Patent · US Expired

Synthetic leather covered game ball

US5664774A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
16References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 15, 1995
Grant dateSep 9, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 15, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S273/09
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A softball has a high end synthetic leather stitched cover formed from a low density non-woven fiber mat impregnated with polyurethane. The softball, which can be formed to meet association specifications, has a circumference of 11 or 12 inches and a cover to core weight ratio significantly less than 0.1, typically in the range of 0.08-0.16, while meeting durability requirements. The cover preferably has a thickness of 0.045-0.065 inches. Because a greater weight concentration is in the core of the ball, the ball has improved playability characteristics over conventional balls having heavier synthetic leather covers, while exhibiting a sound comparable to that of a leather covered softball when struck with a bat.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.