Panel for a ball
Assigneeadidas AG
InventorHans-Peter Nürnberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for manufacturing a panel for a ball, in particular for a soccer ball, as well as panels manufactured by these methods and balls with such panels. A method comprises the following steps: providing a carrier material having an outer side and an inner side within a mold having at least one first and at least one second mold part. Three-dimensionally molding an outer layer of the panel on the outer side of the carrier material within the mold. Three-dimensionally molding an inner layer of the panel on the inner side of the carrier material using at least the first mold part.
Claims28
A panel for a ball, the panel comprising:
- an inner layer having a planar structure, the inner layer comprising an inner face, an outer face, and side faces, wherein the inner layer is a three-dimensionally molded layer;
- an outer layer, wherein the outer layer is a three-dimensionally molded layer;
- a structure element embedded within the outer layer such that the outer layer surrounds the structure element, wherein the structure element comprises at least one of a knitted fabric, a weft-knitted fabric, a warp-knitted fabric, a mesh, or a woven fabric;
- and
- a carrier material disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the carrier material entirely encloses the outer face and side faces of the inner layer,
- wherein the inner face of the inner layer is configured to contact a bladder disposed in the ball and comprises a textured surface that is configured to promote adhesion between the inner face of the inner layer and the bladder.
A ball, comprising:
- a plurality of panels defining the outer surface of the ball, wherein a panel comprises:
- an inner layer, wherein the inner layer is a three-dimensionally molded layer;
- an outer layer comprising an outer side defining at least a portion of the outer surface of the ball, wherein the outer layer is a three-dimensionally molded layer, wherein the outer layer comprises a texture in the outer side, and wherein the texture has a depth of about 0.01 mm to about 1.5 mm;
- a carrier material disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the carrier layer comprises an inner side defining an indentation configured to receive the inner layer such that the inner side of the carrier layer entirely encloses an outer face of the inner layer and side faces of the inner layer, and wherein the carrier layer comprises an outer side in contact with the outer layer;
- and
- a structure element embedded within the outer layer such that the outer layer surrounds the structure element, wherein the structure element comprises at least one of a knitted fabric, a weft-knitted fabric, a mesh, or a woven fabric;
- and
- a bladder disposed under the plurality of panels,
- wherein at least one of the inner side of the carrier material or the outer side of the carrier material comprises a textured surface that promotes adhesion to the inner layer or the outer layer.
A panel for a ball, the panel fabricated by a method comprising:
- providing a carrier material having an outer side and an inner side within a mold having at least one first mold part and at least one second mold part;
- three-dimensionally molding an outer layer of the panel on the outer side of the carrier material within the mold such that a structure element is embedded within and surrounded by the outer layer, wherein the structure element comprises at least one of a knitted fabric, a weft-knitted fabric, a warp-knitted fabric, a mesh, or a woven fabric;
- three-dimensionally molding an inner layer of the panel on the inner side of the carrier material using at least the first mold part such that the carrier material entirely encloses an outer face and side faces of the inner layer;
- and
- creating a texture on an inner face of the inner layer so as to aid adhesion of the inner face to a bladder to be disposed in the interior of the ball.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.