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Ball valves and ball valve components usable to control the flow of fluids and methods for manufacturing said ball valve components. Ball valves include a ball member comprising two curved segments of like shape and size, which are integrally joined and disposed symmetrically to one another relative

Ball valves and ball valve components usable to control the flow of fluids and methods for manufacturing said ball valve components. Ball valves include a ball member comprising two curved segments of like shape and size, which are integrally joined and disposed symmetrically to one another relative to the axis of rotation of the ball member. A bore extends through the joined first and the second curved segments, wherein the first end of the bore is located on the first curved segment and the second end of the bore is located on the second curved segment. Each curved segment is disposed symmetrically to one another, relative to the axis of rotation. The area of separation, between the curved segments, defines shoulders of like configuration, wherein each shoulder is located symmetrically with respect to the other relative to the ball member's axis of rotation.

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1. A ball member usable in a ball valve, the ball member comprising: a first round segment; anda second round segment,wherein the round segments are offset from one another and integrally joined symmetrically to one another relative to an axis of rotation of the ball member, the ball member having a

1. A ball member usable in a ball valve, the ball member comprising: a first round segment; anda second round segment,wherein the round segments are offset from one another and integrally joined symmetrically to one another relative to an axis of rotation of the ball member, the ball member having a progressively changing radius with respect to the axis of rotation,the ball member having a bore extending therethrough transverse to the axis of rotation, the bore having a longitudinal axis, wherein the ball member further comprises: a first shoulder defined by a first surface area located between the first and second round segments, wherein the first round segment extends past the second round segment; anda second shoulder defined by a second surface area located between the first and second round segments, wherein the second round segment extends past the first round segment,wherein the bore comprises a first opening and a second opening,wherein the first shoulder encircles part of the first opening of the bore, andwherein the second shoulder encircles part of the second opening of the bore,wherein the ball valve is opened and closed to fluid flow by rotating the ball member about the axis of rotation, andwherein rotation of the ball member progressively changes force of contact between the ball member and a ball valve seat. 2. The ball member of claim 1, wherein the first and second round segments are offset from one another along the longitudinal axis of the bore. 3. The ball member of claim 1, wherein the first round segment comprises a first center point, wherein the second round segment comprises a second center point, and wherein the first center point and the second center point are positioned along the longitudinal axis of the bore. 4. The ball member of claim 1, further comprising: a first protruding member extending from the first and the second round segments along the axis of rotation; anda second protruding member extending from the first and the second round segments along the axis of rotation opposite the first protruding member. 5. The ball member of claim 4, wherein the first protruding member or the second protruding member is integrally formed with the first and the second round segments. 6. The ball member of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first round segment adjacent to a first opening of the bore comprises a symmetrical configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore, and wherein a portion of the second round segment adjacent to a second opening of the bore comprises a symmetrical configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore. 7. The ball member of claim 1, wherein the first shoulder encircles approximately half of the first opening of the bore, wherein the second shoulder encircles approximately half of the second opening of the bore. 8. The ball member of claim 1, wherein the ball member further comprises: a first border located between the first and second round segments; anda second border located between the first and second round segments opposite the first border,wherein the first and second borders are located on the surface of the ball member, andwherein the first and second borders extend around the bore, wherein the first and second borders extend generally perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore. 9. The ball member of claim 1, wherein the first round segment comprises a first curved surface having a first inwardly curved edge and a first outwardly curved edge, wherein the second round segment comprises a second curved surface having a second inwardly curved edge and a second outwardly curved edge, wherein the first outwardly curved edge coincides with the second inwardly curved edge, wherein the second outwardly curved edge coincides with the first inwardly curved edge. 10. A ball member usable in a ball valve, the ball member comprising: a first partial sphere having a first surface and a first center of a sphere;a second partial sphere having a second surface and a second center of a sphere, wherein the first and second partial spheres are integrated with one another forming the ball member having a generally spherical outer shape, and wherein the first center of the sphere and the second center of the sphere are located a distance from one another;a first shoulder defined by a portion of the first partial sphere extending past the second partial sphere;a second shoulder defined by a portion of the second partial sphere extending past the first partial sphere, wherein the first shoulder encircles a substantial part of the first end of the bore, and wherein the second shoulder encircles a substantial part of the second end of the bore; anda bore having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the bore extends through the ball member transverse to an axis of rotation of the ball member, wherein the ball valve is opened and closed to fluid flow by rotating the ball member about the axis of rotation. 