Sports ball and method of manufacturing

Abstract

The present development is directed to sports balls or game balls and to methods for producing the same. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to inflatable sports balls or game balls, such as basketballs, having a unique rib or seam configuration.

1 . A spherical inflatable sports ball comprising:
 a cover defining a circumference and a seam configuration including at least two adjacent non-crossing seams extending between two opposite ends of the ball across at least a portion of the cover;   wherein each seam extends a distance across the cover that is at least 50% of one-half of the circumference;   wherein each non-crossing seam includes a first seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a first center point on a first side of the seam, a second seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a second center point on a second side of the seam, and a third seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a third center point on the first side of the seam, the second side of the seam being opposite the first side;   and wherein the adjacent seams do not have adjacent first sides.   
   
   
       2 . The sports ball of  claim 1 , wherein each seam extends a distance across the cover that is at least 70% of one-half of the circumference. 
   
   
       3 . The sports ball of  claim 1 , wherein the second seam segment is disposed between the first and the third seam segments. 
   
   
       4 . The sports ball of  claim 1 , wherein the seam configuration contains 6 to 12 seams. 
   
   
       5 . A spherical sports ball comprising:
 an inflatable carcass; and   a cover disposed on the carcass, the cover defining a seam configuration including (i) a first seam surrounding a first end region disposed at a first location on the ball, (ii) a second seam surrounding a second end region disposed at a second location on the ball, opposite from the first location, and (iii) a plurality of seams extending between the first seam and the second seam;   wherein at least one seam of the plurality of seams consists of a first seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a first point on a first side of the seam, a second seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a second point on a second side of the seam, and a third seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a third center point on the first side of the seam, the second side of the seam being opposite the first side.   
   
   
       6 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein the first end region and the second end region are the same size. 
   
   
       7 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein the first end region and the second end region are the same shape. 
   
   
       8 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second end regions are polygonal. 
   
   
       9 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein each seam of the plurality of seams extends a distance across the cover that is at least 50% of one-half of the circumference of the ball. 
   
   
       10 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein each of the seams of the plurality of seams extends in a non-crossing fashion with respect to the other seams of the plurality of seams. 
   
   
       11 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein the second seam segment is disposed between the first and the third seam segments. 
   
   
       12 . The sports ball of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of seams contains 6 to 12 seams. 
   
   
       13 . A spherical inflatable sports ball comprising:
 a cover, the cover having a circumference and including (i) a first seam surrounding a first end region on the ball, (ii) a second seam surrounding a second end region on the ball, opposite from the first end region, and (iii) a plurality of third seams extending between the first seam and the second seam, each third seam extending a distance across the cover that is at least 50% of one-half of the circumference,   wherein at least one seam of the plurality of third seams consists of a first seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a first point on a first side of the seam, a second seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a second point on a second side of the seam, and a third seam segment exhibiting a curvature about a third center point on the first side of the seam, the second side of the seam being opposite the first side.   
   
   
       14 . The sports ball of  claim 13 , wherein each third seam extends a distance across the cover that is at least 80% of one-half of the circumference. 
   
   
       15 . The sports ball of  claim 13 , wherein each third seam extends in a non-crossing fashion with respect to the other third seams of the plurality of seams. 
   
   
       16 . The sports ball of  claim 13 , wherein the second seam segment is disposed between the first and the third seam segments. 
   
   
       17 . The sports ball of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of seams contains 6 to 12 seams. 
   
   
       18 . The sports ball of  claim 13 , wherein the first end region and the second end region are the same size. 
   
   
       19 . The sports ball of  claim 13 , wherein the first end region and the second end region are the same shape. 
   
   
       20 . A spherical inflatable sports ball comprising:
 a cover defining a seam configuration that includes a plurality of non-crossing seams, the plurality of seams including at least one seam having a first end point, a second end point, and two inflection points, each inflection point separating portions of the seam having opposite curvatures, wherein the first end point, second endpoint, and the two inflection points are located substantially along a line.   
   
   
       21 . The sports ball of  claim 20 , wherein the first inflection point separates a first seam segment having a concave curvature from a second seam segment having a convex curvature. 
   
   
       22 . The sports ball of  claim 20 , wherein the second inflection point separates the second seam segment from a third seam segment having a concave curvature.