U.S. patent application number 11/625536 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-24 for football with inflatable bladder having integral grip areas.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nike, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ian R. Lindsey, Carl L. Madore.
Application Number | 20080176685 11/625536 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39641833 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080176685 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Madore; Carl L. ; et
al. |
July 24, 2008 |
FOOTBALL WITH INFLATABLE BLADDER HAVING INTEGRAL GRIP AREAS
Abstract
A football comprising an inflatable bladder integrally molded
with raised areas which are intended to be exposed, and exterior
panels which are adhered to the bladder to span the spaces between
them. The raised areas or ridges are formed to extend outward from
the exterior panels and provide a raised grip area. By bonding the
exterior panels to the bladder directly, stitching and lacing are
eliminated to simplify construction and manufacture. The football
is provided with a plurality of raised areas to provide more grip
areas than the single lace area of a traditional football. Each of
the raised ridges are contoured to more closely follow the shape of
a thrower's hand as it grasps the ball and thereby providing
greater contact area and better control.
Inventors: |
Madore; Carl L.; (Portland,
OR) ; Lindsey; Ian R.; (Lake Oswego, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PLUMSEA LAW GROUP, LLC
10411 MOTOR CITY DRIVE, SUITE 320
BETHESDA
MD
20817
US
|
Assignee: |
Nike, Inc.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
39641833 |
Appl. No.: |
11/625536 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/599 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 41/08 20130101;
A63B 41/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/599 |
International
Class: |
A63B 41/10 20060101
A63B041/10 |
Claims
1. A football having a longitudinal axis extending between opposite
ends, of circular cross-section with a minimum diameter at each of
the ends, the diameter of the circular cross-section increasing
gradually to a maximum diameter midway between the ends, said
football comprising: an inflatable bladder having an exposed
portion; and an exterior panel overlaying and attached to said
bladder except at said exposed portion.
2. The football of claim 1, wherein said exposed portion is raised
to be at least flush with said exterior panel.
3. The football of claim 2, wherein said exposed portion includes a
grip area that is raised beyond said exterior panel.
4. The football of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of said grip
area is textured.
5. The football of claim 4, wherein said exposed portion extends
generally longitudinally along said football.
6. The football of claim 5, wherein said exposed portion is
contoured to curve along said football.
7. The football of claim 6, wherein said exposed portion has a
wider section and a narrower section with a smoothly contoured
transition.
8. The football of claim 1, wherein said bladder has at least two
exposed portions.
9. The football of claim 8, said exposed portions are raised to be
at least flush with said exterior panel.
10. The football of claim 9, wherein said exposed portions each
includes a grip area that is raised beyond said exterior panel.
11. The football of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said
grip area is textured.
12. The football of claim 11, wherein said exposed portions extend
generally longitudinally along said football.
13. The football of claim 12, wherein said exposed portions curve
along said football.
14. The football of claim 13, wherein each said exposed portion has
a wider section and a narrower section with a smoothly contoured
transition.
15. The football of claim 14, wherein said exposed portions include
the ends.
16. A football having a longitudinal axis extending between
opposite ends, of circular cross-section with a minimum diameter at
each of the ends, the diameter of the circular cross-section
increasing gradually to a maximum diameter midway between the ends,
said football comprising: an inflatable bladder having a plurality
of exposed portions extending longitudinally along said football,
each said exposed portion including a grip area; exterior panels
overlaying and attached to said bladder between said exposed
portions; wherein said exposed portions are raised to be least
flush with said exterior panels, and beyond said exterior panels in
said grip areas.
17. The football of claim 16, wherein said exposed portions curve
along said football.
18. The football of claim 17, wherein each said exposed portion has
a wider section and a narrower section with a smoothly contoured
transition.
19. The football of claim 18, wherein said exposed portions include
the ends.
20. The football of claim 19, wherein said exposed portions are
spaced 90.degree. from one another with respect to the longitudinal
axis.
