Impact-Absorbing Ball

Abstract

An impact-absorbing ball has an exterior liner, a ball body, and a damper core. The exterior liner is superimposed onto the ball body and used to provide a textured or friction-reducing surface. The damper core is integrated into the ball body and has multiple density-modified regions that are used to modify the overall durometer of the ball. Thus, the damper core enables the ball to absorb the impact forces generated by a collision with an athletes' body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An impact-absorbing ball comprising:
 an exterior liner;   a ball body;   a damper core;   the damper core comprising at least one first density-modified region and at least one second density-modified region;   the exterior liner being superimposed onto the ball body;   the damper core being integrated into the ball body;   the first density-modified region being positioned offset from the second density-modified region; and   a center of mass being positioned offset from the exterior liner.   
     
     
         2 . The shock-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the damper core and the ball body being formed from a single homogenous piece of material. 
     
     
         3 . The shock-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a density of the first density-modified region being greater than a density of the second density-modified region. 
     
     
         4 . The shock-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first density-modified region envelops the second density-modified region. 
     
     
         5 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 the ball body comprising a plurality of structural layers; and   an interior layer being positioned in between an exterior layer and the damper core, wherein the interior layer and the exterior layer being from the plurality of structural layers.   
     
     
         6 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 5 , comprising:
 the plurality of structural layers comprising a deformable bladder; and   the deformable bladder enveloping the deformable core.   
     
     
         7 . The flight-enhanced ball as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a durometer of each of the plurality of structural layers being different. 
     
     
         8 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 a core suspension assembly; and   the core suspension assembly being mounted in between the ball body and the deformable core.   
     
     
         9 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the core suspension assembly is operatively coupled to the deformable core, and wherein the core suspension assembly dynamically repositions the center of gravity to modify flight characteristics. 
     
     
         10 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the core suspension assembly is operatively coupled to the deformable core to act as an inertial damper. 
     
     
         11 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 a friction-reducing coating; and   the friction-reducing being superimposed onto the exterior lining.   
     
     
         12 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 a plurality of texturizing recesses; and   the plurality of texturizing recesses traversing into the exterior lining.   
     
     
         13 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of texturizing recesses being formed by a plurality of shapes. 
     
     
         14 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of texturizing recesses having a plurality of recess depths. 
     
     
         15 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of texturizing recesses having a plurality perimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The impact-absorbing ball as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of texturizing recesses having a plurality distribution patterns.