Leather Sports Ball Panel Embossing and Logo Application
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing sports balls with textured surfaces face challenges such as inconsistent pebble embossing due to large leather hides, visible seams, high production costs, and the need for additional processing steps to flatten pre-embossed leather for logo application, leading to suboptimal grip and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Cutting selected segments from full or half hides of leather, embossing these segments to form sports ball panels with consistent and customizable pebble textures, eliminating seams and allowing for direct logo application without prior flattening, and using alignment patterns for precise panel alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If entire large leather hides are embossed with pebble grain, then the surface area covered is large, but the embossing depth becomes inconsistent and seams become visible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large leather hide into multiple smaller panels before embossing. Each panel is embossed separately with consistent pebble grain depth, eliminating the visibility of seams and ensuring uniform embossing quality across the entire hide surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs cutting of the leather hide into panels before the embossing process. This preliminary segmentation allows each panel to be embossed independently with optimal pressure and depth control, preventing the inconsistent embossing that occurs when entire large hides are processed at once.
2Manufacturing precision
If high pressure is applied to emboss large leather hides, then embossing depth increases, but production costs increase and equipment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the large hide into smaller panels, the patent reduces the pressure required for each embossing operation. Smaller panels require less tonnage from hydraulic presses, reducing equipment requirements and production costs while achieving the desired embossing depth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies embossing pressure to only the necessary panel areas rather than attempting to emboss entire large hides at once. This partial action approach reduces the total force required and lowers production costs while maintaining adequate embossing depth.
3Ease of manufacture
If pre-embossed leather is flattened for logo application, then logo adhesion improves, but additional processing steps are required and pebble depth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of flattening the embossed pebbles to enable logo application, the patent inverts the sequence: logos are applied to the leather panels before embossing. This allows the pebbles to maintain their full depth and definition while still enabling proper logo adhesion and application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs logo application as a preliminary step before the embossing process. By applying logos to flat leather panels first, then embossing over them, the pebbles retain their full depth without requiring flattening, and logos remain properly adhered.
4Manufacturing precision
If segments are cut from large hides before embossing, then embossing consistency improves, but cutting yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the leather hide into panels optimized for both embossing consistency and manufacturing efficiency. By carefully planning the segmentation pattern, the patent maintains high cutting yield while ensuring each segment is small enough for consistent embossing without visible seams.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process results in sports balls with deeper, more consistent pebble embossing, improved grip, reduced production costs, and enhanced customization options, including improved aerodynamics and logo appearance, while eliminating the need for high-pressure flattening and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
a sports ball is manufactured by cutting a selected segment from a full hide or half hide of tanned leather, embossing a surface of the selected segment to form a textured pattern
Data Source
AI summary
A sports ball (10), such as a football (12), has outer panels (14) of leather. The outer panels (14) have embossed pebbles (16) to enhance grip. Each outer panel (14) is formed by embossing the pebbles (16) on a segment (54) forming one or more of the outer panels (14) after the segment (54) has been cut from the unembossed full hide or half hide from which it comes. This provides great advantages in flexibility and consistency of manufacturing in addition to improved performance such as grip and aerodynamics.