Sports ball with component holder

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sports ball comprising a hollow shell (8) comprising an interior surface (9); and a component holder (1) projecting from the interior surface (9) of the hollow shell (8), wherein the component holder (1) comprises holding means (2) for holding a component (3), and elastically deformable connection means (4) for connecting the holding means (2) to the hollow shell (8), wherein the connection means (4) is configured to elastically expand and / or compress in a radial direction (5) of the ball.

Description

[0001] December 12, 2025 adidas AG ADI177545WO MAJ / HAC

[0002] Sports ball with component holder

[0003] 1. _ Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a sports ball, in particular a soccer ball, football, basketball or game ball. The sports ball comprises a component holder to hold a component in relation to the sports ball. The component maybe for example an electronic device to provide information regarding various parameters of a sporting activity performed with the ball. The component holder is improved such that abrasion of the sports ball comprising the component holder, as well as abrasion of the component, is decreased.

[0005] 2. Background

[0006] Sports balls, such as soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, or game balls for children of different construction as well as various methods for their manufacture are known from the prior art.

[0007] Such sports balls, used in sporting activities typically comprise a hollow shell, which may include a bladder. The hollow shell can be empty or can be provided with one or more components, such as one or more electronic devices, which can be stored in houses, casings or the like. These electronic devices are useful for providing information regarding various parameters of the sporting activity. Exemplary information is the position of the sports ball, which could be the position at any time or various customizable specific times during a game, sporting activity, or the like. Further, the information can include parameters of the sports ball and / or the performance of individual players, athletes or the like. Further, the information can include the determination of specific events, such as for example the determination of a ball contact by a player.

[0008] Such information is particularly useful not only for the players, but particularly to individuals watching the game, sporting activity, or the like, referees, and other indi- viduals monitoring the game for compliance with the rules, or trainers for performance and medical monitoring.

[0009] Providing for electronic devices inside of such sports balls so as to provide the aforementioned information in an accurate and consistent manner is a challenging task. Not only is said provision generally difficult to achieve but adds to the cost of manufacturing the sports ball as well. This particularly applies to balls having inflatable bladders. Therefore, a need exists for innovative solutions to overcome these challenges.

[0010] Known solutions are for instance mentioned in the following documents:

[0011] US 2022 / 0296968 At concerns a ball comprising a bladder, a component holder secured to the interior surface of the bladder, and a component secured to the component holder at a distal portion of a sleeve.

[0012] WO 2014 / 151405 A2 concerns a ball comprising a bladder and a pocket shaped as a portion of the bladder extending around an electronic device.

[0013] EP 2281610 Al discloses a chamber for holding an electromagnetic transmitter, wherein the chamber is held elastically in the center of a ball by radially extending pulling elements.

[0014] Further prior art is mentioned in WO 2020 / 257227 Al, WO 2025 / 027284 Al, WO 2025 / 040 821 Al, DE 10 2008 052 621 Al and US 2016 / o 074714 Al.

[0015] Although the attempts in the prior art already provided for solutions and improvements over the known prior art thus far in some aspects, there still remains room for improvement. For instance, impacts on the sports ball, e.g., by kicking the ball during a soccer game, may lead to mechanic defects of the electronic device. The risk of damage caused by such impacts is even higher for electronic devices arranged near the side wall of the ball, compared to solutions where the electronic device is arranged in the center of the ball. This is in particular the case, when the impacting object, e.g., the player’s foot, hits the shell of the ball at the location, where the electronic device is located. Against this background, there is a need to further improve the durability of the electronic device during use of the sports ball, and to decrease the risk of defects and thereby failure of the electronic device. It is a general objective, that the sports ball should be more cost-effective over the entire life cycle.

[0016] ,2. Summary of the invention

[0017] The above-mentioned objects are at least partially achieved by the subject-matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are subject of the dependent claims.

[0018] The objects are solved by a sports ball, in particular a soccer ball, the sports ball comprising a hollow shell comprising an interior surface; and a component holder projecting from an interior surface of the hollow shell, wherein the component holder comprises holding means for holding a component, and elastically deformable connection means for connecting the holding means to the hollow shell, wherein the connection means is configured to elastically expand and / or compress in a radial direction of the ball.

