Football and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

A football includes an inflatable bladder; a layer of wound filament fibers surrounding the inflatable bladder; a carcass surrounding the layer of wound filament fibers, including raised areas and recessed areas and a plurality of panels positioned within the recessed areas of the carcass. An outer surface of the plurality of panels is flush with an outer surface of the raised areas of the carcass, which includes the appearance of at least one of stitching, seams and a pebbled outer surface. A method of manufacturing a football includes providing an inflatable bladder, winding filament fibers around the bladder and molding a carcass around the fibers. The carcass is molded to include recessed areas, raised areas and the appearance of at least one of seams, stitching and a pebbled surface on the raised areas. Panels are then laminated to the recessed areas of the carcass.

1 . A football comprising: 
 an inflatable bladder;    a layer of wound filament fibers surrounding said inflatable bladder;    a carcass surrounding said layer of wound filament fibers, said carcass including raised areas and recessed areas and a plurality of panels positioned within said recessed areas of said carcass, such that an outer surface of said plurality of panels is flush with an outer surface of said raised surface of said carcass;    wherein said outer surface of said raised areas of said carcass has the appearance of a pebbled outer surface.    
   
   
       2 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein said raised areas of said carcass have the appearance of stitching.  
   
   
       3 . The football of  claim 1  wherein said raised areas of said carcass constitute a substantial portion of an exterior surface of said football.  
   
   
       4 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein said panels are made from natural or synthetic leather.  
   
   
       5 . The football of  claim 4 , wherein said panels are made from a synthetic leather including at least one of polyurethane or polyvinylchloride.  
   
   
       6 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein said wound filament fibers is polyester and nylon blend.  
   
   
       7 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein said bladder is made from a blend of butyl and natural rubber.  
   
   
       8 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein said carcass is a moldable rubber.  
   
   
       9 . The football of  claim 8 , wherein said carcass is a blend of natural and synthetic rubber.  
   
   
       10 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein said outer surface of said raised areas of said carcass includes the appearance of stitching, seams and a pebbled outer surface.  
   
   
       11 . The football of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of one of said panels includes holes for laces.  
   
   
       12 . The football of  claim 11 , further comprising laces laced between said holes in said at least one of said panels.  
   
   
       13 . The football of  claim 11 , further including a tongue disposed between said carcass and said panel adjacent said holes in said at least one of said panels.  
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing a football, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an inflatable bladder;    winding filament fibers around said bladder;    molding a carcass around said filament fibers, wherein said molding includes forming recessed areas, raised areas and the appearance of at least one of seams, stitching and a pebbled surface on said raised areas; and    laminating panels to said recessed areas of said carcass.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further including the step of die cutting said panels, wherein at least one of said panels includes holes.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the step of positioning a tongue between said at least one of said panels and said carcass adjacent said holes.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said tongue is selected from the group comprising a hard thermoplastic material or a cotton and polyester blend padding.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the step of lacing laces between said holes.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein an outer surface of said raised areas of said carcass constitutes a substantial portion of an exterior of said football.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of laminating said panels to said recessed areas of said carcass includes bonding using adhesives.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein an outer surface of said panels is flush with an outer surface of said raised areas of said carcass.  
   
   
       22 . A football comprising: 
 an inflatable bladder;    a layer of wound filament fibers surrounding said inflatable bladder;    a carcass surrounding said layer of wound filament fibers, said carcass including raised areas and recessed areas and    a plurality of panels positioned within said recessed areas of said carcass, such that an outer surface of said plurality of panels is flush with an outer surface of said raised surface of said carcass;    wherein said raised areas of said carcass are greater than 0.25 inch wide.    
   
   
       23 . The football of  claim 22 , wherein said raised areas of said carcass are greater than 0.5 inch wide.  
   
   
       24 . The football of  claim 23 , wherein said raised areas of said carcass are greater than 1.0 inch wide.  
   
   
       25 . The football of  claim 23 , wherein said raised areas of said carcass are greater than 1.5 inches wide  
   
   
       26 . The football of  claim 23 , wherein said raised areas of said carcass are molded to include a pebbled outer surface.  
   
   
       27 . The football of  claim 23 , wherein said raised areas of said carcass are molded to include the appearance of stitching.