Ball

A ball with partial spherical bodies and strategic hole configurations addresses weight and noise issues, meeting game ball standards with enhanced resilience and reduced rebound noise.

JP2025180929APending Publication Date: 2025-12-11MOLTEN CORPORATION
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024088626
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-05-31
Publication Date
2025-12-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The conventional ball described in Patent Document 1 does not meet the standards for game balls in terms of weight, rebound height, and size, and it produces significant rebound noise.

Method used

A ball composed of multiple partial spherical bodies made of synthetic resin, joined by welding or adhesion, with specific hole dimensions and materials, and an outer shell that reduces noise through strategic hole configurations and materials.

Benefits of technology

The ball meets game ball standards, provides reduced rebound noise, and maintains resilience while ensuring structural integrity and breathability.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a ball usable as a ball satisfying an athletic ball criteria or a training ball getting close to the criteria.SOLUTION: A ball includes: a plurality of partial spherical surface bodies formed of a synthetic resin material and having a partial shape that is a part of a ball spherical surface with a hollow part; a joint part formed in a periphery of the plurality of partial spherical surface bodies, in which adjacent partial spherical surface bodies are joined to each other; and a plurality of outer skin bodies 32 joined to an outside surface of the partial spherical surface bodies. The partial spherical surface bodies include a plurality of first holes, the outer skin bodies include a plurality of second holes 31, and the second holes 31 communicate the first holes at corresponding positions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ball that does not require air to be placed inside. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, predetermined standards have been established for inflatable balls such as basketballs, volleyballs, and soccer balls as sporting balls, and various types of balls have been manufactured and sold. Furthermore, as shown in Patent Document 1, a conventional ball has been proposed in which an outer shell including a hollow portion and a plurality of openings arranged at uniform intervals are formed on the outer shell. The ball described in Patent Document 1 is described as being lighter in mass and able to maintain a floating state in the air for a longer period while decelerating more quickly, thereby increasing enjoyment. This appears to be a game ball that pursues the new enjoyment of floating through the air by producing a ball that floats in the air for a longer period of time compared to balls that fall in a short period of time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Publication No. 2016 / 0082323 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the ball disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not meet the standards for game balls in terms of various properties such as weight, rebound height, and size.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a ball that meets or approaches the standards for a game ball and can be used as a practice ball. Another object of the present invention is to provide a ball that can reduce rebound noise when desired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The ball according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises: a plurality of partial spherical bodies made of a synthetic resin material and having a partial shape that is a part of a spherical surface of a ball having a hollow portion; a joint formed around the periphery of the plurality of partial spherical bodies, at which adjacent partial spherical bodies are joined to each other; a plurality of outer skins joined to the outer surface of the partial spherical body; and the partial spherical body has a plurality of first holes; the envelope has a plurality of second holes; The second holes are characterized in that they communicate with the first holes at corresponding positions.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is The diameter of the inscribed circle of the first hole is 1.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, The dimension d between the inscribed circles is 0.8 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the joining of the joint portion is performed by welding or adhesion. A fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the joint has a joining recess provided on each of at least two adjacent joining surfaces of the partial spherical body, and has a resin joint formed by pouring a joining resin into the joining recess. A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an outer protrusion is provided on the outside of the joint, the outer shell is fixed with the end of the outer shell abutting the outer protrusion, and an outer recess without the outer shell is formed on the outer protrusion.

[0009] A sixth aspect of the present invention is The radial thickness T1 of the partial spherical body is 3.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, The outer shell has a radial thickness T2 of 0.8 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less. A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the area of ​​the second hole is smaller than the area of ​​the first hole.

[0010] An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the synthetic resin material constituting the partial spherical body is a polyester-based elastomer, a styrene-based elastomer, or a urethane-based elastomer. A ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the material constituting the outer shell is polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, synthetic leather, or natural leather.

