US20080058134A1

US20080058134A1 - Ball

Info

Publication number: US20080058134A1
Application number: US11/712,848
Authority: US
Inventors: Chui-Ching Yang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-01
Filing date: 2007-03-01
Publication date: 2008-03-06
Also published as: DE202006013457U1; FR2905279A3; FR2905279B3

Abstract

A ball has an internal bladder, an inner fabric layer, a reinforcing layer, an outer fabric layer and an external cover layer. The internal bladder is spherical and hollow. The inner fabric layer is ventilative and soft, is mounted around the internal bladder and allows air existing inside or outside the inner fabric layer to pass through the inner fabric layer. The reinforcing layer is mounted around the inner fabric layer. The outer fabric layer is ventilative and soft, is mounted around the reinforcing layer and allows air inside or outside the outer fabric layer to pass through the outer fabric layer. The external cover layer is mounted around the outer fabric layer. The ball with the ventilative inner and outer fabric layers is highly elastic, soft and deformable so the feel of hitting the ball is fine and comfortable.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ball, and more particularly to a ball that is elastic, soft and deformable.
2. Description of Related Art
Balls are used widely in various ball sports such as basketball, soccer and football. A conventional ball has a bladder, a reinforcing layer and an external cover layer. The bladder receives compressed air. The reinforcing layer is made of yarn and is mounted tightly around the bladder. The external cover layer is mounted tightly around the reinforcing layer.
However, the conventional ball with the layers tightly mounted together has a low elasticity and is too tough and people who play the ball would feel uncomfortable.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a ball to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a ball that is elastic, soft and deformable.
A ball in accordance with the present invention comprises an internal bladder, an inner fabric layer, a reinforcing layer, an outer fabric layer and an external cover layer. The internal bladder is spherical and hollow. The inner fabric layer is ventilative and soft, is mounted around the internal bladder and allows air existing inside or outside the inner fabric layer to pass through the inner fabric layer. The reinforcing layer is mounted around the inner fabric layer. The outer fabric layer is ventilative and soft, is mounted around the reinforcing layer and allows air inside or outside the outer fabric layer to pass through the outer fabric layer. The external cover layer is mounted around the outer fabric layer.
Other objectives, 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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the ball in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the ball in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the ball in FIG. 2 without the outer fabric layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a ball in accordance with the present invention comprises an internal bladder (10), an inner fabric layer (20), and a reinforcing layer (30), an outer fabric layer (40) and an external cover layer (50).
The internal bladder (10) is spherical and hollow and is filled with compressed air.
The inner fabric layer (20) is ventilative and soft, may be made of cotton, is mounted around the internal bladder (10) and allows air (21) existing inside or outside the inner fabric layer (20) to pass through the inner fabric layer (20).
With further reference to FIG. 3, the reinforcing layer (30) may be made of yarn (31) and foam rubber (32) and is mounted around the inner fabric layer (20).
The outer fabric layer (40) is ventilative and soft, may be made of cotton, is mounted around the reinforcing layer (30) and allows air (41) inside or outside the outer fabric layer (40) to pass through the outer fabric layer (40).
The external cover layer (50) is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU) and is mounted around the outer fabric layer (40).
When the ball is hit, the external cover layer (50) is depressed to compress the air (41) between the external cover layer (50) and the outer fabric layer (40). The compressed air (41) inward passes through the outer fabric layer (40) and depresses the reinforcing layer (30). The depressed reinforcing layer (30) then compresses the air (21) between the reinforcing layer (30) and the inner fabric layer (20) to inward pass through the inner fabric layer (20). After a second, the air (21, 41) inside the inner and outer fabric layers (20, 40) would outward pass through the inner and outer fabric layers (20, 40) in order to achieve the pressure balance between inside and outside spaces adjacent to each of the inner and outer fabric layers (20, 40). The air (21, 41) reciprocally passing through the inner and outer fabric layers (20, 41) makes the ball highly elastic, soft and deformable.
The ball with the ventilative inner and outer fabric layers (20, 40) is highly elastic, soft and deformable so the feel of hitting the ball is fine and comfortable. Furthermore, the reinforcing layer (30) with the foam rubber (32) is firm and makes the ball durable.
With reference to FIG. 4, the ball may be embodied without the outer fabric layer (40) to lower the cost of the ball. The inner fabric layer (20) still provides an excellent elastic and soft effect.

Claims

1. A ball comprising:

an internal bladder being spherical and hollow;

an inner fabric layer being ventilative and soft, mounted around the internal bladder and allowing air existing inside or outside the inner fabric layer to pass through the inner fabric layer;

a reinforcing layer mounted around the inner fabric layer; and

an external cover layer mounted around the reinforcing layer.

2. The ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer is made of yarn and foam rubber.

3. The ball as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner fabric layer is made of cotton.

4. The ball as claimed in claim 3, wherein the external cover layer is made of polyvinyl chloride.

5. The ball as claimed in claim 3, wherein the external cover layer is made of polyurethane.

6. The ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the ball further comprises an outer fabric layer being ventilative and soft, mounted around the reinforcing layer and allowing air inside or outside the outer fabric layer to pass through the outer fabric layer; and

the external cover layer is mounted around the outer fabric layer.