Round Ball, Such as a Soccer Ball, Having a Pattern of Fins to Resist Rolling

Abstract

A ball, such as a soccer ball, comprises a sphere having a surface, a plurality of smooth portions on the surface of the sphere, and a plurality of flexible fin-like projections protruding from the surface. The fin-like projections may have a height of about 7-10 mm in the may be made from flexible and crushable rubbery material with a Shore A durometer reading of about 50-60. One effect is that the ball tends to fly a shorter distance and to stop rolling more quickly than the same ball without the fin-like projections.

1 . A ball comprising:
 a sphere having a surface;   a plurality of smooth portions on the surface of the sphere; and   a plurality of flexible fin-like projections protruding from the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the material used to make the plurality of fin-like projections has a coefficient of friction higher than that of the smooth portions of the surface of the sphere. 
     
     
         3 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of fin-like projections has thickness between 0.2 mm and 4.0 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of fin-like projections has a thickness of about 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the fin-like projections separate the smooth portions from one another. 
     
     
         6 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the fin-like projections have outer edges such that a straight line drawn between the outer edges of any two fin-like projections that surround a smooth portion on the surface of the sphere will not touch the smooth surface except when that line is tangent to the smooth surface. 
     
     
         7 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein a fin-like projection is connected to at least four other fin-like projections to form a pattern of shapes about the surface of the sphere. 
     
     
         8 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the fin-like projections have heights that range from 2.0 mm to 20.0 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the ball is a soccer ball and the fin-like projections have a height of about 7-10 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the ball is a size four or size five soccer ball and the fin-like projections have a height of about 8-10 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein a ball is a size three soccer ball and the fin-like projections have a height of about 7-9 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The ball according to  claim 1  wherein the fin-like projections are made flexible and crushable rubbery material with a Shore A durometer reading of about 50-60. 
     
     
         13 . A soccer ball comprising:
 a sphere having a surface;   a plurality of smooth portions on the surface of the sphere and the separating the smooth portions from one another;   a plurality of flexible fin-like projections protruding from the surface;   the fin-like projections having a height of about 7-10 mm;   the plurality of fin-like projections having a coefficient of friction higher than that of the smooth portions of the surface of the sphere; and   the fin-like projections being made of flexible and crushable rubbery material with a Shore A durometer reading of about 50-60.   
     
     
         14 . The soccer ball according to  claim 13  wherein each of the plurality of fin-like projections has a thickness of about 0.8 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The soccer ball according to  claim 13  wherein the fin-like projections have outer edges such that a straight line drawn between the outer edges of any two fin-like projections that surround a smooth portion on the surface of the sphere will not touch the smooth surface except when that line is tangent to the smooth surface. 
     
     
         16 . The soccer ball according to  claim 13  wherein the ball is a size four or size five soccer ball and the fin-like projections have a height of about 8-10 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The soccer ball according to  claim 13  wherein a ball is a size three soccer ball and the fin-like projections have a height of about 7-9 mm.