[0011] A tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the first hole and the second hole have a shape of a regular hexagon or a circle when viewed from the front. An eleventh aspect of the present invention is The diameter of the inscribed circle of the second hole is 1.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, The dimension d between the inscribed circles is 0.8 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less.

[0012] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the ball constituted by the partial spherical body, a north pole-side circular opening is provided at the position of the north pole, and a south pole-side circular opening is provided at the position of the south pole. A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the partial spherical body has a dividing line portion, and the dividing line portion divides the partial spherical body into a plurality of components having the first hole.

[0013] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the component has a longitudinal band portion extending in the meridian direction and an intermediate portion located in the latitude direction of the longitudinal band portion.

[0014] A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that when the ball is dropped from a height of 1 m onto the playing floor and subjected to a predetermined rebound test, the noise generated during rebound is 40 dB or more and 60 dB or less. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The present invention can provide a ball that meets the standards for a game ball or approaches those standards and can be used as a practice ball. It can also provide a ball that reduces rebound noise, if desired. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an inner shell ball as a ball according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of an inner shell ball. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an example of an inner shell ball. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an example of an inner shell ball. [Figure 5] The diagrams show the components of the partial spherical body, with (a) being a front view of the intermediate body and (b) being a front view of the transverse body. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of an example of a ball with a skin as a ball according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of a ball with a skin. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an example of a ball with a skin. [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a ball with a skin, viewed obliquely. [Figure 10] 1(a) is a front view of the outer cover corresponding to the transverse body portion as seen from the outside, and FIG. 1(b) is a front view of the outer cover corresponding to the transverse body portion as seen from the inside. [Figure 11] 1(a) is a front view of the outer skin corresponding to the intermediate body portion as seen from the outside, and FIG. 1(b) is a front view of the outer skin corresponding to the intermediate body portion as seen from the inside. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a partial spherical body consisting of one transverse body portion and two intermediate body portions. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of an inner shell ball in the radial direction. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of a ball with a skin in the radial direction. [Figure 15]1A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the partial spherical body in relation to the mold, and FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state after bonding. [Figure 16] 1(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state before the outer shell is fixed to the partial spherical body, and FIG. 1(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state after the outer shell is fixed. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the dimension between first holes and the dimension between second holes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, a ball according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] Ball 1 according to this embodiment has multiple partial spherical bodies 7 each having a partial shape that is a portion of the ball's spherical surface; joints 8 formed around the multiple partial spherical bodies 7 where adjacent partial spherical bodies 7 are joined; and multiple outer shells 32 joined to the outer surfaces of the partial spherical bodies 7. Each partial spherical body 7 has multiple first holes 30, and outer shells 32 have multiple second holes 31. In the following explanation, the method of fixing outer shell 32 to the outer surface of inner shell ball 2 made of partial spherical bodies 7 varies depending on how partial spherical bodies 7 and outer shell 32 are combined and the manufacturing method of the ball. Therefore, the configuration of inner shell ball 2 made of partial spherical bodies 7 will be described first. Note that first holes 30 and second holes 31 do not need to be connected to each other at all holes; it is sufficient for the first holes 30 and second holes 31 to be connected over most of the ball's outer surface to a degree that satisfies the function of the ball.

[0018] (inner shell ball) As shown in Figures 1 to 4, this inner shell ball 2 is a ball 1 made of a synthetic resin material and has a hollow portion 10 (see Figure 4) inside the ball. This inner shell ball 2 has joints 8 connecting the boundaries of multiple partial spherical bodies 7. When the ball is to be used for various purposes, it is preferable to select a synthetic resin material that can exhibit the resilience required for that ball.

[0019] In the description of the drawings shown in this specification, for convenience, the uppermost point of the inner shell ball 2 will be referred to as the North Pole 13 (see Figure 9), and the lowermost point will be referred to as the South Pole 14 (see Figure 9). The latitude line midway between the North Pole 13 and the South Pole 14 will be referred to as the equator 15 (see Figure 2). The inner shell ball 2 is divided into upper and lower hemispheres by the equator 15. As shown in Figure 9, the inner shell ball 2 has a North Pole-side circular opening 18 and a South Pole-side circular opening 19 at positions corresponding to the North Pole 13 and the South Pole 14, respectively.