[0019] In this manner, the sports ball provides for an increased durability of a component such as an electronic device and decreases the risk of mechanical failure. This is because the elastically deformable connection means dampens the impact on the component, in particular when an impact occurs on the ball at the location of the component. The elastically deformable connection means, by expanding and / or compressing, allows the holding means and therein the component to move relatively to the hollow shell of the ball. In other words, an attenuated connection is formed between the holding means and the hollow shell.

[0020] The component holder may be configured to hold any kind of object. The component holder may be configured to hold one or more electronic devices, such as a battery and / or a wireless transmitter, a sensor, or the like.

[0021] The sports ball as described herein may be useful in any kind of sporting activity, in particular in any one of the examples of the following non-exhaustive list: soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, softball, American football, rugby, and handball. The hollow shell may provide sufficient space such that the component holder and the component can be disposed within the hollow shell. Moreover, the hollow shell may provide sufficient space for further components or elements to be disposed within the hollow shell. In some cases, the hollow shell may provide for some structural integrity of the sports ball. Also, the hollow shell may be filled with air, a gas or a mixture of gases. Alternatively or additionally, a structural component and / or a foamed filling material may be arranged inside the hollow shell configured to contribute to the structural integrity of the sports ball.

[0022] The component holder projects from the interior surface of the hollow shell. Hence, the component holder projects or protrudes inward and toward a center of sport ball, thereby locating the component within an interior area of the sports ball. In this position, the component is protected from impacts with a foot, surface, or other object when the sports ball is being utilized. It should be noted that the component projects from the interior surface but is not necessarily attached to the interior surface. For example, the component holder may be attached to an exterior surface (i.e. facing away from the center of the ball) of the hollow shell, protrude through an aperture of the hollow shell and, thus, project from its interior surface.

[0023] The term “center” of the hollow shell as used herein may be understood as a substantially central portion of the hollow shell in a geometrical sense. However, the center shall not be construed as indicating only such an arrangement in a strict literal sense, but also includes a state where the arrangement is relatively displaced by a tolerance, whereby it is possible to achieve the same function.

[0024] It should be noted that the elasticity of the elastically deformable connection means may be realized by a sufficiently elastic material (e.g. butyl rubber), by a correspondingly designed shape of the connection means (e.g. a bellows as will be described below) or by a combination of both. In case of a butyl rubber bladder, a butyl rubber component holder would be considered the easiest option. Other materials which could be considered would be synthetic rubber (e.g., silicone rubber), natural rubber (e.g., latex), a combination of synthetic and natural rubber, and TPE materials like TPU. An advantage of butyl is that it is relatively rigid, e.g., more rigid compared to latex resulting in a higher stability for the component holder. The component holder may comprise the same material as the hollow shell. In this way, the connection between the same material is facilitated, e.g. in case of glueing or welding. The component holder may be formed integrally with the hollow shell. In this way, a homogeneous and durable structure can be obtained.

[0025] The elastically deformable connection means may comprise a fold element, which is at least partially folded in an at-rest state, and is configured to at least partially unfold in a deformed state, to elastically extend a first distance between the hollow shell and the holding means. In this way, the elastically deformable connection means can be simply provided by a corresponding design of a sidewall of the component holder. In addition, the connection means may also comprise an elastic material which adds to the elasticity provided by the design of the connection means as a fold element.

[0026] The fold element may be a folding bellows. A folding bellows allows a rather compact design of the connection means and the overall component holder while allowing for a rather large extension under mechanical load. Thus, the dampening effect of impacts of the connection means is increased.

[0027] The component holder may comprise a base portion connecting the connection means to the hollow shell. In this way, the component holder can be securely attached to the hollows shell at either its interior or exterior surface. If the base portion is secured to the exterior surface of the hollow shell, it may also act like an air seal because the hollow shell would have an aperture through which the component holder would protrude and project from the interior surface of the hollow shell. Thus, the component holder and its base portion would seal the aperture and make it airtight.

[0028] The component holder may comprise a lid element for securing the component from an outer side of the component holder. In this way, the component can be secured in the component holder from the outside.

[0029] The holding means may be configured to hold a component in relation to a radial direction towards a center of the ball. The holding means may be configured to hold the component in relation to a radial direction away from the center of the ball. The holding means may be configured to hold the component in relation to a tangential direction of the ball. Therefore, in case of impacts, e.g. a kick in case of a football, on the ball the component is held in place by the component holder. Thanks to the elastically deformable connection means, the impact on the ball is attenuated and the component experiences less forces as compared to a rigid component holder. In addition, abrasion on the hollow shell caused by the component is reduced.

