CN110049804B - Ball with increased flexibility - Google Patents

Abstract

An article for use in athletic activities, such as a soccer ball or handball, is provided with a perforated inner panel disposed between an inner inflatable bladder and an outer cover which is sewn together from a plurality of individual panels. The sewing process creates a raised portion around the interior side of the outer cover. The raised portions define a recess in which a perforated inner plate is disposed. The recess-filling plate covers the ridges, which are hard and whose hardness is counteracted by the preferably perforated plates. This provides a smooth surface against which the inflatable bladder rests. Additional bending is provided by perforating one or more layers in the outer cover. With particular reference to handball manufacturing, the inner panel comprises two layers, the outer of which comprises a recess for receiving a vibration-damping gel-type material.

Description

Ball with increased flexibility

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application contains subject matter related to the subject matter of the following applications all having common ownership. This application claims priority from the applications listed below. The following listed applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety:

united states patent application No. 15/379,382 filed on 2016, 12, 14.

Us patent application No. 15/421,136 filed on 31/1/2017.

Technical Field

The invention described herein relates generally to balls for sporting activities. More particularly, the present invention relates to balls used for kicking soccer and playing handball. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to soccer balls and handball balls that have greater flexibility, lower stiffness, and are safer to use. The present application differs from the previously filed parent application in several respects, but most notably, the presently claimed invention employs a plurality of internal plates having holes and/or recesses therein to accommodate the gel material. It should be particularly noted that references herein to handball do not refer to small hard balls used in games such as the american handball based on indoor courts. Handball as referred to herein is known as team handball or Olympic handball, which is a team sport in which two teams of seven players (six outfield players and one goalkeeper) each pass the ball by hand with the aim of throwing the ball into the goal of the other team.

Background

Soccer and handball are particularly popular sports that are receiving worldwide attention. Soccer contains certain rules and regulations that may lead to injuries. In particular, using the head as a means for interacting with a running soccer ball can create head and neck injuries. In particular, it is well known that a condition of concussive injury has occurred as a result of kicking a soccer ball. While the soccer game allows for the use of other body parts to hit a ball, the use of the head as a means for hitting a ball has led to the request and warning of many people to prevent players under the age of 10 from "hitting the head". Thus, it can be seen that many people who participate in the competition and management of the sport themselves recognize that there are certain dangers.

Hand ball games are also fraught with the possibility of injury. This is a hard and fast game. Especially goalkeepers, are subject to being struck by a ball. It is therefore desirable to have a handball that is softer like a soccer ball and less likely to cause pain or injury upon impact.

It can thus be seen that it would be desirable and advantageous to have soccer balls and handball balls which can make greater bends during play and which produce less impact during play. However, persons participating in these sports do not wish to significantly deviate from the "feel" provided by current soccer or handball designs. In particular, telemechanical as hobbyists or professionals have certain expectations regarding the weight, feel, texture and even angular momentum associated with currently commercially available balls. The international football consortium (FIFA) has in fact established standards for the manufacture and construction of soccer balls. The rules of handball are governed by the international union of handball.

It is important to emphasize the fact that: the manufacture of soccer balls, handballs and similar sporting goods employs stitching together panels of various shapes. Such stitching may be done by hand or by machine; the same difficulties arise in either case. By selecting the shape of the individual panels and their placement relative to each other, virtually any desired shape of sporting good can be manufactured. With particular reference to the manufacture of soccer balls and handballs, it should be noted that the shapes of the various panels used are hexagons and pentagons. These shapes are stitched together in the familiar black and white truncated icosahedron pattern. In this method of manufacture, the panel edges are folded down at substantially right angles to the panel itself. These folded down portions are then abutted and sewn together. It is important to a proper understanding of the advantages of the present invention that it be realized that this manufacturing process results in the formation of a network of hard structures across the entire surface of the soccer ball along the seams of the soccer ball. These stiff structures are formed by panel edges that are sewn together and folded down. Thus, the soccer player constantly impacts the hard portion of the soccer ball during normal play. This is particularly relevant where contact with the hard part of a football or handball occurs when the ball is struck by the player's head.

