WO2012008893A1

WO2012008893A1 - A ball comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer

Info

Publication number: WO2012008893A1
Application number: PCT/SE2011/000129
Authority: WO
Inventors: Owe Lyrsell
Original assignee: Ab Lyco-Tec
Priority date: 2010-07-14
Filing date: 2011-07-07
Publication date: 2012-01-19
Also published as: SE1000766A1; DE112011102330T5; US20130045660A1; SE535400C2

Abstract

A ball (10) comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer (12) formed by spaced elastic beams (18) curved about a ball center, the beams having ends thereof joined in nodes (26, 26') distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer. According to the invention, the beams (18) are also curved to establish lateral deflection thereof in the discontinuous ball surface layer (12) along the discontinuous ball surface layer between opposite beam ends for imparting yielding radial resiliency to the ball.

Description

A ball comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a ball comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer formed by spaced elastic beams curved about a ball center, said beams having ends thereof joined in nodes distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

BACKGROUND

Balls used for playing, sports and leisure may have different desired characteristics such as

• Good bouncing ability, also against yielding non-stiff surfaces

• Predictable bounce-back characteristics

• Minimized risk of injury to person and property, when used

• Simple to manufacture

• Possibility of compact delivery in parts

The table tennis ball, having a stiff but still elastic surface layer, fulfills most of the above desired characteristics to a substantial degree. Regarding the desire to have a good bounce also against resilient and yielding surfaces, this ability is absent.

The reason for the bouncing ability against resilient and yielding surfaces being absent is that the spherical ball surface layer, or shell, in itself constitutes a structurally very stiff geometry. Also the material of the elastic shell, celluloid or other plastic with similar characteristics is not an elastomer but is instead quite stiff. For balls with a stiff surface layer, a bouncing effect is obtained only against non-yielding quite stiff surfaces.

There exist balls comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer, with holes being distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer. These kinds of ball configurations can be conditioned by producibility or other reasons, exemplified as follows: • Material and weight can be spared when not homogenously distributed over the ball surface

• When playing, the ball can be received and caught with a finger in any one of the holes

• The air resistance is affected

• The appearance is changed

One example of a ball exhibiting breached holes is the floorball ball which consists of a spherical ball surface layer provided with a number of round holes distributed along the ball surface.

Interwoven balls constitute another group of balls exhibiting a breached surface layer. The so- called Tak Raw ball is a braided ball, originally produced from natural organic fibers, today often produced in plastic. One example of a modern design is disclosed in US Patent 5,566,937. Other examples of interwoven balls are shown in US Patents 6,568,982 B2 and 5,224,959.

A further group of balls are constructed from a number of loops, each loop surrounding a hole. The loops are joined to one another along their respective periphery over a spherical surface, together forming a ball. One example is disclosed in US Patent 6,729,984 B2. This ball is sold under the trade mark O-ball®.

Another variant of a ball having a similar structure is disclosed in US Patent Application 20080090486 where segments of loops extend between two opposite ends of the ball.

US Patent 3,889,950 describes a ball of the aforementioned kind, where flexible strips extend along a spherical surface and connect to each other in connecting points which are evenly distributed along the surface of the ball, the resulting discontinuous surface exhibiting open holes in-between the flexible strips. The claims of US Patent 3,889,950 define a geometry that positions the strips in a way that results in a stiff ball surface. Also, the US Patent 3,889,950 defines the ball in such a way that a desired substantial distance is maintained between the strips, the intention being to have a resulting low air resistance. Due to the large openings between the strips, a design in accordance with the US Patent 3.889,950 will therefore automatically imply a ball exhibiting a non-predictable bounce. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to further develop a ball of the type initially described. A ball in accordance with the invention should primarily consist of a discontinuous, mainly spherical, elastic surface layer, the surface layer being discontinuous by being formed from beams defining holes or slots therebetween. Important is, however, that the ball surface layer should exhibit a pronounced radial yielding resiliency, whereby the ball will bounce not only against stiff surfaces but also against more yielding, non-stiff surfaces. It is desirable that other important ball characteristics are maintained, especially that the bounce shall be predictable.

Another object of the invention is to create a ball posing a reduced risk and hazard for people and property by exhibiting a yieldably resilient ball surface. Another object of the invention is to create a ball which can be put together by modules, whereby production and transport is simplified.

