GB2447845A

GB2447845A - Inflatable ball

Info

Publication number: GB2447845A
Application number: GB0706068A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew Bullock
Original assignee: Umbro International Ltd
Current assignee: Nike Mercurial I Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-28
Filing date: 2007-03-28
Publication date: 2008-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-28
Also published as: GB2447845B; GB0706068D0

Abstract

An inflatable ball comprising an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover consisting of twelve first panels 4 and eight second panels 8 of flexible material joined together along mutually adjacent panel edges of identical length to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, each first panel having a shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and each second panel having a shape which is a hexagon, wherein the first and second panels form a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover.

Description

INFLATABLE BALL

The present invention relates to an inflatable ball, in particular to a ball for sports or games such as a football (i.e. a soccer ball). The present invention also relates to a configuration for forming an outer body of such an inflatable ball.

Inflatable balls such as footballs (i.e. a soccer ball) which consist of an outer body and an inflatable inner bladder are well known. The outer body comprises a plurality of panels sewn together by stitching to fonn a sphere. The panels are made of a flexible material such as leather.

During manufacture the panels are sewn together along their abutting edges to form a configuration, which comprises all of the panels of the ball sewn together but with the sewing only partly completed so that the configuration is planar. The configuration is formed, by further sewing, into generally closed shape, leaving an opening through which the bladder can be inserted into the interior of the generally closed shape. Then the opening is closed by further sewing thereby forming the final outer body of the ball, leaving a valve of the bladder exposed on the outer surface of the outer body. Finally, the ball is inflated by inflating the inner bladder through the valve so that the ball assumes a spherical shape.

A wide variety of panel shapes is known. It is known that the panels are shaped for aesthetic purposes and/or to permit the ball to assume, when inflated, a spherical shape on its outer surface that is close to a geometrical sphere. However, at the adjacent stitched panel edges, there is reduced flexibility at the sewn seam which tends to prevent the stitched edge from assuming a geometrically spherical shape (i.e. the actual and perceived "roundness" of the ball is reduced). This can affect the aerodynamic properties of the ball and can reduce the predictability and accuracy of motion of the ball when in motion, particularly though the air. Furthermore, the ball can be less pleasing aesthetically, because the seams interrupt the spherical continuity of the exterior surface of the ball.

In addition, the panel shapes can sometimes render the ball to be more difficult and/or expensive to manufacture. First, the panel shapes can provide a long cumulative length of sewn seams in the ball, which increases manufacturing costs and complexity. Also, smaller panel shapes are more difficult to sew together because the shorter panel edges are more difficult to align accurately.

As a rule it would be expected that for any given ball size, by increasing the number of panels and correspondingly reducing the panel dimensions, the ball would be expected to be able to assume a more geometrically spherical shape when inflated. However, this would be at the expense of increased cumulative seam length, which would tend to reduce the true spherical nature of the ball, because the seams are less able than the panel centres to assume a spherical shape, and would also increase manufacturing costs and complexity.

Furthermore, if a ball incorporates a large number of panel types, this can make manufacture more complicated, because plural panel shapes must be cut and supplied to the sewing station.

Some known inflatable balls have panel structures that include combinations of different panel shapes and dimensions. However, such balls can suffer from the problem that the panel arrangement of the sewn panels (i.e. the panel assembly in the inflatable ball) has an asymmetric configuration in the ball. This can reduce the attainment of a highly geometrically spherical shape when the ball is inflated. For example, it is known, for example from UK Design Registration Nos. 2069429 and 2069465 in the name of Umbro Europe Limited to provide three panel types, a first panel consisting of a ten-sided polygon in the form of a "double hexagon" comprised of two abutting regular hexagons of identical size, a second panel consisting of a regular hexagon, and a third panel consisting of a regular pentagon, all three types of panel having edges of identical length. Such balls have an asymmetric panel structure, which can reduce the attainment of a highly geometrically spherical shape when the ball is inflated, and reduce the aesthetic appearance of the ball. Also, since three panel types are required, the manufacturing process is more complicated and costly.