[0020] North Pole 13, South Pole 14, and equator 15 are merely expressions used for the convenience of explanation in this embodiment, and various configurations are conceivable in which the partial spherical bodies 7 and joints 8 of various types of inner shell balls 2 actually employed do not have North Pole 13, South Pole 14, or equator 15. Therefore, ball 1 according to the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which North Pole 13 and South Pole 14 exist and partial spherical bodies 7 are divided by the boundary line of equator 15.

[0021] (partial sphere) The partial spherical body 7 is a surface shell having a partial shape that is a part of the spherical surface of a ball. The size of the partial spherical body 7 is determined appropriately based on the size that can be molded at one time, ease of manufacturing, etc. Note that a single partial spherical body 7 may be composed of multiple components 12. In the case of the inner shell ball 2 shown in FIG. 1, the entire spherical shell surface of the ball is formed by joining eight partial spherical bodies 7 as shown in FIG. 12 with joints 8. It is preferable that the number of partial spherical bodies 7 forming the ball be small in order to reduce manufacturing steps and costs. In the present invention, the minimum number of partial spherical bodies 7 is two. When there are two partial spherical bodies 7, each partial spherical body 7 becomes a hemisphere. The hardness of the partial spherical body 7 is preferably 40 or more in Shore D hardness.

[0022] The synthetic resin material that makes up the partial spherical body 7 is selected from a synthetic resin material that enhances resilience and is appropriately blended. Synthetic rubber is one example of a synthetic resin material. Furthermore, because it is necessary for the ball to have a high resilience when the partial spherical bodies 7 are joined together, it is preferable that the synthetic resin material that makes up the joint 8 also has a high resilience. Particularly preferred synthetic resin materials for forming the partial spherical body 7 are polyester elastomers, styrene elastomers, and urethane elastomers.

[0023] Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is preferably used as the synthetic resin material, but considering the broad range of synthetic resin materials that make up the partial spherical body 7, polyurethane (PU), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), silicone rubber, etc. may also be used.

[0024] (1st hole) As shown in FIG. 1, the partial spherical body 7 has a plurality (a large number) of first holes 30. The functions required of the first holes 30 are to ensure light weight and breathability. The shape of the first hole 30 is preferably configured to be a shape that can maintain the shapes of the partial spherical body 7 and the ball 1, and is preferably configured as an opening with a high aperture ratio that can maintain strength, such as a regular hexagon or circle. FIG. 13 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the partial spherical body 7, and FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of the wall thickness. As shown in Fig. 13, the dimension d (see Fig. 17) in the plane direction of the first partition wall 33 that forms the first holes 30 is the wall thickness when the first holes 30 are regularly arranged in the central region of the partial spherical body 7. Specifically, the wall thickness is indicated in Fig. 17 by the dimension d between the inscribed circles 47, 47 of the first holes 30. The dimension d is measured along the line connecting the centers of the adjacent inscribed circles 47.

[0025] The dimension d between the inscribed circles 47 of the first holes 30 is preferably 0.8 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less. If the thickness is less than 0.8 mm, the strength is reduced and the material may break when subjected to an impact such as rebound, which is undesirable. Also, if the thickness is more than 8.0 mm, the area other than the first holes 30 becomes too large, which is undesirable as it is not possible to ensure a large area for the first holes 30. 13, the horizontal width P1 (hole diameter) of the holes constituting the first hole 30 is set at a constant interval in the central region having the above-mentioned perfect regular hexagon or circle, and the horizontal width P1 also depends on the ball diameter. For example, the horizontal width P1 is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less.

