HK1187294B - Game ball and method of manufacturing same - Google Patents

Description

Game ball and method for manufacturing same

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority from U.S. non-provisional application serial No. 12/980,868 filed on 29/12/2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Background

Many sport and game balls include an inflatable bladder and a cover or casing surrounding the bladder. Such sport balls include, for example, volleyballs, basketballs, soccer balls, and soccer balls. The wrap comprises a plurality of wrap panels, wherein each wrap panel is typically stitched edge-to-edge to an adjacent wrap panel. The present invention is directed to an improved sport ball in which the cover includes a cover panel that is reinforced by heat bonding a reinforcing material to the cover panel.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates generally to sport or game balls and methods and apparatus for making the same. In particular, the present invention relates to sports balls having a multi-panel cover in which the panels have been heat bonded together without the need for stitching. The sport ball includes a cover panel blank and a reinforced cover or cover portion formed from a reinforcement material blank that have been heat bonded together. The reinforcement material is located below the interior panel boundary of the panel in the cladding material. That is, the reinforcing material is disposed along an area of the cover panel blank such that the reinforcing material mimics a hand-stitched seam on a conventional game ball (e.g., soccer ball).

In one aspect, a method for making a sports ball cover or cover portion includes the steps of: providing a cover panel blank having a panel pattern comprising a plurality of panels defined by free edges and interior panel boundaries; providing a blank of reinforcing material; and heat bonding the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank such that the reinforcement material blank is configured to align with one or more of the free edge and the interior panel boundary. In another aspect, the cover panel blank comprises six pentagonal panels and ten hexagonal panels. In yet another aspect, the blank of reinforcing material includes a plurality of connected polygonal contours (e.g., five pentagonal contours), wherein each vertex of the polygonal contours has a radial arm extending therefrom. In yet another aspect, one of the radial arms of each pentagonal profile has a Y-shaped end.

In one aspect, a method for making a sports ball cover or cover portion includes a thermal bonding step that includes applying an alternating radio frequency electric field to a panel blank and a reinforcement material blank sufficient to thermally bond the cover panel blank and the reinforcement material blank together. In another aspect, the frequency of the alternating radio frequency electric field is about 1MHz to 200MHz and the voltage of the alternating radio frequency electric field is about 1,000V to 10,000V.

In yet another aspect, the thermally bonding step includes the step of placing the cover panel blank and the reinforcement material blank in a molding apparatus. The molding apparatus has a molding cavity between a first electrode and a second electrode, and an alternating radio frequency electric field is generated between the first and second electrodes.

In still a further aspect, a molding apparatus includes an outer electrode and an inner electrode, and a negative ball overmold and a positive ball overmold between the outer electrode and the inner electrode. The female ball overmold mold and the male ball overmold mold define a molding cavity therebetween. A cover panel blank and a reinforcement material blank are placed in the mold cavity. In a further aspect, the female ball cover mold has a plurality of patterned panel recesses for receiving panels in a panel pattern of the cover panel blank. The male ball cover mold has a plurality of panel protrusions for receiving the panels in the panel pattern of the cover panel blank and a recess for receiving the reinforcement material blank.

In yet another aspect, a molding apparatus includes an outer electrode and an inner electrode. The inner electrode is a conductive fluid housed in the balloon. The molding apparatus also includes an outer mold between the outer electrode and the bladder such that the outer mold and the bladder define a molding cavity therebetween. A cover panel blank and a reinforcement material blank are placed in the mold cavity. In yet another aspect, the outer mold has a plurality of patterned panel recesses for receiving panels in a panel pattern of the cover panel blank. The reinforcement material blank is secured to the cover panel blank or mold cavity using tape or other adhesive prior to the thermal bonding step. After thermal bonding, the conductive fluid is removed from the bladder. In yet another aspect, the bladder is then filled with air.

In yet a further aspect, a molding apparatus includes an outer electrode and an inner electrode including a balloon having a conductive coating thereon and filled with a gas or liquid. The molding apparatus also includes an outer mold between the outer electrode and the bladder such that the outer mold and the bladder define a molding cavity therebetween. A cover panel blank and a reinforcement material blank are placed in the mold cavity. In yet another aspect, the outer mold has a plurality of patterned panel recesses for receiving the panels in the panel pattern of the cover panel blank. In yet another aspect, the reinforcement material blank is secured to the cover panel blank or the mold cavity using tape or other adhesive prior to the thermal bonding step. The balloon is filled with a gas so that it is inflated in the thermal bonding step.

In yet another aspect, an overmolded panel blank is formed by placing an overmolding material in a molding apparatus that includes a first mold and a second mold that collectively define a panel sheet molding cavity therebetween. The panel sheet molding cavity is located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first mold has a plurality of panel recesses and the second mold has a plurality of panel protrusions. The clad panel blank is formed by the steps of: applying an alternating radio frequency between first and second electrodes to form a panel sheet having a polygonal (e.g., hexagonal and pentagonal) panel, wherein the polygonal panel is contoured and shaped to have a radius of curvature of a final sphere; and cutting excess material from the panel sheet to form the cover panel blank. In another aspect, the frequency of the alternating radio frequency electric field is about 1MHz to 200MHz and the voltage of the alternating radio frequency electric field is about 1,000V to 10,000V.

