Sports ball having a sensor

Abstract

A sport ball with a casing that forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sport ball; a bladder located within the casing, the bladder having a radially outward- facing surface oriented facing away from a center of the sport ball, and a radially inward-facing surface facing toward the center of the sport ball; a plurality of weighted areas disposed on the radially inward-facing surface of the bladder, wherein one or more of the plurality of weighted areas includes a feature; and a component located on the bladder.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sport ball comprising:
 a casing that forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sport ball;   a bladder located within the casing, the bladder having a radially outward-facing surface oriented facing away from a center of the sport ball, and a radially inward-facing surface facing toward the center of the sport ball;   a plurality of weighted areas disposed on the radially inward-facing surface of the bladder, wherein one or more of the plurality of weighted areas includes a feature;   and   a component located on the bladder.   
     
     
         2 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder includes a pocket defining a cavity to receive the component, and wherein the component includes a valve. 
     
     
         3 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas and component are evenly spaced around the radially inward-facing surface of the bladder. 
     
     
         4 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas include a plurality of weighted dots, wherein a number of the plurality of weighted dots within each weighted area is between 5 and 100. 
     
     
         5 . The sport ball of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas include a first weight that is greater than a second weight of the component. 
     
     
         6 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas are arranged in a clustered group opposite the component. 
     
     
         7 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas and the component are arranged along the radially inward-facing surface such that a polyhedral shape pattern is formed between respective weighted areas of the plurality of weighted areas. 
     
     
         8 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of weighted areas are disposed on a restriction structure of the sport ball. 
     
     
         9 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of weighted areas are disposed on the casing. 
     
     
         10 . The sport ball of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of weighted dots are comprised of a first material, the bladder is comprised of a second material, and the casing is comprised of a third material, and wherein the first material is different from each of the second material and the third material. 
     
     
         11 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the sport ball includes a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, wherein the component is disposed in the first hemisphere, and wherein one or more of the plurality of weighted areas are disposed in the second hemisphere. 
     
     
         12 . A sport ball comprising:
 a casing that forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sport ball;   a bladder located within the casing, the bladder having a radially outward-facing surface oriented facing away from a center of the sport ball, and a radially inward-facing surface oriented facing toward the center of the sport ball;   a component located within the bladder, the component having a first weight; and   a plurality of weighted areas arranged in clusters along the radially inward-facing surface of the bladder such that the plurality of weighted areas counterbalance the component, wherein the plurality of weighted areas have a second weight.   
     
     
         13 . The sport ball of  claim 12 , wherein the second weight of the plurality of weighted areas is greater than the first weight of the component. 
     
     
         14 . The sport ball of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas are disposed in a first hemisphere of the sport ball, and wherein the component is disposed in a second hemisphere of the sport ball, the first hemisphere forming an upper portion of the sport ball and the second hemisphere forming a lower portion of the sport ball. 
     
     
         15 . The sport ball of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas are disposed on the bladder directly opposite to the component. 
     
     
         16 . The sport ball of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of weighted areas include one or more weighted dots covering at least a portion of a surface area of the plurality of weighted areas. 
     
     
         17 . The sport ball of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more weighted dots are comprised of a rubber material. 
     
     
         18 . The sport ball of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more weighted dots are comprised of a first material, the bladder is comprised of a second material, and the casing is comprised of a third material, and wherein the first material is different from each of the second material and the third material. 
     
     
         19 . The sport ball of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more weighted dots have a height of between 1 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The sport ball of  claim 12 , wherein the sport ball includes a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, wherein the component is disposed in the first hemisphere, and wherein one or more of the plurality of weighted areas are disposed in the second hemisphere.