[0026] As shown in Figure 5, the central region of the partial spherical body 7 has the same opening pattern formed continuously, except for the peripheral portion that contacts the joint portion 8 and the parting line portion 9 (see Figure 12). In the partial spherical body 7, the shape of the first holes 30 in the peripheral portion that contacts the parting line portion 9 is configured as if they are partially welded by the line portion of the parting line portion 9. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the configuration has first holes 30a in which the outer edge side portions of the first holes 30 that are formed as regular hexagons are crushed by the parting line portion 9 or the longitude line portion 26.

[0027] (joint part) The joints 8 refer to regions where adjacent partial spherical bodies 7 are joined together. The joints 8 are provided along the outer periphery of each partial spherical body 7. The joint 8 is provided at the boundary between the partial spherical bodies 7, and is often a linear or band-shaped joint region. However, this does not exclude shapes other than linear or band-shaped, such as a roughly circular or roughly star-shaped joint. The joining of the joints 8 is performed by welding or adhesive bonding. Welding includes pouring resin into the joints between adjacent partial spherical bodies 7, and melting the joints themselves to join them. Adhesion is performed using various adhesives.

[0028] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of forming the joint 8 by pouring resin. In FIG. 15, for the sake of simplicity, the inner shell ball 2 is shown smaller than the actual inner shell ball 2. As shown in FIG. 15(a), an upper mold 36 and a lower mold 37, each formed in a roughly hemispherical shape, are prepared. Separately manufactured partial spherical bodies 7a and 7b are loaded into the hemispherical recess 38 of the lower mold 37 and positioned accordingly. Furthermore, joining recesses 39, 39 are provided on the joining surfaces of the partial spherical bodies 7a and 7b, respectively, and the joining surfaces are formed so that these joining recesses 39, 39 merge into a single recess. In this state, as shown in FIG. 15(b), a joining resin is poured into the joining recesses 39 (including when resin wires are placed), and the resin is heated and pressurized to form a resin joint 40, integrating the partial spherical bodies 7a and 7b. A resin with good bonding properties to the resin constituting the partial spherical bodies 7a and 7b is used as the joining resin. In particular, a similar resin, preferably the same resin as the resin constituting the partial spherical bodies 7a and 7b, is used. When the partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b are made up of two pieces, the joining recesses 39, 39 are provided at the joining portions of the hemispheres.

[0029] By forming resin joint 40 using this method, even if inner shell ball 2 has complex joint 8, each partial spherical body 7 can be reliably joined with high strength. Another method for forming resin joint 40 is to provide welding protrusions on the joining end surfaces of partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b, respectively, and then melt and join the welding protrusions to form resin joint 40. Another method is to join partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b by applying an adhesive to the joining end surfaces, etc. However, in the present invention, other joining methods other than welding of a joining resin or bonding with an adhesive are not excluded as long as they can join multiple partial spherical bodies 7 with high strength to essentially form a ball 1.

[0030] (A partial sphere whose interior is divided into multiple regions) In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, the partial spherical body 7 has a dividing line 9, and the inside of the outer periphery of the partial spherical body 7 is divided by the dividing line 9 into multiple components 12 each having a first hole 30 (omitted in Figure 12). This partial spherical body 7 has three different types of components 12. These components 12 are a transverse body portion 4 and left and right intermediate body portions 5, as will be described later. In general, the partial spherical body 7 divided into a plurality of regions is often manufactured by integrally molding a shape having a plurality of constituent elements 12 of different shapes.