In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a sports ball cover or cover portion molding system. The system includes first and second electrodes, and first and second molds. The first mold and the second mold are positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode such that the first mold and the second mold define a molding cavity therebetween. The system includes a cover panel blank and a reinforcement material blank, wherein the cover panel blank has a panel pattern comprising a plurality of panels defined by free edges and interior panel boundaries. The cover panel blank and the reinforcement material blank are located in a mold cavity. The molding system is used to thermally bond the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank such that the reinforcement material blank is configured to align with one or more of the interior panel boundaries and the free edge.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a sports ball cover, the method comprising the steps of: a first cladding portion and a second cladding portion are formed, which are preferably hemispherical cladding portions. Each cover portion consists of a cover panel blank that has been heat bonded to a reinforcement material blank. The wrapped portions are then heat bonded together. In a preferred aspect, each hemispherical cover portion comprises a central pentagonal panel having five sides, wherein each side of the central pentagonal panel is adjacent to a first side of five inner hexagonal panels, and wherein a second side of each of five inner hexagonal panels is adjacent to a first side of five outer hexagonal panels, and wherein a third side of five inner hexagonal panels is adjacent to a first side of five outer pentagonal panels. Each of the end edges of the first and second hemispherical cover portions includes alternating hexagonal panels and pentagonal panels. The hexagonal panels each have a first hexagonal panel edge entirely free of reinforcing material and second and third end hexagonal panel edges, a portion of which are covered with overlapping reinforcing material from the reinforcing material blank. Each pentagonal panel has an end pentagonal panel edge that is covered with an overlapping reinforcing material. In one aspect, the step of thermally bonding the first cladding portion to the second cladding portion includes the step of aligning a first end hexagonal panel edge free of reinforcement material from the first hemispherical cladding portion with an end pentagonal panel edge covered with overlapping reinforcement material from the second hemispherical cladding portion. In another aspect, the step of thermally bonding the first cladding portion to the second cladding portion includes the step of aligning second and third end hexagonal panel edges having a portion covered with reinforcing material from the first hemispherical cladding portion with second and third end hexagonal panel edges having a portion covered with overlapping reinforcing material from the second hemispherical cladding portion.

The present invention is also directed to a molding apparatus that includes a first external electrode and a second external electrode such that the first and second electrodes are separated by a dielectric material. The molding apparatus also includes a first mold and a second mold defining a molding cavity. The first cover portion is placed in a first mold and the second cover portion is placed in a second mold to form an overlap between the first cover portion and the second cover portion. The apparatus is then used to thermally bond the first and second clad portions only in the overlapping portion by applying an alternating electric field between the first and second external electrodes.

Additional aspects of the invention, together with the advantages and novel features thereof, will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawings

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a soccer ball made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a cross-section of a portion of the soccer ball shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary flow molding apparatus for forming an overlaid panel blank;

FIG. 3A is a top plan view and FIG. 3B is a bottom plan view of an exemplary panel sheet;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the panel sheet of FIG. 3A taken along line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a cover panel blank that has been die cut from the panel sheet shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an exemplary blank of reinforcement material;

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an exemplary flow molding apparatus for forming a hemispherical cover portion of a soccer ball according to the present invention;

FIG. 7B is a schematic diagram illustrating a cross-section of the exemplary flow molding apparatus of FIG. 7A for forming a hemispherical cover portion of a soccer ball;

fig. 8A is a perspective view of the hemispherical cover portion of the ball cover as viewed from the interior of the ball. Fig. 8B is a perspective view of the hemispherical cover portion of the ball cover as viewed from the exterior of the ball. The reinforcing material has been bonded to the cladding material;

figures 9A to 9D show a moulding apparatus for joining two ball cover hemispheres (each being one-half of the ball) together. Fig. 9A and 9B show the first hemisphere clad portion of the ball cladding and the balloon placed in a mold, and fig. 9C shows how the balloon is filled with air from the outer tube with a needle attached to the end of the tube that is guided through a hole in the mold, preferably the center of the mold, to engage an air valve in the balloon. Fig. 9D shows the second hemispherical cover portion of the ball cover being placed in the other half of the molding apparatus.

Fig. 10A and 10B illustrate a molding apparatus for bonding together two ball cover hemispherical cover portions (each one-half of the ball). Fig. 10A is a cross-section of the molding apparatus shown generally in the schematic diagram of fig. 10B. In addition, fig. 10A shows how the two hemispherical cladding portions of the ball are oriented in the mold cavity. It will be appreciated that the lines separating the hemispherical cover portions are not drawn in cross-sectional view, but are used to describe the alignment of the hemispherical cover portions of the ball as generally shown in fig. 10C;

fig. 11 illustrates a molding apparatus for molding an entire soccer ball cover including a cover panel blank and a reinforcing material blank in a single step.

Detailed Description

The present invention is directed to a sport ball that includes a multi-panel cover in which one or more side edges of the panels are bonded together without stitching and reinforced at panel boundaries with a reinforcing material located on the inner surface of the panels. The cladding comprises a cladding panel blank that has been heat bonded to a reinforcing material blank.

Referring now to fig. 1 through 11, a sport ball 10, such as a soccer ball, is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 1A and 1B, the sport ball 10 includes an inflatable bladder 20 having a conventional air valve 25. The sport ball 10 also includes a reinforced cover 30 formed from one or more cover panel blanks 35 and one or more reinforcement material blanks 65 that have been heat bonded together. Cover panel blank 35 has a panel pattern thereon, such as a panel pattern comprising twelve pentagonal panels and twenty hexagonal panels according to a typical soccer ball pattern. The panel pattern is defined by interior panel boundaries 43 and the reinforcement material is located only along the interior panel boundary to mimic a conventional seam. One or more optional intermediate layers (not shown) may be located between the reinforcement wrap 30 and the airbag 20, as is known to those skilled in the art.

