INFLATABLE FOOTBALLS SUCH AS RUGBY BALLS

Abstract: An ovoid inflatable ball, such as a rugby ball, has an inflatable bladder (10) with an inflation valve assembly (2) in the stitched seam (3) between adjacent cover panels (1a, 1b). The valve (not shown) has an inflation tube (5) upstanding from the base (8) of a channel (7) formed in a flange member (4) which lies over or embraces the valve for inflating the bladder (10). The channel receives the inturned stitched edges of seam (3) and the inflation tube (5) passes through the seam (3) and is permanently accessible. Much improved ballistic properties result from the construction especially as regards kicking.

Description: TITLE INFLATABLE FOOTBALLS SUCH AS RUGBY BALLS This invention relates to inflatable balls and more particularly to inflatable footballs such as rugby footballs or other balls of non-spherical shape. Rugby balls are inflatable balls of a generally ovoid shape The balls are typically provided with valve means to enable inflation thereof to be effected. Traditional rugby balls had an outer leather cover consisting of four panels stitched together to make the whole The outer cover contained a bladder to which access could be had for the purpose of inflation through a laced access opening. Modern rugby balls usually comprise four panels of a synthetic material stitched together and provided with an inflation valve which passes through the centre point of one of the synthetic panels. A principle object of this invention is to provide a ball having improved ballistic properties and which also facilitates manufacture and assembly. According to this invention there is provided an inflatable ball of generally oval shape having an outer cover comprising a plurality of panels connected together along seams wherein a permanently accessible inflation valve aperture is located on a seam It has now been found, surprisingly, that advantages accrue when a rugby ball or other ball of similar shape has the inflation vaive positioned on the line of a seam between two adjacent panels. A ball of this construction provides demonstrably improved ballistic properties. Unlike traditional balls with a laced (and therefore openable and closable) access opening for inflating the bladder, the balls of this invention have an inflation valve which is always accessible. In a preferred embodiment there is provided an inflatable ball of generally oval shape, for example a rugby ball, having an outer cover comprising a plurality of panels connected together along seams and a permanently accessible inflation valve located on a seam. The inflation valve is preferably located in a central zone of the seam. The cover is preferably made of four panels of synthetic material, especially a synthetic sheet plastics material. The ball preferably includes a valve body located under the cover and having defined on the outer surface thereof a channel receiving the inturned edge portions of the cover panels joined by the seam. Preferably the valve assembly comprises a valve body and a flange disposed around and over the valve body and securing same to an inflatable bladder located within the cover, the channel being arranged on the outer surface of the flange. The panels are preferably stitched together. Another preferred embodiment compπses an inflatable rugby or other oval ball of the type having a cover formed of panels which are stitched or connected together to form seams free of any openable and closable access to the interior, wherein the valve is located on a seam anc an inflation tube extends from the valve through or connects with an aperture in the seam. Preferred balls of this embodiment comprise an inflatable bladder within the cover and having defined on the outer surface thereof a channel which receives the inturned edge portions of the cover panels joined by the seam and from the underside of which seam extends the inflation tube. This invention includes an inflation point member for an inflatable ball, the member having a face in which there is a channel whose base has defined therein an aperture to receive an inflation tube. The invention also provides a bladder with the inflation point thereof adapted to be positioned under a seam. In a preferred embodiment, such a bladder comprises an inflation tube which extends from the bottom of a channel defined on the exterior of the bladder. The bladder will be normally of a generally oval shape. This invention is further described and illustrated by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a prior art rugby ball viewed towards the inflation valve. Figure 2 is a side view of a rugby ball of this invention viewed towards the inflation valve, Figure 3 is a transverse cross section through a rugby ball of this invention showing the inflation valve in side elevation and the channel through the flange on the bladder, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bladder used in the rugby ball of Figure 2, viewed towards the inflation valve. Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a prior art rugby ball. The ball comprises a cover made of four substantially equal shape panels connected together aiong the edges to form seams 3, of which three panels, 1a, 1 and 1c only are visible. The panels are normally made of a synthetic plastics material, such as a plastics sheet material. An inflation valve aperture 2 is located centrally in one of the panels as shown. The valve is of a conventional type. A rugby ball of this invention is illustrated in Figure 2, which shows a ball having a valve assembly 2 located along the line of the seam 3 between adjacent interconnected panels of the ball. The panels are normally stitched together, as is usual. The illustrated rugby ball cover may be similar to the prior art other than for the valve assembly location 2. Figure 3 shows a transverse cross section through the ball of Figure 2. The wall 10 of the bladder has attached thereto a flange 4 which is seated over the valve (not shown) and which serves to connect the valve to the wall 10 of the bladder. The flange 4 is made of a natural or synthetic rubber and lies in normal use under the cover of the ball. The valve itself, which is not visible, and the flange 4 together form the valve assembly 2. The valve is provided with an inflation tube 5 (often referred to as a nipple) which passes through a small aperture in the seam to facilitate inflation of the ball. The aperture is of a fixed size and is not selectively openable ana closable. The invention thus provides inflatable balls wherein the inflation tube extends through an aperture in a seam, which aperture is bounded by stitching or other inseparable joining between the panels. