Game ball lacing

Abstract

A game ball including a casing and a lacing. The casing has a laced region. The lacing is coupled to the laced region of the casing. The lacing has an exposed surface comprised of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile. The outer material has a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm 2 and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm 2 . At least a portion of the lacing can have an exposed pebbled surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A game ball comprising: 
 a casing having a laced region; and    a lacing coupled to the laced region of the casing, the lacing having an exposed surface comprised of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile, the outer material having a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm 2  and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm 2 .    
     
     
         2 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the lacing further comprises an inner substrate coupled to an outer layer.  
     
     
         3 . The game ball of  claim 2 , wherein the outer layer is attached to the inner substrate using a means selected from the group consisting of adhesive bonding, stitching, stapling, mechanical bonding, heat bonding and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The game ball of  claim 2 , wherein the inner substrate is formed from one or more inner materials selected from the group consisting of a woven cloth, a non-woven cloth, a urethane impregnated cloth, at least one nylon strand, at least one polyester strand, braided fibers, plastic, latex, vinyl, a rope, a wire, a leather strip and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The game ball of  claim 2  wherein the inner substrate includes at least one strand of a high tensile strength material and a plastic generally surrounding to the strand.  
     
     
         6 . The game ball of  claim 5  wherein the at least one strand is formed of a strand material selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a nylon, a metal and a polymer.  
     
     
         7 . The game ball of  claim 1  wherein the outer material has a modulus of elasticity of between 30 and 110 kg/cm 2  and a tensile strength between 450 and 600 kg/cm 2 .  
     
     
         8 . The game ball of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the exposed surface includes a pebbled texture.  
     
     
         9 . The game ball of  claim 1  wherein the outer material is selected from the group consisting of a wet process polyurethane, a dry process polyurethane, a polyvinylchloride foam, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The game ball of  claim 1  wherein the casing has a generally prolate spheroidal shape having a major longitudinal dimension and a minor transverse dimension, wherein the casing has a central portion disposed between first and second end portions, wherein the laced region is disposed on the central portion, and wherein the lacing includes at least one longitudinally extending segment and a plurality of transversely extending segments.  
     
     
         11 . The game ball of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of transversely extending segments comprises eight transversely extending segments.  
     
     
         12 . The game ball of  claim 2 , wherein the inner substrate has a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the outer layer is attached only to the top side.  
     
     
         13 . The game ball of  claim 2 , wherein the inner substrate has a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the outer layer is attached only to the top side and the bottom side.  
     
     
         14 . The game ball of  claim 2 , wherein the outer layer substantially surrounds the inner substrate.  
     
     
         15 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the casing is substantially and primarily formed in a first color and the exposed surface of the lacing is formed in a second color, and wherein the first and second colors are substantially the same color.  
     
     
         16 . The game ball of  claim 1  wherein the casing is substantially and primarily formed in a first color and the exposed surface of the lacing is formed in a second color, and wherein the first and second colors are different colors.  
     
     
         17 . A game ball comprising: 
 a casing having a laced region; and    a lacing coupled to the laced region of the casing, the lacing having an exposed surface, at least a portion of the exposed surface of the lacing having a pebbled texture.    
     
     
         18 . The game ball of  claim 17 , wherein the entire exposed surface of the lacing includes the pebbled texture.  
     
     
         19 . The game ball of  claim 17 , wherein the lacing further comprises an inner substrate and an outer layer, wherein the outer layer includes the exposed surface, and wherein the inner substrate is formed from one or more materials selected from the group consisting of a woven cloth, a non-woven cloth, a urethane impregnated cloth, at least one nylon strand, at least one polyester strand, a metal wire, a plastic, a vinyl, a polymer, a latex, a rope, a leather strip and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The game ball of  claim 17  wherein the inner substrate includes at least one strand of a high tensile strength material, and a plastic attached to and generally surrounding the strand.  
     
     
         21 . The game ball of  claim 19  wherein the outer layer is made of an outer material selected from the group consisting of a wet process polyurethane, a dry process polyurethane, a polyvinylchloride foam, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The game ball of  claim 17  wherein the casing has a generally prolate spheroidal shape having a major longitudinal dimension and a minor transverse dimension, wherein the casing has a central portion disposed between first and second end portions, wherein the laced region is disposed on the central portion, and wherein the lacing includes at least one longitudinally extending segment and a plurality of transversely extending segments.  
     
     
         23 . The game ball of  claim 17  wherein the casing is substantially and primarily formed in a first color and the exposed surface of the lacing is formed in a second color, and wherein the first and second colors are substantially the same color.  
     
     
         24 . The game ball of  claim 17  wherein the casing is substantially and primarily formed in a first color and the exposed surface of the lacing is formed in a second color, and wherein the first and second colors are different colors.  
     
     
         25 . The game ball of  claim 17  wherein the casing includes a plurality of lace holes and wherein the lacing is threaded to the casing through the lace holes.  
     
     
         26 . The game ball of  claim 17  wherein the lacing is integrally formed to the casing.  
     
     
         27 . A game ball comprising: 
 a casing having a laced region; and    a lacing coupled to and generally surrounding the laced region of the casing, the lacing including an inner substrate attached to an outer layer, the outer layer of the lacing having an exposed surface made of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile.    
     
     
         28 . The game ball of  claim 27 , wherein at least a portion of the exposed surface includes a pebbled texture.  
     
     
         29 . A lacing for a sporting goods product, the lacing comprising: 
 an inner substrate of high tensile strength material; and    an outer layer coupled to the inner substrate, the outer layer being made of a material that is soft, compressible, resilient, and tactile, the material of the outer layer having a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm 2  and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm 2 .    
     
     
         30 . The lacing of  claim 29 , wherein the sporting goods product is selected from the group consisting of an American football, a volleyball, a soccer ball, a basketball, a rugby ball, and a baseball mitt.  
     
     
         31 . The lacing of  claim 29 , wherein the outer layer is coupled to the inner substrate using a means selected from the group consisting of adhesive bonding, stitching, stapling, mechanical bonding, heat bonding and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The lacing of  claim 29 , wherein the inner substrate is formed from at least one material selected from the group consisting of a woven cloth, a non-woven cloth, a urethane impregnated cloth, at least one nylon strand, at least one polyester strand, a plastic, a metal wire, a polymer, a latex, a rope, a leather strip and a combination thereof  
     
     
         33 . The lacing of  claim 29  wherein the inner substrate includes at least one strand of a high tensile strength material and a plastic attached to the strand.  
     
     
         34 . The lacing of  claim 29  wherein the material of the outer layer has a modulus of elasticity of between 30 and 110 kg/cm 2  and a tensile strength between 450 and 600 kg/cm 2 .  
     
     
         35 . The lacing of  claim 29  wherein the outer layer has an exposed surface, and wherein at least a portion of the exposed surface is pebbled.  
     
     
         36 . The lacing of  claim 29  wherein the material of the outer layer is selected from the group consisting of a wet process polyurethane, a dry process polyurethane, a polyvinylchloride foam, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         37 . The lacing of  claim 29 , wherein the inner substrate has a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the outer layer is attached only to the top side.  
     
     
         38 . The lacing of  claim 29 , wherein the inner substrate has a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the outer layer is attached only to the top side and the bottom side.  
     
     
         39 . The lacing of  claim 29 , wherein the outer layer substantially surrounds the inner substrate.