Inflatable bladder 20 is typically made of any flexible material. Exemplary materials include butyl rubber, natural rubber, a combination of butyl rubber and natural rubber, latex, and other elastomeric materials. In a particularly preferred embodiment, bladder 20 is made of 80% butyl rubber and 20% natural rubber. The inflatable bladder is adapted to be sufficiently inflated by the dam 25 to form a substantially spherical shape within the reinforcement wrap 30.

The reinforced wrap 30 includes one or more wrap panel blanks 35 and one or more reinforcement material blanks 65 that have been heat bonded together. As used herein, the term "thermal bonding," or variants thereof, is defined as a method of securing between two elements that includes melting or softening at least one of the elements such that the materials of the elements are secured to one another upon cooling. In general, thermal bonding may include melting or softening the cover material and the reinforcing material such that the materials are secured together upon cooling. Accordingly, thermal bonding does not generally involve the use of stitching or adhesives. Instead, the two elements are directly bonded by heat. In some cases, however, stitching or adhesives may be utilized to supplement the joining of the elements by thermal bonding.

In an exemplary aspect, the reinforced cladding 30 includes two or more cladding panel blanks made of cladding material. The cover panel blank is formed from a panel sheet comprising a continuous sheet of cover material having a panel pattern as discussed in more detail below. A reinforcing material is applied to the cover panel blank to facilitate thermal bonding of the cover panel blank together.

The coverstock 32 preferably comprises one or more of synthetic leather, thermoplastic urethane, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic elastomer, rubber, various other thermoplastic or thermoset materials, or other suitable materials, whether synthetic or natural, that are generally durable and abrasion resistant. In some configurations, the cladding material may have a layered configuration that combines two or more materials that are typically co-extruded. For example, the outer portion of the cover material may be formed from polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride and the inner portion of the cover material may be formed from textile elements (e.g., woven or non-woven). That is, the textile element acting as a cushion or support may be bonded to polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride and positioned adjacent to the bladder. The cladding material typically has a thickness in the range of about 0.5 millimeters to 4 millimeters (e.g., about 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0 millimeters).

In a preferred embodiment, the panel sheet 37 having the panel pattern 40 is formed of an overmold material using a flow molding apparatus. In general, as shown in FIG. 2, the exemplary flow forming molding apparatus 110 includes a first electrode 112 and a second electrode 114, both of which are connected to an electromagnetic energy source (not shown) that is operable to generate an alternating radio frequency electric field between the electrodes. The alternating radio frequency electric field may be generated at a frequency in the range from 1MHz to 500MHz, preferably in the range from 10MHz to 200MHz, and most preferably at a frequency of 27.12MHz or 40.68 MHz. Typically, the energy is applied for about 10 to 30 seconds (e.g., about 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 seconds). Also included within the apparatus is a first mold 116 and a second mold 118 that together define a panel sheet molding cavity 120 therebetween. Coverstock 32 is disposed within panel sheet molding cavity 120 to mold coverstock 32 into panel sheet 37.

An exemplary panel sheet 37 that has been molded using the molding apparatus of fig. 2 is shown in fig. 3A, 3B, and 4. In a preferred aspect, the entire configuration of the panel sheet 37 is such that it is substantially flat. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the vertices of each polygon (e.g., hexagonal and pentagonal panels) lie substantially within the same plane. However, each panel within the panel pattern 40 of the panel sheet 37 is curved in three dimensions to follow the radius of curvature of the finished ball 10. The panels within the panel pattern are bounded by a plurality of interior panel boundaries 43.

It will be appreciated that the first mold 116 has a plurality of patterned panel recesses 117a for forming the top surface of the panels in the panel pattern 40 in the panel sheet and a plurality of protrusions 117b for forming the interior panel boundary 43. Likewise, the second mold 118 has a plurality of panel protrusions 119a for forming the bottom surface of the panel in the panel pattern 40 and depressions 119b for forming the inner panel boundary 43. The configuration and pattern of the depressions and protrusions will depend on the desired panel pattern in the final game ball. For example, in a preferred aspect, the patterned panel recesses 117a and protrusions 117b of the first mold 116 will be able to form the top of the panel sheet 37 as shown in fig. 3A. Likewise, the panel protrusions 119a and recesses 119B of the second mold 118 will be able to form the bottom of the panel sheet 37 as shown in fig. 3B.

The panel sheet 37 may also be molded such that it includes various surface condition (topographical) features or surface features, such as ribs, channels, rods, graphics, indicia, and the like. Further, the surface features may include a pebble-like or dimpled texture (similar to the texture found in a conventional basketball) on the surface. While such topographical or surface features may be formed during the molding process, it will be appreciated that such features may be applied after molding, for example, by etching with a laser or embossing with suitable mechanical means.

In the exemplary panel sheet 37, the panel pattern 40 in the panel sheet 37 includes a plurality of polygonal panels 42 bounded by various depressions, channels, or grooves, protrusions, or ridges (depending on whether viewed from the top (e.g., fig. 3A) or the bottom (e.g., fig. 3B)), which are collectively referred to as "interior panel boundaries" 43. The interior panel boundaries are preferably sized to mimic the conventional hand sewn seams on a soccer ball. Typically, border 43 has a width of about 2 millimeters to 6 millimeters (e.g., a width of about 2.0, 2.2, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.8, 4.0, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, 5.0, 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 5.8, or 6.0 millimeters, preferably a width of about 3.2 to 4.0 millimeters, and more preferably a width of 3.6 millimeters), and a depth of about 1.0 to 2.0 millimeters (e.g., a depth of about 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, or 2.0 millimeters, and most preferably a depth of about 1.8 millimeters).

