Back to results
US 10,518,138 B2Granted
Sports balls
OwnerAdam Lyoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sports ball outer casing comprising a ball-shape frame (4) defining a plurality of openings (6, 6a, 6b) and a plurality of panels (8), each panel being secured to the frame to cover a respective one of said plurality of openings. In this construction the frame provides a ‘skeleton’-like structure that can follow what would be the seam lines between panels in a conventional ball casing.
Claims13
A sports ball outer casing comprising:
- a ball-shape frame defining a plurality of openings;
- and
- a plurality of panels, each panel being secured to the frame to cover a respective one of said plurality of openings, wherein the panels are secured to the inside of the frame so that the frame is exposed on the outside of the casing between the panels,
- wherein an outer face of each of the panels is exposed on the outside of the casing through its respective opening in the frame to form an outer surface of the sports ball,
- wherein the frame has a generally Y-shape cross-section, with arms of the Y providing lips against which edges of adjacent panels can locate and the leg of the Y extending inwardly between the panels, and
- wherein the depth of the panels is such that the panels extend inwardly of the leg of the Y, whereby inner portions of adjacent panel edges can directly abut one another.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.