Game ball with urethane gum rubber surface

Abstract

A game ball having a highly durable cover exterior formed of a urethane gum rubber compound. The urethane material of the cover exterior is a cross-linked molded rubber material which provides superior abrasion resistance compared to ball covers made from a molded natural rubber.

1 . A game ball comprising:
 an inflatable bladder;   a layer of windings disposed about said bladder; and   a cover disposed about said layer of windings, said cover including a vulcanized urethane gum rubber layer, said urethane gum rubber layer having a thickness of from 0.3 mm to 3.5 mm.   
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of said urethane gum rubber layer is from 0.9 mm to 2.7 mm. 
   
   
       24 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein said urethane gum rubber layer comprises a urethane gum rubber obtained from the poly-addition of an isocyanate and a polyether; and said urethane gum rubber is vulcanized through a sulfur-based cross-linking reaction. 
   
   
       25 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein said urethane gum rubber layer comprises a urethane gum rubber obtained from the poly-addition of a diphenylmethane diisocyanate and a C 4  polyether; and said urethane gum rubber is vulcanized through a sulfur-based cross-linking reaction. 
   
   
       26 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein said cover further comprises a vulcanization agent selected from the group consisting of sulfur, mercaptobenzothiazole, dibenzothiazyl disulphide, zinc chloride complex of dibenzothiazyl disulphide and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       27 . The game ball of  claim 5 , wherein said cover has a composition comprising 50 to 100 parts of a urethane gum rubber and 2.5 to 12.0 parts of said vulcanization agent expressed parts by weight based on 100 parts urethane. 
   
   
       28 . The game ball of  claim 6 , wherein said composition further comprises 5 to 50 parts of a reinforcing filler. 
   
   
       29 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein said cover further includes an inner layer overlayed by said urethane gum rubber layer. 
   
   
       30 . The game ball of  claim 8 , wherein said inner layer is comprised of cured natural rubber. 
   
   
       31 . The game ball of  claim 9 , wherein said inner layer is foamed and has a density within the range of 0.5 to 0.95 g/cm 3 . 
   
   
       32 . The game ball of  claim 8 , wherein the thickness of said urethane gum rubber layer is from 0.3 m to 1.9 mm. 
   
   
       33 . The game ball of  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of said urethane gum rubber layer is from 0.5 mm to 1.4 mm. 
   
   
       34 . The game ball of  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of said inner layer is from 0.1 mm to 1.6 mm. 
   
   
       35 . The game ball of  claim 1 , wherein said urethane gum rubber layer has a Shore A durometer hardness within the range of 45 to 85. 
   
   
       36 . A game ball comprising:
 an inflatable bladder;   a layer of polymeric filaments wound over said bladder; and   a cover molded over said layer of filaments, said cover comprising a vulcanized urethane gum rubber layer, wherein said urethane gum rubber comprises a urethane gum rubber obtained from the poly-addition of an isocyanate and a polyether; and said urethane gum rubber is vulcanized through a sulfur-based cross-linking reaction.   
   
   
       37 . The game ball of  claim 15 , wherein said cover consists essentially of said urethane gum rubber layer. 
   
   
       38 . The game ball of  claim 15 , wherein said cover further comprises a vulcanized natural rubber layer, said natural rubber layer positioned between said layer of filaments and said vulcanized urethane gum rubber layer. 
   
   
       39 . The game ball of  claim 17 , wherein said cover consists essentially of said urethane gum rubber layer overlying said natural rubber layer. 
   
   
       40 . The game ball of  claim 17 , wherein said inner layer of said cover is foamed to attain a density of 0.5 to 0.95 g/cm 3 . 
   
   
       41 . The game ball of  claim 17 , wherein said inner layer has a thickness in the range of 0.01-1.16 mm and said urethane gum rubber layer has a thickness in the range of 0.3-1.9 mm. 
   
   
       42 . A basketball comprising:
 an inflatable bladder;   a layer of polymeric filaments overlaying said bladder; and   a multi-layered cover overlying said layer of filaments, said cover comprising a vulcanized natural rubber inner layer with a density of at least 0.8 g/cm 3  overlying said layer of filaments and a vulcanized urethane rubber exterior layer with a density of at least 0.8 g/cm 3  overlying said inner layer, said exterior layer having a higher durometer hardness and greater abrasion resistance than said inner layer.   
   
   
       43 . The basketball of  claim 21 , wherein the thickness of said exterior layer is from 0.3 mm to 1.9 mm. 
   
   
       44 . The basketball of  claim 22 , wherein the thickness of said exterior layer is from 0.5 mm to 1.4 mm. 
   
   
       45 . The basketball of  claim 21 , wherein the thickness of said inner layer is from 0.1 mm to 1.6 mm. 
   
   
       46 . The basketball of  claim 24 , wherein the thickness of said inner layer is from 0.6 mm to 1.4 mm. 
   
   
       47 . A method for making a game ball, comprising:
 providing a core;   providing urethane gum rubber resin obtained from the poly-addition of an isocyanate and a polyether;   mixing a vulcanized agent with said urethane gum rubber resin to create a urethane gum rubber;   molding said urethane gum rubber over said core; and   vulcanizing said urethane gum rubber through a sulfur-based cross-linking reaction.   
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said urethane gum rubber resin is obtained from the poly-addition of a diphenylmethane diisocyanate and a C 4  polyether. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said vulcanization agent is selected from the group consisting of sulfur, mercaptobenzothiazole, dibenzothiazyl disulphide, zinc chloride complex of dibenzothiazyl disulphide and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of molding a rubber inner layer over said core and wherein the step of molding said urethane gum rubber over said core comprises molding said urethane gum rubber over said rubber inner layer. 
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said step of molding a rubber inner layer over said core comprises foaming said inner layer to a density within the range of 0.5-0.95 g/cm 3 .