Although the present invention is described with reference to standard soccer and handball, it should be noted that its practice is not so limited. The present invention may also be used to train the construction and utilization of soccer, competition soccer, professional competition soccer, beach soccer, street soccer, indoor soccer, grass land, indoor five person soccer, and mini/skill soccer.

There is therefore a need in these sports to provide a safer, commercially acceptable ball that is not too costly to produce and that can provide the same level of feel and comfort that is currently available. Thus, from the foregoing, it can be seen that there is a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described herein and above.

Disclosure of Invention

In a preferred embodiment for soccer, an article for athletic activities is provided that includes a plurality of exterior panels sewn together to form an enclosed volume. The outer panel has a raised edge around the panel on the interior of the sporting object. As mentioned above, these (hard) edges are created by a sewing process. Thus, each plate has a recessed region associated with it that is substantially coextensive with the plate. An inflatable bladder is also provided, the inflatable bladder occupying a closed volume. Most relevant to the present invention is the provision of an interior panel that fits into these recesses and also includes a portion that extends over the stitched edge to provide a degree of cushioning not present in currently available soccer balls.

In the preferred embodiment for a handball as specifically described in this application, the plurality of interior panels comprise perforations filled with a gel material. As with the previously described embodiments for soccer balls, the preferred embodiment of the handball related invention comprises an inner panel having a portion extending over a stitched edge to provide a degree of cushioning in addition to gel filled perforations in the inner panel that is not present in currently available balls.

Furthermore, in certain embodiments of the invention relating to a soccer ball, it is desirable that the panels filling the recesses further comprise a plurality of perforations. These perforations provide greater flexibility in the surface of the ball. The perforations may be provided with or without a plate portion shaped to cover the raised seam. Likewise, the inner panel of the present invention designed to cover raised stitching may not necessarily include an array of perforations. Perforations may also be provided in the inner layer of the outer surface of the ball. The two layers with perforations work in conjunction with each other to provide greater flexibility and softer impact with the ball. The result is a smooth surface against which the internally inflated balloon pushes. It can thus be seen that these perforated inner panels provide greater flexibility to the article and correspondingly greater safety for the user/player.

According to a first embodiment of the invention for playing soccer, an article for sporting activities comprises: a plurality of outer panels sewn together at their edges, the outer panels configured to form an enclosed volume and to form a raised inner edge at the edges of the panels by sewing. Thus, each plate has an inwardly facing recessed region associated therewith, which is substantially coextensive with the plate and defined by a raised edge. Of course, there are inflatable bladders that occupy the interior of the enclosed volume. According to the present invention, there is also provided a plurality of inner panels disposed between the bladder and the outer panels. The inner plate occupies the recess and has a wider portion that covers the inner raised edge. In this way, the stiff network of inner edge material is provided with an overlying cushioning structure, whereby the perforated inner panel provides greater flexibility.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the plurality of inner plates are provided with a generally patterned array of perforations, which provides a greater curvature of the surface of the article. These perforations themselves provide a more flexible sporting good, whether or not they are employed in conjunction with an inner panel portion that partially at least partially covers the raised edges. These raised edges appear hard and can be made softer by widening a portion of the perforated plate.

According to an embodiment of the invention intended for use as a soccer ball, an article for sporting activities comprises a plurality of outer panels sewn together at their edges, and the outer panels are configured to form an enclosed volume of any desired shape and to form raised inner edges at the edges of the panels by sewing. In this way, each plate has a recessed region associated therewith, which is defined by an inner edge that is substantially coextensive with and convex to the plate. An inflatable bladder occupying the enclosed volume is also provided. Finally, a plurality of inner panels are disposed between the airbag and the outer panel; these interior plates occupy the recesses and have recesses or perforations therein to accommodate shock absorbing material (such as gel material).

