# US 8,540,595 B1 · Ball inflation valve

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- Number: US 8,540,595 B1
- Document ID: US8540595B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/430,667
- Filed: 2012-03-26
- Published: 2013-09-26
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-26
- Assignees: Long Way Enterprise Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Mei Sun Lin
- Inventors: Mei Sun Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540595B1

## CPC

- A63B 41/02: Bladders
- F16K 15/202: {and with flexible valve member}
- A63B 2243/0037: Basketball
- Y10T 137/3584: Inflatable article [e.g., tire filling chuck and/or stem]
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A ball inflation valve includes a valve body extended into an inflatable inner bladder of a ball and having an axial bore and an annular flange portion; a valve core partially held in the axial bore of the valve body and having an air hole; a canvas superimposing layer flatly superimposed on the annular flange portion of the valve body to locate around the valve core; and a protective top including a sleeve portion enclosing a length of the valve core exposed from the valve body and a locating flange portion radially outward extended from the sleeve portion to locate between a surface cover of the ball and the valve body and the valve core, so that any sulfide from the valve body and the valve core will attach to an inner side of the protective top without forming a yellowing smudge on the ball surface cover.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A ball inflation valve installed in between an inflatable inner bladder and a surface cover of a ball, comprising:
a valve body being extended into and communicable with the inflatable inner bladder; the valve body including a first communicating tube portion extended into the inflatable inner bladder, and an annular flange portion radially outward extended from a top of the first communicating tube portion; the annular flange portion being fitly attached to an outer surface of the inflatable inner bladder, the first communicating tube portion internally defining an axial bore, and the axial bore internally including an annular groove;
a valve core being partially extended into and held in the valve body; the valve core including a second communicating tube portion corresponding to the axial bore in the first communicating tube portion and internally defining an air hole extending a full length of the valve core to communicate the inflatable inner bladder with a space outside of the ball, and a locating ring portion radially outward extended from an outer surface of the second communicating tube portion for fitly engaging with the annular groove in the axial bore of the first communicating tube portion;
a canvas superimposing layer including an aperture for the second communicating tube portion to extend therethrough, and being flatly superimposed on a top of the annular flange portion of the valve body; and
a protective top including:
a raised sleeve portion for fitting around a length of the valve core located outside the valve body, the sleeve portion having an upper end internally defining an opening corresponding to the air hole of the valve core and an interior defining a fitting space configured to match shape and size of the length of the second communicating tube portion exposed from the valve body; and
a locating flange portion radially outward extended from a lower end of the sleeve portion to be clamped in between the canvas superimposing layer of the ball inflation valve and the surface cover of the ball, and the locating flange portion having a covering area larger than that of the annular flange portion of the valve body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ball inflation valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening of the protective top has an inner diameter slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the second communicating tube portion of the valve core.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The ball inflation valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the opening of the sleeve portion of the protective top has a rounded inner edge to enable convenient extraction of the valve core from the ball inflation valve via the protective top for replacement.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ball inflation valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball further includes a middle canvas layer, and the ball inflation valve is installed in the ball with the middle canvas layer located between the surface cover of the ball and the locating flange portion of the protective top.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ball inflation valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball further includes a middle canvas layer, and the ball inflation valve is installed in the ball with the middle canvas layer located between the locating flange portion of the protective top and the canvas superimposing layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ball inflation valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the canvas superimposing layer has a shape and a size the same as those of the annular flange portion of the valve body.