U.S. patent application number 11/177957 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-11 for cover panel structure of a ball surface.
Invention is credited to Yen-Li Chang.
Application Number | 20070010360 11/177957 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37618943 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070010360 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang; Yen-Li |
January 11, 2007 |
Cover panel structure of a ball surface
Abstract
A cover panel structure for making a ball surface includes
multiple secondary pieces of different shapes and dimensions to be
combined together to form an oval shape.
Inventors: |
Chang; Yen-Li; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIKOLAI & MERSEREAU, P.A.
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
SUITE 820
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Family ID: |
37618943 |
Appl. No.: |
11/177957 |
Filed: |
July 8, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/598 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 37/12 20130101;
A63B 41/08 20130101; A63B 39/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/598 |
International
Class: |
A63B 37/12 20060101
A63B037/12; A63B 39/06 20060101 A63B039/06; A63B 41/08 20060101
A63B041/08 |
Claims
1. A cover panel structure for making a ball surface, the cover
panel comprising: multiple secondary pieces of different shapes and
dimensions to be combined together to form a oval shape.
2. The cover panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
stitched line is formed between two adjacent secondary pieces after
the secondary pieces are combined.
3. The cover panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein two stitched
lines are formed on the combined secondary pieces.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a ball surface structure,
and more particularly to a cover panel structure of a ball surface
to reduce waste of material during manufacture of the ball.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A conventional ball, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, generally
comprises a spherical bladder having a carcass (80) which is a
hollow rubber ball (not shown) affixed thereto. The carcass has a
yarn layer (70) mounted thereon and a plurality of projection ribs
(71) integrally protruded and extended on the carcass to define
eight leaf shaped recesses surrounded by the ribs (71). Then eight
cover panels (60) are securely and respectively attached to a
bottom face defining the panel recess to complete the production of
the ball.
[0005] Before attaching the cover panels (60) to the carcass, the
user has to cut the cover panel (60) from a material plate. Because
each cover panel (60) has a length substantially the same as that
of the diameter of the ball, a large portion of the material for
making the cover panel (60) will be wasted due to the specific
shape of the cover panel (60). Taking the cost and environment into
consideration, the conventional method for making a ball is neither
economic nor environmental friendly.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to
provide an improved ball surface structure to mitigate the
aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an improved ball surface structure to reduce waste of material for
making the cover panels of the ball.
[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, the cover panel is
oval shaped and composed of pieces of different dimensions and
shapes.
[0009] 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
[0010] FIG. 1 is schematic diagram showing the process for making a
ball of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the
composition of the cover panel of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing combination
of the pieces of the cover panel;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ball in a partially
exploded form;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ball of the present
invention;
[0015] FIGS. 5A to 5D are perspective views showing different
shapes of the secondary pieces for making the cover panel;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional ball;
and
[0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the conventional ball in a
partially exploded form.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] With reference to FIG. 1, it is noted that the process for
making a ball in accordance with the present invention includes the
steps of forming a bladder (100), affixing a valve stem on a
surface of the bladder (101), inflating the bladder (102), mounting
a yarn layer onto the bladder (103), affixing a second layer of
rubber on the yarn layer (104) to form a carcass, forming pieces of
a cover panel (105), combining the pieces of the cover panel (106)
and attaching the combined cover panels onto the carcass (107).
[0019] After the cover panels are securely attached to the carcass,
the ball is completed.
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, it is noted that in
order to accomplish the goal of reducing material waste, each of
cover panels (10) forming a partial outer periphery of a ball is
composed of secondary pieces of different shapes and dimensions,
i.e. a top piece (10A), a mediate piece (10B) and a bottom piece
(10C).
[0021] From this preferred embodiment of the present invention,
each cover panel (10) is composed of the top piece (10A) of a
substantially triangular shape, the mediate piece (10B) of
rectangular shape and the bottom piece (10C) of a substantially
triangular shape. The shape of the top piece (10A), the mediate
piece (10B) or the bottom piece (10C) is not limited to the shape
as described above and the quantity of the pieces for making a
cover panel is also not limited to only three pieces. That is, the
cover panel may be composed of two or more than four pieces of
different shapes and of different dimensions.
[0022] Taking the structure as shown in FIG. 2 for example, after
the top piece (10A), the mediate piece (10B) and the bottom piece
(10C) are combined by e.g. sewing, stitched lines (A,B) are formed
on the cover panel (10), as shown in FIG. 5. However, when quantity
of the pieces for making a cover panel becomes more/less than
three, the stitch lines are more/less than two. That is, taking
FIGS. 5A to 5D for example, only one stitched line is formed on the
ball surface in FIGS. 5A and 5D, while sixteen stitched lines are
shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C.
[0023] After the top piece (10A), the mediate piece (10B) and the
bottom piece (10C) are combined, the cover panel (10) is securely
attached to an outer periphery of a yarn layer (20) on top of the
bladder. Therefore, after all the cover panels (10) are attached to
the yarn layer (20), the stitched lines (A,B) are substantially
connected to one another.
[0024] Due to the formation of the cover panel, the material for
making the cover panel is used up such that material waste is
reduced to the minimum and thus cost for making the ball is
reduced.
[0025] 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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