An exemplary panel pattern 40 is shown in fig. 3A and 3B. The panel pattern 40 corresponds to a panel pattern of a hemispherical portion of a soccer ball. The panel pattern 40 includes six pentagonal panels 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d, 44e, 44f and ten hexagonal panels 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e, 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46 j. Each side of the central pentagonal panel 44a is adjacent a first side of five interior hexagonal panels 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46 e. The second side edge of each of the five inner hexagonal panels 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e is adjacent to the first side edge of the five adjacent outer hexagonal panels 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46 j. The third side of each of the five inner hexagonal panels 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e is also adjacent to the first side of the five outer pentagonal panels 44b, 44c, 44d, 44e, 44 f.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the panel pattern 40 in the panel sheet 37 may be in various forms. For example, although the exemplary panel pattern 40 is described as having equilateral pentagonal and hexagonal shapes, the panel may have non-equilateral shapes. The panel pattern may include various other shapes (e.g., triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, trapezoidal, circular, oval) that are combined in a tessellation to form the covering, and the panel pattern may also include shapes that are irregular or non-geometric.

After forming the panel sheet 37, the panel sheet 37 is cut to form the cover panel blank 35. The cover panel blank includes a panel pattern 40. Excess cover material 32 is removed to provide a free edge around the perimeter of the cover panel blank, while panel pattern 40 is maintained by the combination of the free edge and the interior panel boundaries. Excess coverstock 32 is preferably removed by die cutting.

Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary clad panel blank 35 formed from the panel sheet 37 of fig. 3A, 3B and 4. The central pentagonal panel 44a is bounded by five interior hexagonal panels 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e by interior panel boundary 43. The central pentagonal panel 44a does not include a free edge 48. Five inner hexagonal panels 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e are bounded by inner panel boundary 43 with a center pentagonal panel 44a, five outer hexagonal panels 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j, and five outer pentagonal panels 44b, 44c, 44d, 44e, 44 f. Each internal hexagonal panel 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46e includes three free edges 48. Each outer hexagonal panel 46f, 46g, 46h, 46i, 46j has five free edges 48 and each outer pentagonal panel 44b, 44c, 44d, 44e, 44f has four free edges 48. The polygonal panels are integrally connected such that they are formed from a sheet of cladding material, but are bounded by interior panel boundaries as discussed above.

As discussed more fully below, in this exemplary embodiment, the free edges 48 of the cover panel blank are heat bonded together to form the hemispherical cover portion 50, and are also heat bonded to the reinforcement material blank 65 along the free edges 48 and the inner panel boundary 43.

The reinforcement blank 65 is composed of reinforcement material 60. The reinforcing material 60 preferably includes one or more of the following: synthetic leathers, thermoplastic urethanes, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chlorides, thermoplastic elastomers, rubbers, various other thermoplastic or thermoset materials, or other suitable materials, whether synthetic or natural, are generally durable and abrasion resistant. In some configurations, the cladding material may have a layered configuration that combines two or more materials that are typically co-extruded. For example, the outer portion of the cover material may be formed from polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride and the inner portion of the cover material may be formed from textile elements (e.g., woven or non-woven). That is, the textile element acting as a cushion or support may be bonded to polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride and positioned proximate to the bladder. The reinforcing material 60 may be the same as or different from the cladding material 32. The thickness of the reinforcing material is about 0.5 mm to 4 mm (e.g., about 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0 mm).

The selection of the cover material and the reinforcement material, as well as the selection of the thickness of each, are preferably selected so that the total weight of each and the bladder conforms to applicable rules of sports, for example, the rules of the international footlink in the case of soccer.

The reinforcing material 65 is configured and shaped so that it can be aligned with the free edge 48 of the cover panel blank 35, and preferably also the interior panel boundary 43, to form a reinforcing ball cover or cover portion. The reinforcement material blank 65 is typically prepared by die-cutting a suitable material into the desired configuration.

An exemplary blank 65 of reinforcing material is shown in fig. 6. The blank 65 of reinforcing material includes a plurality of connected polygonal contours 70, wherein each vertex 72 of the polygonal contours includes a radial arm 74 extending therefrom. One radial arm 74 of each polygonal profile has a Y-shaped end 76, while the four other radial arms 74 of each polygonal profile are substantially linear and equally long. Typically, the width of the blank of reinforcing material is about 6 to 25 millimeters (e.g., a width of about 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 millimeters, and preferably about 10 to 18 millimeters, and most preferably about 14 millimeters). The width is designed to follow the width of a conventional hand sewn seam. In some embodiments, the width of the blank of reinforcing material is slightly wider than a conventional hand sewn seam in order to improve the overall performance of the ball.

It will be readily appreciated that the configuration of the reinforcement material blank 65 may include multiple reinforcement material blank portions rather than a single reinforcement material blank as shown. For example, each of the five pentagonal contours shown in FIG. 6 could be a separate section of a blank of reinforcing material. Further, portions of each pentagon may be manufactured separately (e.g., the reinforcing material blank portions may be two sides of the pentagon). A reinforcement blank 65 (as opposed to multiple sections) comprised of a single piece of reinforcement material is preferred because it reduces the time associated with the manufacture of a sport ball.

Further, it will be appreciated that the configuration of the reinforcement material blank 65 will vary depending on the panel pattern 40 in the cover panel blank 35. Thus, the reinforcement material blank may include a triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, trapezoidal, circular, or even oval profile depending on the characteristics of the panel pattern 40 in the cover panel blank.

