Patent ID: 8579743

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising: providing a plurality of panel elements that include a thermoplastic polymer material; joining the panel elements to each other, thereby forming a casing; turning the casing inside-out through an opening formed between a first edge and a second edge of at least two of the panel elements, such that the casing forms an exposed exterior surface of the sport ball; forming the first edge to have a projection that extends outward from the first edge; locating the projection under the second edge; and joining the first edge and the second edge to each other; wherein the step of joining the first edge and the second edge includes welding the projection to the second edge; and locating a supplemental layer under the first edge and the second edge; wherein the step of joining the first edge and the second edge includes joining the supplemental layer to the panel elements that form the first edge and the second edge; and wherein the step of joining the supplemental layer to the panel elements includes welding the supplemental layer to the panel elements.