Another object of the modular configuration is that the ball can be delivered to the customer in parts, and that the ball can be put together by the customer before use, resulting in a combination of practical aspects and enjoyable puzzle activity.

The above objects are obtained by features of the appended claims.

According to an aspect of the invention, in the ball of the initially defined category, the beams are also being curved to establish lateral deflection thereof in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer between opposite beam ends for imparting yielding radial resiliency to the ball.

The discontinuous ball surface layer is formed by the beams and holes or slots defined therebetween, and the beams are consequently located in, and extending along, the

discontinuous ball surface layer. By the wording that "the beams are also being curved to establish lateral deflection thereof in the discontinuous ball surface layer" it should be understood that each beam is not aligned with a geodetic curve, also known as an orthodrome, between both ends of the beam along the generally spherical curve along the discontinuous ball surface layer, but instead forms sideways, i.e. laterally, deflecting curves in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

Consequently, a ball in accordance with the invention comprises a mainly spherical, discontinuous ball surface layer consisting of beams curved about the ball center, the beams also being appreciably curved into a substantial lateral deflection along their running length in the discontinuous ball surface layer between its two endpoints, and also comprises rather narrow, breached slots located in-between the beams. As the beams are curved and spaced, adjacent beams define such slots therebetween, which are curved in various embodiments of the invention.

The wording "spherical plane" is herein to be understood as the locus of all points of a surface having a given radius R. Each beam is in its one end, or in its vicinity, joined to the one end of at least two other beams to form a node, and some of the beams which are joined in their one end in this common node, extend out from this node to arrive in other and separate nodes with their second end, and a number of nodes exist that are substantially uniformly distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

The joining of beam ends in nodes can be made rigidly so that no relative movement can take place between the beam ends, but can also be made so that relative rotation can take place between the beam ends. In the case that the beam had been drawn the shortest distance in the mainly spherical discontinuous ball surface layer between its both ends and thereby followed the so called geodetic line, the discontinuous ball surface layer of the ball had been stiff and not yieldingly resilient in the radial direction of the ball. A ball in accordance with the invention is however characterized by the arrangement that the beams, forming the discontinuous ball surface layer, are not extended over the shortest distance along the mainly spherical discontinuous ball surface layer between beam ends, but instead curved laterally in the discontinuous ball surface layer, in a significantly anti-geodetic manner along their length. By this arrangement is accomplished the necessary geometric degree of freedom that allows the elastic but comparatively stiff properties of the beams to transform into a desired yieldably resilient deformation of the discontinuous ball surface layer as a result of external compressive mechanical load. This desired effect can be achieved even when the selected beam material possesses a rather high stiffness, as defined by the E-modulus of the used material.

A reason for using rather stiff material in the elastic beams, is that the characteristics of such materials are desirable for spring applications by being springy with low internal damping, in this application implying a potential for good bouncing ability.

Examples of suitable materials are different plastics materials, non-filled or filled with glass, carbon or other fibrous filler materials. Other suitable materials are different metals, for instance metallic spring materials. Other suitable materials can be wood or glass.

The discontinuous ball surface layer of a ball in accordance with the invention can along its discontinuous surface consist of alternating elastic beams and cut-through slots.

In one embodiment of the invention, the cut-through slot has such an extended shape that considering the total discontinuous surface of the ball, the sum of all slot areas divided by the sum of the square of all slot lengths is less than 0.25, more strictly defined as∑(each slot area) / ∑(each slot length²) < 0.25 , whereby is achieved that the beam-separating slot is not too wide. As a ball in accordance with the invention exposes a discontinuous ball surface, an excessively wide slot might imply an unwanted risk of unpredictable bounce.

In one embodiment of the invention, adjacent beams extend from one common node, laterally deflecting mutually uniformly in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer. This arrangement allows for a repetitive pattern with a relatively uniform bouncing behavior of the ball for different points of contact against the surface to bounce against, along the discontinuous ball surface layer. In another embodiment of the invention, each beam changes its direction of lateral curvature, extending from a node. It is not excluded that the beams for a part of their length may follow the geometry of a great circle along the discontinuous ball surface layer. In further embodiments of the invention, the beam is laterally curved to extend in a spiral shape from one or both of its nodes in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer, also with a possibility to have the beam adopt an S-shape.

