EP2969067B1

EP2969067B1 - Inflation-independent ball with cover

Info

Publication number: EP2969067B1
Application number: EP14773070.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Chun-wei Jerry HU; Lynn Christopher SMITH
Original assignee: Russell Brands LLC
Current assignee: Russell Brands LLC
Priority date: 2013-03-14
Filing date: 2014-03-12
Publication date: 2019-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-12
Also published as: EP3569294A1; WO2014159489A1; SI3569294T1; EP2969067A1; US20190168080A1; US20140274504A1; ES2750535T3; EP2969067A4; ES2887228T3; EP3569294B1; PL3569294T3

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to footballs and soccer balls.

BACKGROUND ART

Sports balls of the type traditionally inflated (e.g., basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and soccer balls) are well known in the art and are sometimes referred to as "inflatables." For example, basketballs are generally manufactured to include an inflatable air bladder surrounded by an outer covering of cover panels. Other inflatable sports balls such as volleyballs, soccer balls and footballs also feature the well-known inflatable air bladder (often comprising rubber, such as 80% butyl rubber and 20% natural rubber) and various other outer coverings. One limitation of current inflatable technology is that the inflatable air bladder may lose pressure after a period of time due to air loss, which may occur by seepage from valves, or by migration of the filled air across the air bladder membrane, or otherwise. When pressure loss occurs, the inflatable must be re-inflated by some mechanism, such as a pump. Any physical damage that pierces the bladder, even small holes or tears may result in loss of pressure and even the inability to be re-pressurized.
Foam balls, such as NERF® brand balls, are also known in the art, but foam balls to date have exhibited substantially different playing characteristics and feel that traditional sports balls, and do not comport with or approximate the standards set by sports organizations for regulation play, such as size, rebound response, weight or other characteristics.
CN 102 615 764 A , upon which the two-part form of claim 1 is based, discloses a method of manufacturing polyurethane ball-shaped toys

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided the inflation independent sports ball of claim 1. Additional aspects of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples of a basketball and volleyball, illustrated in Figs. 1A and 1D respectively, are not in accordance with the invention as claimed, but represent technical background that may be useful for understanding the sports ball of the present invention. In the drawings:

Figures 1A-1D show various embodiments and examples of the sports ball 5 as disclosed herein.
Figure 2 shows a cut away view of one embodiment of the core 15 of one embodiment of a sports ball 5 as disclosed herein.
Figure 3 shows a cut away view of one embodiment of the core 15 of a sports ball 5 as disclosed herein.
Figure 4 shows a cut away view of one embodiment of the core 15 of a sports ball 5 as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This detailed description is provided for amplifying the invention and aiding in understanding of the disclosure, by reference to a possible embodiment(s). The invention shall not be interpreted as limited to any particular embodiment shown, except as set forth in the claims.
A sports ball 5, such as for use where inflatables are typically employed, is disclosed herein. FIGS 1A through 1D show various examples of the sports ball 5, in the form of a basketball, a football, a volleyball or a soccer ball, of which only the football and soccer ball are in accordance with the present invention. In a central aspect of the sports ball 5 is its core 15.
The core 15 comprises a polyurethane ("PU") foam. In one embodiment, the PU foam is open cell PU foam wherein the cell walls comprising the foam are broken and the air or other gasses may freely enter and exit the broken cells. In an alternate embodiment, the PU foam is closed cell foam wherein the cells comprising the foam are not broken and air or other gases are "trapped" within the intact cells comprising the foam. In an alternate embodiment, the PU foam core may comprise both open and closed cell foam.
In an embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the density of the PU foam core 15 may change through the diameter of the core 15. The embodiment shown in Figure 2 shows the density of the PU foam core 15 increasing near the center of the core 15 - i.e., the density of the PU foam near the center of the core 15 is greater than the density of the PU core near the exterior surface of the core 15. Alternatively, the density of the PU foam near the center of the core 15 could be less than the density of the PU foam near the outer surface of the core 15.
Multiple densities of PU foam are present and the core 15 may comprise a "constant" density gradient (i.e., density increasing at a generally constant rate from the outer surface to the center or vice versa), a "step wise" density gradient (i.e., the density increases (or decreases), in discrete "steps" from the outer surface to the center), a combination of the forgoing, or many other conceivable density gradient (such as a "peak" gradient wherein the density of the PU increases from the outer surface of the core 15 to a point in the interior and then begins to decrease again closer to the center of the core 15). Any possible density gradient should be considered within the scope of this disclosure. For example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the core 15 may comprise a plurality of concentric layers 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f. The concentric layers 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f may comprise single discrete densities of PU foam or they comprise multiple densities of PU foam in either a constant, step wise or peak gradient constructions. In one embodiment, the densities of the PU foam in the concentric layers 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f increases near the center of the core 15, alternatively the densities of the PU foam in the concentric layers 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f may decrease near the center of the core 15, alternatively, a peak gradient design or other construction may be used. In one embodiment, the concentric layers 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f may have the same or approximately the same thickness while in other embodiments the concentric layers 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f may be of varying thicknesses.
The sports ball 5 also comprises an outer covering 10. Generally, the outer covering 10 is the primary contact surface when a player handles the sports ball 5. In one embodiment, the outer covering 10 fully encases the core 15. In an alternate embodiment, the outer covering 10 does not fully encase the core 15. By way of a non-limiting example, the outer covering 10 may comprise one or more cover panels 11, with groves, lines, or other gaps between the cover panels 11, permitting the core 15 to be seen or touched. In one embodiment, an additional material may be inserted between the cover panels 11. In one embodiment, the additional material may provide tactile feedback to a player allowing the player to determine the position or orientation of the sports ball 5 in relation to the player's hand.
The outer covering 10 may be configured to comprise the features of a football or soccer ball. For example, in an embodiment where the sports ball 5 is a football, the outer covering may comprise a plurality of cover panels 11 which are adjacent to channels 12 as well as laces 13 as shown in Figure 1B. Alternatively where the sports ball 5 is a soccer ball, the outer covering 10 may comprise a plurality of pentagonal cover panels 11 as shown in Figure 1C. The above examples shown in Figures 1B and 1C are non-limiting; the physical appearance of the outer covering 10 may be configured to include logos, one or more colors or other aesthetic concerns in other embodiments. Additionally, the outer covering 10 may comprise pebbling or other features to aid the player in gripping and manipulating the sports ball 5. In one embodiment, the outer covering 10 may be painted or coated to improve its durability. In an alternate embodiment, the outer covering 10 may be painted with a PU paint or a vulcanized rubber material. The vulcanized rubber material may comprise pebbling or other features.
The outer covering 10 may be affixed to the core 15. The outer covering 10 may be affixed to the core 15 by any method known to one of ordinary skill in the art. By way of non-limiting example, the outer covering 10 may be glued to the core 15 at least partially by an adhesive such as styrene butadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene or a two (2) part urethane. In an alternate embodiment, the outer covering 10 may not be attached to the core 15 and in this embodiment the core may "float" inside of the outer covering 10 if desirable. The sports ball 5 may also comprise one or more additional layers of material between the outer covering 10 and the core 15. In one embodiment, an additional layer of windings comprised of a natural or synthetic thread may be present between the outer covering 10 and the core 15.
The outer covering 10 may be manufactured from any material that is suitable to one of ordinary skill in the art and may comprise leather, synthetic leather, rubber or other synthetic materials. Additionally, the outer covering 10 may be manufactured from differing materials based upon the sports ball 5 being constructed. In one embodiment, the outer covering 10 may additionally comprise a tuftane thermoplastic polyurethane film.
In one embodiment, the outer covering 10 is between 0.1 mm and 2.0 mm in thickness. In an alternate embodiment, the outer covering 10 is between 0.8 and 1.25 mm in thickness.

