Sports Ball with Integral Ball Casing and Bladder Body

Abstract

A sports ball includes a barebone ball and an outer ball layer. The barebone ball includes an inflatable bladder body and a ball casing. The ball casing, which is formed in an integrated structure, has an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface to define an interior cavity to fittingly enclose the bladder body therein, and a plurality of pre-formed channels integrally and indently formed on the outer circumferential surface, such that the ball casing and the bladder body enclosed therewithin form a one piece integrated semi-product of the sports ball. The outer ball layer comprising a plurality of outer cover panels overlapping on the outer circumferential surface of the ball casing at a position that edges of each of the outer cover panels are aligned with the corresponding pre-formed channels respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a sports ball, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an inflatable bladder body and a ball casing having a shape corresponding to said bladder body after being inflated;   (b) placing said bladder body and said ball casing in a casing mold at a position that said bladder body is enclosed within said ball casing;   (c) vulcanizing said ball casing with heat to integrally bond said ball bladder with said ball casing to form a one piece integrated barebone ball as a semi-product of said sports ball, wherein a plurality of pre-formed channels are integrally and indently formed on an outer circumferential surface of said ball casing; and   (d) overlappedly attaching a plurality of outer cover panels on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing at a position that edges of each of said outer cover panels are aligned with said corresponding pre-formed channels respectively to form an outer ball layer to enclose said ball casing.   
     
     
         2 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step (b) further comprises a step of aligning two or more casing panels edge-to-edge to form said ball casing such that said casing panels are aligned to enclose said bladder body in said casing mold. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in the step (c), said casing mold comprises a plurality of channel protrusions integrally protruded from an inner mold surface to press against said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing during vulcanization. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein, in the step (c), said casing mold comprises a plurality of channel protrusions integrally protruded from an inner mold surface to press against said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing during vulcanization. 
     
     
         5 . The method, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said channel protrusions has two slanted pressing surfaces that each of said per-formed channels is formed to have two slanted sidewalls indented on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing during vulcanization, so that edge portions of said two neighboring outer cover panels are overlappedly attached on said sidewalls of said corresponding pre-formed channel respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The method, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein each of said channel protrusions has two slanted pressing surfaces that each of said per-formed channels is formed to have two slanted sidewalls indented on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing during vulcanization, so that edge portions of said two neighboring outer cover panels are overlappedly attached on said sidewalls of said corresponding pre-formed channel respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of said bladder body is integrated with said inner circumferential surface of said ball casing to form said one piece integrated barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         8 . The method, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of said bladder body is integrated with said inner circumferential surface of said ball casing to form said one piece integrated barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         9 . The method, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of said bladder body is integrated with said inner circumferential surface of said ball casing to form said one piece integrated barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         10 . The method, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein an outer circumferential surface of said bladder body is integrated with said inner circumferential surface of said ball casing to form said one piece integrated barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         11 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said ball casing is made of rubber material for providing a cushion effect at any point of said barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         12 . The method, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said ball casing is made of rubber material for providing a cushion effect at any point of said barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         13 . The method, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said ball casing is made of rubber material for providing a cushion effect at any point of said barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         14 . The method, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said ball casing is made of rubber material for providing a cushion effect at any point of said barebone ball after vulcanization. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein, in the step (d), said outer cover panels are adhered on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing of said barebone ball. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein, in the step (d), said outer cover panels are adhered on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing of said barebone ball. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein, in the step (d), said outer cover panels are adhered on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing of said barebone ball. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein, in the step (d), said outer cover panels are adhered on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing of said barebone ball. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein, in the step (d), said outer cover panels are adhered on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing of said barebone ball. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein, in the step (d), said outer cover panels are adhered on said outer circumferential surface of said ball casing of said barebone ball.