21. A ball for sport and recreational activities comprising: an
inflatable bladder having an exposed portion; an exterior panel
overlaying and attached to said bladder except at said exposed
portion; and wherein said exposed portion is raised to be at least
flush with said exterior panel to provide a grip area.
22. The ball of claim 21, wherein said exposed portion is raised to
be at least flush with said exterior panel.
23. The ball of claim 22, wherein said exposed portion includes a
grip area that is raised beyond said exterior panel.
24. The ball of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of said grip
area is textured.
25. The ball of claim 24, wherein said ball has a prolate spheroid
shape.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a football with multiple
contoured grip areas for greater contact and better control when
the ball is thrown.
[0003] 2. Background of the Invention
[0004] Most inflatable sports balls are made by one of two main
constructions: a traditional construction in which an inner bladder
is surrounded by outer panels stitched together to contain the
inflated bladder; and a carcass construction in which outer panels
are laminated to an inner bladder. Examples of balls of traditional
construction include some soccer balls, volleyballs and footballs
which have pieced and stitched outer panels. An example of a ball
of carcass construction is a basketball which has an integral outer
cover.
[0005] Conventional footballs are constructed in the traditional
way by surrounding an inner bladder with an outer skin formed of
multiple panels stitched together. In traditional construction, the
bladder is inserted into an opening in the outer skin, and the
outer skin is laced together to close the opening. The lacing is
raised and extends some distance along the length of the football.
The laces serve another function as well. When throwing the ball, a
thrower generally grips the ball with the fingers along the laces.
The lacing enhances the grip on the ball and provides a locus for
imparting a spiral motion to the ball as it leaves the thrower's
hand to thereby enhance the flight of the ball.
[0006] This traditional design is still used today even though
modern manufacturing methods and materials do not necessarily
require lacing together of the outer skin. In some footballs, laces
or lace-like structures are molded onto the surface of the ball
even if they are not necessary for construction. The laces are
still a reference point for a thrower and the locus for the
initiation of a spiral motion. An example of a lace-like element is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,660 to Adler et al. in which an
elongated indentation array is provided on the surface. Even though
the football of Adler et al. does not use lacing for construction
purposes, the indentation array is provided on the surface in an
area that mimics the location of traditional laces.
[0007] An attempt to minimize accidental slippage of a traditional
laced football is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,429 to Buckner
et al. in which the football is provided with spiral grooves
extending along the surface of the leather. The grooves terminate
short of the pointed ends of the ball. The grooves are filled with
an abrasive substance with an adhesive to provide an overall
anti-slip cover to the ball to avoid accidental fumbling and
minimize error during play.
[0008] One category of prior art footballs eliminated the laces and
used spiral seams to stitch together the panels of the outer skin.
Examples of spiral seamed footballs without laces are disclosed in
U.S. Design Pat. No. D235,794 to Kroener, and U.S. Pat. No.
2,194,674 to Riddell. The Riddell patent also discloses fin-like
surface ridges that coincide with the seams. The spiral ridges are
thin and circular or semi-circular in cross-section, and formed by
covering an upstanding seam with latex, by applying cords to the
surface of the carcass prior to covering with leather, or by
stitching a separately formed cord or bead strip to the exterior of
the football.
[0009] Another category of prior art footballs which departed from
the conventional laced construction eliminated the bladder
altogether. Solid resilient foam footballs with externally molded
helical finger grooves or channels are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,887,814 to Winter and U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 33,449 and 4,772,020 to
Martin. Because of their elastic foam construction, these footballs
do not provide the same heft and feel of traditional footballs.
[0010] While the prior art contains numerous attempts to improve
ball handling, most still rely primarily on the laces or a
lace-like area of the football to provide a grip area. The prior
footballs that use spiral grooves or ridges are either formed from
a solid resilient foam material or require the use of extra
materials in addition to the bladder and covering. None have
addressed the need for a football having the same heft and feel as
a traditional laced football, but also having improved gripping
areas for a thrower to grasp the ball and thereby provide better
control and enhanced ball flight.
