On sovereign, balanced and ribbon quasi-Hopf algebras

We introduce the notions of sovereign, spherical and balanced quasi-Hopf algebra. We investigate the connections between these, as well as their connections with the class of pivotal, involutory and ribbon quasi-Hopf algebras, respectively. Examples of balanced and ribbon quasi-Hopf algebras are obtained from a sort of double construction which associates to a braided category (resp. rigid braided) a balanced (resp. ribbon) one.