Stitchless seam arrangement of sportsball and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A sportsball includes a ball carcass, an inflatable ball body received in a ball cavity of the ball carcass, and a stitchless seam arrangement which includes an elongated adhesive layer having a contour matching with a contour of an opening of the ball carcass, wherein after the ball body is disposed in the ball carcass, edge portions of the opening are adhered on an outer surface of the ball body via the adhesive layer, such that the opening is sealed to close the ball cavity for enclosing the ball body in the ball cavity of the ball carcass in a stitchless seam manner. Therefore, the manufacturing method of the sportsball excludes the traditional final assembling operation of hand stitching to reduce the time-consuming manufacturing procedure of the sportsball while being cost effective.

1 . A sportsball, comprising:
 an inflatable ball body; and   a ball carcass having a ball cavity and an opening, wherein said ball body is received in said ball cavity for propping up said ball carcass after inflation; and   a stitchless seam arrangement aligned with said opening of said ball carcass, wherein after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass, edge portions of said opening are adhered on an outer surface of said ball body, such that said opening is sealed to close said ball cavity for enclosing said ball body in said ball cavity of said ball carcass in a stitchless seam manner.   
   
   
       2 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said stitchless seam arrangement comprises an elongated adhesive layer having a contour matching with a contour of said opening, wherein after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass, edge portions of said opening are adhered on an outer surface of said ball body via said adhesive layer to seal said opening and to close said ball cavity for enclosing said ball body in said ball cavity of said ball carcass in a stitchless seam manner. 
   
   
       3 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said adhesive layer is an elastic strip pre-applied on said outer surface of said ball body to align said opening of said ball carcass with said adhesive layer after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass, such that said edge portions of said opening are adhered on said outer surface of said ball body through said rubber strip after heat treatment. 
   
   
       4 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ball carcass comprises a plurality of ball panels sewn with each other edge-to-edge while sections of said ball panels are remained unsewn to form said opening. 
   
   
       5 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said ball carcass comprises a plurality of ball panels sewn with each other edge-to-edge while sections of said ball panels are remained unsewn to form said opening. 
   
   
       6 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body to align along unsewn edges of said ball panels after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass. 
   
   
       7 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body to align along unsewn edges of said ball panels after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass. 
   
   
       8 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said ball carcass comprises a plurality of ball panels alignedly attaching on said ball body in an edge-to-edge manner, wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body along edge portions of said ball panels such that said edge portions of said ball panels are alignedly attached along said adhesive layer to form said ball carcass for enclosing said ball body. 
   
   
       9 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said ball carcass comprises a plurality of ball panels alignedly attaching on said ball body in an edge-to-edge manner, wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body along edge portions of said ball panels such that said edge portions of said ball panels are alignedly attached along said adhesive layer to form said ball carcass for enclosing said ball body. 
   
   
       10 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said adhesive layer has an outwardly protruding line radially protruded from said ball body to form an edge guider to align with a connection line between two edges of said adjacent ball panels. 
   
   
       11 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said adhesive layer has an outwardly protruding line radially protruded from said ball body to form an edge guider to align with a connection line between two edges of said adjacent ball panels. 
   
   
       12 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ball carcass is made of durable material selected from the group consisting of leather, TPU, PU, PVC, TPE, EVA, rubber, and fabrics. 
   
   
       13 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said ball carcass is made of durable material selected from the group consisting of leather, TPU, PU, PVC, TPE, EVA, rubber, and fabrics. 
   
   
       14 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said ball carcass is made of durable material selected from the group consisting of leather, TPU, PU, PVC, TPE, EVA, rubber, and fabrics. 
   
   
       15 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation and an exterior web layer, which is integrally attached on an outer surface of said inflatable bladder, comprises at least an elongated winding thread evenly wound around said outer surface of said inflatable bladder such that said web layer embraces said inflatable bladder for resisting stress and impact force applied to said inflatable bladder. 
   
   
       16 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation and an exterior web layer, which is integrally attached on an outer surface of said inflatable bladder, comprises at least an elongated winding thread evenly wound around said outer surface of said inflatable bladder such that said web layer embraces said inflatable bladder for resisting stress and impact force applied to said inflatable bladder. 
   
   
       17 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation and an exterior web layer, which is integrally attached on an outer surface of said inflatable bladder, comprises at least an elongated winding thread evenly wound around said outer surface of said inflatable bladder such that said web layer embraces said inflatable bladder for resisting stress and impact force applied to said inflatable bladder. 
   
   
       18 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation and a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder, such that said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated. 
   
   
       19 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation and a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder, such that said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated. 
   
   
       20 . The sportsball, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation and a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder, such that said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated. 
   
