Tennis Ball Core with Material Shift Lines for Custom Rebound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tennis balls lack customization options for coefficient of restitution (COR) and rebound characteristics, which can affect player performance, as they cannot be easily adjusted to suit different skill levels or preferences without altering the ball's weight, feel, or sound of impact.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of material shift lines on the inner surface of the tennis ball core, which alter the effective thickness by redistributing material, allowing for customizable COR and rebound characteristics while maintaining the ball's weight and size, through the use of ribs, bands, or channels that either increase or decrease the core's thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the core thickness is increased to improve rebound performance, then the coefficient of restitution increases, but the ball weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform core thickness through material shift lines, ribs, bands, or channels. Instead of uniformly increasing core thickness throughout, the material is strategically redistributed to specific regions where it is most needed for rebound performance, while other regions maintain thinner sections. This allows the ball to achieve higher COR without a proportional increase in overall weight.
2Weight of moving object
If the core thickness is decreased to reduce ball weight, then the ball weight decreases, but the rebound performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The material shift lines create regions of varying thickness that optimize rebound performance in critical areas while reducing weight in less critical areas. The ribs, bands, or channels strategically position material to maintain COR despite overall weight reduction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If material is redistributed to customize COR, then rebound characteristics are customizable, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The core is segmented into regions separated by material shift lines, ribs, bands, or channels. This segmentation allows independent optimization of different core regions for rebound performance while maintaining a modular structure that can be manufactured using standard molding techniques with appropriate tooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the core structure by introducing material shift lines that create varying thickness regions. These parameter changes enable customization of COR and rebound characteristics while the underlying manufacturing process remains consistent.
Data Source
AI summary
A tennis ball may include a spherical hollow core having an inner surface including material shift lines and a textile outer layer over and about the core.