[0030] The sports ball may comprise a component held by the component holder. Such a component may for example be a sensor measuring useful physical data such as acceleration and spin rate of the ball. The sensor may be configured to transmit such data to a receiver placed nearby and the data may be processed and used for umpiring, generating statistics, coaching or the like.

[0031] The component may comprise an electronic device. Electronic devices are usually susceptible to mechanical shocks and the risk of damaging an electronic device beyond a certain acceleration threshold increases significantly. Therefore, the present invention is particularly suited for electronic devices which can be securely embedded in a ball according to the present invention in a shock-absorbing manner.

[0032] The sports ball may further comprise a cushion element configured to be arranged between the hollow shell and a component held by the component holder. In this way, impacts on the ball and subsequently the component can additionally be attenuated by the cushion element. In addition, the cushion element can minimize the abrasion of both the component and the interior surface of the hollow shell caused by a movement of the component relative to the interior surface of the hollow shell.

[0033] The cushion element may comprise a foam material. A foam material can cost-effectively be produced, is lightweight and provides for an effective cushioning.

[0034] The sports ball may be an inflatable ball. Inflatable balls are commonly used for football, volleyball, handball and the like and advantageously allow to adjust the pressure of the ball as desired or as prescribed by sports regulations.

[0035] The sports ball may comprise a valve, wherein the valve is arranged at a side of the hollow shell opposite of the component holder. By this arrangement, imbalances of the ball are reduced as the valve acts as a counterbalance to the component. The sports ball may comprise a structural component and / or a foamed filling material configured to contribute to the structural integrity of the sports ball. In such an embodiment, the sports ball may be a non-inflatable ball. The hollow shell may comprise at least parts of the structural component, wherein preferably the structural component may form the hollow shell, and / or the structural component may extend inside of the hollow shell. The structural component may be manufactured for example by 3D-printing. The foamed filling material may be arranged inside of the hollow shell. By such arrangements, the need for inflating the ball and the need to provide a valve to the ball may be obsolete.

[0036] The sports ball may comprise a plurality of component holders. The plurality of component holders may be distributed on the interior surface of the hollow shell such as to minimize the imbalance caused by the component holders and / or components held therein. For example, in case of three component holders, the component holders together with a valve of the ball may form the vertices of a tetrahedron. The components held in the plurality of component holders may be electrically connected by means of at least one wire. The wire maybe a cable or cored. Alternatively, the wire maybe formed as a coating on the interior surface of the hollow shell.

[0037] The component holder may comprise a plurality of rib-shaped support elements, each comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portions comprise the elastically deformable connection means, and the proximal portions comprises the holding means. “Proximal” in this context means closer to the ball’s center, whereas “distal” means further away from the center, i.e. closer to the hollow shell. The rib-shaped support elements allow to design the component holder with less weight, for example by omitting side walls. Yet, by the elastically deformable connection means, the component is protected from hard impacts on the ball.

[0038] In the following, preferred embodiments of the disclosure are disclosed by reference to the accompanying figures. These figures show:

[0039] Fig. 1A: an illustration of a first embodiment of a component holder of a sports ball according to the present invention; Fig. 1B: a cross section of the component holder of Fig. 1A;

[0040] Fig. 2A: an illustration of another embodiment of a component holder for a sports ball according to the present invention;

[0041] Fig. 2B: a cross section of the component holder of Fig. 2A;

[0042] Fig. 3A: an illustration of yet another embodiment of a component holder for a sports ball according to the present invention;

[0043] Fig. 3B: a cross section of the component holder of Fig. 3A; and

[0044] Fig. 4: an illustration if a bladder of an inflatable ball according to the present invention.

[0045] 5. Detailed of the

[0046] The subsequent sections provide a detailed description of the invention, referencing the accompanying illustrations for clarity. The descriptions represent examples only and are not intended to limit the invention’s scope. Identical reference numerals across the figures and text denote the same components. The illustrations may not reflect actual size or scale; their dimensions, proportions, and depictions of elements might be enhanced for better understanding and visual convenience.