   
       21 . A method of manufacturing a sportsball, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an inflatable ball body and a ball carcass which has a ball cavity and an opening;   (b) providing a stitchless seam arrangement at said opening of said ball carcass;   (c) disposing said ball body in said ball cavity of said ball carcass; and   (e) after said ball body is inflated, enclosing said ball body in said ball cavity of said ball carcass by adhering edge portions of said opening on an outer surface of said ball body via said stitchless seam arrangement such that said opening is sealed to close said ball cavity in a stitchless seam manner.   
   
   
       22 . The method, as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said stitchless seam arrangement comprises an elongated adhesive layer which has a contour matching with a contour of said opening of said ball carcass. 
   
   
       23 . The method as recited in  claim 22  wherein, in the step (b), said adhesive layer is applied on said outer surface of said ball body to align said opening of said ball carcass with said adhesive layer after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass. 
   
   
       24 . The method as recited in  claim 22  wherein, in the step (a), said ball carcass is made by the steps of:
 providing a plurality of ball panels; and   sewing said ball panels with each other edge-to-edge while sections of said ball panels are remained unsewn to form said opening, such that said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass through said unsewn edges of said ball panels.   
   
   
       25 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein, in the step (a), said ball carcass is made by the steps of:
 providing a plurality of ball panels; and   sewing said ball panels with each other edge-to-edge while sections of said ball panels are remained unsewn to form said opening, such that said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass through said unsewn edges of said ball panels.   
   
   
       26 . The method, as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body to align along said unsewn edges of said ball panels after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass. 
   
   
       27 . The method, as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body to align along said unsewn edges of said ball panels after said ball body is disposed in said ball carcass. 
   
   
       28 . The method as recited in  claim 22  wherein, in the step (a), said ball carcass is made by the steps of:
 providing a plurality of ball panels; and   adhering said ball panels on said outer surface of said ball body edge-to-edge, wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body along edge portions of said ball panels such that said edge portions of said ball panels are alignedly attached along said adhesive layer to form said ball carcass for enclosing said ball body.   
   
   
       29 . The method as recited in  claim 23  wherein, in the step (a), said ball carcass is made by the steps of:
 providing a plurality of ball panels; and   adhering said ball panels on said outer surface of said ball body edge-to-edge, wherein said adhesive layer is provided on said ball body along edge portions of said ball panels such that said edge portions of said ball panels are alignedly attached along said adhesive layer to form said ball carcass for enclosing said ball body.   
   
   
       30 . The method, as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said adhesive layer has an outwardly protruding line radially protruded from said ball body to form an edge guider to align with a connection line between two edges of said adjacent ball panels. 
   
   
       31 . The method, as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said adhesive layer has an outwardly protruding line radially protruded from said ball body to form an edge guider to align with a connection line between two edges of said adjacent ball panels. 
   
   
       32 . The method, as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said ball carcass is made of durable material selected from the group consisting of leather, TPU, PU, PVC, TPE, EVA, rubber, and fabrics. 
   
   
       33 . The method, as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said ball carcass is made of durable material selected from the group consisting of leather, TPU, PU, PVC, TPE, EVA, rubber, and fabrics. 
   
   
       34 . The method, as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said ball carcass is made of durable material selected from the group consisting of leather, TPU, PU, PVC, TPE, EVA, rubber, and fabrics. 
   
   
       35 . The method as recited in  claim 21  wherein, in the step (a), said ball body is made by the steps of:
 providing an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation; and   evenly winding at least an elongated winding thread around an outer surface of said inflatable bladder to form an exterior web layer integrally attached on said outer surface of said inflatable bladder, such that said web layer embraces said inflatable bladder for resisting stress and impact force applied to said inflatable bladder.   
   
   
       36 . The method as recited in  claim 27  wherein, in the step (a), said ball body is made by the steps of:
 providing an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation; and   evenly winding at least an elongated winding thread around an outer surface of said inflatable bladder to form an exterior web layer integrally attached on said outer surface of said inflatable bladder, such that said web layer embraces said inflatable bladder for resisting stress and impact force applied to said inflatable bladder.   
   
   
       37 . The method as recited in  claim 31  wherein, in the step (a), said ball body is made by the steps of:
 providing an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation; and   evenly winding at least an elongated winding thread around an outer surface of said inflatable bladder to form an exterior web layer integrally attached on said outer surface of said inflatable bladder, such that said web layer embraces said inflatable bladder for resisting stress and impact force applied to said inflatable bladder.   
   
   
       38 . The method as recited in  claim 21  wherein, in the step (a), said ball body is made by the steps of:
 providing an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation; and   forming a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder, such that said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated.   
   
   
       39 . The method as recited in  claim 27  wherein, in the step (a), said ball body is made by the steps of:
 providing an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation; and   forming a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder, such that said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated.   
   
   
       40 . The method as recited in  claim 31  wherein, in the step (a), said ball body is made by the steps of:
 providing an inflatable bladder for being popped by air inflation; and   forming a construction ball pocket, which is made of fabric material and lo constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior receiving cavity defined therein to sealedly receive said inflatable bladder, such that said construction ball pocket is arranged to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated.