Abstract
An impact resistant ball and process of forming an impact resistant ball are provided. The impact resistant ball has an increased resistance to damage caused to a ball by repeated impact with objects such as a game board and game pins thereby decreasing the frequency with which the ball must be replaced. The impact resistant ball also has utility to afford a larger segment of the population the ability to properly grip and throw the impact resistant ball by providing an increased length gripper able to accommodate a greater range of hand sizes. In impact resistant ball has further utility to automatically identify and transmit data including the impact of the ball with the game pins and ball metrics including speed, pressure and weight.
Claims
1. A ball comprising: a shell having an outer surface, said shell defining an interior volume; an inflatable bladder contained within said shell; a skin contacting the outer surface of said shell; and a gripper defined by a central spine having a plurality of protrusions oriented perpendicularly relative to the central spine.
2. The ball of claim 1 further comprising a valve in fluid communication with an interior of said inflatable bladder and extending outward therefrom.
3. The ball of claim 2 wherein said skin further comprises a valve aperture adapted to receive said valve.
4. The ball of claim 1 wherein said shell is formed of two complimentary components.
5. The ball of claim 1 wherein said shell is formed from plastic or elastomer and wherein said shell is reversibly compressible under an external grip pressure of between 10 kilograms and 70 kilograms.
6. (canceled)
7. The ball of claim 1 wherein said gripper further comprises a plurality of pins complimentary to a plurality of pin apertures in said shell, the plurality of pins engaging said gripper to said shell when received by the plurality of pin apertures.
8. The ball of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of said shell further comprises the central spine and the plurality of protrusions defining said gripper.
9. The ball of claim 1 wherein the plurality of protrusions is 9 or more protrusions.
10. The ball of claim 1 wherein the plurality of protrusions is simulative of laces.
11. The ball of claim 1 wherein said shell is a prolate spheroid having a first pole, a second pole and an equatorial diameter, wherein a distance between the first pole and the second pole is longer than the equatorial diameter.
12. The ball of claim 11 wherein said gripper is centrally oriented between a central 40 percent and a central 80 percent of the outer surface of said shell relative to the distance between the first pole and the second pole and wherein the plurality of protrusions extend parallel to the equatorial diameter.
13. The ball of claim 11 wherein said gripper is centrally oriented between the central 50 percent and the central 70 percent of the outer surface of said shell relative to the distance between the first pole and the second pole and wherein the plurality of protrusions extend parallel to the equatorial diameter.
14. (canceled)
15. The ball of claim 1 wherein said skin has a thickness of between 0.5 millimeters and 5 millimeters and a tensile strength of at least 4100 psi.
16. (canceled)
17. (canceled)
18. The ball of claim 1 further comprising a coating of phosphorescent paint applied to the outer surface of said shell, said skin, said gripper or a combination thereof.
19. The ball of claim 1 further comprising a sensor having a wireless transceiver, said sensor detecting an impact of said ball with another object, a speed of said ball, an internal pressure of said ball, a weight of said ball, a leak in said inflatable bladder, a tear in said skin or a combination thereof, wherein said sensor communicates with an external logic board via the wireless transceiver.
20. The ball of claim 19 wherein said sensor is a photometer or a pressure sensor.
21. A process for forming a ball of claim 1 comprising: inflating a bladder contained within a shell having an outer surface; covering the outer surface of said shell with a skin; and integrating a gripper being defined by a central spine having a plurality of protrusions oriented perpendicularly relative to the central spine.
22. The process of claim 21 further comprising inflating said inflatable bladder to an internal pressure, wherein said internal pressure is between 11 psi and 15 psi.
23. (canceled)
24. (canceled)
25. The process of claim 21 further comprising adjusting a weighting of said ball with at least one weighted member.
26. The process of claim 25 wherein the weighting of said ball is between 12 ounces and 17 ounces.
27. (canceled)
28. (canceled)
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an impact resistant ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an impact resistant ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 3B is a partial cutaway front view of an impact resistant ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] An inventive impact resistant ball and process of forming an impact resistant ball are provided. The present invention has utility to increase the resistance to damage caused to a ball by repeated impact with objects such as a game board and game pins thereby decreasing the frequency with which the ball must be replaced. The present invention also has utility to afford a larger segment of the population the ability to properly grip and throw the impact resistant ball by providing an increased length gripper able to accommodate a greater range of hand sizes. In some embodiments, the present invention has further utility to automatically identify and transmit data including the impact of the ball with the game pins and ball metrics including speed, pressure and weight.