[0047] Figures 1A and 1B illustrate a first embodiment of a component holder 1 of a sports ball according to the present invention. In Fig. 1A, the component holder 1 and a component 3 which is held by the component holder 1 as the component holder is imposed on the component 3 to hold the component 3 as will be described in more detail herein. Fig. 1B shows a cross section of the component holder 1 being imposed on the component 3, i.e. holding the component 3. As such, the component holder 1 in this exemplary embodiment is shaped like a hut which is adapted to be imposed on the component 3. The component 3 in the exemplary embodiment of Figures 1A and 1B is an electronic device for measuring acceleration and rotation of the ball and transmitting the measured data to a receiver being placed in the vicinity. The electronic device 3 comprises a circuit board 3a, a battery or accumulator 3b and an inductive coil 3c. The electronic device 3 is powered by the battery or accumulator 3b. The battery or accumulator 3b can be charged by means of the inductive coil 3c when placing the component 3 in the vicinity of a time varying electromagnetic field, e.g. generated by a charging coil. In other embodiments, the component could fulfil different functions and comprise different elements, and may also be a non-electronic component. Also, the component 3 is shown in Figures 1A and 1B to have a cuboid base shape. Similarly, the component holder 1 which is imposed on the component 3 comprises a rectangular cuboid base shape as well. Generally, in the context of the present invention, other shapes of the component are possible and the component holder 1 would be shaped accordingly to hold the component in place.

[0048] The sports ball (not shown in Figures 1A and 1B) according to the invention is a ball which is specifically adapted for a certain type of sport. The ball may be filled with air, gas or a mixture of different gases. Also, the ball may be a pressurized ball or may not comprise any pressure at all. Exemplary sports for which the ball may be used include soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, softball, American football, rugby, and handball. However, the invention is not restricted to these kinds of sport.

[0049] The ball according to the invention comprises a hollow shell (not shown in Figures 1A and 1B) with an interior surface, i.e. facing the center of the ball. “Hollow” in this context does not mean that the interior of the ball is necessarily empty because, as mentioned already, the ball may be filled with air, a gas or a mixture of different gases. Also, the shell may accommodate other components which may or may not be held in place by a component holder as described herein. The component holder 1 projects from the interior surface of the hollow shell, i.e. it points to or faces the center of the ball.

[0050] As can best be seen in Figure 1B, the component holder 1 comprises holding means 2 for holding the component 3. Thus, in this embodiment, the component 3 is held by top portion 2 of the component holder which presses the component 3 down and against an interior surface of a hollow shell of a ball when the component holder is mounted in such hollow shell. In other embodiments, the holding means could be a circumferential portion of the sidewall of the component holder 1. In this case, the circumferential sidewall forming the holding means 2 may be adapted such that it snuggly fits an outer surface of the component 3 for holding the component 3 in place by means of a form-fitting connection. In other embodiments, the holding means 2 may be based on a different mechanism such as a latch, lid or a thread. Optionally, the component 3 may be glued, screwed or otherwise secured to the holding means 2.

[0051] The component holder 1 also comprises elastically deformable connection means 4 for connecting the holding means 2 to the hollow shell of the ball. In the exemplary embodiment of Figures 1A and 1B, the holding means 2 is realized by a portion of the sidewall of the component holder 1, namely by an outward-bulged section 4 of the sidewall. Further, in the exemplary embodiment of Figures 1A and iBthe holding means 2 in turn is connected to the interior surface of the hollow shell of the ball by a base portion 6 which may be glued, welded, sewn or otherwise connected to the interior surface. Other embodiments might not comprise such a base portion 6, i.e. the connection means 4 may directly connect the holding means 2 to the hollow shell of the ball. Also, in other embodiments, the component holder 1 may not be attached to the interior surface of the hollow shell. For example, the component holder 1 may be attached to an exterior surface (i.e. facing away from the center of the ball) of the hollow shell, protrude through an aperture of the hollow shell and, thus, project from its interior surface.