These embodiments having repetitive and partly spirally shaped lateral curvatures imparts several advantages, as described below.

The width of the beam-separating slot can be controlled to be suitably and sufficiently narrow, thereby minimizing the risk for unpredictable bounce as a consequence of excessive discontinuity of the discontinuous ball surface layer.

This continuous, slowly changing radius of curvature prevents transiently varying bouncing characteristics along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

The spiral shape also allows the local beam coverage ratio - the relation between the area of the beams as part of the discontinuous ball surface layer, and the area of the discontinuous surface including also the slots, both considered within the same chosen limited area in the vicinity of a chosen point on the discontinuous ball surface - to be kept relatively uniform, regardless of chosen position along the surface of the ball, whereby also the continuous variation of resilience along the discontinuous ball surface layer can be restricted.

The risk of unpredictable bouncing behavior is reduced also by keeping this continuous variation of resilience within restrictions.

A ball in accordance with the invention can exhibit a remarkably yielding radial resilience even if the material of the beam in itself is quite stiff. Given an E-modulus of the material of the beam, the resulting yielding resilience is dependent on the extent of the lateral curving of the beam. In accordance with the invention, the beam is curved laterally along the discontinuous ball surface. This means that the beam, along its length from one node towards the second node, changes its direction. The maximal developing lateral directional change between two chosen points along the ball surface constitutes a measure of the extent of the lateral curving of the beam.

In one embodiment of the invention, the maximal developing lateral directional change between two chosen points along the ball surface is a geometrical angle in excess of 60 degrees in order to achieve the desired sufficiently yielding radial resilience of the ball surface.

To obtain an increased radial yielding resilience of the discontinuous ball surface layer, the maximal developing lateral directional change of the beam is increased.

If the beams of the ball are made from a material with a higher E-modulus (stiffer material) compared to a reference ball, but given that both balls should possess a similar level of radial yielding resiliency, the ball with a stiffer beam material should exhibit a larger maximal developing lateral directional change than the reference ball, given that other geometrical characteristics are maintained.

The spaced beams create openings in the discontinuous ball surface layer in the shape of slots, separating adjacent beams from each other along their length.

The existence of these slots is a consequence of the fact that the discontinuous ball surface layer is built up from laterally curved beams. Had this not been the case, but instead the ball surface had been more or less continuous, the resulting inventive qualities by using beam elements would have been lost, and the desired functionality in accordance with the invention could not have been achieved.

The beam-separating slot also has the function of decreasing the bounce-reducing mechanical friction between the beams.

In one embodiment of the invention, the beam-separating slot is partly or wholly filled with a material that is significantly more flexible and deformable than the material of the beam, for instance a soft and yielding foam. With such an arrangement, a smoothing of the discontinuity of the ball surface layer can be obtained, with possible gains in the performance of the ball.

Another embodiment of the invention incorporates a radially wavy shape of the beams along their length between their nodes, superimposed on the curvature about the ball center of the beams, across the discontinuous ball surface layer. With such an arrangement, it can be achieved to have an adjustment of the radial yielding resilience of the discontinuous ball surface layer, even though other geometrical dimensions are unchanged.

The ball can be produced in one single part. One way to achieve this is to produce a spherical shell in which slots are cut out.

Due to for instance producibility, it can be advantageous to divide the beam structure of the ball into separate parts. In different embodiments of the invention, one share of the beams making up the ball are joined together in their one end, thereby forming a modular spring element consisting of a number of beams including their common node. The modular spring element is referred to as "spring element" in the following.

In their other end, the beams can be joined with the ends of other beams, which in turn belong to other spring elements. This process can be repeated for all non-connected beam ends to form a complete and user-ready ball.

In other embodiments of the invention, the beam structure is divided into separate beams, or parts of beams. The separate beams, or parts of beams, are joined in their ends to form a complete and user-ready ball.

In different embodiments of the invention, the pattern of nodes on the surface of the ball, and when applicable also the pattern of connecting points where beams are parted, is created by radially projecting characteristic geometrical features of an circumscribed imaginary polyhedron onto the surface of the ball. Examples of geometrically characteristic features are the corners and the centers of the polygons constituting the faces of the circumscribed imaginary polyhedron.

A polyhedron of the type called Platonic solid consists of regular polygons which are all identical, a polyhedron of the type called Archimedean solid consists of two or more types of regular polygons.

To generate the pattern of nodes to be found on the discontinuous surface of the ball to be built, the following or other polyhedrons can be used: Dodecahedron, icosahedron, truncated icosahedron, icosidodecahedron, cuboctahedron and rhombicuboctahedron. In different embodiments of the invention, the discontinuous ball surface layer is partly or completely provided with some layer, coating or covering, whereby can be achieved that the initial dynamic contact between the ball and the surface to bounce against is softer, whereby the bouncing characteristics of the ball can be influenced.

In one embodiment of the invention, the volume within the discontinuous ball surface layer is partly filled with some kind of body to limit the maximum radial compression of the ball. By these means, it can be prevented that the ball is broken when for instance being stepped upon by mistake.

The cross-section of the elastic beam making up the discontinuous ball surface layer can have different shapes, and the shape can also change along the beam between its opposite ends. In one embodiment of the invention, the beam consists of a wire of circular or of any other cross-section.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the claims and the following description of exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of a ball in accordance with the invention. The interior surface of the discontinuous ball surface layer is partly visible through the exterior face of the discontinuous ball surface layer. To improve the perception, the interior surface is provided with a distinguishing pattern.

FIG. 2 is another view of the same embodiment of the invention, where one spring element is disengaged from its normally mounted position to clarify how the spring elements including the connection elements are assembled and cooperate in the ball. To improve the perception, the majority of parts at the rear side of the ball, which in reality would be partly visible through the discontinuous ball surface layer, are not shown. FIG. 3 shows two spring elements mounted together as portion of a ball, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7 diagrammatically show different embodiments of the invention. For clarity purposes, only outlines of only the parts facing the viewer are shown.

FIG. 8 shows a section cut through a beam, the beam being part of a single spring element viewed separated from the ball. FIGS. 9A and 9B show the above mentioned sectioned beam in two different embodiments.

FIG. 10 shows how an imaginary polyhedron, in this case a dodecahedron, circumscribed by the discontinuous ball surface layer can be used to generate a pattern of nodes on the discontinuous surface of the ball.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the invention where the spring element is formed by a single beam which together with other similar spring elements and connection elements can be mounted together to a ball in accordance with the invention. Throughout the drawings, elements having similar or same function are designated by same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIGS.1-3 show an exemplary embodiment of the invention consisting of twelve identical spring elements 14 and twenty identical connection elements 32, which together form a generally spherical, discontinuous ball surface layer 12, resulting in a complete, radially yieldingly resilient ball 10.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the spring element 14 is composed by five identical beams 18 which in their one end 20 are joined in a central region 22, and the center 24 of the spring element 14 coincides with a node 26. Located in the generally spherical plane of the discontinuous ball surface layer 12, each beam 18 belonging to a group of five beams 18, extends laterally curved in a spiral shape 28 from the common node 26 at the one end 20. The five beams 18 of the spring element 14 extend in the spiral shape 28, out of the joining central region 22 so that each beam 18 at an opposing second end 30 connects to, and is joined or mounted to a connecting element 32. A center 34 of the connecting element 32 coincides with another node 26'. Three spring elements 14 are connected in each connection element 32. Adjacent beams 18 are spaced apart in a manner so as to define rather narrow curved slots 36 therebetween.

Combined, the spiral shape 28 of the beams 18 and the rather narrow curved slots 36 therebetween provide a bounce-promoting and relatively uniform beam coverage ratio along the discontinuous ball surface layer 12.

With reference also to FIG. 10, the configuration of the ball 10 in accordance with this exemplary embodiment of the invention has its number and location of nodes 26, 26' generated and patterned by radially projecting the corners 66 of an imaginary dodecahedron 72 and the centroids 64 of the regular pentagons 74 composing the imaginary dodecahedron 72, circumscribed by the ball 10, onto the spherical discontinuous ball surface layer 12, thereby relatively evenly positioning and distributing a total of thirty-two nodes 26, 26' along the discontinuous ball surface layer 12, whereby also a corresponding bounce-promoting uniformity in bouncing behavior regardless of ball 10 attitude, is achieved.

