Ball comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer

Abstract

A ball ( 10 ) comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer ( 12 ) formed by spaced elastic beams ( 18 ) curved about a ball center, the beams having ends thereof joined in nodes ( 26, 26 ′) distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer. According to the invention, the beams ( 18 ) are also curved to establish lateral deflection thereof in the discontinuous ball surface layer ( 12 ) along the discontinuous ball surface layer between opposite beam ends for imparting yielding radial resiliency to the ball.

1 . A ball comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer formed by spaced elastic beams curved about a ball center, said beams having ends thereof joined in nodes distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer, said beams also being curved to establish lateral deflection thereof in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer between opposite beam ends for imparting yielding radial resiliency to the ball. 
     
     
         2 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein beams extending from a common node deflect laterally mutually uniformly in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         3 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein adjacent beams of said spaced beams define curved slots therebetween as part of the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         4 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein said beams are laterally unidirectionally curved in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         5 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein said beams are laterally curved in alternating directions in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         6 . The ball according to  claim 5 , wherein said beams are laterally curved in an S-shape in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         7 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein said beams are laterally curved to extend in a spiral shape in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer from a common node in the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         8 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein said beams also extend in a wave-shaped manner across the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         9 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein some of said nodes at ends of said beams form corners of an imaginary polyhedron circumscribed by the discontinuous ball surface layer. 
     
     
         10 . The ball according to  claim 9 , wherein faces of said imaginary polyhedron are defined by regular polygons that are identical in groups. 
     
     
         11 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein said discontinuous ball surface layer is divided into separate spring elements, each spring element comprising a plurality of said beams in one end joined in a common node, from said common node said joined beams for some part of their length extending to termination in separate connection points, said connection points defining interfaces between adjacent separate spring elements. 
     
     
         12 . The ball according to  claim 11 , wherein said separate spring elements are identical in groups. 
     
     
         13 . The ball according to  claim 1 , wherein said discontinuous ball surface layer is divided into separate spring elements, each spring element comprising a single beam. 
     
     
         14 . The ball according to  claim 11 , comprising connection elements for said spring elements. 
     
     
         15 . A spring element for a ball according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said beams in one end joined in a common node, from said common node said joined beams for some part of their length extending to termination in separate connection points, said connection points defining interfaces between adjacent separate spring elements. 
     
     
         16 . A connection element for a ball according to  claim 14 .