[0052] The connection means 4 is configured to elastically expand and / or compress in a radial direction of the ball which is illustrated in Fig. 1B by an arrow 5. For example, in case of a force acting on the ball, the component 3 is forced closer to the center of the ball and the component 3 tends to move away from the interior surface of the hollow shell as indicated by the arrow 5. At the same time, the connection means 4, which in this exemplary embodiment is realized by the elastically deformable and outward- bulged portion 4 of the side wall of the component holder 1 would move in tangential directions of the ball towards the component 3 as indicated by the arrows 7 in Fig. 1C. Thus, the outward-bulged sidewall portion 4 acts like a folding element or bellow and is configured to elastically expand in a radial direction of the ball. In this way, the connection means 4 is able to attenuate forces acting on the component 3. It should be noted that this mechanism also works when the component 3 is accelerated outward from the center of the ball, i.e. in the direction of the interior surface of the hollow shell. In this case, the outward-bulged sidewall portion 4 would be deformed more outwards, i.e. move away from the component 3 to elastically compress in a radial direction of the ball away from its center. Also in this way, the connection means 4 is able to attenuate forces acting on the component 3. This mechanism could be enhanced by placing a cushion element, e.g. a foam disc, between the component 3 and the interior surface of the hollow shell which would compress if the component 3 would be forced against the interior surface of the hollow shell.

[0053] In the exemplary embodiment of Figures 1A and 1B, the sidewall of the component holder 1 is flexible and elastic to provide the elastically deformable connection means 4. In other embodiments, the connection means 4 may be provided by different mechanisms such as for example a spring. The component holder 1 in the exemplary embodiments is made from butyl rubber which is elastic. Other exemplary materials include synthetic rubber (e.g., silicone rubber), natural rubber (e.g. latex), a combination of synthetic and natural rubber, and TPE materials like TPU. Preferably, the component holder 1 is formed from the same material throughout. The component holder 1 could for example be manufactured by molding. The component holder 1 may generally comprise the same material as the hollow shell. Also, the component holder 1 may generally be formed integrally with the hollow shell. Furthermore, while in the embodiment of Figures 1A and 1B, as well as in the subsequent embodiments, the sidewall of the component holder 1 comprises an outward- bulged section 4, in other embodiments this section may bulge inwards, i.e. towards the component 3. Also, other embodiments may comprise a combination of one or more outward-bulged sections and one or more inward-bulged sections. The out- ward-bulged sections and the inward-bulged sections may be alternating to form a pair or pairs of bellows.

[0054] Figures 2A and 2B illustrate another embodiment of a component holder 1 for a sports ball according to the present invention. Also, in this embodiment the component holder 1 has a cuboid base shape with a circumferential base portion 6. As such, the component holder 1 is imposed on a component 3 which in this embodiment is an electronic component similar to the component of the embodiment of Figures 1A and 1B. Similar to this embodiment, the component holder 1 comprises a top wall portion 2 which acts as a holding means 2 holding the component 3 in place. Again, in other embodiments, the holding means 2 may be based on a different mechanism such as a snuggly fitting circumferential side wall, a latch, a lid or a thread. Optionally, the component 3 may be glued, screwed or otherwise secured to the holding means 2.

[0055] Different to the embodiment in Figures 1A and 1B, the elastic connection means 4 is realized as an outward bulging bellows of the sidewall of the component 3, i.e. a much more pronounced bulge. Therefore, in case of an acceleration of the component 3 away from the interior surface of the hollow shell, the sidewall portion 4 would stretch and become less bulged. In case of a movement of the component in the opposite direction, i.e. towards the interior surface of the hollow shell, the elastic sidewall portion 4 would bulge even more outwards.

[0056] Figures 3A and 3B illustrate yet another embodiment of a component holder 1 according to the present invention which is similar to the previous embodiment. The component holder 1 in the exemplary embodiment of Figures 3A and 3B comprises a first rib-shaped support element 7 and a second rib-shaped support element 8. In other embodiments, the number of rib-shaped support elements could be different, i.e. more or less than two. The rib-shaped support elements 7 and 8 in the exemplary embodiment of Figures 3A and 3B are realized as reinforcing bulges on the sidewalls of the component holder 1. The first rib-shaped support element 3 comprises a proximal portion 7a and distal portions 7b and 7c. “Proximal” in this context means closer to the ball’s center, whereas “distal” means further away from the center, i.e. closer to the hollow shell. Similarly, the second rib-shaped support element 8 comprises a proximal portion 8a and distal portions 8b and 8c.

