阅读说明：本技术 球 (Ball with ball-shaped section ) 是由 汉斯-皮特·纽恩格 于 2016-12-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：球,特别是足球,其包含：球胆,其具有主要重量分量的第一材料种类的材料,至少一个中间层,其中该至少一个中间层排列在球胆之外,和其中该至少一个中间层具有主要重量分量的第一材料种类的材料,和至少一个外层,其中该至少一个外层排列在该至少一个中间层之外,和其中该至少一个外层具有主要重量分量的第一材料种类的材料。(Ball, in particular soccer ball, comprising: a bladder having a predominant weight component of material of the first material type, at least one intermediate layer, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is disposed exterior to the bladder, and wherein the at least one intermediate layer has a predominant weight component of material of the first material type, and at least one outer layer, wherein the at least one outer layer is disposed exterior to the at least one intermediate layer, and wherein the at least one outer layer has a predominant weight component of material of the first material type.)

1. A ball, comprising:

a. a bladder (10) having a major weight component of a material of a first material type;

b. at least one intermediate layer (20), wherein the at least one intermediate layer (20) is arranged outside the bladder (10), wherein the at least one intermediate layer (20) has a major weight component of a material of the first material type, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is arranged as a protective layer and is laminated to the bladder, wherein the at least one intermediate layer (20) comprises randomly arranged particles; and

c. at least one outer layer (30), wherein the at least one outer layer (30) is arranged outside the at least one intermediate layer (20), wherein the at least one outer layer (30) has a predominant weight component of material of the first material type.

2. The ball of claim 1, wherein the ball is a soccer ball.

3. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one intermediate layer (20) is arranged as a shock-absorbing layer.

4. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one intermediate layer (20) is made of a panel.

5. A ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the material type is one of the following: thermoplastic polyurethane TPU, polyvinyl chloride PVC, polyethylene PE, polyamide PA or polypropylene PP.

6. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predominant weight component of material of the first material kind at each component of the ball is more than 50% weight component of material of the first material kind.

7. The ball of claim 6, wherein the predominant weight component of material of the first material type at each component of the ball is greater than 70% weight component of material of the first material type.

8. Ball according to claim 7, wherein the predominant weight component of material of the first material kind at each component of the ball is more than 80% weight component of material of the first material kind.

9. The ball of claim 8, wherein the predominant weight component of material of the first material type at each component of the ball is greater than 90% weight component of material of the first material type.

10. The ball of claim 9, wherein the predominant weight component of material of the first material species at each component of the ball is greater than 95% weight component of material of the first material species.

11. A ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bladder (10) is arranged in a lattice structure comprising a plurality of lattice cells comprising radially extending elements.

12. The ball of claim 1, wherein the randomly arranged particles comprise a foamed material.

13. The ball of claim 12, wherein the particles of foamed material comprise foamed thermoplastic polyurethane.

14. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one intermediate layer (20) is made of TPU yarn.

15. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bladder (10) is a three-dimensional composite article comprising a first carrier material and a second material based on the same base material, the second material being homogeneously distributed in the three-dimensional composite article, wherein the base material is a material of the first material class.

16. A ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective layer is provided in a plurality of parts.

17. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective layer comprises a non-woven fabric.

18. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one outer layer (30) is arranged in the form of a foil.

19. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bladder (10) comprises a TPU-matrix fibre-reinforced with TPU-fibres.

20. A ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first material kind for the components of the ball is PVC or polyethylene.

21. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the material of the first material kind is arranged to be recycled in a combined recycling method for the bladder (10), the at least one intermediate layer (20) and the outer layer (30) so that the material of the first material kind may be used as the material of the first material kind for manufacturing another bladder (10), the at least one intermediate layer (20) and/or the outer layer (30).

22. Ball according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the material of the first material kind comprises a fraction which is recycled from another ball according to claim 1 or 2.

23. A method of manufacturing a ball according to any of claims 1-22, the method comprising: different forms of material of the same chemical material class are used to provide different properties required to manufacture the ball.