[0031] In the configuration shown in Figure 12, for reasons of maintaining strength and ease of manufacturing, the structure is divided into hemispheres, and two hemispheres are divided into four parts in the latitude direction (circumferential direction), forming partial spherical bodies 7. These partial spherical bodies 7 are integrally molded by injecting resin into a mold or the like, with intermediate body parts 5, 5 shown in Figure 5(a) positioned on both the left and right sides of the transverse band body part 4 shown in Figure 5(b). In this case, the shape of one partial spherical body 7 is the outer shell of an integrally molded 1 / 8 sphere. The joint 8 of the partial spherical body 7 shown in Figure 12 is composed of a pair of joints 8a, 8a extending in the meridian direction at an interval of 90 degrees on the outer periphery of the partial spherical body 7, and a joint 8b extending in the latitude direction at the position of the equator line 15.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the shapes of the transverse body portion 4 and the intermediate body portion 5 in order to clearly explain the shapes of the transverse body portion 4 and the intermediate body portion 5. (Transcortical body part) The transverse band portion 4 is one of the components of the constituent element 12. The transverse band portion 4 is formed of a substantially band-like object extending in the meridian direction. The longitudinal band portion 4 shown in Figure 5(b) is configured as a hemisphere, and has a wide portion 16 in the upper region and a band portion 17 extending in the longitudinal direction. The wide portion 16 is arranged surrounding the north pole side circular opening 18 or the south pole side circular opening 19 (see Figures 3 and 9).

[0033] As shown in Figures 5(b) and 12, in terms of the enclosed edges, the transverse band body 4 has a pair of predetermined corner edges 20, 20 that form a predetermined angle, a pair of band edges 21, 21 that extend in the longitudinal direction at a constant width, an equatorial edge 22 that connects the lower side of the predetermined corner edges 20, 20 to the upper side of the band edge 21 at the equator 15 (see Figure 2), and a pair of connecting edges 23, 23 that connect the lower side of the predetermined corner edges 20, 20 to the upper side of the band edge 21 while gradually narrowing in width. The transverse band body 4 has an example configuration in which four wide portions 16 are provided in a shape that surrounds the north pole-side circular opening 18 and the south pole-side circular opening 19 (see Figure 9), so the angle between the predetermined corner edges 20, 20 is 90° (360° / 4). When the transverse band body 4 is stretched out in a plane, it is configured in a roughly arrow shape. When considering a partial spherical body 7 having a configuration other than that shown in FIG. 12, the angle formed by the predetermined corner sides 20, 20 changes appropriately depending on the number of longitudinal band portions 4 provided in the latitude direction.

[0034] (Intermediate body part) The intermediate body portion 5 is one of the components of the constituent element 12. When viewed from the inner area of ​​the outer periphery of one partial spherical body 7 shown in Figure 12, the intermediate body portion 5 is a constituent element 12 arranged in the left and right regions in the latitude direction of the longitudinal band body portion 4. 5(a) and 12, in terms of the enclosed sides, the intermediate body parts 5, 5 have curved side parts 25, 25 that are connected to the connecting side parts 23, 23 and the band line side parts 21, 21 of the transverse band body part 4, longitude line parts 26, 26 that extend along the meridian, and equator line parts 27, 27. The pair of intermediate body parts 5, 5 that are arranged on the left and right sides of the transverse band body part 4 are formed symmetrically with respect to a central meridian (not shown) that divides the transverse band body part 4 into two in the latitude direction.

[0035] The curved side portions 25, 25 are configured so that their width gradually increases from top to bottom along the curve formed by the connecting side portions 23, 23 and the band line side portions 21, 21 of the longitudinal band body portion 4. In contrast, the longitudinal line portions 26, 26 are configured so that they extend linearly in the meridian direction. Therefore, each intermediate body portion 5, 5 is formed in a substantially triangular shape consisting of three sides when stretched out in a plane.

[0036] (Dividing line part) The dividing line portion 9 is at least one dividing line portion provided inside the outer periphery of the partial spherical body 7 in order to form a plurality of components 12. To explain the dividing line portions 9 in the partial spherical body 7 shown in Figure 12, the pair of dividing line portions 9, 9 are provided at the boundary between the curved side portions 25, 25 of the left and right intermediate body portions 5, 5 and the connecting side portions 23, 23 and the band line side portions 21, 21 of the transverse band body portion 4. By providing such a parting line portion 9, even if the area of ​​the partial spherical body 7 molded at one time is increased, the strength and elasticity of the partial spherical body 7 can be maintained at a high level despite the presence of the first hole 30. Furthermore, the partial spherical body 7 shown in FIG. 12 is formed symmetrically above and below the equator line 15 (see FIG. 2), so that the upper and lower hemispherical structures are identical. This makes it easy to manufacture the partial spherical body 7 and the inner shell ball 2, and also makes it easy to ensure uniformity of properties such as air resistance over the entire outer spherical surface.