In another embodiment, an article for athletic activities is disclosed that includes a plurality of exterior panels sewn together at their edges, the exterior panels configured to form an enclosed volume and to form a raised interior edge at the edges of the panels by sewing, such that each panel has a recessed area associated therewith that is substantially coextensive with the panel and defined by the raised interior edge. The article further comprises an inflatable bladder occupying the enclosed volume. The article also includes a plurality of first interior panels disposed between the bladder and the exterior panel, the plurality of first interior panels occupying the recess and having a recess therein, the recesses in the plurality of first interior panels containing a gel material. The article also includes a plurality of second interior panels disposed between the bladder and the plurality of first interior panels.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sports object such as a soccer ball or a handball which is safer to use.

It is an object of the present invention to protect players from impacts against harder stitched portions of sporting goods such as football or handball.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cushioning layer that covers the raised stitching that occurs on the inside of the ball.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvement in the outer surface/panel of a soccer ball or handball.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a better fit between the flexure members and their internal components as seen on the outer surface of the soccer ball.

It is yet another object of the present invention to mask the non-uniformities provided in standard soccer or handball manufacturing by stitching the outer panels together.

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to produce a sports ball that is more rounded or conforms more to its desired shape.

Yet another object of the present invention is to produce a safer soccer or handball that is still consistent with the features found in currently available balls for amateur and professional games.

Finally, but not limited to this, it is a further object of the invention to provide a method for manufacturing soccer balls and handball balls, which does not significantly deviate from the current methods, while resulting in safer, more flexible articles.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. The description herein of the desired objects met by various embodiments of the invention is not meant to imply or imply that any or all of these items, taken individually or collectively, are present as essential features in the most general embodiment of the invention or in any more specific embodiment thereof.

Drawings

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of practice, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the three layers typically present in the outer surface of a ball, such as a soccer ball;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a cutter operative to remove a hexagonal portion from material comprising an outer surface of a ball, such as a soccer ball;

FIG. 3 shows a typical hexagonal panel found in a standard soccer ball and one edge indicating stitching therealong;

FIG. 4 illustrates the placement of hexagonal panels and pentagonal panels as are commonly employed in the construction of a soccer ball;

FIG. 5 provides a top view and an isometric view of a perforated hexagonal plate employed in the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, except that the hexagonal plate is turned over so that its opposite side is visible;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing the engagement of the upper and lower portions of the perforated plate of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5, except that it shows the construction of a pentagonal panel as used in the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 6, except that it shows the reverse side of the pentagonal panel shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view of a partially assembled soccer ball of the present invention, showing the arrangement of hexagonal panels and pentagonal panels, and the stitching that holds them together along their edges;

FIG. 11 illustrates an important aspect of the present invention, wherein it shows the placement of an inner perforated sheet into the recess created as a result of the sewing process;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view that illustrates the structure of a soccer ball according to the present invention, and specifically that illustrates a plurality of perforated layers;

FIG. 13 illustrates an inflatable bladder of the present invention for containing air or other gas;

FIG. 14 illustrates the placement of reinforcing cords that are typically present on the medial side of a soccer ball;

FIG. 15 illustrates the curing of the strings prior to placement of the adhesive material on the inflatable bladder for insertion into the almost finished soccer ball structure;

FIG. 16 shows the bladder being placed in the curing mold;

FIG. 17 is a view of the interior of a soccer ball showing the final stage of soccer ball manufacture before turning the work inside out and before sewing a final seam;

FIG. 18 shows the placement of an air bag connector through an opening in one of the exterior panels to provide a means for inflation;

FIG. 19 illustrates an approximate final stage in soccer ball manufacture, and more particularly illustrates the insertion of the bladder prior to closure of the final seam;

FIG. 20 illustrates the closure of the final seam in the manufacture of a soccer ball;

FIG. 21 shows a completed soccer product;

FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 12, except that it more particularly depicts an embodiment of the invention in which the above-mentioned perforations are filled with a gel material; and

fig. 23 is a view similar to fig. 11, except that it more specifically illustrates the placement of the plate still inserted into the partially completed ball, with and without gel filling.

