Improved field hockey ball for playing hockey on wet synthetic surfaces.

摘要

This invention relates generally to field hockey balls, in particular to hockey balls for use on synthetic turf water sprayed wet pitches. The improved ball design will also lead to a better ball roll and play behavior during wet weather conditions on natural pitches and on non-water sprayed synthetic pitches. An embodiment of the invention is based on a dimpled type polyurethane matrix base material hockey ball design including a foam based center piece. In a hockey ball of the invention standard FIH dimensions (round ball with circumference of 230 mm) and weight (156 gram) are used to produce an injection molded polyurethane based hockey ball, however with addition, in the polyurethan mixture before the molding, of a very hydrophobic additive. Thus creating a hydrophobic or enhanced hydrophobic, even superhydrophobic, outermost layer surface on the hockey ball yet unknown in the prior art. Practice tests revealed a significant improvement in ball roll behavior on a wetted hockey field. Ball roll consistency also increased, although this improvement was not so much visible all ball rolls fell easily within the FIH standards for a Global field. A hockey ball is invented especially suitable for playing field hockey on a wet surface and is characterized in that the outermost layer is comprising a hydrophobic surface, more preferably a superhydrophobic surface and/or an enhanced hydrophobic surface.