[0037] Furthermore, by forming dividing line portions 9, 9 with the same width and uneven shape as joints 8a, 8a and joints 8b, conditions such as air resistance and turbulence formation due to unevenness can be made almost uniform over the entire spherical surface. Furthermore, by providing a dividing line portion 9 with the same width and uneven shape as the joint portion 8, the dividing line portion 9 can be configured to look the same as the joint portion 8 from the outside, which is preferable from the standpoint of uniformity in the ball design.

[0038] (Integumentary body) Next, the skinned ball 3 with the skin body 32 fixed thereto will be described. 6 to 9 are diagrams for explaining a shelled ball 3 having a shell body 32 fixed to the outer surface of the inner shell ball 2 shown in FIGS. FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the ball 3 with a cover 32 fixed to the outer surface of the partial spherical body 7 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 14, second holes 31 are formed in the outer cover 32, and each second hole 31 communicates with a corresponding first hole 30.

[0039] As shown in Figure 14, the second partition wall 34 that forms the second hole 31 in the outer skin 32 is provided at a position corresponding to the first partition wall 33 that forms the first hole 30 in the partial spherical body 7, and is positioned so as not to block the first hole 30 as much as possible. It is preferable that the outer opening width X1 in the surface direction of the second hole 31 is set to be equal to or smaller than the lateral width P1 of the first hole 30. In this embodiment, the inner opening width X2 facing the first hole 30 on the partial spherical body 7 side is formed smaller than the outer opening width X1.

[0040] Furthermore, the second hole 31, which is the front opening, and the first hole 30, which is the interior opening, may have the same shape. For example, the second hole 31 and the first hole 30 may both be hexagonal, or the second hole 31 and the first hole 30 may both be circular. However, the shapes of the first hole 30 and the second hole 31 may be different. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the first hole 30 is configured as a regular hexagonal opening and the second hole 31 is configured as a circular opening when viewed from the front. When the inscribed circle shown in Figure 17 is considered as the second hole 31, it is preferable that the diameter of the inscribed circle for the second hole 31 is 1.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, and it is preferable that the dimension d between the inscribed circles for the second holes 31 is 0.8 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less.

[0041] When the area of ​​the second hole 31 is configured to be smaller than the area of ​​the first hole 30, there is an advantage that the inner member (bladder) cannot be seen. On the other hand, it is also possible to configure the second holes 31 so that the area is larger than the area of ​​the first holes 30, and this configuration has the advantage of reducing the weight of the skin.

[0042] The outer skin 32 is formed in substantially the same manner as the shape of the partial spherical body 7. However, if the partial spherical body 7 includes a plurality of components 12, it may be formed for each component 12. Since the partial spherical body 7 of this embodiment has a plurality of components 12, the shapes of the individually partitioned outer skin bodies 32 are also configured to be approximately the same as the shapes of the corresponding plurality of components 12. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 10, the outer skin body 32 corresponding to the trans-skin band portion 4 is indicated as an outer skin trans-skin band portion 4G, and as shown in Fig. 11, the outer skin body 32 corresponding to the intermediate portion 5 is indicated as an outer skin intermediate portion 5G. Similarly, the edges of the outer skin trans-skin band portion 4G and the outer skin intermediate portion 5G are also indicated with the letter G.

[0043] In general, the skin partial spherical bodies are constructed by cutting out the skin body into shapes corresponding to the partial spherical bodies 7. In addition, as shown in Figures 10, 11, and 12, in a configuration having a component 12, a skin parting line 9G corresponding to the parting line 9 is constructed, and skin joining lines 8aG, 8bG corresponding to the joining lines 8a, 8b are constructed. The joining shapes of the joining lines 8aG, 8b and the skin joining lines 8aG, 8bG may be, for example, the configuration shown in Figure 16. The combined weight of the inner shell ball 2 and outer shell 32 is preferably in the range of 580 g to 620 g for a size 7 basketball.

