Training Balls with Improved Valve Stems

Abstract

A training ball includes a resilient shell having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior chamber therein. Weighted filler material is disposed within the chamber. A valve stem extends radially inwardly from the shell inner surface and into the interior chamber. An opening along the valve stem extending from the interior chamber to the outer surface of the shell, with a valve disposed in the opening. A transition between the valve stem and an inner surface of the outer shell is curved, tapered, or otherwise graduated to reduce stress at the transition such that a widest portion of the transition is at least twice as wide as a narrowest portion of the valve stem. The transition can be curved with a fillet radius of between about 5-15% of the outer diameter of the ball, and/or between about 4-10 mm.

1 . A training ball comprising:
 an outer shell having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior chamber therein, the outer shell having a wall thickness of between about 1-5 mm;   a valve stem extending radially inwardly from the shell and into the interior chamber;   an opening along the valve stem;   a valve disposed within the opening, wherein the training ball is inflatable from an uninflated configuration by introducing air through the valve;   a weighted filler material within the chamber; and   a transition between the valve stem and the inner surface of the outer shell, the transition being tapered such that a widest portion of the transition is at least twice as wide as a narrowest portion of the valve stem, the transition being curved and having a fillet radius of between about 4-10 mm in the uninflated configuration.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The training ball of  claim 1 , wherein the transition is curved and has a fillet radius that is about 5-15% of an outer diameter of the ball. 
     
     
         4 . The training ball of  claim 1 , wherein the widest portion of the transition is between about 25-40 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The training ball of  claim 1 , wherein the valve stem protrudes into the chamber by a length that is between about 15-35% of an outer diameter of the ball. 
     
     
         6 . The training ball of  claim 1 , wherein the valve stem protrudes into the chamber by a length that is between about 10-30 mm. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A training ball comprising:
 a resilient shell having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior chamber therein;   a valve stem extending radially inwardly from the shell inner surface and into the interior chamber; and   an opening along the valve stem extending from the interior chamber to the outer surface of the shell;   a valve disposed within the opening, wherein the training ball is inflatable from an uninflated configuration by introducing air through the valve;   a weighted filler material within the interior chamber; and   a valve stem insert comprising:
 a head portion embedded within the outer shell; and 
 a neck portion extending radially inwardly from the head portion, the neck portion embedded within the valve stem; 
   wherein, in the uninflated configuration, the head portion of the valve insert has a curved upper surface having a radius of curvature corresponding to a radius of the shell outer surface;   wherein a transition between the valve stem and an inner surface of the outer shell is curved.   
     
     
         10 . The training ball of  claim 9 , wherein the transition between the valve stem and the inner surface has a fillet radius that is about 5-15% of an outer diameter of the ball. 
     
     
         11 . The training ball of  claim 9 , wherein the outermost edge of the transition between the valve stem and the inner surface of the outer shell defines a widest portion of the transition and wherein the widest portion is at least twice as wide as a width at a radially innermost portion of the valve stem. 
     
     
         12 . The training ball of  claim 9 , wherein the valve stem protrudes into the chamber by a length that is between about 15-35% of an outer diameter of the ball. 
     
     
         13 . The training ball of  claim 9 , wherein the valve stem protrudes into the chamber by a length that is between about 10-30 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The training ball of  claim 9   wherein the valve stem insert is made of a first material and the shell and valve stem are made of a second material, the first material having different material properties from the second material.   
     
     
         15 . A valve stem insert for a training ball, comprising:
 a head portion configured to be embedded within an outer shell of a ball, the head portion having a curved upper surface having a radius of curvature corresponding to a radius of the outer shell of the ball in which the valve stein insert is configured to be embedded;   a neck portion extending radially inwardly from the head portion;   an aperture extending through the head portion and the neck portion, the aperture configured to receive a valve therein,   wherein a junction between a side surface of the neck portion and a lower surface of the head portion is curved, wherein a greatest width of the head portion is at least twice as wide as a width at a lower end of the neck portion in the absence of external forces on the valve stem insert.   
     
     
         16 . The valve stem insert of  claim 15 , wherein the transition between the valve stem and the inner surface has a fillet radius of between about 5-15 mm. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The valve stem insert of  claim 15 , wherein a greatest width of the head portion is between about 25-40 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The valve stem insert of  claim 15 , wherein the valve stem has a length from an upper surface of the head portion to a lower end of the neck portion of between about 10-30 mm. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The training ball of  claim 14 , wherein the first material is harder than the second material. 
     
     
         22 . The training ball of  claim 14 , wherein the first material is less flexible than the second material.