U.S. patent application number 10/133492 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-30 for structure of a baseball.
Invention is credited to Huang, Yao-Jen.
Application Number | 20030203778 10/133492 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29248985 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030203778 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang, Yao-Jen |
October 30, 2003 |
Structure of a baseball
Abstract
A baseball includes a core made of cork, a first rubber layer
enclosing the core, a second rubber layer enclosing the first
rubber layer, a PU layer enclosing the second rubber layer, an
outer layer made of wool and/or synthetic threads wound around the
PU layer, and a surface layer made of leather or synthetic material
stitched on the outer layer, whereby the baseball can rapidly
recover to its original shape and will produce a sharp sound which
it is hit by the bat.
Inventors: |
Huang, Yao-Jen; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Leong Chi Lei
PMB #1008
1867 Ygnacio Valley Road
Walnut Creek
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
29248985 |
Appl. No.: |
10/133492 |
Filed: |
April 29, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/598 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 37/12 20130101;
A63B 2102/18 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/598 |
International
Class: |
A63B 039/06; A63B
039/08 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A baseball comprising a core made of cork, a first rubber layer
enclosing said core, a second rubber layer enclosing said first
rubber layer, a PU layer enclosing said second rubber layer, an
outer layer made of wool and/or synthetic threads wound around said
PU layer, and a surface layer made of leather or synthetic material
stitched on said outer layer.
2. The baseball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first rubber
layer includes two separate semi-spherical members between which
there is a clearance, and said second rubber layer has an inner
flange going into said clearance thereby engaging said first and
second rubber layers together.
3. The baseball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said PU layer has a
hardness of 50-100 shore A.
4. The baseball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said PU layer has a
thickness of 5-20 mm.
5. The baseball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said PU layer has a
weight of 5-120 g.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention is related to an improvement in the structure
of a baseball and in particular to one which can prolong the
service life of the baseball.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Among the various kinds of ball sports, baseball is
doubtless one of the most popular. The object of the two tears
playing baseball is to hit the most runs. Runs are scored when a
player safely touches the four bases which comprise a diamond
appearance in the field. The fielding team uses the pitcher in
association with other players strategically placed on the bases
and around the field to defend the field as effectively as possible
and prevent the other team from hitting the pitcher's balls and
attempt to either catch the ball in mid-flight, tag the team with
the ball before they reach the bases in the diamond.
[0005] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the conventional baseball
includes a core 11, an intermediate layer 12, enclosing the core
11, an outer layer 13 enclosing the intermediate layer 12. The core
11 is made of a mixture of rubber and cork or completely made of
cork. The intermediate layer 12 is made of wool and/or synthetic
threads wound tightly around the core. The outer layer 13 is made
of leather or synthetic material. This structure has long been used
and can provide pitching and striking purposes. But as the
intermediate layer 12 is made of cotton threads wound around the
core 11, the intermediate layer can easily become deformed and
soft. Furthermore, when the baseball is hit by a bat, an impact
produced will cause the outer layer 13 to be forced into the
intermediate layer 12 thereby causing a deformation. It takes a
relatively long period of time for the baseball to recover its
original shape. Moreover, upon being hit, the baseball will be
immediately fielded by the defending side on the field, who will
then pass the ball back to the pitcher and play will resume, and
over a period of time the ball will be unable to resume its
original shape due to the constant impact, making it necessary for
a new ball to be used.
[0006] Furthermore, the impact on the intermediate layer 12 will be
transmitted to the core 11, and because the core 11 is made of
cork, the core 11 will be broken by continuous impact, so the ball
cannot be used any longer.
[0007] Therefore it is an object of the present invention to
provide an improvement in the structure of a baseball which can
obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] This invention is related to an improvement in the structure
of a baseball.
[0009] It is the primary object of the present invention to provide
an improved baseball which can rapidly recover to its original
shape.
[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide an
improved baseball which will produce an audible, sharp sound when
it is hit by the bat.
[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a baseball includes a core made of cork, a first rubber
layer enclosing the core, a second rubber layer enclosing the first
rubber layer, a PU layer enclosing the second rubber layer, an
outer layer made of wool and/or synthetic threads wound around the
PU layer, and a surface layer made of leather or synthetic material
stitched on the outer layer, whereby the baseball can rapidly
recover to its original shape and will produce a sharp sound which
it is hit by the bat.
[0012] The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0013] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art baseball;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of the prior art baseball;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the prior art baseball;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a baseball according to the
present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the baseball according to the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments
only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the baseball according to the
present invention generally comprises a core 2 made of cork a first
rubber layer 3 which includes two separate semi-spherical members
having a clearance 31 therebetween, a second rubber layer 4
enclosing the first rubber layer 3 and having an inner flange going
into the clearance 31 of the first rubber layer 3, a PU
(polyurethane) layer 5 enclosing the second rubber layer 4, an
outer layer 6 made of wool and/or synthetic threads wound around
the PU layer 5, and a surface layer 7 made of leather or synthetic
material and stitched on the outer layer 6.
[0021] The present invention is characterized in that there is a PU
layer 5 mounted inside the outer layer 6 and the PU layer has
better resilience than the outer layer 6 made of wool and/or
synthetic threads and by means of the better resilience of the PU
layer 5 in association with the outer layer 6 made of cotton
threads, the impact produced when the baseball is hit by a bat will
cause a recess as shown in the dotted line in FIG. 5. By means of
the PU layer 5, the recess will rapidly recover to its original
shape, thereby preventing the baseball from deforming for a long
period of time, and enabling the baseball to be struck many more
times.
[0022] The first rubber layer 3 and the second rubber layer 4 are
also resilient. The first rubber layer 3 has the clearance 31 and
the second rubber layer 4 has an inner flange going inside the
clearance 31 to make the first and second rubber layers 3 and 4
closely engage together, thereby forming a protecting layer for the
baseball. The rubber layers 3 and 4 can prevent the core 2 from
breaking in the impact. This can effectively extend the service
life of the baseball.
[0023] Furthermore, the first rubber layer 3 and the second rubber
layer 4 in association with the PU layer 5 and the wool and/or
synthetic thread layer 6, will enable the baseball to produce an
audible, sharp sound when it is hit by the bat.
[0024] The PU layer has a hardness of 50-100 shore A, a thickness
of 5-20 mm, and a weight of 5-120 g.
[0025] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find a useful application
in other types of methods differing from the type described
above.
[0026] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *