Method for reconditioning a game ball

Description

The invention relates to a method for reconditioning a game ball.

It applies in particular to the reconditioning of a ball for use in a sporting activity, particularly a team sport such as basketball, but also football, volleyball or handball, or more generally to the reconditioning of balls suitable for use in other sporting and/or leisure activities.

Such balls generally comprise a core, in particular formed by an inflatable bladder surrounded by a carcass, onto which a plurality of panels are glued to form an outer envelope.

Such panels generally have an inner face that is associated by gluing to the outside of the carcass, as well as an outer face forming part of a rebound face of the ball, on which patterns may be formed in relief, in particular to increase the coefficient of friction of said rebound face, and/or by printing, in particular for aesthetic and/or commercial purposes.

Due to their arrangement, the panels are susceptible to damage and/or wear over time, which limits the lifespan of the balls, even though the core and/or certain other panels may still be in usable condition. Furthermore, the desire to personalise the ball, in particular by varying the appearance and/or material of at least some of the panels, may lead to discard a ball that is still in good condition.

This results in significant waste, which is all the more problematic given that the recyclability of game balls remains complex, particularly due to the different components that need to be processed.

The invention aims to improve on the prior art by proposing, in particular, a process that makes it possible to easily recondition a ball by replacing at least one panel, in order to increase the lifespan of a ball whose other components would be still in good condition.

To this end, the invention proposes a method for reconditioning a game ball comprising a core onto which a plurality of panels are glued to form an outer envelope, said method involving gluing the panels with a hot-melt adhesive material and replacing at least one panel by providing for:

• • heating the ball at least at the level of said panel to a temperature sufficient to unglue said panel;
  • removing said panel from the core;
  • replacing said removed panel by gluing a new panel with a hot-melt adhesive material to obtain a reconditioned ball.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically represents, in partial cross-section, the structure of a game ball according to the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically represents, in an exploded perspective view, the gluing of the panels to the core;

FIG. 3 schematically represents, in assembled perspective, the game ball obtained after gluing the panels shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 schematically represents, in an exploded perspective view, the removal of panels to be replaced.

In relation to these figures, a method for reconditioning a game ball is described hereinbelow.

The game ball shown is intended in particular for team sports such as basketball. However, the method can also be applied to game balls intended for other team sports, such as football, volleyball or handball, or more generally to balls for other sports and/or leisure activities.

The game ball comprises a core 1, onto which a plurality of panels 2 are glued to form an outer envelope.

In relation to FIG. 1, the core 1 comprises an inflatable bladder 3, in particular made of natural rubber (such as latex) or synthetic rubber, which is surrounded by a carcass 4, in particular made of nylon, possibly reinforced, the panels 2 being glued to said carcass.

In particular, a winding 5 is disposed between the bladder 3 and the carcass 4, said winding being made of natural and/or synthetic fibres.

The panels 2 may be made of natural, composite or synthetic leather, rubber or plastic, and each has an inner face 2a which is associated by gluing to the outside of the carcass 4, and an outer face 2b forming part of a rebound face of the ball.

The outer face 2b of each panel 2 may include patterns that may be formed in relief, in particular to increase the coefficient of friction of the rebound face, and/or by printing, in particular for aesthetic and/or commercial purposes.

To enable their possible subsequent replacement, in particular in the event of wear and/or deterioration 6 but also in the event of a desire to subsequently customise at least some of the panels 2 of the ball, the method involves gluing the panels 2 to the carcass 4 with a hot-melt adhesive material 7, so that, if at least one of said panels needs to be replaced, said panel(s) to be replaced can be unglued by heating, in particular at a temperature higher than the melting point of said adhesive material.

In one embodiment, the hot-melt adhesive material 7 is polyurethane-based and is preferably a reactive polyurethane (PUR) adhesive. Indeed, such an adhesive is easy and quick to apply while having, once cured, high structural strength and sufficient flexibility to withstand vibrations and impacts, making it particularly suitable for the manufacture of game balls, which are subject to numerous impacts against hard surfaces, in particular against the ground, during sports and/or leisure activities. In particular, the polymer of the adhesive material 7 can be chosen so as to have a resistance to peel strength that facilitates the removal of the heated panel 2.

The method may involve applying a primer undercoat to the outer surface of the carcass 4 before gluing the panels 2 thereon, in order to improve the adhesion of said panels to said carcass, and thus limit the risk of said panels to be unwittingly unglued, particularly following repeated impacts of the ball against a hard surface. This pre-treatment step may be carried out at a temperature of around 65° C. for a period of approximately 3 minutes.

The method then involves:

• • coating the adhesive material 7 while hot onto the reverse side of each panel 2, at a temperature above its melting point, specifically between 90° C. and 120° C., and preferably between 100° C. and 110° C.;
  • applying each panel 2 to the carcass 4 for their gluing, at a temperature below the melting point of the adhesive material 7, and preferably between 55 and 70° C., in order to initiate the adhesion of said panels to said carcass;
  • finalising said gluing by pressing the panels 2 onto the carcass 4, in particular in a suitable mould, at a pressure of around 0.4 kg/cm, for a period of between 90 and 150 seconds.

If it is necessary to replace at least one panel 2, in particular in the event of wear and/or deterioration 6 and/or a desire to customise said panel, the method provides for the ability to:

• • heating the ball at least at the level of the panel 2 to be replaced, to a temperature sufficient to be able to unglue said panel;
  • removing said panel from the carcass 4;
  • replacing said removed panel by gluing a new panel 2 with a hot-melt adhesive material 7, in order to obtain a reconditioned ball;
    and repeating this method as necessary.

Thus, the implementation of the ball reconditioning method makes it possible to selectively and repeatedly replace one or more panels 2 that are worn and/or need to be customised, in order to increase the lifespan of said ball.

The heating temperature is in particular higher than the melting point of the hot-melt adhesive material 7 that was initially used to glue the panel 2 to be replaced. In particular, the heating temperature is slightly higher, notably of less than 10%, than this melting point, in order to limit the risk of damage to the ball, while limiting the overall energy cost of reconditioning the ball.

To do this, the heating temperature is between 90° C. and 120° C., and in particular around 110° C. In addition, the heating is maintained for a period of between 5 and 15 minutes, and in particular 10 minutes, before removing the panel 2 to be replaced.

After removing the used panel 2, the method may involve applying a primer undercoat to at least one area 4a of the carcass 4, in particular the area 4a from which said used panel was removed, before gluing a new panel 2 to said area.

Advantageously, the hot-melt adhesive material used to glue the new panel is also polyurethane-based, and preferably a reactive polyurethane (PUR) adhesive, for the reasons discussed previously.

The adhesive material 7 is hot-coated onto the reverse side of the replacement panel 2 before it is applied to the carcass 4 for gluing purposes.

The coating temperature is preferably similar to the heating temperature, which can be achieved in particular by gluing the new panel 2 with an adhesive material 7 similar to that initially used to glue the removed panel 2.

The new panel 2 is then pressed onto the carcass 4 to glue it, said pressing being carried out in particular in a suitable mould and at a temperature lower than the heating and coating temperatures, in order to initiate the drying of the adhesive material 7 and thus the adhesion of the new panel 2 to the carcass 4.

In particular, as with the initial gluing of the panels 2, the pressing of the replacement panel 2 onto the carcass 4 can be carried out at a temperature of between 55 and 70° C. and at a pressure of around 0.4 kg/cm, for a period of between 90 and 150 seconds.

The reconditioning of a ball can be carried out in a workshop, using appropriate technical means, in particular a pressing mould and means for heating and removing the used panel(s).