After forming the cover panel blank 35 and the reinforcement material blank 65, the two are then heat bonded together to form the cover or cover portion of the game ball. In a preferred embodiment, the materials are bonded together using a flow-forming molding apparatus, for example using dielectric heating. An exemplary flow forming molding apparatus 200 is shown in fig. 7-8. In general, the flow-forming molding apparatus includes a top electrode 212 and a bottom electrode 214, both of which are connected to an electromagnetic energy source (not shown) that is operable to generate an alternating radio frequency electric field between the electrodes. The electrodes 212, 214 are preferably spherical so that a hemisphere of the sphere will be uniformly heated, as generally discussed in Marc, U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,238, which is incorporated by reference.

Also included within the apparatus is a first mold and a second mold. As shown in fig. 7B, the first mold comprises a female ball overmold mold 216 and the second mold comprises a male ball overmold mold 218 that together define a molding cavity 220 therebetween. The female overmold die 216 is hemispherical in shape and includes a plurality of patterned panel recesses 217a for receiving respective panels in the panel pattern 40 in the overmold panel blank 35 and protrusions 217b to be aligned with the interior panel boundary 43 and the free edge 48. Likewise, male ball cover mold 218 contains a plurality of panel protrusions 219a to be aligned with respective panels in panel pattern 40 of cover panel blank 35 and recesses 219b for receiving reinforcement material blank 65 aligned with interior panel boundary 43 and free edge 48 of the cover panel blank 35. Female ball overmold die 216 and male ball overmold die 218 are aligned such that reinforcing material blank 65 is aligned with free edge 48 of overmold panel blank 35, and preferably also with interior panel boundary 43.

For thermal bonding, the alternating electric field can be generated at a frequency from 1MHz to 500MHz, preferably at a frequency in the range from 10MHz to 200MHz, and most preferably at 27.12MHz or 40.68 MHz. The energy is typically applied for about 10 to 80 seconds (e.g., about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 seconds). The reinforcement material blank 65 is thus heat bonded to the cover panel blank 35 such that the reinforcement material is positioned along all or part of the free edge of the cover panel blank 35 (which is heat bonded and thus no longer "free" after heat bonding), and preferably along the inner panel boundary 48. A first hemisphere cover portion 50 of the ball cover is thus formed, which is generally shown in fig. 8A and 8B. The second hemispherical cover portion 52 of the ball cover may be made in a similar fashion (thus fig. 8A and 8B are labeled as hemispherical cover portions 50, 52).

To assemble the sport ball, the first and second hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the cover 30 are heat bonded together. In a related aspect, the first and second hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the ball cover are heat bonded together only at the area of overlap of each hemispherical cover portion. One of the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 also has a die cut hole 55 in one of the panels, for example in the central pentagonal panel 44a, for the location of the air bag valve 25.

Fig. 9A-9D illustrate a first exemplary molding apparatus 300 for heat bonding hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of a ball cover together. The molding apparatus includes a first barrier 312 and a second barrier 314, both of which shield electromagnetic energy from an energy source operable to generate microwave heat and power to capture microwave energy inside the apparatus. Typically, the energy is applied for about 1 to 3 minutes. The microwave energy is preferably generated by a waveguide 305 centered between and having a width about the size of the overlapping portions of the two hemispherical cladding portions 50, 52. The overlapping portion is preferably located at the peak of the sine wave of the microwave energy such that the majority of the microwave energy is located on the overlapping portion of the two hemispherical cover portions. Also included within the apparatus is a first mold 316 and a second mold 318 that together define a molding cavity therebetween. The first and second molds 316, 318 each receive one of the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the reinforcing ball cover 30. Thus, the mould preferably comprises a panel recess for receiving a panel in the cladding and a protrusion for receiving an inner panel boundary. Fig. 9A, 9B and 9C show an air bag 20 having an air valve 25 connected to a tube 27. Tube 27 is inserted into hole 55 in one of the hemispherical cover sections and also through first die 316 and hole 310 in barrier 312 (fig. 9C). The tube 27 is connected to a pressure regulator (not shown) capable of inflating or deflating the air bag 20 as desired. The mould is closed and the bladder 20 is then inflated, typically to between 0.6 and 0.8 bar, preferably by means of needles located at the ends of the tube 27. The first and second hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the reinforced ball cover 30 are heat bonded together using microwave energy while rotating the ball cover, preferably at least 360 degrees, to provide uniform heating in the area of overlap of the two hemispherical portions 50, 52 along the entire circumference of the ball cover. The ball cover may be rotated using a rotation device 317, such as a chain, gear, etc., or even manually. After the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 are heated together and the bladder 20 is inflated as desired, the sport ball 10 is formed. The reinforcement wrap 30 thus comprises a wrap material having a plurality of panels, wherein the reinforcement material is thermally bonded along the inner panel boundaries of the wrap material, and along the previous "free" edges (which are no longer free after thermal bonding). An air valve 25 inserted into a hole 55 in one of the hemispherical cover portions of the ball cover allows the air bag 20 to be inflated or deflated as desired.

Fig. 10A and 10B illustrate a second exemplary molding apparatus 400 for heat bonding each of the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the ball cover together. The molding apparatus includes a first electrode 412 and a second electrode 414, both of which are connected to an electromagnetic energy source (not shown) that is operable to generate an alternating electric field between the electrodes. The electrodes 412, 414 are preferably hemispherical in shape, but may also constitute rings located generally above and below the overlapping portions 51 of the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the sphere. The alternating electric field may be generated at a frequency in the range from 1MHz to 500MHz, preferably in the range from 10MHz to 200MHz, and most preferably at a frequency of 27.12MHz or 40.68 MHz. Typically, the energy is applied for about 10 to 40 seconds (e.g., about 10, 15, 25, 30, 35, or 40 seconds). Also included within the apparatus is a first outer mold 416 and a second outer mold 418 that together define a ball molding cavity therebetween. As shown in fig. 10A, the first and second molds 416, 418 each receive a hemispherical cover portion 50, 52 of the reinforcing ball cover 30. Thus, the molds 416, 418 preferably include panel recesses for receiving panels in the overmold and protrusions for receiving interior panel boundaries.