24. A method of manufacturing a ball according to any of claims 1 to 22, wherein the manufacturing method comprises recycling another ball to recover base material, the recovered base material being used to manufacture the ball.

25. A method of recycling a ball according to any of claims 1 to 22, the method comprising processing the entire ball to recover a base material, the recycled material serving as a base material for another ball, or for a different sports article.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to balls, particularly soccer balls, and methods of making and recycling balls.

Prior Art

Balls, particularly soccer balls, typically include several layers, such as a bladder, a shock absorbing layer, and an outer layer. The bladder is normally inflatable by a valve and the shock-absorbing layer is mainly used to cushion the impact force when kicking or bouncing. It also affects the resilience of the ball. This outer layer serves, on the one hand, to protect the underlying layer and, on the other hand, to provide the ball with design features, such as graphical elements.

To achieve the above-described ball, the components are usually made of different materials. The parts are then joined in a suitable manner, for example by sewing, gluing or welding.

Us patent 5580049 describes a ball (e.g. a soccer ball) comprising an inner inflatable bladder, a cover on the outside of the bladder and a liner between the bladder and the cover. The bladder may be generally made of rubber or latex, or may be made of polyurethane. The liner may be made of PVC yarn and the overlay comprises polyurethane. The parts may be sewn together.

Us patent 8777787B2 relates to a ball comprising several layers, namely a bladder, an intermediate layer and a cover layer. The material for the coating may be, for example, leather or polyurethane, but also polyvinyl chloride. For the intermediate layer, a polymer foam should be used. The bladder may be constructed of a rubber or latex material.

Furthermore, mention may be made of us patent 7699726B2, which also describes a ball. It comprises a coating layer, a foaming layer, a latex layer, a textile layer and a bladder. As materials for the coating, mention may be made, for example, of leather, polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. The foamed layer may comprise a polyolefin foam, and the bladder may comprise rubber or polyurethane. The components are then bonded together.

However, the respective components or corresponding materials from which the balls are made require a significant amount of energy (e.g., electrical energy, thermal energy, etc.), which results in considerable greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to this, for the manufacture of balls in known procedures, binders are used, which constitute another environmental burden. Furthermore, considerable effort is required to reliably disassemble the ball at the end of its life (e.g., when it breaks due to residual strain or material fatigue). In this regard, particular attention should be paid to the components or materials in order to optimize their disposal from environmental considerations. Energy for this is also required to unravel the ball. This again leads to greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, there are still many balls ending up in a garbage heap or waste incineration plant. In the past, little attention has been paid to this increasing problem.

It may therefore be considered as a potential object of the present invention to provide a solution to limit the consumption of resources and to limit the emission of greenhouse gases during the life of the ball.

Disclosure of Invention

This problem is at least partly solved by a ball, in particular a soccer ball, according to claim 1. In claim 1, the ball comprises a bladder having a major weight component of the material of the first material type. The ball further comprises at least one intermediate layer, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is disposed outside the bladder, and wherein the at least one intermediate layer has a major weight component of the material of the first material type. The ball further comprises at least one outer layer, wherein the at least one outer layer is arranged outside the at least one intermediate layer, and wherein the at least one outer layer has a predominant weight component of material of the first material type.

By providing the balls with several layers, the respective main weight components (or even the entire respective weights) of which are made of the same material type, said material can be easily recovered from said balls, which significantly reduces the effort to separate and/or sort the individual components. For example, the balls may be processed in a single recycling step. The ball of the invention thus allows to significantly simplify the recycling of the used balls, especially in the case where the whole ball (which comprises several layers) is made of a material of a single material type. The use of one material of the same material class for different layers of the ball and providing a ball of superior quality, which fulfils all requirements, including professional requirements, is made possible by the knowledge that different (physical and chemical) forms (e.g. yarns, foils, foams, particles, etc.) of materials of the same chemical material class (e.g. thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene) can be used to provide the different properties (e.g. form stability, elasticity, moisture resistance, flight behaviour, resilience, visual appearance, etc.) required for manufacturing such balls. In particular, the use of thermoplastic materials (e.g., Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)) for all of the components of the ball enables the manufacture of high quality balls for athletes that can be easily and efficiently recycled after use, thus helping to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

It is also possible that the ball comprises less than three layers, and wherein all layers used have a major weight component of the same material type of material. This may be, for example, a ball that does not have a bladder. The ball may also be made of or include a bladder and a cover.

