A method of forming a pickleball in an additive manufacturing system includes selecting one of a polymer or liquid resin material from which the pickleball is to be additively manufactured. A computer file is provided containing computer readable instructions for the automated additive manufacturing of a computer generated model of the pickleball, the instructions including a definition of the geometric shape of the pickleball divided into a plurality of successively layered cross sectional slices. A 3D printer executes the instructions to initiate an automated additive manufacturing of a physical pickleball from the selected polymer, corresponding to the design of the computer generated model. The 3D printer creates solid cross sections of the pickleball in the selected material that are progressively and integrally bonded together and correspond to the successively layered cross sectional slices of the pickleball design, to form a complete pickleball.

A method is provided for exchanging a section, in particular a damaged section, of a plastic component. The method includes: separating the section from the plastic component; providing at least one connecting element made from a plastic; pressing the at least one connecting element onto the plastic component such that the one connecting element abuts a remaining part of the plastic component; oscillating the connecting element by an ultrasonic sonotrode; and welding the connecting element to the remaining part of the plastic component; providing a replacement section for the separated section, wherein the replacement section has a hole, in particular a through-hole; applying the replacement section in the region from which the separated section was separated, such that the replacement section is clamped by its hole directly in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner onto the connecting element and/or the connecting element extends at least some way through the through-hole, wherein a clip element is clipped onto a section of the connecting element extending through the hole. The clip element projects beyond the through-hole and connects the replacement part to the remaining part of the plastic component in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner.

Closed cell foam articles, such as sports balls, and related manufacturing methods are disclosed herein. The article includes a main body made of closed-cell elastomeric resin foam having a density ranging between about 0.050 sg and about 0.800 sg after curing. Some articles are assembled by inserting a cured core into a main body so that the core is secured in the main body via an interference fit, and the core has one or more portions extending to the exterior surface of the main body such that the an exposed surface of the one or more exposed portions of the core blend substantially with the exterior surface of the main body.

A thermoplastic polyurethane is foamed by way of an added vesicant and is then extruded to provide a thermoplastic forming material. The thermoplastic forming material is roll pressed to provide an unfinished sheet, and a surface of the unfinished sheet is embossed for printing a predetermined drawing to provide an embossed sheet. The embossed sheet is cut to provide plural connecting sheets, and the partial overlapping of two adjacent connecting sheets is ultrasonically welded to provide a connected exterior. At least one groove is cut in the predetermined drawing surface of the exterior to provide a ball texture.

A method of making a spherical sport ball includes forming a casing having a first and a second substantially hemispherical panel component. The first panel component is a first unitary structure and has a first central panel, a first plurality of polygonal peripheral panels adjacent to the first central panel and having a first plurality of edges, and a plurality of flange areas extending from the first plurality of edges. The second panel component is a second unitary structure and has a second central panel and a second plurality of polygonal peripheral panels adjacent to the second central panel. The method includes joining together the first panel component and the second panel component at a non-linear, circumferential seam between the first and second plurality of polygonal peripheral panels. The method also includes forming a vertex between adjacent ones of the plurality of flange areas.

A pickleball ball is provided for increasing durability, improving performance, and/or reducing the loudness and/or frequency of sound generated when said ball strikes a paddle. The ball being a hollow ball comprised of a spherical shell defining a hollow cavity. The ball is made of a graphene-infused polymer material and the shell defines a plurality of holes distributed around the surface of the ball.

A spherical sport ball may include a casing that includes first and second substantially hemispherical panel components. Each substantially hemispherical panel component may be a unitary structure having a central panel and a plurality of polygonal peripheral panels adjacent to the central panel. In addition, the first substantially hemispherical panel component may be joined with the second substantially hemispherical panel component at a non-linear, circumferential seam between peripheral panels of the first hemispherical panel component and peripheral panels of the second hemispherical panel component.

The present disclosure provides a method for processing a PVC ball, including: Step A: carrying out a first ball shaping of a PVC paste located inside a first mold using a roto-cast machine or a rotational molding machine, to produce a hollow PVC ball; Step B: charging a gas to an interior of the shaped ball, so that the ball has an external diameter equal to a diameter of an inner cavity of a second mold; and Step C: placing the gas-charged ball into the second mold, then carrying out a second texture shaping of the shaped gas-charged ball located inside the second mold using the roto-cast machine or the rotational molding machine, to produce a texture on a surface of the shaped PVC ball. This method can produce a PVC ball having a predetermined texture and a predetermined pattern.

Described are balls, in particular a football, and a method for its manufacture. The ball comprises particles of an expanded material. As examples, the particles are connected, at least partially, to each other by radio frequency welding and/or infrared welding. As examples, the ball has a first layer of the particles of the expanded material, wherein the first layer is provided as an outer shell.

A self-inflating ball includes a hollow ball body. The hollow ball body is an elastic ball body capable of elastic deformation. The hollow ball body has at least one vent hole formed in a wall of the hollow ball body. The vent hole passes through the inner and outer sides of the hollow ball body in a wall-thickness direction of the hollow ball body. When the self-inflating ball is to be deflated, the self-inflating ball is compressed by an external force to discharge air inside the hollow ball body via the vent hole, thereby flattening the hollow ball body. When the self-inflating ball is to be inflated and the hollow ball body is under compression, removal of the external force allows the hollow ball body to undergo elastic deformation due to its own resilience and return to its original shape.