Sky Ball High-Bounce Elastomer Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing play balls and shoe soles lack sufficient bounce capacity due to limitations in shell material elasticity and inflation pressure, with air-filled balls being restricted by material rupture concerns and solid balls becoming too heavy at larger sizes, while shoe soles with mechanical or air components have limited bounce performance.
Innovation Solution
A hollow ball with a solid elastomer polyurethane shell of 3-5 mm thickness, filled with high-pressure air, helium, or nitrogen oxide, utilizing a specific thermoplastic polyurethane resin that can withstand high pressures and temperatures, enhancing bounce capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If air-filled balls are inflated to greater pressure to increase bounce capacity, then bounce performance is improved, but the shell material may rupture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from conventional air-filled balls to balls filled with gases having different physical properties (helium, nitrogen oxide, or air at elevated pressures up to 100 psig). This change in gas parameters allows achieving higher bounce capacity without shell rupture because these gases can be contained at higher pressures and temperatures, enabling the ball to bounce to heights exceeding 50 feet while maintaining shell integrity through optimized wall thickness of at least 3 mm
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining a solid elastomer polyurethane shell with specific gas fillings (helium, nitrogen oxide, or air). This composite structure allows the shell to withstand high internal pressures while maintaining flexibility and bounce capacity. The polyurethane material properties are specifically selected to resist rupture at elevated gas pressures, creating a composite system that achieves superior bounce performance without shell failure
2Speed
If solid balls are made larger to increase bounce capacity, then bounce performance is improved, but the ball becomes too heavy for normal play
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by filling the hollow ball with gas (air, helium, or nitrogen oxide) under high pressure instead of using solid material. This pneumatic approach allows the ball to achieve high bounce capacity through gas pressure and elasticity while maintaining a hollow structure that is significantly lighter than a solid ball of the same size. The gas-filled hollow design enables normal playability with weights suitable for children and adults while bouncing to heights exceeding 50 feet
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the counterweight principle by replacing heavy solid material with lightweight gas fillings. The gas provides the necessary bounce capacity through pressure and elastic recovery without adding the weight that would result from using solid material. This creates a ball that is light enough for normal play while achieving bounce heights that were previously only possible with much heavier solid balls
3Weight of moving object
If shoe soles contain mechanical springs or air components to increase bounce, then cushioning is improved, but the construction becomes highly complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by incorporating gas-filled bladders or chambers into the shoe sole construction, filling them with air or other gases at elevated pressures. This allows the shoe sole to achieve superior cushioning and bounce performance by utilizing gas compressibility and elastic recovery, providing enhanced shock absorption and energy return without requiring complex mechanical spring systems or multiple air chambers
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
The described solution achieves a high bounce capacity, with the Sky Ball bouncing up to 75 feet vertically and shoe soles providing substantial cushioning, by optimizing shell material, thickness, and gas pressure, addressing the limitations of prior art in both ball and shoe designs.
Implementation Method 1
a shell of solid elastomer polyurethane, especially a highly elastic thermoplastic polyurethane based on methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), having a wall thickness of at least 3 mm filled with a suitable gas under high inflation pressure
Implementation Method 2
The described solution achieves a high bounce capacity, with the Sky Ball bouncing up to 75 feet vertically and shoe soles providing substantial cushioning, by optimizing shell material, thickness, and gas pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A play ball having a high bounce capacity of at least 20 vertical feet and as much as 50 or 75 vertical feet is formed of a solid, elastomer thermoplastic polyurethane having a wall thickness of 3-5 mm, containing gas at a pressure preferably greater than 0.65 kfg/cm2.