By using materials of the same material type in the bladder, the at least one intermediate layer and the at least one outer layer, it is possible to use compatible materials which can be easily bonded, for example by applying energy or heat (for example by welding). In one embodiment, infrared radiant heat may be used to heat the two surfaces so that they melt together. This way no glue has to be used, which reduces the impact on the environment. Furthermore, a chemical bond may be created between the layers (e.g. by means of a binder derived from the same material type as the other components of the ball of the invention), for example by means of a chemical bonding of molecules.

It is also contemplated that the two parts of the ball may be bonded without adhesive, such as by application of energy. In this way, for many generations of balls, an at least partially closed material cycle can be ensured, since the same base material can be recovered and reused for manufacturing further balls. For each new generation of balls made of recycled material, the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise occur upon separation or destruction can be reduced. Energy is also saved compared to conventional balls, since existing components can be reused. Even when considering the energy required for recycling and newly manufacturing new balls, the impact on the environment of balls manufactured in this way is significantly lower than in the case of conventional balls manufactured from different parts that are newly manufactured.

The at least partially closed material circulation means that the reused base material can also be mixed with newly manufactured materials of the same material type. In this method, the recycled material (also referred to as "recycled material") may be added to the newly manufactured and used material. For example, the proportion of newly manufactured material may be between 10% and 50%, or between 15% and 20%, to ensure consistent material properties.

At least one of the intermediate layers may be arranged as a shock-absorbing layer. If at least one shock absorbing layer is provided, the underlying bladder (which may be air inflated) may be better protected from impact and other potentially harmful effects. In this way, the life and stability of the ball can be significantly improved.

Furthermore, the at least one intermediate layer may be made of a panel. An exemplary method for manufacturing such panels is disclosed in DE 102015209797.8. The provision of an intermediate layer as a panel simplifies the manufacture, since in this way several parts are joined by suitable measures. There is no need to fabricate a single layer around the underlying layer. By the simplified manufacture thus achieved, more energy can be saved.

The type of material used for the ball may be one of the following: thermoplastic polyurethane TPU, polyvinyl chloride PVC, polyethylene PE, polyamide PA or polypropylene PP. Comprehensive tests have shown that, in particular, the materials or the types of materials mentioned are suitable for manufacturing the different components of the ball (i.e. the bladder, the at least one intermediate layer and the at least one outer layer). In this connection, thermoplastic polyurethanes have proven to be advantageous, which, depending on the manner of production, have a number of advantageous properties, which are preferably complementary to one another.

Furthermore, it is provided that at each part of the ball the predominant weight component of material of the first material kind is more than 70% or more than 80% or more than 90% or more than 95% by weight of material of the first material kind. In other examples, the bladder, the at least one intermediate layer, and/or the at least one outer layer are constructed of substantially the same material type. The term "substantially" is used herein to indicate that it may be carried out within the tolerances conventionally provided in the art.

At least one intermediate layer may comprise randomly arranged particles, for example according to the so-called build-up technique. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the randomly arranged particles comprise a foamed material. In particular, the foamed material particles may comprise foamed thermoplastic polyurethane (tpu). As an example, DE102015209795.1 may be mentioned. A technique in which at least one intermediate layer, for example a shock-absorbing layer, is made of said particles has particularly advantageous properties. The randomly arranged particles result in, inter alia, fully damped spheres, for example due to their properties, whereby the adverse effect on the underlying bladder can be mitigated to some extent. Furthermore, by means of the specific properties of the base material of this arrangement, particularly good resilience can be achieved.

