Patent ID: 8915810

Claim:
A non-inflatable sports ball, comprising: a. a hollow ball body that includes outer sidewall surrounding an empty inner cavity filled with air maintained at the same air pressure as atmospheric air surrounding said ball body at all times, said sidewalls made of cured, closed-cell elastomeric resin foam, said ball body also includes an entry hole that extends through said sidewall and communicates with said inner cavity to allow air in said inner cavity to be freely exchanged with air located outside said ball body so that the air pressures inside said inner cavity and outside said ball body are equal; b. a flexible cap disposed inside said entry hole, said cap made of cured, elastomeric resin foam that bends or flexes outward when air inside the inner cavity is forced against said cap when an impact force is applied to said ball body, said cap includes an outer surface that is complimentary with said outer sidewall on said ball body so that when said cap is placed inside said entry hole, the outer surface of said cap is aligned with said sidewall surrounding said entry hole to form a fully enclosed sports ball, said cap includes a perimeter lip that engages said ball body surrounding said entry hole that mechanically holds said cap inside said entry hole, and, c. an air gap formed between said cap and said entry hole enabling air inside said inner cavity and air outside said ball body to be freely exchanged so their pressures remain equal thereby eliminating the requirement that the sports ball be inflated.