The beam 18, as part of the ball 10 in accordance with this exemplified embodiment of the invention, extends from a node 26 in such a way that at a defined point 38 along its length, it changes its direction of lateral curvature, thereby adopting an S-alike shape 40 between its both ends 20,30. This shape 40 of the beam 18 creates favorable conditions for achieving a yieldingly resilient deformation of the discontinuous ball surface layer 12, promoting the bouncing behavior of the ball 10. Of course, the beam can alternatively be drawn laterally spirally curved in one direction only, exhibiting this spiral shape approaching the node at one beam end, while being mainly devoid of lateral curvature towards the other node (this embodiment not shown here). In this shown exemplification of the invention, each beam 18 is in its second end 30 radially inwards deflected and extended and formed to join with the connection element 32, the joining taking place by pushing the inwards pointing extension of the second end 30 of the beam 18 inwards into the connection element 32. This procedure is repeated for the second end 30 of all beams 18, whereby the ball 10 is completed.

As made apparent by the drawings and the descriptions, this embodiment of the invention allows for producing the ball 10, in accordance with the invention, in separate parts which when convenient can be mounted together to form the complete ball 10. FIG. 3 shows in detail two next to another interfacing spring elements 14, joined to each other with two connection elements 32. The beam mean line 42, the length of which equals the length of curved beam 18 itself, extends between the one end 20 and the second end 30 of the beam 18. The corresponding but significantly shorter geodetic line or orthodrome 44 is

approximately drawn in FIGS. 3, 4 and 11.

The lateral deflection of the beam 18 in the discontinuous ball surface layer 12 between its both ends 20 and 30 is shown by the deviation d from the geodetic line 44.

The maximal developing lateral directional change between two chosen points along the discontinuous ball surface is set by the sum of the angles (al + a2) as shown in FIG. 3.

The length 46 of the mean line of the cut-through slot 36, the area 48 of the cut-through slot 36 as defined by the closed broken boundary line 50, as well as the slot width 52 and the beam width 54, are all shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows a view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

As shown, the ball 10 consists of twelve identical five-beamed spring elements 14, twenty identical six-beamed spring elements 14' and sixty connection elements 32. The pattern of nodes 26, 26'is generated from a circumscribed imaginary truncated icosahedron (not shown). The corners and the centroids of the regular pentagons and hexagons constituting the imaginary truncated icosahedron circumscribed by the ball 10 are radially projected onto the mainly spherical discontinuous ball surface layer 12, thereby defining the positions of the nodes 26, 26', the total number of nodes being ninety-two. In this exemplification, as shown in FIG. 4, each beam 18 extends laterally spirally curved out from its node 26 at its one beam end. Towards the node 26' at the other beam end, coinciding with the connection element 32, the beam 18 is, however, mainly devoid of lateral curvature.

The lateral deflection of the beam 18 between its ends in the discontinuous ball surface layer 12 is shown by the deviation d between the beam mean line 42 and the geodetic line 44 between corresponding nodes 26, 26'.

Of course, the beam can alternatively be laterally curved in an S-shape also for this embodiment (not shown here).

FIGS. 5-7 diagrammatically show three different exemplary embodiments of the invention, all having the same pattern of nodes.

The pattern of nodes is generated from an imaginary icosidodecahedron (not shown) circumscribed by the ball 10. The centroids of the twelve regular pentagons forming part of the icosidodecahedron are radially projected onto the mainly spherical discontinuous ball surface layer 12, thereby defining the positions of the nodes 26, the total number of nodes 26 being twelve. Each beam 18 is laterally spirally curved towards both of its ends, changing its direction of curvature in the center thereof, thereby forming an S-shape.

Different embodiments of the invention can comprise beams 18 that are divided along their length. FIGS. 5 and 6 show such exemplifications with the corresponding connection points 56 for joining the divided beams 18. A ball in accordance with these embodiments consists primarily of twelve identical spring elements connected to each other in the connection points 56, the total number of these connection points 56 being thirty. The total number of thirty corners of the icosidodecahedron are radially projected onto the mainly spherical discontinuous ball surface layer 12, thereby defining the positions of the connection points 56.

The joining of parted beam ends can be accomplished using a connection element 32 (shown in FIGS. 2-4).