Furthermore, the at least one intermediate layer may be made of TPU yarn. The intermediate layer of the ball can be manufactured in a simple manner using yarns. The yarn may be wound around the underlying layer in the desired form and bonded thereto by means of a suitable method.

Furthermore, the ball may comprise at least one protective layer, wherein the at least one protective layer is arranged between the bladder and the at least one intermediate layer. The at least one protective layer is made of a material of a first material type. For example, the at least one protective layer may be made of a thermoplastic base material. By virtue of the protective layer specifically provided, the components of the ball can be protected particularly effectively against different external influences, such as force impacts, heat or moisture.

The at least one protective layer may be provided in a plurality of parts. For example, the individual parts may be polygonal, in particular diamond-shaped elements. In this way, the ball may be assembled from several individual components, which may preferably originate from a recirculating ball.

It is also possible that the at least one protective layer comprises a nonwoven fabric. The protection of the bladder of the ball may be further improved by means of a non-woven material. Therefore, the entire life of the ball can be extended, whereby the influence on the environment can be reduced.

In one embodiment, the at least one outer layer may be arranged in the form of a foil. Thus, the outer layer provides protection for all underlying layers, such as at least one intermediate layer and the bladder. First, the foil may protect the underlying layer from moisture, but it may also be arranged (e.g. reinforced) such that it provides protection against abrasion or other types of wear. Alternatively or additionally, the outer layer may also fulfill a design function, for example by adding suitable pigments or printing design elements. In any case, the material (or foil) for the outer layer is derived from the same kind of material as the other layers to ensure simple and environmentally friendly re-use.

It should be noted that the bladder may also contain a TPU matrix that is fiber reinforced with TPU fibers. DE102015209800.1 may be mentioned as an example of the manufacture of such a material. Improved stability, and hence improved bladder life, may be obtained with a fiber-reinforced matrix. Since the base material is identical here to the other layers, particularly environmentally compatible reuse of such a component of the ball can also be achieved in this case. The term "bladder" also includes within the present invention three-dimensional structures which do not have to be air-filled by inflation (e.g. by a valve), as described in the aforementioned DE 102015209800.1.

The ball may also include a bladder arranged in a lattice structure that includes a plurality of lattice chambers that contain radially extending elements. This aspect of providing the bladder may also improve its performance, particularly with respect to longevity and reusability. For example, the structure disclosed in DE102015209811.7 may be used.

As an alternative to TPU, the first base material for the components of the ball may be PVC or polyethylene. For example, it is possible to use both ether-based TPUs and ester-based TPUs. Furthermore, polypropylene (PP) or Polyamide (PA) can also be taken into consideration. Similar to TPU, these materials can make different layers of the ball or bladder so that they can be easily recycled.

It is further advantageous if the first base material is arranged to be recycled in a combined recycling process for the bladder, the at least one intermediate layer and the outer layer, so that the first base material can be used as a first base material for the manufacture of another bladder, the at least one intermediate layer and/or the outer layer. An important aspect of the present invention relates to the reuse (recycling) of at least part of the ball to make another ball. For example, it may avoid newly manufacturing these components-which involves considerable energy consumption, resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the ball does not have to be disassembled. The entire ball can be processed in a combined recycling process to recover the base material. The recycled material may serve as a base material for another ball and may also be used for different sports articles (e.g., shoes or shin guards). Basically, the recycled material can also be used as a base material for the manufacture of any other sports article. Thus, the ball may contain parts that are recycled from another ball previously manufactured as described herein.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a ball according to one of the aspects described herein. In particular, the manufacturing method may comprise recycling another ball.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of recycling the balls described herein.