[0044] (Fixation of the outer skin) Next, with reference to FIG. 16, the fixing of the outer shell 32 in the outer shell ball 3 will be described. Figure 16(a) shows the state before the partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b and the outer skin bodies 32a, 32b are joined, and the partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b each have outer protrusions 7at, 7bt that protrude radially outward at the peripheral edges corresponding to the joints 8 of the partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b.

[0045] 16(b), when the partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b are joined at their joining end surfaces, the outer protrusions 7at, 7bt are configured to form a single integrated protrusion 44. As shown in FIG. 16(b), the outer envelopes 32a, 32b are fixed in place with the ends of the outer envelopes 32a, 32b preferably abutting against the side surfaces of the outer protrusions 7at, 7bt. In this case, the outer envelopes 32a, 32b are joined with a distance D that takes into account the width of the integrated protrusion 44 made up of the outer protrusions 7at, 7bt and the expansion and contraction of the outer envelopes 32a, 32b, so that an outer recess 41 without the outer envelopes 32a, 32b is formed on the joined outer protrusions 7at, 7bt. This configuration makes it possible to increase the bonding area at the end faces of the partial spherical bodies 7a, 7b, and also to perform good positioning when bonding the outer shells 32a, 32b. 12, a linear outer protrusion that protrudes outward from the ball may be provided on the center line of the dividing line 9 to position the multiple outer shells 32.

[0046] The material of the outer shell 32 is selected to have a pleasant feel and a certain degree of friction and elasticity compared to the synthetic resin material of the hard, resilient partial spherical body 7. Materials that can be used to form the outer shell 32 include polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, synthetic leather, and natural leather. When various elastomers are used, low-hardness styrene-based elastomers and olefin-based elastomers can also be used.

[0047] The outer skin 32 can be bonded to the outer surface of the partial spherical body 7 by various known methods such as applying or spraying an adhesive. If necessary, it is also possible to construct a ball not only from outer shell ball 3 but also from inner shell ball 2 alone, which is constructed in accordance with the conditions of partial spherical body 7, joint 8, etc., as described above. The present invention also includes a ball constructed by simply joining partial spherical bodies 7 together, without using partial spherical bodies 7 having multiple components 12. In this configuration, partial spherical bodies 7 are constructed to be large enough to maintain the strength and resilience of the spherical shell portion even when they have first holes 30.

[0048] [Second embodiment] (Achieving low noise balls) The inventors noticed that many people near places where basketball games, practice sessions, etc. are taking place find the loud sound that occurs when the ball rebounds to be a source of noise. They then discovered that the ball according to the present embodiment can also solve this noise problem. The following describes the results of an experiment conducted to examine the actual noise of manufactured balls 1.

[0049] (Experimental results) A 22 cm diameter (size 5) leather-covered basketball ball 3 was manufactured by using a polyester elastomer as the synthetic resin material for the inner shell 2, synthetic leather as the material for the outer shell 32, and joining a partial spherical body 7 having the aforementioned band portion 4 and intermediate portion 5. When the leather-covered ball 3 was dropped from a height of 1 meter onto a standard rebound surface such as a playing floor, the rebound noise was 55.8 dB. On the other hand, when a regular basketball was dropped under the same conditions, the rebound noise was 74.6 dB. This experiment confirmed that a ball 1 could be provided with significantly lower rebound noise than a regular basketball.

[0050] 80dB is the sound level of an ambulance siren 2m away. 70dB is the sound level of a noisy office or a cicada 2m away. 60dB is the sound level inside a moving car or a normal conversation. 50dB is the sound level inside a quiet office or a soft voice. 40dB is the sound level inside a library or in a quiet residential area during the day, and is the sound level that most people would consider "quiet."