Accordingly, even though a vast number of panel designs for inflatable balls have been known in the state of the art, there is still a need for an inflatable ball that is easy to manufacture arid has a high tendency to assume a geometrically spherical shape when inflated.

The present invention aims to meet that need.

It is an aim of the present invention at least partially to overcome these above-stated problems of known inflatable balls.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an inflatable ball inflatable ball comprising an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of panels of flexible material, each panel having a plurality of edges, and the mutually adjacent edges being joined together to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of first panels of identical first shape and a plurality of second panels of identical second shape, the first and second panels forming a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover, and each second panel is circumferentially surrounded by a group of first panels, each of which first panels of the group is joined to the respective circumferentially surrounded second panel along a plurality of the mutually adjacent edges therebetween.

Preferably, each edge is linearly straight Preferably, each second panel is separated from the other second panels nearest thereto by a respective first panel.

Preferably, the second panels are each rotationally symmetrically surrounded by a respective group of first panels.

Preferably, each first panel of the group has a first end and a second end of mutually different shape, the first end of each first panel of the group being connected to the second end of an adjacent first panel of the group.

Preferably, the second panels are each surrounded by three first panels.

Preferably, the outer cover consists of the plurality of first and second panels.

Preferably, the outer cover consists of twelve first panels and eight second panels.

Preferably, each first panel has a shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and each second panel has a shape which is a hexagon.

The present invention also provides an inflatable ball comprising an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of panels of flexible material joined together along mutually adjacent linearly straight panel edges of identical length to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of first panels of identical first shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and a plurality of second panels of identical second shape which is a hexagon, and each second panel is circumferentially surrounded by a group of the first panels.

Preferably, the first and second panels form a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover.

Preferably, each second panel is separated from the other second panels nearest thereto by a respective first panel.

Preferably, each first panel of the group has a first end of the pentagon and a second end of the hexagon, the first end of each first panel of the group being connected to the second end of an adjacent first panel of the group.

Preferably, the second panels are each surrounded by three first panels.

The present yet further provides an inflatable ball comprising an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover consisting of twelve first panels and eight second panels of flexible material joined together along mutually adjacent panel edges of identical length to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, each first panel having a shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and each second panel having a shape which is a hexagon, wherein the first and second panels form a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover.

The present still further provides a configuration for forming the outer cover of an inflatable ball according to the present invention, the configuration comprising all of the first and second panels of the ball in a partly joined together configuration.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a configuration, which comprises all of the panels of the ball sewn together but with the sewing only partly completed so that the configuration is planar, for forming an outer body of an inflatable ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figures 2 to 5 are schematic perspective views, form different respective directions, of an inflatable ball in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a configuration 2 for forming an outer body of an inflatable ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration 2, comprises all of the panels of' the ball sewn together but with the sewing only partly completed so that the configuration is a partially assembled outer body and in a planar configuration.

The configuration 2 comprises a plurality of flexible panels 4, for example of leather, although other natural or synthetic flexible materials may be used, to be sewn together by sewing yarn (not shown) to form an outer cover of an inflatable ball. Some of the panels 4 of the configuration 2 have been joined together by sewn seams 5 along adjacent panel edges. For clarity of illustration, no sewn hems, or peripheral panel band portions to form such hems, or yarn, are shown extending along the edges of the panels 4 of the configuration 2. In the ultimate inflated ball, the sewn hems are concealed within the interior central cavity of the ball and are not visible.

The panels 4 comprise a plurality of first panels 6 and a plurality of second panels 8, all to be sewn together in an abutting relationship to form an outer cover of the inflatable ball.

Each first panel 6 consists of a single laminar sheet 10 having a plurality of linearly straight cut edges 12. The edges 12 have an identical length. The edges 12 are shaped and dimensioned so that the single laminar sheet 10 has the shape of a nine-sided polygon 14 comprised of a regular hexagon 16 abutting, along a common virtual side 18 shown by a dotted line in one first panel 6 of Figure 1, a regular pentagon 20. The regular hexagon 16 and the regular pentagon 20 have sides 22 of identical length. The virtual edge 18 does not exist p in the configuration 2, but rather is exists virtually where the shapes of the regular hexagon 16 and the regular pentagon 20 coincide.