11. The ball member of claim 10, wherein the first center of the sphere and the second center of the sphere are located at a distance from one another along the longitudinal axis of the bore on either side of the axis of rotation. 12. The ball member of claim 10, wherein a portion of the first surface located adjacent to the first end of the bore comprises a symmetrical configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore, wherein a portion of the second surface located adjacent to the second end of the bore comprises a symmetrical configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore. 13. The ball member of claim 10, the ball member further comprising: the first shoulder defined by an area between the first and second surfaces; andthe second shoulder defined by an area between the first and second surfaces opposite the first shoulder, wherein the first and second shoulders extend around the bore, wherein the first and second shoulders extend generally perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the bore. 14. The ball member of claim 10, wherein the first surface comprises a first inwardly curving and a first outwardly curving boundary, wherein the second surface comprises a second inwardly curving and a second outwardly curving boundary, wherein the first outwardly curving boundary coincides with the second inwardly curving boundary, wherein the second outwardly curving boundary coincides with the first inwardly curving boundary. 15. The ball member of claim 10, wherein the first shoulder encircles approximately half of the first end of the bore, wherein the second shoulder encircles approximately half of the second end of the bore. 16. The ball member of claim 10, further comprising: a first trunnion member extending from the ball member along the axis of rotation on the first side of the ball member; ora second trunnion member extending from the ball member along the axis of rotation on the second side of the ball member; ora combination thereof. 17. A ball member usable in a ball valve, the ball member comprising: a body segment having a generally rounded shape and an axis of rotation, wherein the body segment comprises: a bore having a longitudinal axis, wherein the bore extends through the body segment transverse to the axis of rotation;a first sloped surface; anda second sloped surface, wherein the first and second sloped surfaces comprise a progressively changing radius with respect to the axis of rotation;a first shoulder defined by an area located between the first and second sloped surfaces, wherein the first sloped surface extends past the second sloped surface; anda second shoulder defined by an area located between the first and second sloped surfaces, wherein the second sloped surface extends past the first sloped surface,wherein the first and second shoulders are oriented generally parallel relative to each other, andwherein the ball valve is opened and closed to fluid flow by rotating the body segment about the axis of rotation. 18. The ball member of claim 17, further comprising at least one of: a first protruding member extending from the body segment along the axis of rotation; anda second protruding member extending from the body segment along the axis of rotation, opposite the first protruding member. 19. The ball member of claim 18, wherein the at least one of the first protruding member and the second protruding member is integrally formed with the body segment. 20. The ball member of claim 17, further comprising: wherein the bore comprises a first rim and a second rim,wherein the first shoulder encircles part of the first rim of the bore, andwherein the second shoulder encircles part of the second rim of the bore. 21. The ball member of claim 17, further comprising: the first shoulder located between the first and second sloped surfaces; andthe second shoulder located between the first and second sloped surfaces opposite the first shoulder, wherein the first and second shoulders extend around the bore, wherein the first and second shoulders extend generally perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the bore. 22. The ball member of claim 17, further comprising: the first shoulder located between the first and second sloped surfaces on one side of the ball member; andthe second shoulder located between the first and second sloped surfaces on opposite side of the ball member,wherein the bore comprises a first rim and a second rim,wherein the first shoulder extends generally parallel relative to the first rim, andwherein the second shoulder extends generally parallel relative to the second rim. 23. The ball member of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second sloped surfaces comprise inwardly curving and outwardly curving boundaries adjacent to an opening of the bore, wherein a first outwardly curving boundary coincides with a second inwardly curving boundary, wherein a second outwardly curving boundary coincides with a first inwardly curving boundary. 24. The ball member of claim 17, wherein the first shoulder encircles about half of the first rim of the bore, wherein the second shoulder encircles about half of the second rim of the bore.