[0018] It is to be understood that in instances where a range of values are provided that the range is intended to encompass not only the end point values of the range but also intermediate values of the range as explicitly being included within the range and varying by the last significant figure in the range. By way of example, a recited range from 1 to 4 is intended to include 1-2, 1-3, 2-4, 3-4, and 1-4.
[0019] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the inventive impact resistant ball is shown generally at 10. A shell 12 having an outer surface 14 defines the shape of the impact resistant ball 10. It is appreciated that the shell 12 defines an interior volume 16. An inflatable bladder 18 is contained within the shell 12. While the shell 12 is depicted as being formed of two complimentary components, it is appreciated that the shell 12 may be a single unitary component or may be formed of more than two components. It is further appreciated that the shell 12 may be formed from plastic or elastomer. It is still further appreciated that the shell 12 may be reversibly compressible under an external grip pressure of between 10 kilograms and 70 kilograms. It is appreciated that the shell 12 provides an increased impact resistance to the inventive impact resistant ball 10 relative to an American football formed from only an inflatable bladder and a skin. It is further appreciated that the shell 12 provides for an increased elasticity relative to an American football owing in part to the reversible compressibility of the shell 12. A skin 20 is in contact with the outer surface 14 of the shell 12. A valve 28 in fluid communication with an interior 30 of the inflatable bladder 18 and extending outward therefrom may be provided. It is appreciated that the skin 20 may have a valve aperture 32 adapted to receive the valve 28. It is further appreciated that the skin 20 may fully cover the shell 12. It is still further appreciated that the skin 20 may cover only a part of the shell 12. It is also appreciated that the skin 20 may be formed from one or multiple layers of material including leather, synthetic leather, rubber, plastic, poly-aramid, elastomer or a combination thereof. It is appreciated that the skin 20 may simulate the tactile feel of an American football. In some inventive embodiments, the skin 20 has a thickness of between 0.5 millimeters and 5 millimeters and a tensile strength of at least 4100 psi. In one embodiment, a gripper 22 defined by a central spine 24 having a plurality of protrusions 26 oriented perpendicularly relative to the central spine 24 is attached to the skin 20 with a sonic welder, complimentary strips of VELCRO, a contact adhesive or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 2, the gripper 22 further comprises a plurality of pins 34 complimentary to a plurality of pin apertures 36. It is appreciated that the plurality of pins 34 engage the gripper 22 to the shell 12 when received by the plurality of pin apertures 36. In still another embodiment, the outer surface 14 of the shell 12 further comprises the central spine 24 and the plurality of protrusions 26 which define the gripper 22. It is appreciated that in all embodiments, the plurality of protrusions 26 may be between 9 and 30 protrusions 26. Preferably between 9 and 25 protrusions 26. Most preferably between 9 and 20 protrusions 26. It is further appreciated that in all embodiments, the plurality of protrusions 26 may be simulative of laces. It is still further appreciated that the plurality of protrusions 26 is more than the amount of laces provided on standard American football which makes the impact resistant ball 10 easier to grip and properly throw by a greater range of hand sizes. A sensor 50 having a wireless transceiver 52 may be affixed to the inventive impact resistant ball 10. It is appreciated that the sensor 50 is capable of detecting an impact of the impact resistant ball 10 with another object, a speed of the impact resistant ball 10, an internal pressure of the impact resistant ball 10, a weight of the impact resistant ball 10, a leak in the inflatable bladder 18, a tear in the skin 20 or a combination thereof. It is further appreciated that the sensor 50 is capable of communicating with an external logic board (not pictured) via the wireless transceiver 52. It is still further appreciated that the data generated by the sensor 50 may be used to generate automatic scoring of a game being played with the inventive impact resistant ball 10 when the data is communicated to an external logic board (not pictured) via the wireless transceiver 52. It is appreciated that the sensor 50 may be a photometer or a pressure sensor. A weighted member 54 may be used to adjust the weighting of the inventive impact resistant ball 10. In some specific inventive embodiments, the weighted member 54 is used to adjust the weight of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 to between 12 ounces and 17 ounces. In other specific inventive embodiments, the weighted member 54 is used to adjust the weight of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 to between 13 ounces and 16 ounces. In still other specific inventive embodiments, the weighted member 54 is used to adjust the weight of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 to between 14 ounces and 15 ounces. It is appreciated that the weighted member 54 may be used to achieve a weighting that simulates the weight of an American football. A coating of phosphorescent paint 48 may be applied to the outer surface 14 of the shell 12, the skin 20, the gripper 22 or a combination thereof. It is appreciated that the coating of phosphorescent paint 48 allows to inventive impact resistant ball 10 to be used in a game being played in low-light conditions. It is further appreciated that the coating of phosphorescent paint 48 also makes the inventive impact resistant ball 10 easier to locate after a throw when the impact resistant ball 10 is being used in a game being played in low-light conditions.
