least one electrical power source provides an electrical current for heating the at least one heating element and with which it is electrically connected; and
the regulator is a switch that is configured to automatically switch on the current for heating the at least one heating element when the temperature of the ball drops below a first predefined threshold value, and to automatically switch the current off when the temperature of the ball rises above a second p

Assignees

• Adidas Ag

Inventors

• Nurnberg Hans-Peter

Classifications

• A63B2225/50

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

• A63B2225/66

  Cooled · CPC title

• A63B2225/64

  Heated · CPC title

• A63B43/00

  Balls with special arrangements · CPC title

• A63B2225/54

  Transponders, e.g. RFID · CPC title