Inflatable ball

Abstract

An inflatable ball includes an outer cover defining a confining chamber therein, a bladder unit disposed in the confining chamber, and a valve unit connected to the bladder unit. The bladder unit includes an outer bladder defining an accommodation chamber, an inner bladder disposed in the accommodation chamber and defining an inflating space, and a winding thread layer disposed in the accommodation chamber and covering an outer surrounding surface of the inner bladder. The outer bladder has a first elongation percentage. The inner bladder has a second elongation percentage greater than the first elongation percentage of the outer bladder. The winding thread layer has a third elongation percentage less than the first elongation percentage of the outer bladder. The bladder unit can be deflated and inflated.

1 . An inflatable ball comprising:
 an outer cover defining a confining chamber therein and formed with a through-hole;   a bladder unit disposed in said confining chamber and including
 an outer bladder that defines an accommodation chamber and that is formed with a through-hole registered with said through-hole of said outer cover, 
 an inner bladder that is disposed in said accommodation chamber, that defines an inflating space, and that is formed with a through-hole registered with said through-hole of said outer bladder, said inner bladder having an inner surrounding surface that confronts said inflating space, and an outer surrounding surface that is opposite to said inner surrounding surface, and 
 a winding thread layer that is disposed in said accommodation chamber and that covers said outer surrounding surface of said inner bladder; 
 wherein said outer bladder has a first elongation percentage, said inner bladder has a second elongation percentage greater than the first elongation percentage of said outer bladder, and said winding thread layer has a third elongation percentage less than the first elongation percentage of said outer bladder; 
 wherein said bladder unit is operable between a deflated state, where said outer bladder and said winding thread layer cooperatively define a gap therebetween, and an inflated state, where said winding thread layer abuts against said outer bladder; and 
   a valve unit connected to said bladder unit at a position corresponding to said through-hole of said outer bladder and said through-hole of said outer cover.   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said valve unit has a portion extending outwardly through said through-hole of said outer cover, and an opposite portion extending inwardly into said inflating space through said through-hole of said outer bladder, said winding thread layer, and said through-hole of said inner bladder. 
     
     
         3 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said outer bladder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and ethylene-vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         4 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said outer bladder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, artificial rubber, and latex. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said inner bladder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and ethylene-vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         6 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said inner bladder is made from a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, artificial rubber, and latex. 
     
     
         7 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said outer bladder has an internal surrounding surface facing said winding thread layer, and an external surrounding surface disposed radially opposite to said internal surrounding surface; and   said valve unit includes
 a hollow valve-supporting seat having a rim portion that is mounted to one of said inner surrounding surface of said inner bladder and said winding thread layer, and a base portion that extends radially and inwardly from said rim portion of said valve-supporting seat, and that defines a retaining space in spatial communication with said inflating space, 
 a hollow valve-retaining member having a rim portion that is mounted to one of said internal and external surrounding surfaces of said outer bladder, and a base portion that extends radially and inwardly from said rim portion of said valve-retaining member, that extends fittingly into said retaining space in said base portion of said valve-supporting seat, and that defines a retaining groove in spatial communication with said retaining space, and 
 a slit-type valve having an outer valve portion that extends radially and outwardly through said through-hole of said outer cover, and an inner valve portion that extends radially, inwardly, and fittingly into said retaining groove in said valve-retaining member through said through-hole of said outer bladder, said winding thread layer, and said through-hole of said inner bladder, said slit-type valve being formed with a vent hole that extends radially through said outer and inner valve portions thereof, and that is in spatial communication with said retaining groove. 
   
     
     
         8 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said retaining space of said valve-supporting seat has an annular section, said base portion of said valve-retaining member having a shoulder that is fitted into said annular section of said retaining space of said valve-supporting seat and that defines an annular part of said retaining groove thereof, said slit-type valve having an annular protrusion that is received fittingly in said annular part of said retaining groove of said valve-retaining member. 
     
     
         9 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said valve-supporting seat is made from a material the same as the material of said inner bladder. 
     
     
         10 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said valve-supporting seat is made from a material different from the material of said inner bladder. 
     
     
         11 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said valve-retaining member is made from a material the same as the material of said outer bladder. 
     
     
         12 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said valve-retaining member is made from a material different from the material of said outer bladder. 
     
     
         13 . The inflatable ball as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said slit-type valve is made from rubber.