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 4, the flange 4 on bladder 6 is provided on the outer face 9 with a channel 7 aligned with the Iongitudinal axis of the bladder 6 and the channel receives the cover panel inturned edges forming the seam 3 along which the valve is located. The inflation tube 5 extends from the base 8 of the channel 7 in a central portion thereof. The flange 4 has defined therein an aperture to accommodate the inflation tube 5. The invention includes balls having an inflation point member (the valve assembly and more particularly the flange 4 in the illustrated embodiment) adapted to be positioned under a seam as well as ball bladders having an inflation point area adapted to be positioned under a seam. When place kicking a ball in a rugby game, kickers will always impact the seam of the ball with the foot, inevitably placing an opposed seam directly away from them. When a ball of this invention is kicked the ball travels in a straight line, whereas conventional balls usually take a curved trajectory because of the offset weight of the valve, which will be positioned to one side of the direction of the kick. This will be apparent from Figure 1.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 18 December 1996 ( 18.12.96J ; original claims 1 -17 replaced by amended claims 1 -16 (4 pages ) ] 1. An inflatable ball of generally oval shape having an outer cover comprising a plurality of panels connected together along seams, an inflatable bladder within the outer cover, the bladder including an inflation valve assembly located beneath the cover, said assembly comprising a flange surrounding an inflation valve and an inflation tube extending from the valve and passing through an aperture in a seam of the outer cover to be permanently accessible, wherein said flange defines an outer facing surface, said surface having a channel which receives the inturned edge portions of adjacent cover panels joined by a seam, the inflation tube extending from the base of said channel. 2. A ball according to Claim 1 , wherein said flange is of disc shape with a cylindrical upstanding portion of reduced diameter and in which the channel is provided. 3. A ball according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the inflation valve aperture is located at a mid point along the seam. 4. A ball according to Claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the outer cover is made up of four panels comprising a synthetic material and the ball is of oval shape. 5. A ball according to any preceding claim, wherein the valve assembly comprises a valve body with the flange disposed over and/or around the valve body and securing the valve body to the inflatable bladder, the outer facing surface of the flange contacting the outer cover, the depth of the channel being sufficient to accommodate the seam. 6. A ball according to any preceding Claim 1 to 5, wherein the outer cover panels are stitched together. 7. An inflatable rugby ball having an outer cover formed by synthetic panels which are stitched together along and to form seams free of any selectively openable and closable access point, an inflatable bladder within the outer cover having an inflation valve located on the line of a seam of the outer cover, an inflation tube extending from the valve through an aperture in the seam, and an upstanding flange on the outer surface of the bladder, the surface of the flange being in contact with the outer cover and having a channel to receive the seam. 8. A rugby ball according to Claim 7 wherein the inflation valve is located at a mid point along the seam. 9. A rugby ball according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the inflation tube extends from the base of the channel. 10. A rugby ball according to any one of Claims 7 to 9, wherein said flange is of disc shape with a cylindrical upstanding portion of reduced diameter and in which the channel is provided. 11. An inflation point member for use with an inflatable ball, the member having a surface in which there is provided a channel, the base of the channel having an aperture to receive an inflation tube which, in use, connects with an inflation valve member. 12. An inflation point member according to Claim 11 , wherein said surface is a face of a flange adapted to overlie or embrace an inflation valve member. 13. An inflation point member according to Claim 12, wherein the flange includes an upstanding portion of reduced diameter, the flange defining the surface in which the channel is provided. 14. A bladder incorporating the inflation point member of claim 11 , 12 or 13 as an integral part of thereof. 15. An inflatable ball or a bladder for such ball substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings. 16. A bladder for an inflatable ball or a rugby ball as claimed in any preceding claim. Statement under Article 19 The amended claims are intended to show a distinction over the prior art brought forward in the International Search Report and in particular US 2080894A. The amended claims are considered to now show a distinction over all ofthe prior art brought forward in the International Search Report.

Inventors: WEBB LAWRENCE EDWARD, WEBB, LAWRENCE, EDWARD
Applicants: JAMES GILBERT RUGBY FOOTBALLS, WEBB LAWRENCE EDWARD, JAMES GILBERT (RUGBY FOOTBALLS) LTD., WEBB, LAWRENCE, EDWARD
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A63B41
IPC codes: A63B41