Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Chloe J Lee

Frank M Simonutti

William E Dillon

Robert T Thurman

David A Vogel

A tennis ball including a spherical hollow elastomeric core having a specific gravity of less than 1 and a thickness of at least 4.5 mm, and a textile layer covering the spherical elastomeric hollow core. The spherical hollow core has an initial internal pressure of no greater than 5 psi. The tennis ball has a first tennis ball rebound height when measured at a first time when the tennis ball is unused and a second tennis ball rebound height measured after the tennis ball is exposed to atmospheric pressure for four months following the first time and is unused. The second tennis ball rebound height being at least 96% of the first tennis ball rebound height.

Tennis ball

A tennis ball including a spherical core. The spherical core including an outer surface and a raised wall integrally molded as part of the outer surface.

Tennis ball having a thermoplastic core

A method for forming a tennis ball including the steps of providing a non-foamed thermoplastic core and providing a non-smooth textured surface on the core. The thermoplastic core including a thermoplastic material having a specific gravity of 0.86 to 1.38, a flexural modulus of 2.0 to 50.0 MPa, and a Shore D hardness of 10 to 70. The thermoplastic material having a thickness between 3.0 and 8.0 mm. The thickness of the thermoplastic material being configured to maintain dimensional stability at internal pressures of between zero and 15 psi.

A tennis ball including a non-foamed thermoplastic core defining an internal volume. The core includes a thermoplastic material having a specific gravity of 0.86 to 1.38, a flexural modulus of 2.0 to 50.0 MPa, and a Shore D hardness of 10 to 70. A thickness of the thermoplastic material is between 3.0 and 8.0 mm. The thickness of the thermoplastic material is configured to maintain dimensional stability at internal pressures of between zero and 15 psi.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Chloe J Lee