[0020] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 according to one embodiment, where like reference numerals have the meanings ascribed thereto in the aforementioned drawing. The impact resistant ball 10 depicted in FIG. 2 depicts the gripper 22 having a plurality of pins 34 complimentary to a plurality of pin apertures 36 according to one embodiment of the invention. It is appreciated that the plurality of pins 34 engage the gripper 22 to the shell 12 when received by the plurality of pin apertures 36.
[0021] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 according to one embodiment, where like reference numerals have the meanings ascribed thereto in the aforementioned drawings. In some embodiments, the shell 12 is a prolate spheroid having a first pole 38, a second pole 40 and an equatorial diameter 42. It is appreciated that the distance between the first pole 38 and the second pole 40 is longer than the equatorial diameter 42. In specific inventive embodiments, the gripper 22 is centrally oriented between a central 40% and a central 80% of the outer surface 14 of the shell 12 relative to the distance between the first pole 38 and the second pole 40. In other specific inventive embodiments, the gripper 22 is centrally oriented between a central 50% and a central 70% of the outer surface 14 of the shell 12 relative to the distance between the first pole 38 and the second pole 40. In still other specific inventive embodiments, the gripper 22 is centrally oriented between a central 55% and a central 65% of the outer surface 14 of the shell 12 relative to the distance between the first pole 38 and the second pole 40. In all inventive embodiments, it is appreciated that the plurality of protrusions extends parallel to the equatorial diameter 42.
[0022] FIG. 3B is a cutaway front view of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 according to one embodiment. The inflatable bladder 18 may be filled with a liquid, a gas or a combination thereof. It is appreciated that the inflatable bladder 18 may be filled until an exterior 44 of the inflatable bladder 18 contacts an inner surface 46 of the shell 12. In some specific inventive embodiments, the inflatable bladder 18 is inflated to an internal pressure of between 11 psi and 15 psi. In other specific inventive embodiments, the inflatable bladder 18 is inflated to an internal pressure of between 12 psi and 14 psi. In still other specific inventive embodiments, the inflatable bladder 18 is inflated to an internal pressure of between 12.5 psi and 13.5 psi. It is appreciated that inflation of the inflatable bladder 18 allows for fined-tuned control of the bounce of the inventive impact resistant ball 10. It is further appreciated that attenuation of the internal pressure of the inflatable bladder 18 allows for fine-tuned control of the flexibility of the shell 12. The internal pressure of the inflatable bladder 18 fluctuates over time and after repeated uses of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 and that such fluctuation, without an avenue to recalibrate the internal pressure, may decrease the impact resistance of the inventive impact resistant ball 10. As such, it is appreciated that attenuation of the internal pressure of the inflatable bladder 18 affords a degree of control over the relative impact resistance of the inventive impact resistant ball 10 allowing for recalibration of the internal pressure and continued maximization of the relative impact resistance over time and after repeated uses of the inventive impact resistant ball 10. An inflatable bladder 18 is readily formed of conventional vulcanized elastomers. In some embodiments, the bladder 18 is sheathed with strips of protective material such as those from which the skin 20 are formed to inhibit impact puncture of herniated bladder through a damaged skin 20.
[0023] As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claims, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of this invention defined in the following claims.