SUMMARY
[0011] The football of the present invention does not easily fall
into the traditional construction category, or the carcass
construction category. That is, the construction of the present
invention is neither the traditional pieced and stitched outer
panels nor an integral outer laminated covering. Instead, the
football of the present invention comprises an inflatable bladder
integrally molded with raised areas which are intended to be
exposed, and exterior panels which are adhered to the bladder to
span the spaces between them. The raised areas are formed to extend
outward from the exterior panels and provide a raised ridge and
grip area. By bonding the exterior panels to the bladder directly,
stitching and lacing are eliminated, thereby considerably
simplifying the construction and manufacturing process. Moreover,
the football of the present invention is provided with a plurality
of raised ridges to provide more grip areas than the single lace
area of a traditional football. Each of the raised ridges are
contoured to more closely follow the shape of a thrower's hand as
it grasps the ball and thereby providing greater contact area and
better control.
[0012] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
football of simplified construction as compared with a traditional
laced football.
[0013] It is an object of the invention to provide an inflatable
bladder football with raised grip areas integral with the bladder
to simplify manufacture while maintaining the heft and feel of a
traditional football.
[0014] It is another object of the invention to provide a football
with multiple grip areas to improve a thrower's chances of
optimally gripping the ball.
[0015] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
football with a contoured grip area to more closely follow the
shape of a thrower's hand as it grasps the ball.
[0016] It is another object of the invention to provide a football
with contoured raised areas that enhance ball flight particularly
in spiral motion to cause the ball to fly truer and farther.
[0017] Other configurations, features and advantages of the
invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in
the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed
description. It is intended that all such additional systems,
methods, features and advantages be included within this
description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected
by the following claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention can be better understood with reference to the
following drawings and description. The components in the figures
are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon
illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the
figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the different views. In the drawings:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one side of a football
in accordance with the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the left end of the
football as oriented in FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the right end of the
football as oriented in FIG. 1.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the opposite side of
the football as oriented in FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along line 5-5 of FIG.
1.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the football as oriented in
FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the football as oriented in
FIG. 1.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a round ball
embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the ball of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Referring to the figures, football 10 has a body with
opposing ends 12 through which longitudinal axis X extends. The
body has a circular cross-section whose diameter increases from an
end point to a maximum diameter midway along the longitudinal axis
X to resemble a prolate spheroid. Football 10 is comprised of an
inflatable bladder 14 and exterior panels 16. Inflatable bladder 14
gives the body of the football its shape, and is exposed at ends
12, and also includes exposed areas 18 extending longitudinally
along the body. Each exposed area 18 is in communication to the
exposed ends. Exterior panels 16 are islands extending between
exposed areas and exposed ends. Each exposed area 18 of bladder 12
is an integrally molded raised ridge with a relatively wider grip
area 20 and a narrower portion 22.
[0029] Exposed portion 18 has a shape that is contoured in two
ways: first, it smoothly transitions between wider grip area 20 and
narrow portion 22; and second, exposed portion 18 has an S-shape as
it traverses longitudinally along the surface of the football. Grip
area 20 has a textured surface to enhance grip. In the embodiment
shown in the drawings, the texture comprises a textured area 24
containing a series of parallel grooves 26 that form parallel ribs
28. In the illustrated embodiment the grooves and ribs extend
generally in the longitudinal direction of the football. As best
seen in FIG. 5, raised grip area 20 preferably extends 2.5
millimeters above the exterior panel of the football. This height
is similar to the height of the laces on a conventional football,
and would feel familiar to most players. Also referring to FIG. 5,
grooves 26 within the raised grip area 20 are generally about 1.0
millimeters which has been found to be a good dimension to provide
a tactile grip. This dimension could be adjusted if deemed
necessary to adjust tactility.
