Sport ball with an inflation-retention bladder

A sport ball comprising:

• a casing that forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball, the casing defining an aperture;
• a bladder located within the casing for enclosing a pressurized fluid, the bladder including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer being formed from a first thermoplastic polymer material and the second layer being formed of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer;
• and
• a valve accessible through the aperture of the casing for introducing the fluid to the bladder, the valve being at least partially formed from a second thermoplastic polymer material;
• wherein the valve is secured to the first thermoplastic polymer material of the bladder with a thermal bond;
• and
• wherein the first thermoplastic polymer material is a thermoplastic urethane.

A sport ball comprising:

• a casing that forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball;
• a bladder located within the casing for enclosing a pressurized fluid, the bladder including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the first layer and the third layer being formed of a first thermoplastic polymer material, the second layer being formed of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, wherein the second layer is located between the first layer and the third layer;
• and
• a valve for introducing the fluid to the bladder, the valve being formed from a second thermoplastic polymer material and accessible from an exterior of the casing;
• wherein the first layer of the bladder is located exterior of the second layer of the bladder;
• wherein the valve includes a flange that lays parallel to an outer surface of the bladder;
• and
• wherein the flange of the valve is secured to the first thermoplastic polymer material of the first layer on the outer surface of the bladder with a thermal bond.