Detailed Description

The invention is described with particular reference to soccer. However, as indicated above, soccer balls are known to have variations and be constructed to meet various objectives. The scope of the present invention includes all such soccer balls and sporting goods for which stitching the panels together creates raised edges along the seam of the stitched panels that are relatively stiff and located within the volume enclosed by the goods.

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the outer layers of a soccer ball. This is the layer visible to the user. The outer layer preferably comprises three separate layers: an outer cover material 10, and a central layer 12 of perforated material, and a third inner layer 14 comprising a textile material. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate layer 12 is at least partially perforated to make it more flexible, and it works with another perforated portion of the finished structure to further increase flexibility. The outer layer 10 is preferably selected to be capable of receiving an image printed thereon. The outer layer 10 is also optional in terms of quality and price of the final product.

As indicated, fig. 1 shows the outer surface of a soccer ball in exploded form. Further, fig. 2 shows the same structure as shown in fig. 1, but now shown as a single assembled sheet 15. Fig. 2 also illustrates the use of cutters 17 for removing the hexagonal pattern from the sheet 15. It should be noted here that the hexagonal pattern is shown removed. For a soccer ball construction, at least for a conventional soccer ball, the pentagonal pattern also needs to be removed. However, as indicated above, any number of different desired patterns may be punched out for the purpose of stitching them together along various edges to form and enclose a volume. There is no requirement that the patterns be similar or identical, only that closed surface results be produced when stitched together.

Fig. 3 shows a single panel 20A of the outer portion of a soccer ball. In particular, a raised seam 21 is shown along one edge of the surface. A similar structure exists for a pentagonal panel, such as panel 20B shown in fig. 4. More specifically, fig. 4 illustrates how the exterior surface of a soccer ball is formed. For example, the outer panel 20B is shown as being stitched to the surrounding array of hexagonal panels 20A. By stitching together a plurality of suitably shaped outer panels along corresponding edges, a volume of any desired shape can be created. However, the desired shape shown herein is derived from a standard soccer ball. It is important to note that in fig. 4 there is stitching 21 along the edges of the various panels employed. In each case, the stitching 21 comprises two inner folds from adjacent panels sewn together by a thread. As indicated above, this is done either by machine or by hand. In either case, the resulting structure is a network of ridges that are convex in a direction extending inward toward the center of the article. The presence of these ridges makes the soccerball stiffer than it is desired to have. It can thus be seen that one of the objects of the present invention, as mentioned above, is to improve the presence of these hard structures.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the construction of an interior plate constructed in accordance with the present invention which is intended to mitigate the effects of stiffness of the ridges 21. In particular, these figures show the manufacture of an inner panel according to the invention and even more particularly of a hexagonal panel. It should be noted, however, that the pentagonal panels are formed in the same manner. Also, any shape of plate can be manufactured according to the process shown in the three figures. The relevant aspects of the internal panel resulting from the process shown in these figures are: a portion of the plate is sized and shaped to fill in the recess formed by the ridge. Another related aspect of the interior panel is: a portion of which is sized to extend over the top of the ridge. This provides a cushion against stiffness that is characteristic of the interplate suture.

More specifically, fig. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the following facts: these inner plates are preferably perforated to provide an increased degree of overall flexibility to the ball. Thus, perforations 55 are shown. The perforations may be provided by any convenient method, such as by stamping, and in any convenient pattern. These figures also show the following facts: the finished interior panel 50 of the present invention preferably comprises two portions: a wider portion 52 intended to cover the ridge 21 and a narrower portion 54 intended to fit into the recess caused by the ridge. If not formed from an initial monolithic structure, a finished interior panel 50 (or 60) is formed by bonding the wider layer 52 and the narrower layer 54 together, as shown in FIG. 7. This is achieved using any convenient binder, such as latex. If formed from an initial monolithic structure, the finished interior panel 50 can be seen to have existed in its desired shape. Fig. 7 shows a stage of processing that occurs prior to the production of the joined- together plate portions 52 and 54.

