Patent ID: 9675847
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A63B

Claim:
1. A method of manufacturing a sports ball, comprising: forming a first hemisphere from cross-linked closed-cell foam such that said first hemisphere has a concave dome shape defining a first partial inner cavity, and has a flange indentation proximate to a circular peripheral edge of said first hemisphere; forming a second hemisphere from cross-linked closed-cell foam such that said second hemisphere has a concave dome shape defining a second partial inner cavity, and has a flange extending from a circular peripheral edge of said second hemisphere; forming an inner core having a spherical shape; placing said inner core within said second partial inner cavity of said second hemisphere and within said flange; and coupling the circular peripheral edge of said first hemisphere with the circular peripheral edge of said second hemisphere, such that said first hemisphere and said second hemisphere together form an outer shell that encloses said inner core within an inner cavity formed by said first partial inner cavity and said second partial inner cavity; wherein said inner core is formed with a plurality of nubs extending from its exterior surface, such that said nubs directly contact inner surfaces of said outer shell's interior cavity when said inner core is housed within said outer shell.