Balls for use in baseball and softball

Abstract

Balls are provided for use in baseball or softball, including, for example, a solid sphere, an outer shell of a foamed material, covering the solid sphere, and a material covering the outer surface of the shell. Methods for making a ball and a ball core are also described.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A ball for use in baseball or softball comprising: 
 (a) an inner sphere,    (b) an outer shell of a foamed material, covering the inner sphere, and    (c) a material covering the outer surface of the shell.    
     
     
         2 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein the inner sphere is solid.  
     
     
         3 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein said sphere comprises a mixture of a polymer and pieces of cork.  
     
     
         4 . The ball of  claim 3  wherein the polymer comprises rubber.  
     
     
         5 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein the outer shell comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, EVA, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein the material covering the outer surface of the shell comprises two panels of material that are stitched together.  
     
     
         7 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein the material covering the outer surface of the shell is selected from the group consisting of genuine leather, fabric, rubber, PVC, PU, and TPU.  
     
     
         8 . The ball of  claim 7  wherein the two panels comprise sheets of fabric material with an EVA foam backing.  
     
     
         9 . The ball of  claim 8  wherein the two panels are bonded by an extra knitted fabric along the edges and stitched together to provide a high seam effect.  
     
     
         10 . The ball of  claim 1  wherein said material covering the outer surface of the shell comprises a layer of rubber molded and vulcanized over the surface.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making a ball for use in softball or baseball, comprising the steps of: 
 a) blending a core polymer with pieces of cork to form a blended mixture;    b) molding and heating the blended mixture to form a sphere;    c) injecting a foamable polymer into a mold under conditions so that the polymer will form a foam shell; and    d) applying the foam shell to the sphere.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the sphere is solid.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising (e) molding and heating the sphere and the shell to form a core suitable for use in a ball.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the applying step includes applying an adhesive to a surface of the solid sphere.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the core polymer comprises rubber.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the molding step further comprises vulcanizing the rubber.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the injecting step includes forming two hemispherical shell portions.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising wrapping said core with a cover.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wrapping step comprises wrapping said ball material with two panels of fabric material with EVA foam backing.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising bonding the panels by an extra knitted fabric along the edges and stitching together to provide a high seam effect.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wrapping step comprises wrapping said ball material with a rubber layer.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising vulcanizing said rubber layer.