Patent Publication Number: US-2003232672-A1

Title: Luminous ball

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001] This application claims benefit of priority to PCT Application No. PCT/KR02/01133, filed on Jun. 15, 2002, and to Korean Application No. 2001-0034201, filed on Jun. 16, 2001, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a luminous ball, more particularly, to a novel luminous ball which can be prepared by cutting luminous ball fabrics into luminous ball fabrics pieces with a specific form and shape, and sticking or sewing said luminous ball fabrics pieces onto the circumferential surface of tube or inner cover of the ball to allow its circumferential surface to have a luminous structure. When the present invention is applied to the various sports balls such as a soccer ball, a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball and the like, it is possible to play ball at night since the ball can be easily recognized or identified at night, it is possible to prevent a loss of ball at night, and it is possible to prevent a safe accident at night during returning home after the ball play due to the luminous structure of the ball.  
       [0003] In general, there is little difficulty when players and audiences play or watch in the daytime a sports game which employs a ball such as a soccer ball, a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball and the like. However, there are much possibilities that players and audiences cannot play well play or watch a sports game or a ball play at night since it is difficult to recognize or identify the ball at night. Even under a night light such as searchlight, it is difficult to play or watch a sports game or a ball play at night since the recognition or identification of a ball may be difficult or varied depending on the seat position, the angle of the light, and the like. Therefore, the interests in the sports game or the ball play may decrease.  
       [0004] Under such circumstances, luminous balls coated with a fluorescent material which is one of luminous materials is applied are proposed in order to make it possible to do a sports game or a ball play at night.  
       [0005] As an example, Korean Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 95-13397 describes a slip-prevented and fluorescence-emitting ball. Such fluorescence-emitting ball is prepared by forming a resin adhesion portion comprising a luminous material on the surface of the ball in any drawing shape.  
       [0006] Korean Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 98-14995 describes a luminous golf ball, which is prepared by applying a luminous material on the surface of the golf ball. This utility model is intended for a conventional golf ball, of which surface is treated with a mixture containing a luminous material to radiate a light at night.  
       [0007] Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-224198 describes a luminous soccer ball, on which surface is applied with a highly concentrated coating layer of a luminous material (phosphor or fluorescent). Thus, the ball can be easily recognized or identified in a dark environment.  
       [0008] However, since the above-mentioned balls are applied or coated with a paint containing luminous materials such as phosphor or fluorescent, there are many problems such that the luminous materials such as phosphor or fluorescent may be easily peeled or damaged during the sports games to make it difficult to obtain. Further, since the luminous materials such as phosphor or fluorescent may decrease their luminous ability along the time, it is difficult to obtain the desired light-emitting effects at night for a long time. Therefore, when the ball is used for a long time, it may be still difficult to play a ball at night. As a result, such balls have a drawback such that the life span as a luminous ball that can radiate light at night may not be long.  
       [0009] Such luminous balls coated with a fluorescent material have not been employed in a formal sports game, although they have been applied as a ball for play. Further, they have drawbacks that there is a study report that the luminous material may be harmful for human body, the luminous ability of the luminous materials decreases along with time, and the luminous material coated on the ball may be peeled or damaged during its use.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0010] The present invention is developed to solve the above problems. The luminous ball of the present invention which is prepared by cutting luminous ball fabrics prepared according to the preparation of the present invention into luminous ball fabrics pieces, and sticking or sewing said luminous ball fabrics pieces onto the circumferential surface of tube or inner cover of the ball, the ball is suitable to be employed in a night game since it is possible to find out the exact position of the ball under a dim light and can be employed as a reflecting safe mark to prevent any car accident during returning home or transferring other place, as well as it is possible to find out the exact position of a ball even when the ball falls down to a dark place, which can prevent a loss of the ball.  
       [0011] The luminous ball of the present invention can be applied to various balls for sorts game such as a soccer ball, a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball and the like, and when a luminous ball is continuously employed during said sports games, there is almost no problems such as the decrease of emitting ratio or the peeling or damage of the soft resin film on the circumferential surface of the ball. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0012] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention that together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is a front view having a partially cut section of an exemplary luminous ball of the present invention, of which partial portion is cut.  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is an overview illustrating the exemplary film processing machinery for preparing luminous fabrics of the present invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 3 is a partial sectional enlargement of exemplary luminous fabrics attached to a soccer ball represented in FIG. 1.  
     [0016]FIG. 4 is a partial sectional enlargement which shows another example of attached state as represented in FIG. 3.  
     [0017]FIG. 5 is a partial sectional enlargement of the luminous fabrics and the adhesive layer as represented in FIG. 3.  
     [0018]FIG. 6 is a front view of an exemplary luminous ball fabrics piece having a hexagon shape used in a soccer ball, which is cut from luminous ball fabrics represented in FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0019] A luminous ball to achieve the above-mentioned objects of the present invention is characterized in that it is prepared by cutting the luminous ball fabrics into the luminous ball fabrics pieces with a specific form and shape, and sticking or sewing said luminous ball fabrics pieces onto the circumferential surface of tube or inner cover of the ball.  
     [0020] Below, the procedure to prepare the luminous ball according to the present invention will be illustrated in details in order to explain the technical means to achieve the above-mentioned objects.  
     [0021] The preparation and construction of the luminous ball illustrated below may be applied very widely to the various sports or ball games which can be played indoor or out of door at night, such as main or exercise games of various sports and ball games of children, and to the balls used at the various sports such as a soccer ball, a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball and practice balls for various plays.  
     [0022]FIG. 1 represents a soccer ball corresponding to a preferable example which can be prepared by the preparation of the present invention, illustrating the procedure to prepare a luminous ball of the present invention by exampling a soccer ball.  
     [0023] First Step  
     [0024] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a ball ( 1 ) having a tube ( 2 ) inside is prepared according to a common preparation method. That is, an inner cover ( 3 ) composed of under papers and nonwoven fabrics is formed on the circumferential surface of the tube ( 2 ).  
     [0025] Luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) prepared according to the preparation of the present invention may be directly attached on the circumferential surface of the tube ( 2 ) without attaching the inner cover ( 3 ) on the circumferential surface of the tube ( 2 ) depending on the use of the ball. The inner cover ( 3 ) may be prepared by using any materials used in the field of ball and can be stuck on the circumferential surface of the tube according to the conventional method for the preparation of a ball.  
     [0026] Second Step  
     [0027] In order to form a luminous structure on the circumferential surface of the tube ( 2 ) or inner cover ( 3 ) of the ball ( 1 ) prepared in the above First Step, luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) are prepared.  
     [0028] First, in order to prepare luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ), a jagged surface ( 7 ) is formed at the bottom side of a soft resin film ( 5 ) by using a film processing machinery ( 10 ).  
     [0029] The film processing machinery ( 10 ) comprises an upper press roller ( 11 ) which is driven by a motor and a lower press roller ( 12 ) faced with said upper press roller and the number of jagged patterns ( 13 ) are formed on the circumferential surface of said lower press roller ( 12 ).  
     [0030] Therefore, if a soft resin film ( 5 ) is passed through such film processing machinery ( 10 ), the pressure and heat generated by the upper and lower press rollers allow the top side of the soft resin film ( 5 ) faced with the upper press roller ( 11 ) to be smooth and gloss as well as the bottom side of the soft resin film ( 5 ) faced with the lower press roller ( 12 ) to be jagged to form a jagged surface ( 7 ) which is embossed with the number of inclined surface ( 8 ) by the action of the jagged pattern ( 13 ) formed on the circumferential surface of said lower press roller ( 12 ).  
     [0031] After forming a jagged surface ( 7 ) at the bottom side of the soft resin film ( 5 ) as described above, said soft resin film ( 5 ) is held onto a sticking sheet ( 6 ) such that said jagged surface ( 7 ) of the soft resin film ( 5 ) is faced to the sticking sheet, as illustrated in FIG. 3.  
     [0032] Therefore, due to the number of inclined surface ( 8 ) formed on the jagged surface ( 7 ) of the soft resin film ( 5 ), it has a luminous structure such that the jagged surface ( 7 ) at the bottom side of the soft resin film ( 5 ) will reflect a light to glitter as a prism. Specifically, if a soft resin film ( 5 ) is combined with a sticking sheet ( 6 ) and the soft resin film receives light, it refracts the light like a prism on the jagged surface ( 7 ) finely formed on the bottom side of the soft resin film ( 5 ), and as a result, it glitters with a luminous structure.  
     [0033]FIG. 6 is a front view of a luminous ball fabrics piece having a hexagon shape used in a soccer ball, which is cut from luminous ball fabrics represented in FIG. 3.  
     [0034] Third Step  
     [0035] Luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) prepared in the above Second Step are cut into various shapes according to the form and shape of balls, for example, into plural luminous ball fabrics pieces having a hexagon shape shown in FIG. 6 if a soccer ball as illustrated in FIG. 1 is intended. If the present invention is applied to a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball or the like, luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) will be cut into luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) having a specific size according to the form and shape of the balls.  
     [0036] After cutting luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) into luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) according to the form and shape of the balls, the fringes of said luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) are combined by the high-frequency bonding process. The high-frequency bonding process may be selectively applied to the necessary portions.  
     [0037] In another example, luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) are cut into plural luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ), and a sponge ( 14 ) having a predetermined thickness is attached onto the bottom side of said fabrics as illustrated in FIG. 4. As a result, when sticking the resultant luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) onto the circumferential surface of the ball, the ball has a cushion feature such as a softball.  
     [0038] Forth Step  
     [0039] Luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) having a specific form and shape prepared in the above Third Step are stuck or sewed onto the circumferential surface of tube ( 2 ) or inner cover ( 3 ) of the ball ( 1 ) prepared in the above First Step to finish a luminous ball according to the present invention.  
     [0040] By cutting the luminous ball fabrics ( 4 ) prepared by the preparation of the present invention into luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) with a specific form and shape and sticking or sewing said luminous ball fabrics pieces ( 9 ) onto the circumferential surface of tube ( 2 ) or inner cover ( 3 ) of the ball, when it is applied to various balls such as a soccer ball, a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball and the like, it is possible to play a game at night because the ball can be easily recognized under a dim light at a night game or in a common ground, it is possible to play a game under a car headlight because the ball strongly reflects the car headlight, and it is possible to prevent a car accident of the children who go to home after a game or a ball play.  
     [0041] The luminous ball according to the present invention has a luminous structure wherein the number of the inclined surfaces ( 8 ) formed on the jagged surface ( 7 ) of the soft resin film ( 5 ) reflect the light like a prism to glitter and show a light-reflecting effect. Therefore, it is easy to recognize or identify a ball, which can induce much interesting of the player and the audiences, it is possible to utilize a luminous ball itself as a safe mark, and it is possible to find a ball even under a dim light if the ball is lost during a night game.  
     [0042] Since the luminous ball of the present invention which is prepared by cutting luminous ball fabrics prepared according to the preparation of the present invention into luminous ball fabrics pieces, and sticking or sewing said luminous ball fabrics pieces onto the circumferential surface of tube or inner cover of the ball, the ball is suitable to be employed in a night game since it is possible to find out the exact position of the ball under a dim light and can be employed as a reflecting safe mark to prevent any car accident during returning home or transferring other place, as well as it is possible to find out the exact position of a ball even when the ball falls down to a dark place.  
     [0043] The luminous ball of the present invention can be applied to various balls for sports games such as a soccer ball, a ball for volleyball, a ball for basketball, a ball for handball, a ball for dodge, a Rugby ball and the like, and when a luminous ball is continuously employed during said sports games, there is almost no problems such as the decrease of emitting ability or the peeling or damage of the soft resin film on the circumferential surface of the ball.  
     [0044] In addition, since the luminous ball according to the present invention shows a few ten thousands light-reflecting effect under a dim light at long distance, it is easy to recognize or identify a ball, which can induce much interest of the player and the audiences, it is possible to utilize a luminous ball itself as a safe mark, and it is possible to find a luminous ball even under a dim light if the ball is lost during a night game.  
     [0045] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made in the luminous ball of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.