Games using tangible projectile – Projectile – per se; part thereof or accessory therefor – Having hollow core or bladder enclosed within cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-24
2001-03-13
Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Projectile, per se; part thereof or accessory therefor
Having hollow core or bladder enclosed within cover
C473S607000, C040S327000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200239
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medallion gameball and more particularly pertains to providing distinctive indicia in the form of a medallion on the surface of a basketball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of balls with indicia of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, balls with indicia of various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of marking balls and other objects with indicia through various methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, note U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,345 to Lai et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,552 to Meyer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,372 to Ratner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,699 to Mather, U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,234 to Palmquist and U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,562 to J. C. Berlepsch, Jr., et al.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe medallion gameball that allows providing distinctive indicia in the form of a medallion to the surface of a basketball or other objects.
In this respect, the medallion gameball according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing distinctive indicia in the form of a medallion to the surface of basketballs.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved medallion gameball which can be used for providing distinctive indicia in the form of a medallion to the surface of basketballs. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of balls with indicia of various designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved medallion gameball. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved medallion gameball and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a bladder fabricated of an air impervious elastomeric material in a spherical configuration with spiral strands therearound; a carcass in a spherical configuration overlying the strands with a recess formed as an oval formed in its exterior surface, the oval having a depth of between about 0.5 and 3.5 millimeters, preferably about 2.0 millimeters, with a major axis constituting between 3 and 20 percent, preferably about 8.5 percent, of the circumference of the carcass, the carcass having a series of oval ribs with a thickness of between about 0.2 and 2.0 millimeters, preferably about 1.0 millimeters, extending outwardly away from the bladder; a plurality of panels coupled to the exterior surface of the carcass between the ribs, the panels having a thickness of between about 0.2 and 2.0 millimeters, preferably about 1.0 millimeters, with an oval aperture formed in one of the panels to expose the recess in the carcass and an oval rib; and a medallion positioned on the carcass in a central region of the recess with the medallion having an exterior surface with indicia formed thereon with a layer of a transparent polymer over the indicia.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved medallion gameball which has all of the advantages of the prior art balls with indicia of various designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved medallion gameball which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved medallion gameball which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved medallion gameball which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such Medallion gameball economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a medallion gameball for providing distinctive indicia in the form of a medallion to the surface of basketballs.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved medallion gameball including a bladder fabricated of an air impervious elastomeric material in a spherical configuration with spiral strands there around, a carcass coupled to the exterior surface of the bladder with a recess formed in the carcass, and a medallion positionable in a central region of the recess with the medallion having an exterior surface with indicia formed.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1826538 (1931-10-01), Wollaston
patent: 3863923 (1975-02-01), Anderson
patent: 3879876 (1975-04-01), Morgan
patent: 4998734 (1991-03-01), Meyer
patent: 5320345 (1994-06-01), Lai et al.
patent: 5354053 (1994-10-01), Ratner et al.
patent: 5636835 (1997-06-01), Schindler et al.
patent: 5681233 (1997-10-01), Guenther et al.
patent: 5967917 (1999-10-01), Feeney et al.
Feeney Brian
Kennedy, III Thomas J.
Spalding Sports Worldwide Inc.
Wong Steven
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