Fig. 8 and 9 illustrate the formation of a pentagonal patch 60 in accordance with the present invention. The perforations 55 in the two patches 50 and 60 are intended to be aligned in the layers 52 and 54 and in the layers 62 and 64, respectively, in the panels 50 and 60. These pentagonal patches, as well as any shape of patch, are provided with portions intended to fill the recesses, the presence of which is provided by the raised ridge portions 21. The second portion of the inner patch made according to the present invention is intended to be wider and cover those portions of the ridge 21 which extend inwardly from the outer surface of the article.

Fig. 10 illustrates a portion 40 of a soccer ball during a partial assembly stage of soccer ball manufacturing. It also shows an interior view of a soccer ball that does not employ the present invention and/or shows an interior view of a soccer ball prior to the inclusion of the present invention. In contrast, fig. 11 shows a stage in the manufacture of a soccer ball, in which six panels are shown. In particular, four of the six plate recesses have been shown with the inventive plate disposed therein. It should be particularly noted that the panels 50 and 60 of the present invention are sized and shaped to abut one another edge-to-edge and cover the ridge line 21. It is important to note that no ridges are present in fig. 11. The plates such as 50 and 60 are preferably held in place within the recesses by means of any convenient adhesive, such as latex.

Fig. 12 illustrates a cross-section of a soccer ball made in accordance with the present invention. The entire cross-sectional structure is shown, except for the presence of an inflatable bladder 70 and its corresponding inflation fitting 72, as shown in fig. 13. In particular, an outer layer 10 is shown, which is the visible surface of the ball that may include various forms of indicia. Next follows a foam layer 12 preferably comprising a material such as EVA. According to one embodiment of the invention, the foam layer 12 is also at least partially perforated. A fabric layer 14 is disposed below the foam layer 12. These three layers are typically provided during the manufacturing process as one layer indicated by reference numeral 15. The outer structure of the soccer ball also includes ridges 21 formed by the edges of layer 15 that curve downward (i.e., inward) and are stitched together.

Most importantly, for the present invention, FIG. 12 also illustrates the presence of plate portions 52 (e.g., hexagons) and 62 (e.g., pentagons) that operate to fill the recesses caused by the ridges 21. It is also important that plate portions 54 (e.g., hexagons) and 64 (e.g., pentagons) are intended and shown to provide a layer of foam over ridges 21. The inner plies are intended to be provided with perforations 55, several of which are shown by way of example.

Fig. 14-16 illustrate the manufacture of an airbag suitable for use with the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 14 shows the placement of reinforcing strands 80 in a spherical pattern 85 around the bladder 70. Fig. 15 shows the fully wrapped balloon 70 "just prior to coating the wire covered balloon with a brush 77 through latex from a bucket 75 to form a coated balloon 70'. The bladder is then placed in a curing mold 75 from which is created bladder 70 ready for insertion into a soccer ball. While latex is the preferred binder for this step in the process, any convenient vulcanizable polymeric binder may be employed.

Figure 17 shows a stage in the manufacture of a soccer ball in which there is a seam 23 that requires sewing. This view is a view into the interior of the ball and particularly shows the presence of the plates 50 and 60 according to the present invention. It should be particularly noted that the ridges 21 are no longer visible, since they are covered by the wider portions of the plates 50 and 60. Figure 18 shows the insertion of the inflation fitting 72 through an opening 72A in one of the panels. Any convenient panel may be selected for this purpose, although the rules may specifically specify a panel. Fig. 19 illustrates an approximate final stage in the soccer ball manufacturing process, and in particular illustrates the final insertion and placement of bladder 70 within the volume defined by the panels that are sewn together. The balloon 70 is held in place within the outer structure by any convenient adhesive, such as latex. Fig. 20 shows the final sewing together of the last two panels. Fig. 21 shows the final product 100. Clearly, the inventive aspects of the present invention are not seen in this view. It should be noted, however, that the final product 100 basically comprises three elements: an outer layer, a panel of the present invention covering the hard edges found in the spine, and an inner bladder.

