US 11,833,397 B2
Inflatable sports ball with restriction structure
Arthur Parker Molinari, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Apr. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/220,493.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/030,279, filed on May 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370143 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A63B 41/08 (2006.01); A63B 41/02 (2006.01)
CPC A63B 41/08 (2013.01) [A63B 41/02 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inflatable sports ball comprising:
a bladder capable of being inflated to a predetermined internal pressure, the bladder defining:
an exterior bladder surface; and
a valve opening configured to receive a valve, the valve configured to permit selective inflation of the bladder to the predetermined internal pressure, such that the bladder defines a bladder circumference, when the bladder is inflated to the predetermined internal pressure;
a casing disposed about the bladder, the casing comprising:
an outer cover layer comprising:
a plurality of adjoining panels coupled at a plurality of seams, wherein each seam has a seam width and a seam depth;
a plurality of channels defined by the outer cover layer and spaced apart from each of the seams, each channel having a channel width and a channel depth; and
a plurality of protrusions extending from the outer cover layer surface to a protrusion terminus, wherein the protrusion terminus is radially spaced apart from the outer cover layer surface by a protrusion height that is greater than about 0.05 millimeters (mm);
an intermediate structure disposed between the bladder and the outer cover layer, the intermediate structure comprising a restriction structure, wherein the restriction structure comprises a plurality of overlapping strips and the outer cover layer is bonded directly to the intermediate structure at each channel; and
wherein:
each strip of the plurality of overlapping strips is interwoven with each of the other strips and wrapped about the bladder circumference;
the restriction structure comprises a uniform number of radially-stacked layers of the overlapping strips over a substantial entirety of the exterior bladder surface; and
the plurality of overlapping strips defines a nexus void that is aligned with the valve opening such that the valve is contained within the nexus void.