The molding apparatus 400 also includes a ring 422 composed of a dielectric material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, that separates the electrodes 412, 414. In fig. 10A, two rings of dielectric material are shown: a ring 422a adjacent the first electrode 412 when the molding apparatus is in the closed position; another ring 422b is adjacent to the second electrode 414 when the molding apparatus is in the closed position. It will also be appreciated that the ring 422 may comprise a portion of the first and second molds 416, 418, which are also comprised of a dielectric material. The ring 422 of dielectric material has a width approximately the size of the overlapping portion 51 of each of the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 that are heat bonded together to form the final ball 10. Pins, screws, latches, tongue/groove or other engagement means may be used to secure the molds together.

To construct a game ball according to this embodiment, the first mold 416 and the second mold 418 of the flow forming molding apparatus are separated. The first and second hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the reinforcing ball cover 30 (along with the bladder 20, the bladder 20 not shown in fig. 10A for clarity) are placed within the mold cavity of the mold. The mold is closed and the bladder (through the mold and a hole in one of the hemispherical cover portions, generally as described above) is inflated, typically between 0.6 bar and 0.8 bar. The bladder acts as an internal mold to help keep the two hemispherical portions aligned. The first and second hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the reinforcing ball cover 30 are preferably heat bonded together using dielectric heating. An alternating radio frequency electric field can be generated between the electrodes. It will be appreciated that the dielectric constant of the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 is greater than the dielectric constant of the air within the bladder 20 and also greater than the dielectric constant of the molds 416, 418 and the dielectric rings 422a, 422 b. For example, in the exemplary embodiment, the dielectric constant of the air within the bladder is approximately 1, the dielectric ring is approximately 2, the dielectric constant of the outer mold 416, 418 is approximately 3, and the dielectric constant of the hemispherical cladding is approximately 6. Thus, the current preferably travels through the hemispherical cladding portions 50, 52 located in the overlapping portion 51 between the first and second electrodes 412, 414. As a result, the energy associated with the alternating electric field is preferably directed between the overlapping portions of the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 to thermally bond the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 together. After the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 are heated together, the finished sport ball 10 is formed. The reinforced wrap thus comprises a wrap material composed of a plurality of panels, wherein the reinforced material is thermally bonded along the inner panel boundaries of the wrap material, and along the previous "free" edges (which are no longer free after thermal bonding). An air valve 25 inserted into a hole 55 in one of the hemispherical cover portions of the ball cover allows the air bag 20 to be inflated or deflated as desired.

Fig. 10C illustrates the alignment of the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 of the ball cover shown generally in fig. 8A and 8B during the thermal bonding process. In the exemplary embodiment, the edges of each hemispherical cover portion 50, 52 include first polygonal panels (hexagonal panels 46) alternating with second polygonal panels (pentagonal panels 44). The hexagonal panels 46 each have three end hexagonal panel edges: a first end hexagonal panel edge 45a, completely free of reinforcing material, and second and third end hexagonal panel edges 45b, 45c, a portion of which are covered with overlapping reinforcing material from a reinforcing material blank 65. That is, as best shown in fig. 8B and 10C, the second and third end hexagonal panel edges 45B, 45C each have a first end hexagonal panel edge portion 47 having no reinforcing material and a second end hexagonal panel edge portion 49 having overlapping reinforcing material. The pentagonal panels 44 each have end pentagonal panel edges 45d (fig. 8B and 10C) covered with overlapping reinforcing material.

Fig. 10C shows how the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 are aligned within the mold cavity. Each first end hexagonal panel edge 45a (without reinforcement material) from the first hemispherical cover portion 50 is aligned with each end pentagonal panel edge 45d having overlapping reinforcement material from the second hemispherical cover portion 52. Further, each of the second and third end hexagonal panel edges 45b, 45c, a portion of which is covered with overlapping reinforcement material from the first hemispherical cladding portion 50, is aligned with the second and third end hexagonal panel edges 45b, 45c, a portion of which is covered with reinforcement material from the second hemispherical cladding portion 52. That is, the first end hexagonal panel edge portion 47 without the reinforcing material from the first hemispherical cover portion 50 is aligned with the corresponding second end hexagonal panel edge portion 49 with the overlapping reinforcing material from the second hemispherical cover portion 52. As a result, the reinforcing material covers and overlaps all of the end edges 45a, 45b, 45c when the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 are so aligned. Thermal bonding is then applied to the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52, preferably limited to the overlap region 51, so that the two hemispherical cover portions form the final ball 10. It will be appreciated that this alignment may be used with any of the exemplary molding apparatuses shown in fig. 9 or 10.

In another exemplary embodiment, the cover panel blank 35 is heat bonded to a reinforcement material in a flow-forming molding apparatus 500 adapted to form the reinforcement cover 30 in a single step. That is, rather than forming the two hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 (or multiple other portions) in a first step and then heat bonding them together in a second step, the entire ball reinforcement cover 30 is formed in a single step.

