Welded item

Abstract

A welded item is shown having an extruded weld bead with a high tensile strength relative to the layers from which it is formed. A valve with an insert is shown. A ball with an internal plenum is shown.

1 . A welded item, comprising: 
 at least two layers of flexible thermoplastic material secured together along a welded perimeter seam to form a wall of an enclosed, airtight chamber, having an interior surface and an exterior surface,    wherein each of said layers forming said wall has a uniform thickness; and    wherein all wall thickness dimensions in the area of said welded perimeter seam are at least as great as the uniform thickness of the layers forming said wall, so that said welded perimeter seam has a tensile strength that is at least half of the tensile strength of the wall in which it is formed.    
     
     
         2 . A welded item as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said item includes a tail projecting outwardly from said welded perimeter seam and said two layers of material, said tail having a thickness less than 0.6 times the total thickness of said layers.  
     
     
         3 . A welded item as recited in  claim 1 , and further comprising a valve providing an inflation pathway extending through said wall.  
     
     
         4 . A welded item, comprising: 
 at least two layers of flexible thermoplastic material secured together along a welded seam to form a wall of an enclosed, airtight chamber, having an interior and an exterior,    wherein said layers have a uniform thickness,    wherein said welded seam includes an interior portion, and    wherein the entire interior portion of said welded seam is at least as thick as said uniform thickness.    
     
     
         5 . A welded item as recited in  claim 4 , and further comprising a valve through said wall.  
     
     
         6 - 13 . (canceled)  
     
     
         14 . A method of installing a valve for a welded item, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a valve body wall, defining a cylindrical chamber, having a central axis and a first diameter and first and second axially-spaced ends, with a first opening at said first end having a first opening diameter substantially smaller than said first diameter and a large opening at said second end, having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter, and a flange projecting outwardly at said second end;    inserting a flexible valve insert inside said cylindrical chamber, said flexible valve insert having a valve insert diameter;    welding a layer of thermoplastic material to said flange, with the layer of thermoplastic material covering said large opening; and    forming a third opening in said layer of thermoplastic material aligned with said central axis and having a smaller diameter than said valve insert diameter in order to retain the valve insert inside said chamber.    
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said valve insert is cylindrical and has an axial height extending the full length of said cylindrical chamber between said first and second axially spaced ends and an outside diameter that creates an interference fit with said cylindrical chamber.  
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said valve body is made of the same thermoplastic material as said layer of thermoplastic material to which it is welded.  
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the diameter of said first opening is less than 40% of the diameter of said cylindrical chamber.  
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said third opening has a larger diameter than said first opening.  
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said valve insert is cylindrical and has an axial height extending the full length of said cylindrical chamber between said first and second axially spaced ends and an outside diameter that creates an interference fit with said cylindrical chamber.  
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said valve insert has an opening extending along its axis, which is compressed closed by said valve body and through which an inflation needle may pass to insert gas through said valve.  
     
     
         21 - 26 . (canceled)  
     
     
         27 . A welded item as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said welded perimeter seam has a tensile strength that is at least 75% of the tensile strength of the wall in which it is formed.  
     
     
         28 . A welded item as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said welded perimeter seam is a butt weld.  
     
     
         29 . A welded item as recited in  claim 28 , and further comprising a tail projecting outwardly from said butt weld, said tail having a thickness less than 0.6 times the total thickness of said layers.