Method of Producing Sportsball with Sculptural Ball Surface

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a sports ball includes the steps of: providing a ball body having a valve stem formed thereat; providing a plurality of cover panels; integrally forming a plurality of sculptural bumps on at least a portion of one of the cover panels to form a sculptural ball surface of the cover panel; and overlapping the cover panels on said ball body to form a ball carcass in a stitch-less manner. Accordingly, the sculptural bumps are raised above an outer panel surface of the cover panel without applying a depression force to indent on the outer panel surface of the cover panel. The cover panels are interlocked and bonded with each other edge-to-edge to enclose the ball body inside the ball carcass.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a soccer ball, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a ball body having a valve stem formed thereat;   (b) providing a plurality of cover panels;   (c) integrally forming a plurality of sculptural bumps on at least a portion of one of said cover panels to form a sculptural ball surface of said cover panel, wherein said sculptural bumps are raised above an outer panel surface of said cover panel without applying a depression force to indent on said outer panel surface of said cover panel; and   (d) overlapping said cover panels on said ball body to form a ball carcass, wherein said cover panels are bonded with each other to enclose said ball body inside said ball carcass, wherein one of said cover panels has a valve hole aligning with said valve stem of said ball body.   
     
     
         2 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said step (c) further comprises the steps of:
 (c.1) placing a treatment layer on top of said cover panel, wherein said treatment layer comprises a mesh layer having a plurality of meshes thereon, and a sculptural layer formed at a bottom side of said mesh layer, wherein said sculptural layer is made of sculptural substance formed at said bottom side of said mesh layer and filled at said meshes of said mesh layer;   (c.2) integrally bonding said sculptural layer on said outer panel surface of said cover panel, such that said sculptural substances filled at said meshes of said mesh layer forms said sculptural bumps on said outer panel surface of said cover panel respectively; and   (c.3) removing said mesh layer on top of said cover panel to leave said sculptural layer on said outer panel surface of said cover panel.   
     
     
         3 . The method, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said mesh layer is made of non-stick material, such that said mesh layer is removed after said sculptural layer is applied on said outer panel surface of said ball carcass. 
     
     
         4 . The method, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said step (c.2) further comprises a step of applying heat on said treatment layer to detach said sculptural layer from said mesh layer and to integrally bond said sculptural layer on said outer panel surface of said cover panel. 
     
     
         5 . The method, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said meshes are orderly formed at said mesh layer in a wavy configuration to sculpture said sculptural bumps in a wavy pattern on said cover panel, wherein each of said meshes has a quadrilateral shape to sculpture each of said sculptural bumps with quadrilateral shape. 
     
     
         6 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said step (c) further comprises the steps of:
 (c.1) placing a mesh layer on top of said cover panel, wherein said mesh layer has a plurality of meshes thereon;   (c.2) evenly applying a sculptural substance on said mesh layer that said sculptural substance passes through said meshes to be integrally bonded on said outer panel surface of said cover panel to form said sculptural bumps thereon; and   (c.3) removing said mesh layer on top of said cover panel.   
     
     
         7 . The method, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said sculptural substance is in liquid form when applying on said mesh layer and is in solid form after dried. 
     
     
         8 . The method, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said mesh layer is made of non-stick material, such that said mesh layer is removed after said sculptural substance is applied on said outer panel surface of said ball carcass through said meshes. 
     
     
         9 . The method, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said step (c.2) further comprises the steps of:
 (c.2.1) sweeping said sculptural substance on said mesh layer to ensure said sculptural substance to be evenly applied on said mesh layer and to be evenly penetrated through said meshes on said outer panel surface of said cover panel; and   (c.2.2) swabbing excessive sculptural substance on said mesh layer after said sculptural substance is applied on said outer panel surface of said cover panel.   
     
     
         10 . The method, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said meshes are orderly formed at said mesh layer in a wavy configuration to sculpture said sculptural bumps in a wavy pattern on said cover panel, wherein each of said meshes has a quadrilateral shape to sculpture each of said sculptural bumps with quadrilateral shape. 
     