Method of Manufacture

The sports ball 5 disclosed herein may be manufactured by any means known to be suitable to those of ordinary skill in the art. The core 15 may be formed in segments and glued together to form the core 15. In one embodiment, the core 15 may be formed by two (2) halves glued together while in other embodiments four (4) segments may be formed and glued together to form the core 15.
The sports ball 5 of the present disclosure substantially meets the requirements set forth by the pertinent governing body to be considered a competition ball.
The sports ball 5 disclosed herein may meet or exceed the standards set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations ("NFSHA"). In one embodiment, a football constructed as described herein may weigh between fourteen (14) and fifteen (15) ounces (398.9 - 425.2 grams) as required by the NFSHA as well as meet the size requirements set forth by the NFSHA.
A soccer ball constructed as described herein may be spherical with a circumference of between twenty seven (27) and twenty eight (28) inches (68.6 - 71.1 centimeters) and weigh between fourteen (14) and sixteen (16) ounces (396.9 - 453.6 grams) as required by the NFSHA. In an alternate embodiment, a soccer ball as described herein may meet the Federation Internationale de Football Association ("FIFA") specifications for rebound and other characteristics. In one embodiment, a size five (5) soccer ball as described herein may exhibit a rebound of between one hundred and thirty five (135) and one hundred and fifty five (155) centimeters (53.1 - 61 inches) at 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees F) after being dropped from two (2) meters (78.7 inches) onto a steel panel.
The sports ball 5 disclosed herein will also have a similar coefficient of restitution ("CoR") as a regulation inflatable sports ball. In one embodiment the sports ball 5 has a CoR of about 0.60 to 1.00. In another embodiment, the sports ball 5 has a CoR of about 0.70 to 1.00 or about 0.80 to 1.00. In a final example, the sports ball 5 has a CoR of about 0.90 to 1.00.
The sports ball 5 disclosed herein offers many advantages over the prior art, including without limitation: (i) being inflation independent and puncture resistant through the use of the core 15 described herein rather than a traditional air bladder and (ii) being the first sports ball 5 comprising a foam core 15 that satisfies the standards set by sports organizations for regulation play, such as size, rebound response, weight, or other characteristics.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the claims.

Claims

An inflation independent sports ball (5) comprising a polyurethane foam core (15) and an outer covering (10), wherein the foam core is filled with foam entirely throughout its internal volume, and wherein the sports ball is selected from the group consisting of a football and a soccer ball;
characterized in that the sports ball comprises a CoR in the range of 0.6 and 1.0 and the polyurethane foam core comprises polyurethane foam of a plurality of densities.
The sports ball of claim 1 wherein the outer covering (10) further comprises a synthetic leather material.
The sports ball of claim 1 wherein the outer covering (10) further comprises a synthetic leather outer covering at least partially covering the foam core.
The sports ball of claim 2 or claim 3 further comprising an outer covering (10) having a thickness of between 0.2 and 1.8millimeters.
The sports ball of any one of the preceding claims comprising a weight in the range of 398 to 425 grams.
The sports ball of claim 1 wherein the polyurethane foam core (15) comprises foam of a first density (16b) surrounded by foam of a second density (16a).
The sports ball of claim 6 wherein the density of the polyurethane foam of the first density (16b) is greater than the density of the polyurethane foam of the second density (16a).
The sports ball of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the sports ball (5) is a football.
The sports ball of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the sports ball (5) is a soccer ball.