Ball with interior reinforcement patches

Abstract

Soccer balls, volley balls and the like are provided with interior reinforcing patches disposed over the stitched seems to prevent thread breakage, seam separation and water incursion while at the same time enhancing the softness and durability of the ball's structural panels.

1 . An object for sports play comprising:
 a plurality of exterior, stitched together panels sewn at their edges, configured to form a closed volume and forming, by said stitching, raised interior edges at the edges of said panels;   an inflatable bladder occupying said closed volume;   a plurality of Y-shaped patches adhered to said panels on interior portions of said panels and disposed over said stitching so as to cover the juncture of three stitching edges.   
     
     
         2 . The object of  claim 1  in which the stitched together panels form a soccer ball. 
     
     
         3 . The object of  claim 1  in which the stitched together panels form a volley ball. 
     
     
         4 . The object of  claim 1  in which the patches overlap. 
     
     
         5 . The object of  claim 1  in which said stitching is performed by machine. 
     
     
         6 . The object of  claim 1  further including adhesive material disposed exteriorly and in contact with said stitching. 
     
     
         7 . The object of  claim 1  in which said panels comprise material selected from the group consisting of PU, PVC and TPU with a foam and fabric sandwich in single or multiple layers. 
     
     
         8 . The object of  claim 1  in which said patches comprise material selected from the group consisting of a singular layer of fabric, a singular layer of fabric impregnated with latex rubber, a combination of multiple layers of fabric impregnated with latex rubber and a combination of multiple layers of fabric without rubber impregnation.