The outer layer 15 preferably comprises a perforated foam layer 12, but this is not a necessary aspect of all embodiments of the invention. If perforations are provided in the outer layer 12, these need not be aligned with the perforations 55 in the sheets 50 and 60; however, these outer layer perforations are generally preferably smaller than those found in panels 50 and 60. Also, the intermediate layer comprising the panel constructed according to the invention preferably comprises perforations, but as mentioned above, these perforations do not constitute an essential aspect of all embodiments of the invention. Further, alignment of the perforations of the plates 52 and 54 and the plates 62 and 64 is not required.

Although the foam layer 12 is described as comprising a material such as EVA, other materials may be advantageously employed in accordance with common practice in the manufacture of soccer balls. Also, while latex is described as being used as the adhesive, other adhesives may be employed throughout the assembly process of the present invention (including insertion of the plates into the recesses). Similarly, the inner bladder may be made of other materials by other processes without departing from the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is similar to FIG. 12, with similar parts having the same reference numerals. However, this embodiment specifically illustrates the fact that two layers of web material may be employed. These layers are indicated by reference numerals 14 and 16. A single fabric layer 14 is previously shown. Most importantly, however, fig. 22 shows the presence of plates 90 and 95. The plate 90 is configured to fit into the (standard hexagonal) recess described above. However, the plate 90 differs from the plates 54 and 64 described above in that they include an array of recesses into which the gel material 91 is inserted. Preferably, these recesses extend all the way through the plate, but this is not strictly necessary. The gel material 91 may be inserted into the recess as a separate unit or by spreading the gel material over the recess opening. Notably, as can be seen in fig. 23, the recesses 92 in this embodiment are generally larger to accommodate the individual insertion of the gel material units. The spacing of the recesses is preferably as shown in fig. 23.

Fig. 23 is similar to fig. 11 described above. However, fig. 23 shows the recess 92 in the plate 90 in more detail. The recess filled with gel material as part of the assembly process is indicated by reference numeral 91. The inner portion of the fabric layer 16 can also be seen in fig. 23, which is also shown in fig. 22.

Fig. 23 also illustrates the use of a plate 95 that is similar in use to plate 62 discussed above. The plate 95 is also preferably sized and used to cover the stitching as described above.

A description of some of the differences that are apparent between the manufacture of the soccer ball described herein and the manufacture of the handball described herein is now provided. In particular, it is observed that fig. 2 can also illustrate the production of a gel material intended for insertion into the recess 90 seen in fig. 23. The recess in the plate 90 is shown as circular in fig. 23. However, they may be of any desired shape and may in fact be hexagonal to match the perforations obtained from the gel material in the manner shown in figure 2. In the manufacture of soccer balls, corresponding panels such as 90 and 95 are attached to each other prior to insertion into a recess formed by stitching. However, in the manufacture of handball, there is a high probability that a recess such as 92 may not hold a gel material punched out in a shape such as shown in fig. 2, it is preferable to insert the plate 90 into the recess formed by sewing before inserting the gel material into the plate 90. After the gel material is inserted into the plate 90, the plate 95 is attached to the interior of the handball by any convenient conventional adhesive mechanism. It should be noted that panel 95 is preferably sized to be larger in area than panel 90 so that the stitched edges are covered as in the soccer ball example. It should also be noted that the plate 95 preferably does not include perforations so that it may better function to retain a gel or other shock absorbing material (such as a polymer). It was also observed that in the manufacture of the handball, the inner windings are as shown in figure 14. Also, the process shown in fig. 15 and 16 is not typically employed in the manufacture of handball. Although the material inserted into perforations 92 is described herein as a gel material, any convenient soft polymer or similar material may be used. It should be noted that the preferred gel for use herein is a thermoplastic elastomer. Generally, any such material is selected as being suitable for providing shock absorption. High Frequency (HF) bonding for bonding; the process is equally applicable to deep depressions or embossments in plastic materials. High Frequency (HF) bonding is also used to form a deep edge that overlaps the stitched edge. The formation of the edges and deep recesses may be effected one at a time or separately from the bulk material.