According to another aspect of the invention, the ball may be provided to the consumer as described herein. After the ball is used by the consumer, for example after the life of the ball, the manufacturer may retrieve the ball. Suitable return stations may provide for the possibility of during e.g. shops, parks, venues, stadiums or sporting events or other major events and/or the consumer having the possibility to send the ball back to the manufacturer. The manufacturer may then recover the base material of the ball and use at least a portion of it to make a new ball, which contains recycled base material. It is also possible to use recycled material for the manufacture of any sports article (other than balls), such as shoes, shin guards, etc., as already explained above. According to various examples, a voucher or discount may be provided for a new ball to provide a customer with an incentive to return a used ball or item to the manufacturer for recycling. It is also conceivable to develop a rental model in which consumers fill rental fees on a regular basis (e.g., monthly or yearly), and in which they receive new balls when returning old balls. The frequency with which the new ball is provided may depend on the type of ball and/or the mode of use of the user (e.g. a private user or a sports club). In this way, the replacement frequency required for a single athlete may be lower than for a sports club. Another option is a predetermined mode in which the consumer receives a replacement after the new ball model is released.

According to another aspect of the present invention, consumers may purchase athletic equipment at a location where they want to play. For example, it may be useful to install a corresponding vending machine on the playing field and/or park area and/or to establish a point of sale that provides or supplies the different balls of the invention. The consumer then pays a deposit for the use of the ball. After use, the consumer may then return the ball and receive a deposit. In this option, they also receive a discount for purchasing or renting another sporting good. Once the ball is no longer usable after a period of time, the manufacturer can directly begin the steps necessary to recycle the ball and manufacture a new ball based on the components of at least a portion of the old ball. This solution is particularly advantageous because the balls that are no longer available are not in the consumer's home, but directly at the manufacturer, who can perform the recycling as described herein, if necessary. This approach effectively provides for possible recycling, which additionally avoids or reduces unnecessary energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions.

According to another aspect, a marker, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Infrared (IR) marker, such as a Near Infrared (NIR) marker, may be used in the ball of the present invention. The marker may indicate how frequently the base material of the ball has been in other balls. In this way, the consumer can directly see how much the life of the base material has elapsed. In addition, the marker may also indicate a predetermined status of the consumer. This will enable full automation in returning and replacing the ball. The marker may also be incorporated into the ball material to enable it to be distinguished from a plurality of other materials. For example, the IR marker may be incorporated into another component of the yarn or ball.

It should be noted that the various aspects described herein may also be used with sporting goods other than balls.

Drawings

Possible embodiments of the invention are described in the following detailed description with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1: a schematic structure of a ball according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

FIG. 2: showing a detailed layer structure of a ball according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3: showing a detailed layer structure of a ball according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4: a detailed layer structure of a ball according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

Detailed Description

It should be noted that the following detailed description is only illustrative of some of the possible embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the specific details explained with respect to the specific embodiments can be changed, developed, combined in different ways, or changed or eliminated. Furthermore, it should be noted that different following aspects may be combined with aspects of the above summary.

First, fig. 1 shows a portion of a bladder 10. In one embodiment, bladder 10 may be a TPU matrix 50, which is reinforced with TPU fibers 40. One method of manufacturing suitable materials is described in DE 102015209800.1. The bladder 10 (which is based on such a fiber-reinforced matrix reinforced with an interior material) may also be referred to as being three-dimensional. A corresponding method for manufacturing a three-dimensional composite article, in particular a bladder 10 of a ball, may comprise the following steps: (a.) providing a rotatable mold; (b.) filling the first material into the mold; (c.) filling a second material into the mold, and at least one of said materials is a polymeric material; (d.) moving the mold; and (e.) varying at least one processing parameter while performing one or more of the foregoing steps to achieve a uniform distribution of the second material in the manufactured composite article. In this respect, each of the two said materials is based on the same base material (for example TPU, PVC, PP, PA or PE).

If the filled polymer material is a thermoplastic material (e.g. TPU), the filled material is preferably heated and/or cooled. The material melts when heated and thus forms a carrier or matrix material. The second material may for example be fibres (e.g. TPU fibres) which are implanted in the first carrier material after rotational moulding or which are extensively adhered to its surface.

