Ball with raised seam
US6190273A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 3, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 3, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63B2102/182
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A construction for a baseball or softball having a raised seam is provided. The ball includes a core and first and second cover pieces. Each cover piece has an inner surface, an outer surface and a peripheral edge. A bead of hot melt adhesive is adhered to the inner surface of each cover piece in a pattern substantially parallel to and located inside of the peripheral edge. After the hot melt adhesive hardens, it forms a strip of elastomeric material. Then the cover pieces are placed together about the core of the ball and stitched together with the beads of hot melt adhesive material located within the stitching, so that the beads support the cover pieces to form a raised seam on the ball. The hot melt adhesive material is preferably selected to have a durometer hardness comparable to that of the core of the ball, so that the ball will perform substantially the same regardless of whether it is struck on-seam or off-seam by a batter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.