FIG. 6 shows an exemplification where the lateral spiral curvature of the beam 18 is adjusted in shape to result in a near-constant width of the beam-separating through-cut slot 36 over its entire length.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplification where the beam 18 for part of its length is divided 58 into two branches.

FIG. 8 shows schematically a view of the major part of one spring element 14 cut loose from a ball 10, in accordance with the invention. The denoted section 2 - 2 is cut along a part of the length of one beam 18.

FIGS. 9A and 9B shows a section 2- 2, denoted in FIG.8, in two different embodiments. In the embodiment as shown by FIG. 9A, the beam 18 is curved about the ball center with its mean line mainly consistently coinciding with the mainly spherical plane of the discontinuous ball surface layer, as defined by a constant radius R.

In the embodiment as shown by FIG. 9B, the beam 18 exhibits a radially wavy curvature 60, across the discontinuous ball surface layer 12 , superimposed on the beams 18 curvature about the ball center with the radius R.

FIG. 10 diagrammatically shows how the pattern of nodes 26,26' is generated when the centroids 64 and the corners 66 of the polygons 70 defining a polyhedron 68 circumscribed by the ball are projected in the radial outwards direction, represented by the radii 82, onto the mainly spherical plane of the discontinuous ball surface layer, represented by the contour line 78. In this example a dodecahedron 72 has been chosen as a representative of a general polyhedron.

In the intersection points 76 with the imaginary spherical plane 78 representing the

discontinuous ball surface layer, cylindrical domains 80 are shown. All points within any of these relatively small volumes are close to the corresponding true intersection point 76 and within these volumes 80 it is preferable to position the nodes 26, 26'.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplification of a separate spring element 14 formed by a single beam 18, which together with other similar or identical beams 18 can be joined in their respective one end 20 by a connection element 32' to form an aggregated spring element. This aggregated spring element can then, as described earlier, together with other aggregated spring elements be assembled to a complete ball 10 by joining the second end 30 of each beam 18 with an interfacing second beam end 30 of another aggregated spring elements (not shown), and the joining can be done with connection elements 32 (not shown). This process can be repeated for all non-connected beam ends to form a complete and user- ready ball.

The lateral deflection of the beam 18 between its ends in the discontinuous ball surface layer is shown by the deviation d between the beam mean line 42 and the geodetic line 44 between corresponding nodes 26, 26'.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. Modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A ball comprising a discontinuous ball surface layer formed by spaced elastic beams curved about a ball center, said beams having ends thereof joined in nodes distributed along the discontinuous ball surface layer, said beams also being curved to establish lateral deflection thereof in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer between opposite beam ends for imparting yielding radial resiliency to the ball.

2. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein beams extending from a common node deflect laterally mutually uniformly in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein adjacent beams of said spaced beams define curved slots therebetween as part of the discontinuous ball surface layer.

4. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein said beams are laterally unidirectionally curved in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

5. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein said beams are laterally curved in alternating directions in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

6. The ball according to claim 5, wherein said beams are laterally curved in an S-shape in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

7. The ball according to claim 1, wherein said beams are laterally curved to extend in a spiral shape in the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer from a common node in the discontinuous ball surface layer.

8. The ball according to claim 1, wherein said beams also extend in a wave-shaped manner across the discontinuous ball surface layer along the discontinuous ball surface layer.

9. The ball according to claim 1 , wherein some of said nodes at ends of said beams form corners of an imaginary polyhedron circumscribed by the discontinuous ball surface layer.

10. The ball according to claim 9, wherein faces of said imaginary polyhedron are defined by regular polygons that are identical in groups.

11. The ball according to claim 1, wherein said discontinuous ball surface layer is divided into separate spring elements, each spring element comprising a plurality of said beams in one end joined in a common node, from said common node said joined beams for some part of their length extending to termination in separate connection points, said connection points defining interfaces between adjacent separate spring elements.

12. The ball according to claim 11, wherein said separate spring elements are identical in groups.

13. The ball according to claim 1, wherein said discontinuous ball surface layer is divided into separate spring elements, each spring element comprising a single beam.

14. The ball according to claim 11, comprising connection elements for said spring elements.

15. A spring element according to claim 11 for a ball according to claim 1.

16. A connection element according to claim 14 for a ball according to claim 1.