U.S. patent application number 11/609828 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-12 for basketball with accessible channels.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nike, Inc.. Invention is credited to Glenn Geisendorfer, Christopher J. Nascimento, Karen Nkatha Spencer.
Application Number | 20080139348 11/609828 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39283973 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080139348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nascimento; Christopher J. ;
et al. |
June 12, 2008 |
BASKETBALL WITH ACCESSIBLE CHANNELS
Abstract
A basketball formed of two sets of panels. The first panel set
extends along a first longitudinal direction of the basketball,
while the second panel set extends along a second longitudinal
direction of the basketball that is orthogonal to the first
longitudinal direction of the basketball. A channel separates the
first panel set from the second panel set. The channel itself has
two portions. The first portion runs between the end edges of the
first panel set and the center portion of the second panel set, and
is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal direction. The
second portion runs between the end edges of the second panel set
and the center portion of the first panel set, and is substantially
parallel to the first longitudinal direction. With some examples,
each panel set is made up of two panels, providing the basketball
with four panels.
Inventors: |
Nascimento; Christopher J.;
(Beaverton, OR) ; Spencer; Karen Nkatha;
(Beaverton, OR) ; Geisendorfer; Glenn; (Atlanta,
GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.
1100 13th STREET, N.W., SUITE 1200
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-4051
US
|
Assignee: |
Nike, Inc.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
39283973 |
Appl. No.: |
11/609828 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/569 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 41/08 20130101;
A63B 2243/0037 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/569 |
International
Class: |
A63B 41/08 20060101
A63B041/08 |
Claims
1. A basketball, comprising: a first panel set extending along a
first longitudinal direction of the basketball; a second panel set
extending along a second longitudinal direction of the basketball
orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction of the basketball;
and a channel separating the first panel set from the second panel
set, the channel having a first portion between end edges of the
first panel set and a center portion of the second panel set that
is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal direction, and
a second portion between end edges of the second panel set and a
center portion of the first panel set is substantially parallel to
the first longitudinal direction.
2. The basketball recited in claim 1, wherein the first panel set
includes two panels.
3. The basketball recited in claim 2, further comprising a second
channel between the panels in the first panel set.
4. The basketball recited in claim 3, wherein the two panels are
symmetrical about the second channel.
5. The basketball recited in claim 1, wherein the second panel set
includes two panels.
6. The basketball recited in claim 5, further comprising a second
channel between the panels in the second panel set.
7. The basketball recited in claim 6, wherein the two panels are
symmetrical about the second channel.
8. A basketball, comprising: a plurality of panels, and a plurality
of channels, such that a channel separates adjacent panels, and
each channel is formed of channel segments that are substantially
straight over a surface of the basketball.
9. The basketball recited in claim 8, further comprising four
channels.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a basketball. Various
aspects of the invention are particularly applicable to basketballs
that have a channel accessible at every portion of the
basketball.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] From elementary schools to professional leagues, basketball
players are continuously trying to improve their shooting accuracy.
One important feature of a basketball shot is the position at which
a player locates his or her hands to throw the ball. Many experts
believe that one desirable hand position for throwing a basketball
is with the fingers of the player's throwing hand positioned along
or close to the channels separating the panels of the basketball.
With conventional basketballs, however, the channels curve sharply
at the poles, making it difficult if not impossible for a player to
use the channels as a guide for hand placement.
[0003] For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of
a conventional basketball 101. The basketball 101 is formed of a
plurality of panels 103. Some of the panels 103 are separated by a
pair of longitudinal channels 105 that pass through the poles 107
of the basketball 101. Other panels 103 are separated by
semi-longitudinal channels 109. As seen in this figure, the
longitudinal channels 105 are substantially straight over the
entire surface of the basketball 101. Because these channels 105
are straight, they provide excellent guidance for placement of a
player's fingertips to shoot the basketball 101. The
semi-longitudinal channels 109 also are substantially straight near
the equator of the basketball 101, but segments 109A of the
channels 109 curve sharply near the poles 107. Thus, a player
cannot use the segments 109A as a fingertip placement guide when
shooting the basketball. During game play, a player may not have
the opportunity to change the orientation of the basketball 101 so
that the poles 107 are horizontal and the straight portions of the
channels 109 face the player. Accordingly, it would be beneficial
to provide a basketball with channels that are substantially
straight over every portion of the basketball.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Advantageously, various aspects of the invention relate to a
basketball having a plurality of panels, each of which is separated
from an adjacent panel by a channel. Each channel is then formed of
channel segments that are substantially straight over a surface of
the basketball. According to various examples of the invention, the
basketball is formed of two sets of panels. The first panel set
extends along a first longitudinal direction of the basketball,
while the second panel set extends along a second longitudinal
direction of the basketball that is orthogonal to the first
longitudinal direction of the basketball. A channel separates the
first panel set from the second panel set. The channel itself has
two portions. The first portion runs between the end edges of the
first panel set and the center portion of the second panel set, and
is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal direction. The
second portion runs between the end edges of the second panel set
and the center portion of the first panel set, and is substantially
parallel to the first longitudinal direction. With some examples of
the invention, each panel set is made up of two panels, providing
the basketball with four panels. With implementations of the
invention, one or both of the panel sets may include only a single
panel, or three or more panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a
conventional basketball.
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a right side perspective view of a
basketball according to various examples of the invention.
