Game ball cover with improved stripes and/or logos

Abstract

An inflatable game ball including a carcass, a cover and at least one thin member. The cover has inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface of the cover is coupled to the carcass. At least one recess is formed into the outer surface of the cover. At least one thin member is coupled to the cover at the at least one recess. The member substantially fills the recess. The member has inner and outer portions. The outer portion is formed of a highly gripable material.

1 . A game ball configured for direct contact with a user's hands, the game ball comprising: 
 a cover having an outer surface formed of a first material; and    at least one sheet-like member fixedly coupled to the cover, the at least one member having an outer surface formed of a second material, the second material having a static coefficient of friction that is greater than the static coefficient of friction of the first material when measured in accordance with the standard test method for static coefficient of friction of ASTM D1894-01.    
   
   
       2 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the frictional interaction between the outer surface of the at least one member and the hands of the user is greater than the frictional interaction between the outer surface of the cover and the hands of the user.  
   
   
       3 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material used to form the outer surface of the at least one member is equal to or greater than 0.50 and the first material used to form the outer surface of the cover has a static coefficient of friction that is less than 0.50.  
   
   
       4 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material used to form the outer surface of the at least one member is greater than or equal to 1.0.  
   
   
       5 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material used to form the outer surface of the at least one member is greater than or equal to 2.0.  
   
   
       6 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material used to form the outer surface of the at least one member is greater than or equal to 3.0.  
   
   
       7 . The game ball of  claim 3 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material used to form the outer surface of the at least one member is greater than or equal to 1.0.  
   
   
       8 . The game ball of  claim 7 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material is greater than or equal to 2.0.  
   
   
       9 . The game ball of  claim 7 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material is greater than or equal to 3.0.  
   
   
       10 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material used to form the outer surface of the at least one member is equal to or greater than 1.0 and the first material used to form the outer surface of the cover has a static coefficient of friction that is less than 1.0.  
   
   
       11 . The game ball of  claim 10 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material is greater than or equal to 2.0.  
   
   
       12 . The game ball of  claim 10 , wherein the static coefficient of friction of the second material is greater than or equal to 3.0.  
   
   
       13 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sheet-like member is at least first and second stripes  
   
   
       14 . The game ball of  claim 13 , wherein the at least first and second stripes include first, second, third and fourth stripes, and wherein the cover includes first, second, third and fourth cover panels, and wherein two of the first, second, third and fourth stripes are connected to the first cover panel, and wherein the remaining of the first, second, third and fourth stripes are connected to the second cover panel.  
   
   
       15 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the second material of the outer portion of the at least one member is selected from a group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyvinylchloride, a rubber, a leather, a synthetic leather, an elastomer and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the at least one member includes an exposed surface having a pebbled texture.  
   
   
       17 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the member has a thickness between the range of 0.2 to 2.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       18 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the member has a thickness between the range of 0.5 to 1.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       19 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one member is coupled to the cover in a method selected from the group consisting of adhesively bonded, thermally bonded, chemically bonded, stitched, sewn, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a plurality of cover panels.  
   
   
       21 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the game ball is selected from the group consisting of a football, a basketball, a volleyball, a soccer ball and a rugby ball.  
   
   
       22 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one member has an inner portion, and wherein the inner portion includes a backing layer.  
   
   
       23 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sheet-like member is shaped in the form of a logo, a trademark, alpha-numeric indicia, a symbol, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       24 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is formed of a plurality of cover panels, and wherein the member is coupled between two cover panels such that the member forms a portion of the cover of the game ball.