In another embodiment, the bladder 10 may also be formed by a TPU structure. A corresponding production method is disclosed in DE 102015209811.7. In this regard, the bladder 10 may include a surface layer (which includes a plurality of panels), and a lattice structure extending below the surface layer. The lattice structure comprises a plurality of lattice cells comprising radially extending elements. The cells arranged at least adjacent to the surface layer have at least a size smaller than the average diameter of the face sheet. In this manner, a uniform resiliency and stability may be provided to the bladder 10 or ball, such as an inflatable bladder 10. Thus, the bladder 10 thus manufactured is not a conventional inflatable bladder, but is a lattice structure. The structure thus produced can be made of a base material, for example TPU, PVC, PP, PA or PE.

Further, in the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the first intermediate layer 20 is arranged. The intermediate layer 20 may be arranged as a shock absorber layer. In one embodiment, this shock absorbing layer may be made of TPU foam. In another embodiment, this shock absorbing layer may also be made of TPU yarn.

Referring to fig. 2, an embodiment is depicted in which the bladder 100 does not contain a TPU matrix reinforced with TPU fibers. In such an embodiment, the intermediate layer 120 may be arranged over the bladder 100. This intermediate layer 120 may be arranged as a protective layer. In one embodiment, the protective layer may be made of a non-woven fabric and laminated to bladder 100. In one embodiment, the nonwoven fabric may be made from diamond-shaped sheets (e.g., two strip-shaped layers as a cover for bladder 100). The ball may include as another layer a shock absorbing layer 125 (e.g., a layer of eTPU or other materials described herein) and an outer layer 130, as described herein.

In one embodiment, shock absorbing layer 125 and outer layer 130 may be replaced with a single layer 230. In this case, the individual layers may be arranged in a unitary foam. This is explained with reference to fig. 3. Therein, a bladder 200 and a layer arranged as a shock absorber layer 220 are provided, as described above with reference to FIG. 2. In contrast to fig. 2, however, the middle and outer layers 130 arranged as shock-absorbing layers 125 are replaced with integral foam 230. The unitary foam 230 provides cushioning properties and wear protection in a single element.

In one embodiment, the integral foam layer may also be combined with the composite bladder 300. This is also illustrated in fig. 4. Wherein layer 330, which is the upper integral foam arrangement, is arranged directly on composite bladder 300. As used herein, a monolithic foam may be manufactured using, for example, the so-called "MuCell procedure".

In all cases, the shock absorbing layer may be provided in a plurality of panels. One possible method of manufacturing such panels is disclosed, for example, in DE 102015209797.8. In one embodiment, the method of manufacturing a panel comprises providing a carrier material having an outer side and an inner side in a mold having at least a first and a second mold part. On the outside of the carrier material, the outer layer of the panel is three-dimensionally molded in a mold. Further, on the inner side of the carrier material, the inner layer of the panel is three-dimensionally molded using at least a first molded part. This method enables the manufacture of a three-dimensional molded panel for a ball with a minimum number of manufacturing steps. It is not necessary to mold the plurality of elements separately and then bond the molded elements to each other.

By manufacturing the panel in one piece, this method makes it possible to omit the bonding agent, adhesive, etc. completely. There is no need to use separate adhesives to join the various layers of the panel. The materials used for the various layers of the panel are compatible with each other and, according to some examples, may be bonded solely by means of thermal and/or mechanical energy. Furthermore, chemical reactions may also be relied upon to bind the materials used. Binding is achieved by the affinity of the materials used. However, adhesives, bonding agents, etc. may also be used, which should be advantageous for the panel to be manufactured. For the production of such panels, TPU, PVC or PE may for example be used.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, an outer layer 30 is further provided. The outer layer 30 may be arranged as an inlay or decorative element. If outer layer 30 is arranged as a protective layer, all underlying layers may be effectively protected from environmental influences, such as moisture or heat, and abrasion. Furthermore, the use of the outer layer 30 provides many possibilities for designing the ball without having to provide the underlying layer with coloured components.