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates a left side perspective view of a
basketball according to various examples of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a front planar view of a basketball
according to various examples of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates a left side planar view of a basketball
according to various examples of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates a right planar view of a basketball
according to various examples of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] FIGS. 2-6 illustrate a basketball 201 that may be
implemented according to various embodiments of the invention. As
seen in these figures, the basketball 201 has a first set of panels
203 and a second set of panels 205. With the illustrated example,
the first set of panels 203 includes a first panel 207 and a second
panel 209. The second set of panels 205 then includes a third panel
211 and a fourth panel 213. The first panel set 203 and the second
panel set 205 are separated by a channel 215.
[0012] As may be best seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 the panels 207 and
209 in the first panel set 203 are themselves separated by a
channel 217. Further, in the illustrated examples of the invention,
the panels 207 and 209 are symmetrical about the channel 217. It
should be appreciated, however, that other embodiments of the
invention may have panels in the first panel set 203 that are
asymmetrical about the channel 217. Similarly, panels 211 and 213
are separated by a channel 219. In the illustrated examples of the
invention, the panels 211 and 213 are symmetrical about the channel
219, but with other embodiments of invention, the second panel set
205 may have panels that are asymmetrical about the channel
217.
[0013] It also should be appreciated that still other
implementations of the invention may have fewer or more panels in
one or both of the panel sets. With some embodiments of the
invention, for example, the first panel set 203 may have only a
single panel, or it may have three or more different panels.
Similarly, with some embodiments of the invention, the second panel
set 205 may have only a single panel, or it may have three or more
different panels.
[0014] As shown in FIG. 5, the first panel set (i.e., panels 207
and 209) extends along its length in a first direction 221, such
that the channel 217 passes through a first pole 223 of the
basketball 201. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 6, the second panel set
(i.e., panels 211 and 213) extend along its length in a second
direction 225, such that the channel 219 passes through a second
pole 227 of the basketball 201. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,
the first direction 221 of the first panel set 203 (i.e., panels
207 and 209) is orthogonal to the second direction 225 of the
second panel set (i.e., panels 211 and 213).
[0015] Returning now to FIG. 5, it can be seen that, with this
configuration, the second panel set 205 extends along the second
longitudinal direction 225 of the basketball 201, orthogonal to the
first longitudinal direction 221, such that the ends of the second
panel set 205 of the basketball intersect a center portion 203A of
the first panel set 203. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, the first
panel set 203 extends along the first longitudinal direction 221 of
the basketball 201, orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction
225, such that the ends of the first panel set 203 of the
basketball intersect a middle portion 205A of the second panel set
205.
[0016] Moreover, the channel 215 has segments 215A and 215B located
between end edges of the second panel set 205 and the center
portion 203A of the first panel set 203. As shown in FIG. 5, these
channel segments 215A and 215B are substantially parallel, over the
surface of the basketball 201, to the first longitudinal direction
221. The channel 215 also has segments 215C and 215D, located
between end edges of the first panel set 203 and the center portion
205A of the second panel set. As shown in FIG. 6, these channel
segments 215C and 215D are substantially parallel, over the surface
of the basketball 201, to the second longitudinal direction 225.
Thus, each channel 215-219 is formed of channel segments that are
substantially straight over a surface of the basketball 201.
[0017] In addition to providing channels 215-219 that are
substantially straight over the surface of the basketball 201,
various configurations also provide a basketball 201 that has a
relatively uncluttered appearance over its entire surface. For
example, as seen in FIG. 1, with the conventional basketball 101
each of the channels 105 and 109 intersect or come close to
intersecting at the poles 107. This aggregation of channels 105 may
thus create a visual distraction for a player. For example, a
player may believe that he or she must shoot the basketball 101 so
that the line between its poles 107 remains parallel to the ground
and orthogonal to the direction of travel. Accordingly, such a
player may be immediately led by the visual congestion around the
poles 107 to realign the basketball 101 prior to shooting. This
realignment may cause a critical delay that allows another player
to block the shot or allow playing time to expire. With various
examples of the invention, however, entire surface of the
basketball 201 is relatively uncluttered, freeing the player from
such visual distraction.
[0018] In the illustrated embodiments, each of channels 215-219 has
a width of about 7/16 inch (about 6.0 mm). Of course, it should be
appreciated that the width of the channels 215-219 may be wider or
narrower, as desired. The basketball 201 may be formed using any
desired construction, such as any conventional basketball
construction. For example, with some implementations of the
invention, the basketball 201 may have an inner portion and an
outer covering. The inner portion may include, e.g., consists a
bladder and a carcass. With various examples of the invention, the
bladder may be formed of butyl rubber, while the carcass may be
formed of threads of nylon, polyester or other suitable material
wound around the bladder. The outer covering can then be formed of
any desired synthetic rubber, rubber, composition material, or
leather. With some implementations of the invention, the outer
covering may be formed of laminated rubber. The rubber may be
natural or synthetic, and the rubber may be laminated with any
desired material, such as polyurethane. Thus, the panels 207-213
may be formed of leather or synthetic material, and may have a
texture to enhance gripping. Still further, the basketball 201 may
be formed without an inner portion, i.e., such that the outer
covering serves also as the airtight bladder for the ball. Various
techniques and materials for constructing basketballs (and other
game balls) are well known in the art, and thus will not be
discussed here in more detail.
[0019] With some examples of the invention, each of the panels
207-213 may be formed of a separate piece of material, with the
channels 215-219 falling along the seams of the separate pieces of
material forming the panels 207-213. With these examples of the
invention, a layer of sealing material, such as rubber, may be
applied at the seams to form the channels 215-219. With still other
examples of the invention, however, two or more of the panels
207-213 may be formed of a single piece of material. The channels
215-219 may then be formed by depressions in the material piece or
pieces making up the panels 207-213.
CONCLUSION
[0020] While the invention has been described with respect to
specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying
out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
there are numerous variations and permutations of the above
described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and
scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *