Patent Abstract:
A volleyball cover is made of six equal panel sections. Each panel section is divided into two cover panels, making a total of twelve cover panels on the volleyball. Each cover panel has a plurality of dimples arranged in a uniform pattern across the cover panel. Cover panels are separated by very shallow skiving.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to an improved cover for a volleyball. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Volleyballs are typically made with “skived” panel sections. The “skive” is essentially a valley between adjacent ball panels that defines the boundary interface between the panels. Sometimes there is seam at the bottom of the skive; sometimes there is no seam, because one panel edge abuts directly against an adjacent panel edge. 
         [0003]    When volleyballs are used for high-level game play, the volleyball server often likes a ball that can behave like a knuckleball during service. This is called a “float” serve, where the ball spins little or not at all, thus making it more difficult for the defending team to return. When the ball is in-play, players like volleyballs that can be “spiked” accurately and with high velocity. 
         [0004]    The design disclosed below has features that are intended to improve over past volleyball cover designs relative to the functions described above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A volleyball cover is made from six panel sections. The six panel sections are arranged on the volleyball such that each of the six sections are substantially equal in size. 
         [0006]    The six sections are arranged on the cover as three symmetrical pairs of panel sections. One section of each pair is positioned on an opposite side of the volleyball cover relative to the other section of the pair. Each pair of sections has a unique color. 
         [0007]    Each section is symmetrically divided into two cover panels of equal size. This makes a total of twelve cover panels making up the volleyball cover, each one of which is substantially identical in size (two cover panels per panel section, multiplied by six panel sections, equals a total of twelve cover panels). Twelve cover panels is a lesser number for regulation play volleyball, as per conventional volleyball specifications. 
         [0008]    Each cover panel includes a plurality of circular dimples uniformly arranged on each cover panel. The circular dimples are arranged with a certain or preselected dimple density, preferably less than 500 dimples per cover panel (6,000 dimples per cover). Moreover, each circular dimple has a dimple diameter within the range of 1 to 4 millimeters. The dimples alter the aerodynamic characteristics of the cover. 
         [0009]    Finally, each panel is separated from an adjacent panel by a reduced-depth or no-depth skive. Aerodynamic characteristics improve as the width and depth of the skived area between cover panels is reduced. The maximum width of the skive is no greater than 1 centimeter; and the maximum depth of the skive is no greater than 3 millimeters. 
         [0010]    The above summary will become better understood upon review of the accompanying drawings and description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the various views, and wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a frontal view of a volleyball cover constructed in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a back-side view of the cover shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top-side view of the cover shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a bottom-side view of the cover shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is labeled “prior art”; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view of the volleyball cover material; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a volleyball with the volleyball cover, from the outer surface to the inner bladder; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 7 , but shows the dimples in the outer volleyball cover. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , shown generally at  10  is a volleyball cover constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         [0021]    As summarized above, the volleyball cover comprises six panel sections, indicated generally by arrows  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 . In  FIGS. 1-4 , pairs of panel sections are shown as “white” or lined for the colors “green” or “purple,” respectively. More specifically, panel sections  12 ,  14  are white; panel sections  16 ,  18  are purple; and sections  20 ,  22  are green. Colors are a matter of design choice or volleyball rule. 
         [0022]    The six panel sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  are arranged on the cover  10  as three symmetrical pairs of panel sections, one section of each pair being positioned on an opposite side of the volleyball cover relative to the other. In other words, section  12  is opposite section  14 ; section  16  is opposite section  18 ; and section  20  is opposite section  22 . 
         [0023]    Each colored panel section  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  is symmetrically divided into two cover panels. Cover panels  12   a,    12   b,  for example, make up panel section  12 ; cover panels  14   a,    14   b  make up panel section  14 ; cover panels  16   a,    16   b  make up panel section  16 ; cover panels  18   a,    18   b  make up panel section  18 ; cover panels  20   a,    20   b  make up panel section  20 ; and finally, cover panels  22   a,    22   b  make up panel section  22 . 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the make-up of the volleyball cover  10  will now be described. Reference numeral  24  generally indicates the volleyball cover or one panel. The volleyball cover  24  includes an outer layer of polyurethane material  26  laid upon a microfiber backing  28 . 
         [0025]    The polyurethane layer  26  has a plurality of dimples that are uniformly placed on the polyurethane layer, such that they are either symmetrical or in an equidistant relationship to each other. Although the density may be greater (as high as 500 dimples per cover panel), or lesser, the present version of the volleyball cover disclosed here has approximately 400 dimples per cover panel  12   a,    12   b,    14   a,    14   b,    16   a,    16   b,    18   a,    18   b,    20   a,    20   b,    22   a,    22   b.  Therefore, in this specific example, the volleyball cover (for one volleyball) would have a total of approximately 4,800 dimples (400 dimples per panel multiplied by 12 panels). 
         [0026]    Each dimple is circular and less than 3 mm. in diameter. The dimple depth is sufficient to impact the airflow characteristics on the cover, and depth may be a variable, but its nevertheless recessed relative to a smooth cover. The thickness of the polyurethane layer  26  ranges approximately from 1 to 2 millimeters in thickness. Similarly, the microfiber backing  28  may be 1 to 2 millimeters thick. These dimensions are variables and may change. The cover panels  24  are applied (as the combination of polyurethane layer  26  and backing  28 ) to the underlying volleyball carcass. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , which illustrates the reduced skive or “no skive” region in the volleyball cover  10 , arrow  30  indicates the maximum width of the skive, which should be less than 1 centimeter. Arrow  32  indicates maximum skive depth, which should be less than 3 millimeters.  FIG. 7  provides a better idea as to how little the skiving should impact the cover, with arrow  33  pointing to the region where the skive is located. Arrow  35  indicates the break between individual cover panels. 
         [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates the cross-section of a volleyball, with the cover  10 , including polyurethane and microfiber layers  26 ,  28 . Underneath the microfiber layer  26  is a layer of cloth wrap  34 . Below the cloth wrap  34  is a rubber bladder  36 . Dimples are generally indicated by arrows  38  in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . 
         [0029]    The volleyball is constructed in a conventional manner. The bladder  36  is surrounded with cloth wrap  34  that is attached by saturating the wrap with a glue, such as latex glue, for example. After this is done, the volleyball cover  24  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) is hand-laid onto the wrap  34  (each cover panel of the entire cover is bonded to the wrap) and adhesively bonded with only a shallow or barely any skive between individual cover panels. 
         [0030]    The combination of fewer cover panels, reduced skiving, and dimpling, provides an improved volleyball cover for gameplay. 
         [0031]    It is to be appreciated that the foregoing description is not to be taken in a limiting sense. Instead, the scope of patent protection is to be limited only by the patent claim or claims allowed by the U.S. Patent Office, the interpretation of which is to be made in accordance with the established doctrines of patent claim interpretation.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0