[0051] Considering the noise levels of 80dB, 70dB, 60dB, 50dB, and 40dB, we have been able to provide a low-noise ball that, even when playing basketball with the ball 1 of this embodiment, which is 55.8dB, is hardly perceived as noise by people nearby. It has been confirmed that by adjusting the conditions of synthetic resins, etc., when constructing the outer skinned ball 3, it is possible to provide balls such as basketballs and soccer balls that emit a rebound noise of 40dB to 60dB when dropped from a height of 1m onto a playing floor or the like and subjected to a prescribed rebound test. Aside from the partial spherical structure, soccer balls are known to be made up of a total of 32 pentagonal and hexagonal pieces.

[0052] Although the present invention has been described above by way of example of an embodiment, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above embodiment. The technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the claims, and it goes without saying that various modifications, additions to the configuration, and improvements can be made within that scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1: Ball 2: Inner shell ball 3: Ball with outer shell 4: Transverse fascia 5: Intermediate body 7,7a,7b: Partial sphere 7at,7bt:Outer protrusion 8,8a,8b:Joint part 9: Parting line 10: Hollow part 12: Components 13: North Pole 14: South Pole 18: North pole circular opening 19: Circular opening on the south pole side 30: 1st hole 31:Second hole 32,32a,32b: Integumentary body 33: First compartment wall 39: Joint recess 40:Resin joint 41: Outer recess 47: Inscribed circle T1: Thickness of the partial sphere T2: Thickness of the outer skin d: Dimension between inscribed circles

Claims

1. a plurality of partial spherical bodies made of a synthetic resin material and having a partial shape that is a part of a spherical surface of a ball having a hollow portion; a joint formed around the periphery of the plurality of partial spherical bodies, at which adjacent partial spherical bodies are joined to each other; a plurality of outer skins joined to the outer surface of the partial spherical body; and the partial spherical body has a plurality of first holes; the envelope has a plurality of second holes; The ball, wherein the second hole is in communication with the first hole at a corresponding position.

2. The diameter of the inscribed circle of the first hole is 1.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, 2. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the dimension d between the inscribed circles is 0.8 mm or greater and 8.0 mm or less.

3. 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the joint is formed by welding or adhesive.

4. 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the joint comprises a resin joint formed by providing a joining recess on each of at least two adjacent joining surfaces of the partial spherical body and pouring a joining resin into the joining recess.

5. 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein an outer protrusion is provided outside the joint, the outer shell is fixed with an end of the outer shell abutting against the outer protrusion, and an outer recess without the outer shell is formed on the outer protrusion.

6. The thickness T1 of the partial spherical body in the radial direction is 3.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the outer cover has a radial thickness T2 of 0.8 mm or greater and 5.0 mm or less.

7. The ball of claim 1 , wherein the second hole has an area smaller than the area of ​​the first hole.

8. 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin material constituting the partial spherical body is a polyester-based elastomer, a styrene-based elastomer, or a urethane-based elastomer.

9. 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, synthetic leather, and natural leather.

10. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein the first hole and the second hole have a regular hexagonal or circular shape in a front view.

11. The diameter of the inscribed circle of the second hole is 1.0 mm or more and 8.0 mm or less, 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the dimension d between the inscribed circles is 0.8 mm or greater and 8.0 mm or less.

12. 2. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the ball is formed of a partial spherical body, and the ball has a north pole-side circular opening at the position of the north pole and a south pole-side circular opening at the position of the south pole.

13. 2. The ball of claim 1, wherein the partial spherical body has a dividing line, the dividing line dividing the partial spherical body into a plurality of components each having the first hole.

14. 14. The ball of claim 13, wherein the component includes a longitudinally extending band portion and an intermediate portion located parallel to the longitudinally extending band portion.

15. 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein when dropped onto a playing floor from a height of 1 meter and subjected to a predetermined rebound test, the noise generated upon rebound is 40 dB or more and 60 dB or less.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Floating soccer ball

    US20160082323A1