U.S. patent application number 10/437226 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-18 for method for making a ball and the product thereof.
Invention is credited to Liu, Yuan-Jung.
Application Number | 20040229722 10/437226 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33417332 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040229722 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu, Yuan-Jung |
November 18, 2004 |
Method for making a ball and the product thereof
Abstract
A method for making a ball includes the steps of preparing a
bladder, inflating the bladder, wiring the bladder, patching pieces
of a first covering onto the wired bladder, securing the first
covering on the wired bladder, patching pieces of a second covering
onto the first covering, and securing the second covering pieces on
the first covering. Each of the second covering pieces is provided
with protrusions and a trademark formed on an outer periphery of
the second covering piece. A color is added to the trademark during
injection molding for making each of the second covering
pieces.
Inventors: |
Liu, Yuan-Jung; (Pateh City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VENABLE, BAETJER, HOWARD AND CIVILETTI, LLP
P.O. BOX 34385
WASHINGTON
DC
20043-9998
US
|
Family ID: |
33417332 |
Appl. No.: |
10/437226 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/605 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 41/10 20130101;
A63B 45/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/605 |
International
Class: |
A63B 041/00 |
Claims
1. A method for making a ball comprising the steps of: preparing a
bladder; inflating the bladder; wiring the bladder; patching pieces
of a first covering with a first color onto the wired bladder;
securing the pieces of the first covering on the wired bladder;
patching pieces of a second covering with a second color onto the
pieces of the first covering; defining gaps between every two
adjacent pieces of the second covering; forming stripes by
revealing the first color of the pieces of the first covering from
the gaps; and securing the pieces of the second covering on the
pieces of the first covering.
2-3. (canceled)
4. A ball comprising: a bladder; a lining made of wires and mounted
around the bladder; pieces of a first covering with a first color
securely mounted on an outer periphery of the lined bladder; pieces
of a second covering with a second color, each securely formed on
an outer periphery of the pieces of the first covering; gaps
defined between two adjacent pieces of the second covering; and
stripes formed by a portion of the pieces of the first
covering.
5. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a ball making method, and
more particularly to a method in which labor effort in painting the
ball is eliminated and the markings on the outer periphery are more
durable. The ball made in accordance with the method has a first
covering mounted around a bladder and a second covering composed of
multiple skins respectively and securely attached to an outer
periphery of the first covering. The markings on the second
covering skins are injection molded. Especially, the color on the
markings is injected during the molding of the second covering
skins so that the markings and the color are more durable than
those of the balls in the prior art.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] With reference to FIG. 4, a conventional method for making a
ball includes the steps of:
[0005] 1. preparing a bladder;
[0006] 2. inflating the bladder;
[0007] 3. wiring the inflated bladder;
[0008] 4. patching pieces of a covering on the wired bladder;
and
[0009] 5. securing the covering pieces on the wired bladder.
[0010] With reference to FIG. 5, normally, after the bladder (60)
made of rubber is inflated, a lining (61) made of wires is wound
around the inflated bladder (60). Then, a covering (62) made of
multiple pieces is patched onto the wired bladder. Finally, the
wired ball with patched covering pieces is sent to a mold to secure
the bonding between the covering pieces and the wired bladder.
After the aforementioned process, the general overall appearance of
a ball is finished. Then, the ball is sent to a painting department
to paint colors on the ball. Taking a basketball for example, the
finished basketball has stripes (63) and a trademark (64) on the
outer periphery of the covering skin. Normally before sending the
ball to the painting department, the stripes (63) have a color the
same as that of the covering skins. Therefore, after the heating
process to firmly connect every two adjacent covering pieces
together so as to secure the covering pieces on the wired bladder,
the stripes (63) are the joints of two adjacent covering pieces. In
order to increase the attractive appearance of the basketball, the
stripes (63) of the basketball are painted black and the trademark
(64) is painted with an eyecatching color, such as white. After the
painting process, the basketball is ready for sale. However, after
a period of time of playing with the basketball, the stripes, and
especially the trademark, are worn out due to constant friction
with the ground. Long before the trademark is worn out, the first
thing that is gradually lost is the color on the trademark, which
is bad for commercial advertisement because when the eyecatching
color on the basketball skin is gone, no one is able to recognize
the brand of the basketball. Therefore, even though someone on the
court is attracted to a particular basketball, that someone is not
able to identify (and thus not purchase) the basketball of that
brand.
[0011] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to
provide an improved ball making method to mitigate and obviate the
aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an improved method for making a ball in which the color and
markings on the ball skin are more durable.
[0013] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the process of the method of
the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ball of the present
invention with partial in exploded view;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ball of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the process of a conventional
method; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional
basketball.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] With reference to FIG. 1, the method for making a ball in
accordance with the present invention includes the steps of:
[0020] 1. preparing a bladder;
[0021] 2. inflating the bladder;
[0022] 3. wiring the bladder;
[0023] 4. patching pieces of a first covering onto the wired
bladder;
[0024] 5. securing the first covering on the wired bladder;
[0025] 6. patching pieces of a second covering onto the first
covering, wherein each of the second covering pieces is provided
with protrusions and a trademark formed on an outer periphery of
the second covering piece(s); and
[0026] 7. securing the second covering pieces on the first
covering.
[0027] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bladder (10) is
normally is made of rubber and is able to be inflated into a
sphere. After the rubber bladder (10) is inflated, a lining (20)
made of wires is securely attached to an outer periphery of the
inflated bladder (10). Multiple pieces of the first covering (30)
are placed in a mold and then the wired bladder is placed into the
mold to undergo a hot pressing to securely attach the first
covering pieces onto the wired bladder. After the first covering
pieces are securely patched on the wired bladder, multiple pieces
of a second covering (40) with markings on the outer periphery of
the second covering (40) are prepared. It is noted that after the
second covering pieces are prepared, the markings including
protrusions (41) formed on the outer periphery of each of the
second covering pieces to increase friction with the user's palm
and a trademark (42) (as shown in FIG. 3) with which the merchant
is able to have the best commercial promotion in the market.
Furthermore, when the second covering pieces are prepared, the
manufacturer is able to inject a special color directly onto the
trademark (42) during the formation of the trademark (42). Then the
second covering pieces are patched onto the first covering (30) via
bonding with a gap (43) defined between every two adjacent second
covering pieces. Thereafter, the semi-product is sent to a mold to
undergo a hot pressing to securely attach the second covering
pieces on the first covering by jointing the second covering pieces
with the first covering. Due to the definition of the gap (43)
between every two adjacent second covering pieces, after the second
covering pieces are securely attached to the first covering (30),
the color of the first covering (30) is revealed as the stripes
shown in the conventional ball. Furthermore, because the trademark
color is made in a different process and the trademark color seeps
into every part of the trademark, instead of the trademark being
superficially painted on the ball, the trademark color stays on the
trademark even after the ball has been used for a period of
time.
[0028] From the foregoing description, it is noted that the method
of the present invention has the following advantages:
[0029] Durable color; because the color on the trademark is durable
even after a long period of time using the ball, users are still
able to instantly identify the brand name of the ball.
[0030] Labor efficient; because the labor effort in painting the
stripes and the trademark on the ball is eliminated, cost in labor
is saved.
[0031] Color diversities; the first covering color is revealed
after the ball is finished so that the manufacturer is able to
choose from colors for the first covering to increase the
diversities and attractiveness of the ball of the present
invention.
[0032] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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