[0057] The distal portions 7b, 7c, 8b and 8c of the rib-shaped support elements 7, 8 are located at and extend along the four edges of the rectangular cuboid shape of the component holder 1 and essentially extend in a radial direction of the ball. The proximal portions 7a and 8a of the rib-shaped support elements 7, 8 are located at a proximal end or surface of the component holder 1 and essentially extend along a tangential direction of the ball. The proximal portions 7a and 8a intersect in the middle of the proximal surface to form a cross-like structure. As such, the distal portions 7b, 7c, 8b and 8c of the rib-shaped support elements 7, 8 support the component 2 at the shell-facing surfaces of the component which are oriented to face the hollow shell in a tangential direction of the ball. In this embodiment, also the sidewalls of the component holder 1 arranged between the distal portions 7b, 7c, 8b and 8c add to the support of the component 2. Similarly, the proximal portions 7a and 8a of the rib-shaped support elements 7, 8 support the component 2 at a center-facing surface which is oriented to face a center of the hollow shell. In this embodiment, also the sidewalls of the component holder 1 arranged between the proximal portions 7a and 8a add to the support of the component 2.

[0058] In the exemplary embodiment of Figures 3A and 3B sidewalls are located between the rib-shaped support elements 7, 8. Consequently, the component 2 is completely sealed from the interior of the hollow shell of the ball. In other embodiments, some or all of the sidewalls between the rib-shaped support elements 7, 8 could be omitted to save weight.

[0059] The component holder 1 of the embodiment of Figures 3A and 3B also comprises an elastic connection means 4 realized as an outward bulging bellows of the sidewall of the component 3 similar to the embodiment of Figures 2A and 2B with a similar effect as described with respect to this embodiment.

[0060] Fig. 4 illustrates a bladder 8 of an inflatable ball according to the present invention. The ball comprises an additional outer shell (not shown in Fig. 4) and optionally a carcass arranged between the outer shell and the bladder 8. Thus, the bladder forms a hollow shell 8 with an interior surface 9. In operation, the bladder is usually filled with air which maybe pressurized (i.e. above ambient pressure) or unpressurized (i.e. at ambient pressure). To fill the bladder 8 with air, the bladder 8 comprises a valve 10 through which air (or a gas) may enter the bladder.

[0061] From the interior surface 9 of the bladder 8 a component holder 1 projects inwardly, i.e. facing the center of the bladder 8. The component holder 1 is arranged opposite the valve 10 such that an imbalance of the ball is minimized. The component holder 1 holds a component 3 which is similar to the components shown in the previous figures. The component holder 1 is attached to the interior surface 9 of the bladder 8 by means of a base portion as described with respect to the previous embodiments. In other embodiments, the shell or bladder may comprise an opening through which the component holder may project. In this case, the component holder 1 may comprise a base portion, similar to the base portion 5 shown in the figures, and the base portion is attached to an exterior surface of the shell or bladder.

Claims

December 12, 2025 adidas AG ADI177545WO MAJ / HACClaims1. A sports ball comprising: a hollow shell (8) comprising an interior surface (9); and a component holder (1) projecting from the interior surface (9) of the hollow shell (8), wherein the component holder (1) comprises: holding means (2) for holding a component (3), and elastically deformable connection means (4) for connecting the holding means (2) to the hollow shell (8), wherein the connection means (4) is configured to elastically expand and / or compress in a radial direction (5) of the ball.

2. The sports ball according to claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable connection means (4) comprises a fold element, which is at least partially folded in an at-rest state, and is configured to at least partially unfold in a deformed state, to elastically extend a first distance between the hollow shell (8) and the holding means (2).

3. The sports ball according to the preceding claim, wherein the fold element is a folding bellows.

4. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component holder (1) comprises a base portion connecting the connection means (4) to the hollow shell (8).

5. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component holder (1) comprises a lid element for securing the component (3) from an outer side of the component holder (1).

6. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding means (2) is configured to hold a component (3) in relation to a radial direction towards a center of the ball.

7. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding means (2) is configured to hold the component (3) in relation to a radial direction away from the center of the ball.

8. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding means (2) is configured to hold the component (3) in relation to a tangential direction of the ball.

9. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a component (3) held by the component holder (1).

10. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component (3) comprises an electronic device.

11. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a cushion element configured to be arranged between the hollow shell (8) and a component (3) held by the component holder (1).

12. The sports ball according to the preceding claim, wherein the cushion element comprises a foam material.

13. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sports ball is an inflatable ball.

14. The sports ball according to the preceding claim, comprising a valve (10), wherein the valve (10) is arranged at a side of the hollow shell (8) opposite of the component holder (1).

15. The sports ball according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component holder (1) comprises a plurality of rib-shaped support elements, each comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distalportions comprise the elastically deformable connection means (4), and the proximal portions comprises the holding means (2).

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