An exemplary flow forming molding apparatus 500 is shown in fig. 11. In general, the flow-forming molding apparatus includes an outer electrode 512 and an inner electrically conductive fluid housed within the bladder 20. The internal conductive fluid functions as the internal electrode 514. Both the outer electrode 512 and the inner electrode 514 are connected to an electromagnetic energy source (not shown) that is operable to generate an alternating electric field between the electrodes. Also included within the apparatus is an outer mold 516. Bladder 20 functions as an inner mold 518. A molding cavity is defined between the outer mold 516 and the inner mold (bladder) 518. The overall configuration (both outer electrode 512 and outer mold 516) is spherically shaped, although outer electrode 512 and outer mold 516 may include multiple portions 550, 552 to allow placement and removal of cover panel blank 35, reinforcement material blank 65, bladder 20, and final ball 10 into and from the apparatus. The outer mold 516 includes a plurality of patterned panel recesses 517a for receiving respective panels of the panel pattern 40 in the cover panel blank 35 and protrusions 517b to be aligned with the inner panel boundary 43 and the free edge 48 of the cover panel blank 35. Further, the outer electrode and outer mold 512 have at least one hole 519 in which the conductive fluid 514 may be injected or removed, and/or a radio frequency generator may be attached to the electrode.

To construct a soccer ball according to this embodiment, a first portion 550 of a flow forming molding apparatus and a second portion 552 of the flow forming molding apparatus are separated. The polygonal panels of the clad panel blank are then aligned within the corresponding panel recesses 517a of the outer mold 516. The protrusion 517b is aligned with the interior panel boundary 43 and the free edge 48 of the cover panel blank 35. The reinforcement material blank 65 is then placed over the cover panel blank 35 such that the interior panel boundary 43 and the free edge 48 of the cover panel blank 35 are aligned with the reinforcement material blank 65. Tape or other adhesive may be used to temporarily secure the reinforcement material blank 65 to the cover panel blank 35. The portions 550, 552 of the molding apparatus are then closed. Additional liquid conductive material may be injected into bladder 20 through holes 519 to ensure that the bladder fills the interior of the mold cavity and provides sufficient pressure. The liquid conductive material pushes the bladder 20 against the reinforcement material blank 65 and the cover panel blank 35 and thus the bladder 20 functions as the inner mold 418.

An alternating electric field is then generated between the outer electrode 512 and the inner electrode 514. The alternating electric field may be generated at a frequency in the range from 1MHz to 500MHz, preferably in the range from 10MHz to 200MHz, and most preferably at a frequency of 27.12MHz or 40.68 MHz. The portions 550, 552 of the molding apparatus are then opened to remove the ball 10 with the reinforcement cover 30. The reinforced wrap thus comprises a wrap material composed of a plurality of panels, wherein the reinforced material is thermally bonded along the inner panel boundaries of the wrap material, and along the previous "free" edges (which are no longer free after thermal bonding). The liquid conductive fluid may then be removed via the bore 519, and the bladder 20 may be inflated with air or other gas using the air valve 25 that has been inserted into the bore 519.

Although the above-described embodiment utilizes a balloon 20 filled with a conductive fluid as the inner electrode 514, the inner electrode may be composed of other materials. For example, the inner electrode 514 may include the balloon 20 that has been coated with a conductive material (e.g., silver). The bladder 20 may be filled with a liquid or a gas (e.g., air). The conductive material coated on the bladder 20 thus functions as the inner electrode 514 during the thermal bonding process.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to various embodiments. In one embodiment, the reinforcement wrap 30 includes two hemispherical wrap portions 50, 52, each hemispherical wrap portion 50, 52 including approximately 50% of a ball wrap. Each hemispherical cover portion comprises a cover panel blank 35 and a reinforcement material blank 65 which are heat bonded together. Each of the hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 are then heat bonded together to form the entire ball 10. In the second embodiment, the cover comprises a cover panel blank 35 and a reinforcement material blank 65 that are heat bonded together to form the spherical reinforcing cover 30 in a single step such that the central hemispherical cover portions 50, 52 are not formed.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that one or more cover panel blanks 35 and one or more reinforcement material blanks 65 may be utilized. For example, each cover panel blank may include approximately 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% of the ball cover, or some combination thereof. As a more specific example, the hemispherical cover portion may be formed using four cover panel blanks including two hexagonal panels and a pentagonal panel and a fifth cover panel blank including two pentagonal panels and two hexagonal panels. That is, the first cover panel blank may comprise inner pentagonal panel 44a, inner hexagonal panel 46a, outer hexagonal panel 46f, and outer pentagonal panel 44 b. The second cover panel blank may comprise an inner hexagonal panel 46b, an outer hexagonal panel 46g, and an outer pentagonal panel 44 c. The third cover panel blank may include inner hexagonal panel 46c, outer hexagonal panel 46h, and outer pentagonal panel 44 d. The fourth cover panel blank may include inner hexagonal panel 46d, outer hexagonal panel 46i, and outer pentagonal panel 44 e. The fifth cover panel blank may include inner hexagonal panel 46e, outer hexagonal panel 46j, and outer pentagonal panel 44 f. The various patterns and configurations of the cover panel blank 35 are substantially unlimited. Likewise, the polygonal contours of the reinforcement material blank 65 need not be connected together, and various portions of each polygon may be separately fabricated (e.g., two sides of a pentagon). The present invention contemplates various combinations of cover panel blanks 35 and reinforcement material blanks 65, so long as the reinforcement material is aligned with the interior panel boundaries.