Therefore the first panel 6 is free to flex in an unrestricted manner at the virtual side 18.

Each first panel 6 has reflective symmetry about a centre line 25 (see the dashed line X-X shown in one first panel 6 of Figure 1) that passes through the centre of each of the regular hexagon 16 and the regular pentagon 20. The centre line 25 also passes through an end corner 24 of the regular pentagon 20 and the centre of the opposite end hexagon edge 26.

Each second panel 8 consists of a single laminar sheet 28 having a plurality of linearly straight cut edges 30. The edges 30 have an identical length. The edges 30 are shaped and dimensioned so that the single laminar sheet 28 has the shape of a regular hexagon 32.

The edges 12 of the first panel 6 and the edges 30 of the second panel 8 are of identical length.

There are twelve first panels 6 and eight second panels 8 in the configuration 2.

Each end hexagon edge 26 is sewn along a sewn seam 34 (one is shown in the configuration 2 of Figure 1) to another end hexagon edge 26 of an adjacent first panel 6.

In the final ball each sewn seam 34 has disposed at each end thereof an end corner 24 of the regular pentagon 20 of another first panel 6, but in the configuration 2 this configuration is present at only some of the sewn seams 34. The end corner 24 is sewn to the adjacent two first panels 6 by the sewn seam 34. Accordingly, in the configuration 2 the first panels 6 are assembled together with the centre lines 25 of all of the first panels 6 extending in one of two orthogonal linear directions.

One edge 30 of each second panel 8 is sewn along a sewn seam 36 to an edge 12 along the hexagon 16 of an adjacent first panel 6. For ease of manufacture of the configuration 2, and subsequent manufacture of the entirely sewn ball, the second panels 8 are symmetrically arranged in the configuration 2. In particular, at each of the two locations where the sewn seam 34 has an end corner 24 of the regular pentagon 20 at each end therejf, four second panels S are respectively symmetrically arranged with respect to that sewn seam 34. More particularly, each such second panel 8 is sewn at an edge 38 thereof by a sewn seam 36 to an edge 40 of the regular hexagon 16 that is directly adjacent to the regular pentagon 20.

Such sewn seams 34 and 36 enable all twenty of the panels 4 to be sewn together to form a symmetric preliminary configuration 2 that can assume a flat configuration.

The configuration 2 is then further sewn into a spherical shape, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, by sewing together all of the remaining unsewn edges of the first panels 6 and second panels 8. This forms an outer cover 42 having a continuous outer surface 45 which, as known in the art, includes therein an inflatable bladder which is inserted into the spherical cavity of the outer cover 42 prior to final sewing up of the outer cover 42. The sewn inflated ball 44 is shown in Figures 2 to 5, and the exposed integral valve 46 of the bladder is shown in Figure 4.

In the outer cover 42, each hexagonal second panel 8 is circumferentially, and rotationally symmetrically, surrounded by three first panels 6. The three such first panels 8 are interconnected so that at one end 48 thereof a hexagonal edge 50 is attached to a pentagonal edge 52 of an end 54 of an adjacent one of the three such first panels 8 and at the other end thereof a pentagonal edge 52 is attached to a hexagonal edge 50 of the adjacent other one of the three such first panels 8. In this way the second panels 8 are each rotationally syrnmetncally surrounded by a respective triad of first panels 6.

As can be seen from Figures 2 to 5, the outer cover 42 thereby has a symmetrical panel distribution. The first and second panels 6, 8 form a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels 6 are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover 42 and the second panels S are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover 42, and also the first and second panels 6, 8 together have a symmetrical interrelationship.

