Within the United States of America and many other areas of the world, one of the most popular game balls is that known as an American football. The ball used in the American version of football is similar to the earlier ball used in the European game of Rugby but has evolved to a smaller size having generally more pointed end portions. Through tradition and a number of competitive league rules, footballs are generally fabricated in accordance with rigidly and precisely defined physical construction. While some variety of footballs exist in different footballs leagues, most include a spheroidal outer skin formed of leather or plastic within which an inflatable rubber bladder is supported. The bladder is inserted into the outer skin through an elongated slot which is thereafter closed with a plurality of laces similar to a shoelace. In later developments, footballs have been formed having a continuous outer rubber skin manufactured through the use of molding processes. When so made, however, most such footballs retain the outer characteristic and appearance of a more conventional traditional football including the presence of simulated raised laces. The laces on the football have become important in that they provide a portion of the gripping mechanism used by a football passer in throwing a football.
In attempts to find more interesting and exciting types of footballs for use by players of all ages, practitioners in the art have produced a variety of football designs which are "nonstandard" and which depart from the above-mentioned traditional shapes and thus are used more for amusement and entertainment outside of organized traditional football competition. Among the objectives in providing such a variety of football shapes has been the need for different flight characteristics, different gripping patterns, as well as the general ever present desire for variety among consumers. In attempting to meet and satisfy this need for variety, practitioners have provided a virtually endless array of football shapes and configurations.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,814 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 294,844 both issued to Winter set forth a GAME BALL for sport and recreational activities having a football-shaped body formed of a resilient elastically deformable material having channels associated therewith. The channels are generally helically wound about the ball from one end to the other and are intended to receive the user's individual fingers within the channel when the ball is gripped.
U.S. Pat. Re. 33,449 issued to Martin sets forth a HELICALLY GROOVED FOAM FOOTBALL in which an elastic foam football defines an outer surface within which lengthwise spiral grooves having increasing width and depth toward the middle portion of the ball are formed for improved handling. The helical pattern of the grooves is selected to permit the user to insert the user's finger end portions into a single groove when the football is gripped.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,194,674 issued to Riddel sets forth a FOOTBALL in which a conventional shaped football is formed of a plurality of rigid outer segments joined at a plurality of helical seams, each joint seam forming upwardly extending ridges upon the football surface. An inflatable bladder is received within the football and inflated to pressurize the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 235,794 issued to Kroener sets forth a FOOTBALL WITH SPIRAL SEAMS in which a conventionally shaped football defines a plurality of spiral seams extending from one end of the ball to the other. The seams form inwardly extending grooves.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,040 issued to Gow, et al. sets forth a FOOTBALL HAVING A SECURELY GRIPABLE LACELESS SURFACE in which a football defines a pressurized interior cavity having a pneumatic bladder therein and an outer surface characterized by a plurality of gripping ridges. The center one-third of the football defines a plurality of straight ridges extending along the football's major axis while the remaining end portions of the football surface define concentric circular ridges extending transversely to the football major axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,948 issued to Thomas sets forth a FOOTBALL having an oblate spheroid body defining a passageway along its longitudinal axis. A pair of wind fins are mounted internally of the body so as to protrude into the passageway. An alternate embodiment is set forth in which a plurality of inwardly extending grooves are defined in the outer surface of the football.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,466 issued to MacDonald, et al. sets forth a GAME BALL having a football shape which defines an air passage extending through its longitudinal axis. The diameter of the air passage tapers from opposite ends of the football to a constricted opening in the center thereof. A plurality of relatively heavy weights are supported by the football encircling the constricted passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,429 issued to Buckner, et al. sets forth a FOOTBALL having a conventional inflated football further defining a plurality of helical grooves in the outer surface thereof. An abrasive material is deposited within the helical grooves to enhance the gripping characteristics of the football.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,422 issued to Ma sets forth a CURVE BALL having a generally spherical shape and balance and defining an axis therethrough. First and second convex surfaces are defined about the axis at opposite poles thereof and at least one groove having a non-uniform depth defined in the surface of the ball between the first and second convex surfaces. The groove is arranged to extend through the equatorial region of the ball between the first and second convex surface. The spherical-shaped ball is thrown so as to impart spin thereto at different angles to the axis to create various curving actions.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have provided increased variety and different aerodynamic characteristics for football shaped game balls, there remains a continuing need in the art for evermore interesting and varied game balls to meet consumer appetites for improvement and variety.