Machine laminated basketball

Abstract

A machine laminated basketball having a smooth cushion carcass which is capable of providing a uniform and enhanced cushion effect among the entire spherical surface of the basketball. The cushion carcass of the basketball includes a channel-less carcass having a smooth spherical outer surface, a cushion layer attached on the outer surface of the channel-less carcass. The machine laminated basketball further includes a skin cover including a plurality of skin panels and channel elements attached on the cushion carcass, wherein each of the channel elements is positioned between two corresponding edges of the two adjacent skin panels.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a sportsball, and more particularly to a machine laminated basketball which is capable of being mass produced by lamination machine while providing better quality and enhancing an overall cushion effect of the basketball. [0003] 2. Description of Related Arts [0004] A conventional basketball usually comprises an inflatable carcass and a plurality of carcass panels attached thereon, which is made of the following steps. [0005] (a) winding an inflatable rubber ball bladder with reinforcing thread to form a winding thread layer surrounding said rubber ball bladder so as to form an inner carcass; [0006] (b) covering the inner carcass with an outer rubber layer; [0007] (c) heat molding and vulcanizing the inner carcass with the outer rubber layer in a vulcanizing mold to integrally fusion the inner carcass and the outer rubber layer to form an inflatable carcass, wherein a plurality o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] A main object of the present invention is to provide a machine laminated basketball and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the basketball comprises a round and smooth cushioned carcass that enables the skin panels to be laminated on the outer surface cushion carcass by means of a lamination machine for uniform quality and mass production.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine laminated basketball and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the basketball is capable of providing a uniform and enhanced cushion effect among the entire spherical surface of the basketball, including the channels.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine laminated basketball and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the basketball includes a cushion carcass comprising an inner channel-less carcass and an outer cushion layer laminated around the inner channel-less carcass to form the cushion carcass with uniform and enhanced cushion effect around the entire spherical surface of the basketball.

[0024] Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine laminated basketball which enables the channels of the basketball to be made by various materials in various shape other than the conventional rigid protrusion of vulcanized rubber of the carcass.

[0027] Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine laminated sportsball and a manufacturing method thereof, which is capable of providing a more uniform softness and thickness for the cushion layer of the carcass.

[0029] Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine laminated sportsball and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the sportsball is easier and faster to manufacture while ensuring a uniform quality for the manufactured sportsball.

Problems solved by technology

Since the channels are integrally protruded on the carcass, such thick channels not only provide no cushion effect but also render the basketball must be hand-made.

It is time consuming and unreasonably increases the manufacturing cost of the basketball.

However, the protruded channel portions are still not cushioned.

Also, it is still difficult to provide the cushion carcass portions with even thickness and uniform cushion effect in the vulcanizing mold.

In other words, the conventional basketball usually cannot achieve uniform cushion effect over the entire spherical ball surface.

This phenomenon is significant in that a non-uniform cushion effect of the conventional basketball affects the overall quality of its performance.

In addition, there exists a deep-seated problem of unstable and ineffective adhesion between the inflatable carcass and the foaming layers of the skin panels.

Specifically, it is observed that conventional adhesive agent would chemically react with the carcass surface to deteriorate the effectiveness of the adhesive agent.

As a result, the basketball may not be long-lasting and have a stable performance.

The main problem for this conventional art is that it is difficult to manufacture such a basketball with uniformly satisfactory quality.

Specifically, it is difficult to accurately and effectively attach the channel strips onto their respective channel grooves with uniformly high quality.

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