Sports ball having a sensor

Abstract

A sport ball with a casing forming at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sport ball; a bladder disposed 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 valve integrally form with the bladder, wherein the valve includes a valve area on the bladder; and a restriction structure disposed between the casing and the bladder, the restriction structure comprised of a first material and a second material, wherein the second material is different from the first material.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sport ball comprising:
 a casing forming at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sport ball;   a bladder disposed 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 valve integrally form with the bladder, wherein the valve includes a valve area on the bladder; and   a restriction structure disposed between the casing and the bladder, the restriction structure comprised of a first material and a second material, wherein the second material is different from the first material.   
     
     
         2 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first material has a first density and the second material has a second density, the first density being less than the second density. 
     
     
         3 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the restriction structure is uniform in thickness around the bladder. 
     
     
         4 . The sport ball of  claim 1 , wherein the restriction structure includes one or more heavy zones and one or more non-weighted zones. 
     
     
         5 . The sport ball of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more non-weighted zones are portions of the restriction structure where density has not been added, and wherein the one or more heavy zones are portions of the restriction structure with added density. 
     
     
         6 . The sport ball of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more heavy zones includes a first density and a second density, wherein the second density is different from the first density. 
     
     
         7 . The sport ball of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more heavy zones are disposed along at least 30% of the restriction structure. 
     
     
         8 . The sport ball of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more non-weighted zones are disposed along at least 70% of the restriction structure. 
     
     
         9 . A sport ball comprising:
 a casing forming at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sport ball;   a bladder disposed 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, wherein the radially inward-facing surface includes a pocket;   a restriction structure disposed between the casing and the bladder, the restriction structure comprised of one or more non-weighted zones and one or more heavy zones, wherein a 0.5 inch diameter circular resected portion taken from within the heavy zone is at least 30% heavier than a 0.5 inch diameter resected portion taken from within the one or more non-weighted zones.   
     
     
         10 . The sport ball of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more heavy zones are disposed along at least 30% of the restriction structure. 
     
     
         11 . The sport ball of  claim 9 , where the restriction structure restricts outward expansion of the bladder. 
     
     
         12 . The sport ball of  claim 9 , wherein the bladder includes a valve, and wherein the valve forms a valve area on the bladder. 
     
     
         13 . The sport ball of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more heavy zones and the one or more non-weighted zones are not disposed on the valve area. 
     
     
         14 . The sport ball of  claim 9 , wherein a first material of the restriction structure has a first density, and a second material of the restriction structure has a second density different from the first density.