American-style football

Abstract

An American style football includes a prolate spheroidal shaped outer surface having a first nose and a second nose opposite the first nose, the first nose and the second nose located along a longitudinal axis of the football. The football has a weight of at least 390 g and no greater than 410 g, a longitudinal circumference of at least 660 mm and no greater than 673 mm, a short circumference of at least 486 mm and no greater than 495 mm and a length of at least 267 mm and no greater than 279 mm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An American style football comprising:
 a prolate spheroidal shaped outer surface having a first nose and a second nose opposite the first nose, the first nose and the second nose located along a longitudinal axis of the American style football,   wherein football has a weight of at least 390 g and no greater than 410 g, a longitudinal circumference of at least 660 mm and no greater than 673 mm, a short circumference of at least 486 mm and no greater than 495 mm and a length of at least 267 mm and no greater than 279 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The American style football of  claim 1 , wherein the football has a longitudinal moment of inertia of at least 70 oz-in 2 . 
     
     
         3 . The American style football of  claim 1 , wherein the football has a longitudinal moment of inertia of at least 80 oz-in 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The American style football of  claim 1 , wherein the football has a moment of inertia ratio of at least 0.58. 
     
     
         5 . The American style football of any of  claims 1  further comprising at least one weight extending along the outer surface at a location centered between the first nose and the second nose at each of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The American style football of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one weight comprises individual weights at each of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The American style football  claim 6 , wherein the individual weights comprise weighted patches. 
     
     
         8 . The American style football of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one weight comprises at least one weighted band encircling the longitudinal axis proximate the outer surface and centered between the first nose and the second nose. 
     
     
         9 . The American style football of  claim 8 , wherein the football has a transverse axis centered between the first nose and the second nose, the transverse axis spaced from the first nose by a first distance and wherein the at least one weighted band has an edge closest to the first nose and spaced from the first nose by second distance that is at least two thirds the first distance. 
     
     
         10 . The American style football of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one weight comprises a sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The American style football of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface comprises:
 a lacing surface on an upper half of the body featuring a row of parallel projections, the row extending parallel to the longitudinal axis;   a first stripe extending greater than 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis, the first stripe comprising:
 a first portion aligned with the row and between a first end of the row and the first nose; and 
 a second portion on a lower half of the body, the second portion being longitudinally closer to the second nose than the first portion; and 
   a second stripe extending greater than 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis, the second stripe comprising:
 a third portion aligned with the row and between a second end of the row and the second nose; and 
 a fourth portion on the lower half of the body, the fourth portion being longitudinally closer to the first nose than the third portion. 
   
     
     
         12 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first stripe bows about the first end of the row and wherein the second stripe bows about the second end of the row. 
     
     
         13 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first stripe and the second stripe each have a non-uniform width along their lengths. 
     
     
         14 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first stripe and the second stripe each extend 360 degrees about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion has a first width along the longitudinal axis and wherein the second portion has a second width, greater than the first width, along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the second portion has an outer edge bowing outwardly towards the first nose. 
     
     
         17 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first stripe has a first tackiness and wherein portions of the outer surface adjacent the first stripe have a second tackiness less than the first tackiness. 
     
     
         18 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first stripe has a first height and wherein portions of the outer surface adjacent the first stripe have a second height different than the first height. 
     
     
         19 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion has a longitudinal width of at least 30 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The American style football of  claim 11 , the second portion has a longitudinal width of at least 40 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The American style football of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion is longitudinally spaced from the first end of the row by at least 20 mm.