     
         11 . The method, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said step (b) further comprises a step of forming six cover panels to interlock with each other edge-to-edge to form said ball carcass, wherein each of said cover panels has a “X” configuration to define a center panel portion and four panel extension portions, wherein each of said cover panels has a plurality of curved edges and at least a straight edge extended from one of said curved edges. 
     
     
         12 . The method, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said step (b) further comprises a step of forming six cover panels to interlock with each other edge-to-edge to form said ball carcass, wherein each of said cover panels has a “X” configuration to define a center panel portion and four panel extension portions, wherein each of said cover panels has a plurality of curved edges and at least a straight edge extended from one of said curved edges. 
     
     
         13 . The method, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said step (b) further comprises a step of forming six cover panels to interlock with each other edge-to-edge to form said ball carcass, wherein each of said cover panels has a “X” configuration to define a center panel portion and four panel extension portions, wherein each of said cover panels has a plurality of curved edges and at least a straight edge extended from one of said curved edges. 
     
     
         14 . The method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said step (d) further comprises a step adhering said cover panels on said ball body to form said ball carcass in a stitch-less manner so as to enclose said ball body inside said ball carcass, wherein each of said to cover panels comprises a skin layer, a backing layer, and a cushioning layer sandwiched between said skin layer and said backing layer, wherein said step (b) further comprises a step of printing a design pattern on said skin layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said step (d) further comprises a step adhering said cover panels on said ball body to form said ball carcass in a stitch-less manner so as to enclose said ball body inside said ball carcass, wherein each of said cover panels comprises a skin layer, a backing layer, and a cushioning layer sandwiched between said skin layer and said backing layer, wherein said step (b) further comprises a step of printing a design pattern on said skin layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said step (d) further comprises a step adhering said cover panels on said ball body to form said ball carcass in a stitch-less manner so as to enclose said ball body inside said ball carcass, wherein each of said cover panels comprises a skin layer, a backing layer, and a cushioning layer sandwiched between said skin layer and said backing layer, wherein said step (b) further comprises a step of printing a design pattern on said skin layer. 
     
     
         17 . A soccer ball, comprising:
 a ball body having a valve stem formed thereat;   a plurality of cover panels overlappedly laminated on said ball body to form a ball carcass in a stitch-less manner, wherein said cover panels are interlocked and bonded with each other edge-to-edge to enclose said ball body inside said ball carcass, wherein one of said cover panels has a valve hole aligning with said valve stem of said ball body; and   a sculptural arrangement having a plurality of sculptural bumps integrally formed on at least a portion of one of said cover panels to form a sculptural ball surface of said cover panel that create maximum grip and speed of said soccer ball, wherein said sculptural bumps are raised above an outer panel surface of said cover panel without applying a depression force to indent on said outer panel surface of said cover panel.   
     
     
         18 . The soccer ball, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said sculptural bumps are orderly sculptured in a wavy pattern on said cover panel, wherein each of said sculptural bumps are sculptured in a quadrilateral shape. 
     
     
         19 . The soccer ball, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein six of said cover panels are provided to interlock with each other edge-to-edge to form said ball carcass, wherein each of said cover panels has a “X” configuration to define a center panel portion and four panel extension portions, wherein each of said cover panels has a plurality of curved edges and at least a straight edge extended from one of said curved edges, wherein each of said cover panels comprises a skin layer, a backing layer, and a cushioning layer sandwiched between said skin layer and said backing layer, wherein a design pattern is printed on said skin layer. 
     
     
         20 . The soccer ball, as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder and a ball pocket, which is constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior cavity receiving said inflatable bladder therein, wherein when said inflatable bladder is inflated, said ball pocket retains a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder, wherein said ball pocket comprises a plurality of pocket panels which are overlappedly laminated with each other side by side and are treated to form an integral spherical structure of said ball pocket so as to retain a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder after said inflatable bladder is inflated. 
     
     
         21 . The soccer ball, as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said ball body comprises an inflatable bladder and a ball pocket, which is constructed to have a true roundness shape, having an interior cavity receiving said inflatable bladder therein, wherein when said inflatable bladder is inflated, said ball pocket retains a true roundness shape of said inflatable bladder, wherein said ball pocket comprises an exterior web layer, which is integrally attached on an outer surface of said inflatable bladder, comprising at least an elongated strengthened 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.