It is envisioned that sport balls made in accordance with the present invention have structural elements that enhance the performance of the ball. The reinforcing material mimics the overall configuration of a conventional sport ball in which individual panels are hand stitched together to form an interior seam. However, by molding the cover, the sport ball is perfectly spherical as compared to balls that may have imperfections when hand stitched. Additionally, by eliminating the need for sewn seams in the cover, a waterproof ball can be made. Further, the configuration of the cover continues to allow for deformation of the ball at the impact location. Thus, in the case of a soccer ball, for example, the soccer ball will rotate in a manner similar to a conventional soccer ball in which panels are hand stitched together. In general, a ball having a cover according to the present invention should actually rebound to its original shape faster than a conventional corresponding sport ball made using hand-stitched panels. This is advantageous because a sport ball according to the invention will exhibit less play in air.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects herein above set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention. Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. While specific embodiments have been shown and discussed, various modifications may of course be made, and the invention is not limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts and steps described herein, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims. Further, it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Claims (25)

1. A method for manufacturing a reinforced cover portion for a sport ball, comprising:

molding a continuous sheet of cover material panels in a molding apparatus, wherein the continuous sheet of cover material panels comprises a plurality of panels, each panel being curved to have a radius of curvature of the sport ball, wherein the continuous sheet of cover material panels is configured such that each of the panels is integrally connected to an adjacent panel of the sheet;

cutting a cover panel blank from the continuous cover material panel sheet;

providing a reinforcement blank formed of a reinforcement material; and

bonding the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank to provide a reinforced cover portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cover panel blank comprises six pentagonal panels and ten hexagonal panels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding step comprises thermally bonding the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding step comprises adhering the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank with an adhesive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the blank of reinforcing material comprises a plurality of connected polygonal profiles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the panels of the cover panel blank are defined by an interior panel boundary and a free edge, wherein the method further comprises aligning the reinforcement material blank with one or more of the interior panel boundary and the free edge such that the reinforcement material blank is bonded to the cover panel blank along the interior panel boundary and the free edge.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein during the bonding step, the cladding material and the reinforcing material flow together along the interior panel boundary and the free edge.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the molding apparatus comprises:

a first electrode and a second electrode;

a first mold and a second mold positioned between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first and second molds define a molding cavity therebetween; and

an energy source operable to generate an alternating electric field between the first and second electrodes and across the mold cavity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the molding step comprises:

placing the overmold material in the molding cavity; and

heating the cladding material by generating the alternating electric field across the molding cavity to form the continuous sheet of cladding material panel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cover panel blank comprises polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, synthetic leather, or a combination thereof, supported by woven or non-woven fabric.

11. A method for manufacturing a reinforced cover portion for a sport ball, comprising:

molding a continuous sheet of cover material panels in a molding apparatus, wherein the continuous sheet of cover material panels comprises a plurality of panels, each panel being curved to have a radius of curvature of the sport ball, wherein the continuous sheet of cover material panels is configured such that each of the panels is integrally connected to an adjacent panel of the sheet;

cutting a cover panel blank from the continuous cover material panel sheet;

providing a blank of reinforcing material comprising a plurality of connected polygonal profiles formed of reinforcing material; and

bonding the cladding panel blank to the connecting polygonal profile of the reinforcing material blank to provide a reinforced cladding portion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cover panel blank comprises six pentagonal panels and ten hexagonal panels.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the bonding step comprises thermally bonding the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the bonding step comprises adhering the cover panel blank to the reinforcement material blank with an adhesive.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the panels of the cover panel blank are defined by interior panel boundaries and free edges.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising aligning the reinforcement material blank with one or more of the interior panel boundaries and the free edge such that the reinforcement material blank is bonded to the cover panel blank along the interior panel boundaries and the free edge.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein during the bonding step, the cladding material and the reinforcing material flow together along the interior panel boundary and the free edge.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the molding apparatus comprises:

a first electrode and a second electrode;

a first mold and a second mold positioned between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first and second molds define a molding cavity therebetween; and

an energy source operable to generate an alternating electric field between the first and second electrodes and across the mold cavity.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the molding step comprises:

placing the overmold material in the molding cavity; and

heating the cladding material by generating the alternating electric field across the molding cavity to form the continuous sheet of cladding material panel.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the cover panel blank comprises polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, synthetic leather, or a combination thereof, supported by woven or non-woven fabric.

21. A method for manufacturing a sport ball, comprising:

forming a first reinforced cladding portion comprising the steps of: molding a first continuous sheet of cover material panels in a molding apparatus, wherein the first continuous sheet of cover material panels comprises a plurality of panels, each panel being curved to have a radius of curvature of the sport ball, wherein the first continuous sheet of cover material panels is configured such that each of the panels is integrally connected to an adjacent panel of the sheet; cutting a first wrapper panel blank from the first continuous wrapper panel sheet; providing a first reinforcement material blank formed of a reinforcement material; and bonding the first cover panel blank to the first reinforcing material blank to provide a first reinforcing cover portion;

forming a second reinforced cladding portion comprising the steps of: molding a second continuous sheet of cover material panels in a molding apparatus, wherein the second continuous sheet of cover material panels comprises a plurality of panels, each panel being curved to have a radius of curvature of the sport ball, wherein the second continuous sheet of cover material panels is configured such that each of the panels is integrally connected to an adjacent panel of the sheet; cutting a second wrapping panel blank from the second continuous sheet of wrapping material; providing a second blank of reinforcing material formed from a reinforcing material; and bonding the second cover panel blank to the second blank of reinforcing material to provide a second reinforced cover portion; and

bonding the first reinforcing cladding portion to the second reinforcing cladding portion.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first reinforced cover portion and the second reinforced cover portion each comprise a hemispherical cover portion of the sport ball.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first reinforced cladding portion is bonded to the second reinforced cladding portion by applying an alternating electric field.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the first and second wrapping panel blanks are bonded to the first and second blanks of reinforcing material, respectively, by application of an alternating electric field.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the first and second cover panel blanks are bonded to the first and second blanks of reinforcing material, respectively, by use of an adhesive.