With particular reference to the manufacture of handballs, one can also employ a unitary plate, as described herein, wherein the outermost (smaller shaped) portion comprises perforations of sufficient depth to insert the gel material. This configuration is similar to that shown in fig. 6, except that the size and configuration of the holes is as shown in fig. 23. These will now be described as holes rather than perforations, since in this embodiment they do not extend all the way through the plate. The panels employed in soccer balls or handballs may be formed from a unitary material (i.e. not necessarily from two layers) and shaped to form a thinner peripheral edge and provide the desired perforations by removing the panel material.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to soccer and kicking soccer, it should be noted that the structures and methods described herein are equally applicable to sporting goods used in other games. In its broadest sense, the present invention is not limited to playing soccer. The invention may be used in the production of sporting goods in which case sewing adjacent panels together to form a spherical or other shaped article creates an internal depression into which a correspondingly shaped panel of the invention may be deployed. Likewise, the particular materials employed in the outer layer of the sporting good may be selected to conform to a particular intended sport. Sewability is the only very desirable characteristic.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents. Thus, it is to be understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly limited by the claims appended hereto, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated, but rather "one or more. All structural, chemical and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. Unless the phrase "means for …" is used to explicitly reference an element, no claim element herein should be construed in accordance with the provisions of 35 USC § 112 sixth paragraph.

Although the present invention has been described in detail herein with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, many modifications and variations therein may be effected by those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.

Claims (10)

1. An article for sporting activities, comprising:

a plurality of outer panels sewn together at their edges, the plurality of outer panels configured to form an enclosed volume and to form a raised inner ridge at the edge of the outer panels by the sewing such that each of the outer panels has a recessed region associated therewith, the recessed region being substantially coextensive with the outer panels and defined by the raised inner ridge;

an inflatable bladder occupying the enclosed volume;

a plurality of internal baffle plates disposed in a planar, adjacent arrangement, each of the internal baffle plates having a layered structure including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer occupying the recessed region, the second layer having a portion wider than the first layer, the wider portion of the second layer being disposed between the bladder and the raised internal ridges and spaced therefrom, the adjacently disposed internal baffle plates having the same shape as the corresponding recessed regions, the second layers of the internal baffle plates abutting each other at their edges directly below the stitching.

2. The article for sports activities of claim 1, wherein the outer panel comprises a middle layer of perforated material.

3. The article for sports activities of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the inner damping sheets comprise perforations.

4. The article for sports activities of claim 1 further comprising a reinforcing layer disposed directly above the bladder.

5. The article for sports activities of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers of the internal cushioning sheet comprise a monolithic structure.

6. An article for sporting activities, comprising:

a plurality of outer panels sewn together at their edges, the plurality of outer panels configured to form an enclosed volume and to form a raised inner ridge at the edge of the outer panels by the sewing such that each of the outer panels has a recessed region associated therewith, the recessed region being substantially coextensive with the outer panels and defined by the raised inner ridge;

an inflatable bladder occupying the enclosed volume;

a plurality of flat adjacently disposed perforated inner baffle plates, each of said inner baffle plates having a layered structure comprising a first layer and a second layer, said first layer occupying said recessed area, said second layer having a portion wider than said first layer, said wider portion of said second layer being disposed between and spaced from said bladder and said raised inner ridge, said adjacently disposed perforated inner baffle plates having the same shape as said corresponding recessed area, said second layers of said inner baffle plates abutting each other at their edges directly below said stitching.

7. The article for sports activities of claim 6, wherein the outer panel comprises a middle layer of perforated material.

8. The article for sports activities of claim 6 further comprising a reinforcing layer disposed directly above the bladder.

9. The article for sports activities of claim 6, wherein the first and second layers of the internal cushioning sheet comprise a monolithic structure.

10. The article for sports activities of claim 6, wherein the inner damping sheet comprises perforations.

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