[0030] Textured area 24 could contain grooves and ribs extending in
a different direction, or an alternative texture such as
projections or curvilinear grooves. Any type of texture is within
the purview of the invention. Examples of alternative textures
include bumps, projections, raised or sunken letters, numbers,
other indicia, graphics, logos, and the like.
[0031] As best viewed from the ends, the illustrated embodiment of
the football comprises four exposed areas 18 spaced approximately
90.degree. from one another around the circumference of the
football. The contoured exposed areas 18 merge at each end 12 of
the football, FIGS. 2 and 3. These are arranged so that at each end
two exposed areas with their wider portions 20 are in opposing
relation, and two exposed areas with their narrower portions 22 are
also in opposing relation. In this manner, as viewed from an end
the merged exposed area comprises a wide portion 20 arranged
approximately 90.degree. from a narrow portion 22 in alternating
fashion. Also, the contoured shapes of the merged exposed areas
resemble vanes of a propeller or the like. That is, the exposed
areas contour so that their curves correspond with one another and
appear as if they could nest when viewed from the ends of the
football. The relation of the raised and exposed areas to on
another is illustrated in FIGS. 2-7 by showing the raised and
exposed areas on the opposite side of the football in broken
lines.
[0032] Raised and exposed areas 18 provide tactile reference points
for a thrower's finger. With multiple grip areas, the football of
the present invention provides four different grip areas for a
thrower's finger. This is in contrast to a single grip area, the
laces, on a traditional football. The multiplicity of grip areas
helps ensure that a thrower is able to grip the ball quickly and
securely, and thereby throw a greater distance and/or with better
accuracy. If the throw imparts a spiral motion to the football, the
gentle wave-like contouring of the raised and exposed areas also
serve to enhance the flight of the ball. Furthermore, the curved
orientation of the grip areas more closely mirrors the shape of a
thrower's hand as it rests on the ball in comparison to the
straight orientation of the laces on a conventional football. The
contoured grip area therefore provides an increased contact area
and better control when the ball is thrown.
[0033] Bladder 14 is integrally formed with raised, exposed areas
18, and the detailed structure thereof can also be integrally
molded thereto. For example, the bladder may be molded with the
specific texture on the grip areas as shown in the drawings. After
the bladder is formed by molding, for example, exterior panels 16
are bonded to the areas between the raised exposed areas 18. In the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7, there are four exterior panels 16,
and they do not converge at the ends since the raised bladder
portions merge at the ends. Exterior panels 16 are bonded to the
bladder by any means, heat bonding, adhesives, laminating, and the
like. After the exterior panels are bonded to the bladder, the
bladder is inflated through a valve (not shown) which may be of any
known construction.
[0034] The bladder is made of a rubber compound that provides the
moldability for forming the grip portions, and the durability
necessary for leaving portions of the bladder exposed. An example
of a rubber compound that can be used is 50% butyl synthetic rubber
and 50% natural rubber. Exterior panels 16 can be made of any
material such as leather or synthetic leather. An example of a
synthetic material that could be used for exterior panels 16 is
polyurethane composite leather.
[0035] The construction of the ball of the present application is
greatly simplified as compared to traditionally constructed laced
footballs. Manufacturing is speedier and less costly for a ball
with the integrally formed and exposed bladder and bonded exterior
panels.
[0036] Another embodiment of the present invention is the
application of the inventive concept to a round ball. A round ball
10' is shown in FIGS. 8-9 with an integrally molded bladder 14' and
exterior panels 16' spanning the areas between the exposed areas
18' of the bladder. The exposed areas of ball 18' are shown as only
slight raised from the spheroid surface and with a ribbed texture.
As with the previous embodiments, any type of texture could be
employed on the exposed portions of the bladder to enhance the grip
of the ball and the tactile feedback it provides to a user or
player. A round ball with the textured grip areas could be used for
any activity in which a secure grip would pose an advantage.
Examples of such activities include water polo, hand ball or
basketball.
[0037] While various embodiments of the invention have been
described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art that may more embodiments and implementations are possible that
are within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *