Inflatable device

Abstract

An inflatable device, such as a sport ball, includes a tubular elastomeric member inserted into and attached to a rubber carcass and having a valve slit at a bottom wall thereof. A tubular rigid stem is inserted into a receiving hole in the elastomeric member and is spaced apart from the valve slit so as not to deform the valve slit. The rigid stem confines a passage communicating with the valve slit to admit ambient air into the carcass via the passage and the valve slit.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An inflatable device comprising: 
 a carcass having an inner layer surface, an outer layer surface opposite to said inner layer surface, and an inner peripheral wall surface extending from said inner layer surface along an axis through said outer layer surface and confining an inlet hole;    a tubular elastomeric member of a single piece construction, inserted into said carcass via said inlet hole, and including a bottom wall having a periphery and a valve slit which extends therethrough in an axial direction parallel to the axis, and a tubular wall extending from said periphery of said bottom wall toward said inner peripheral wall surface and surrounding the axis to form a first inner surrounding wall surface which confines a receiving hole that communicates with said valve slit, said tubular wall terminating at an upper surrounding end which is disposed to be secured relative to said inner peripheral wall surface; and    a tubular rigid stem made from a material more rigid than that of said elastomeric member, and inserted into said receiving hole in the axial direction from said upper surrounding end, said rigid stem having a first outer surrounding wall surface which is dimensioned to abut against said first inner surrounding wall surface, and which has upper and lower ends that are disposed opposite to each other in the axial direction and distal and proximate to said bottom wall respectively, said lower end being spaced apart from said slit in the axial direction, said tubular stem further having a second inner surrounding wall surface opposite to said first outer surrounding wall surface in radial directions relative to the axis and surrounding the axis, said second inner surrounding wall surface confining a passage which communicates with said valve slit and said inlet hole so as to admit air into said carcass via said passage.    
     
     
         2 . The inflatable device of  claim 1 , wherein said elastomeric member further includes an annular flange extending outwardly and in the radial directions from said upper surrounding end and secured to said inner layer surface adjacent to said inner peripheral wall surface.  
     
     
         3 . The inflatable device of  claim 2 , further comprising an annular abutting wall which is integrally formed with and which extends outwardly and in the radial directions from said upper end of said first outer surrounding wall surface of said rigid stem so as to be superimposed on said annular flange.  
     
     
         4 . The inflatable device of  claim 3 , wherein said annular abutting wall is attached securely on said inner peripheral wall surface and is flush with said outer layer surface.  
     
     
         5 . The inflatable device of  claim 4 , further comprising a rigid tubular holding member disposed in said carcass to hold and secure said elastomeric member and said tubular rigid stem to said inner layer surface.  
     
     
         6 . The inflatable device of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump mechanism including 
 a cylinder having a second outer surrounding wall surface which has an upper end portion that is secured sealingly on said inner peripheral wall surface, and a third inner surrounding wall surface which surrounds the axis and which has a lower end portion that is opposite to said upper end portion in the axial direction, said annular flange being disposed sealingly on said lower end portion to cooperate with said third inner surrounding wall surface to confine an accommodation space, and    a piston member disposed in said accommodation space and operable to move along the axis to pump ambient air which is drawn into said cylinder, through said valve slit and into said carcass.