Each second panel 8 is separated from the other second panels 8 nearest thereto by a respective first panel 6. Each second panel 8 is circumferentially surrounded by an identical annular group of plural first panels 6. Each second panel 8 is sewn to each &ljacent first panel 6 along two of its edges 30, each edge 30 being sewn to a respective edge 12 of the first panel 6.

Not only does this structural assembly of the panels 4 of the outer cover provide an aesthetically pleasing design, but also it provides a high degree of symmetry which can increase the degree to which the ball attains a geometric spherical outer shape. This can improve the aerodynamic properties of the ball. The sewn edges have an identical length, and only two types of panel are provided, which simplifies manufacturing. The cumulative seam length is reduced, which also simplifies manufacturing and can improve the spherical outer shape.

Although the illustrated embodiment relates to a football, the present invention may be employed to make other inflatable balls. Other modifications of the present invention within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and are encompassed within the present invention.

Claims

1. An inflatable ball comprising an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of panels of flexible material, each panel having a plurality of edges, and the mutually adjacent edges being joined together to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of first panels of identical first shape and a plurality of second panels of identical second shape, the first and second panels forming a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover, and each second panel is circumferentially surrounded by a group of first panels, each of which first panels of the group is joined to the respective circumferentially surrounded second panel along a plurality of the mutually adjacent edges therebetween.

2. An inflatable ball according to claim 1 wherein each edge is linearly straight

3. An inflatable ball according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each second panel is separated from the other second panels nearest thereto by a respective first panel.

4. An inflatable ball according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the second panels are each rotationally symmetrically surrounded by a respective group of first panels.

5. An inflatable ball according to any foregoing claim wherein each first panel of the group has a first end and a second end of mutually different shape, the first end of each first panel of the group being connected to the second end of an adjacent first panel of the group.

6. An inflatable ball according to any foregoing claim wherein the second panels are each surrounded by three first panels.

7. An inflatable ball according to any foregoing claim wherein the outer cover consists of the plurality of first and second panels.

8. An inflatable ball according to any foregoing claim wherein the outer cover consists of twelve first panels and eight second panels.

9. An inflatable ball according to any foregoing claim wherein each first panel has a shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and each second panel has a shape which is a hexagon.

10. An inflatable ball comprising an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of panels of flexible material joined together along mutually adjacent linearly straight panel edges of identical length to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, the outer cover comprising a plurality of first panels of identical first shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and a plurality of second panels of identical second shape which is a hexagon, and each second panel is circumferentially surrounded by a group of the first panels.

11. An inflatable ball according to claim 10 wherein the first and second panels form a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover.

12. An inflatable ball according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein each second panel is separated from the other second panels nearest thereto by a respective first panel.

13. An inflatable ball according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the second panels are each rotationally symmetrically surrounded by a respective group of first panels.

14. An inflatable ball according to any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein each first panel of the group has a first end of the pentagon and a second end of the hexagon, the first end of each first panel of the group being connected to the second end of an adjacent first panel of the group.

15. An inflatable ball according to any one of claims 10 to 14 wherein the second panels are each surrounded by three first panels.

16. An inflatable ball according to any one of claims 10 to 15 wherein the outer cover consists of the plurality of first and second panels.

17. An inflatable ball according to any one of claims 10 to 16 wherein the outer cover consists of twelve first panels and eight second panels.

18. An inflatable ball compnsing an outer cover surrounding an inflatable bladder within a central cavity surrounded by the outer cover, the outer cover consisting of twelve first panels and eight second panels of flexible material joined together along mutually adjacent panel edges of identical length to form a continuous outer surface of the outer cover, each first panel having a shape which is a nine-sided polygon comprised of a regular hexagon abutting a regular pentagon and each second panel having a shape which is a hexagon, wherein the first and second panels form a symmetrical panel distribution in which the first panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover and the second panels are mutually symmetrically located around the outer cover.

19. An inflatable ball substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A configuration for forming the outer cover of an inflatable ball according to any foregoing claim, the configuration comprising all of the first and second panels of the ball in a partly joined together configuration.