Patents by Inventor Steven Aoyama

Steven Aoyama has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140364253
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having a diameter of greater than 1.68 inches and including at least one layer formed from an HNP composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette, Steven Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20140364252
    Abstract: Golf balls including a spherical inner core shell layer formed from a thermoset or thermoplastic composition are provided. The shell layer has an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner diameter to define a hollow center. A thermoset or thermoplastic outer core layer is formed about the shell layer and optional intermediate layer(s) disposed between the shell layer and the outer core layer. A cover is formed about the outer core layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8808113
    Abstract: A golf ball having an improved surface pattern is disclosed. The golf ball has one or more channels on its surface. The channels form spherical polygonal tiles that may include a plurality of dimples. These dimples may be circular or polygonal in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Michael J. Sullivan, Edmund A. Hebert
  • Publication number: 20140200099
    Abstract: A golf hall dimple having a plurality of arms wherein each arm includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, side walls, and a sloped floor. The dimples of the invention may be included in a dimple pattern that may also include other types of dimples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventor: Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8632424
    Abstract: A golf ball is provided that has improved aerodynamic efficiency, resulting in increased flight distance for golfers of all swing speeds, and more particularly for golfers possessing very high swing speeds, such as those who can launch the balls at an initial speed greater than 160 miles per hour and more particularly at initial ball speed of about 170 miles per hour or higher. The golf ball of the present invention combines lower dimple count with multiple dimple sizes to provide higher dimple coverage and improved aerodynamic characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Douglas E. Jones
  • Patent number: 8632425
    Abstract: Golf balls including at least one modified dimple group are disclosed. The modified dimple group comprises one or more modified dimples forming an axially symmetric pattern about a Correction Area Centroid located on an axis of symmetry at a latitude greater than 0°, where 0° represents the hemispherical pole and 90° represents the equator. The modified dimples can be altered, for example, by changing dimple coverage, dimple diameter, dimple depth, dimple edge angle, dimple volume, dimple cross-sectional shape, and/or dimple plan shape. Such modifications preferably produce a golf ball that flies more consistently regardless of orientation when struck than a corresponding golf ball without such modifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8460126
    Abstract: A golf ball having an improved surface pattern is disclosed. The golf ball has one or more bands on its surface. These bands may be either channels or raised beads. The bands have variable widths and/or heights/depths, either within the same band or between bands. These bands may decrease drag, or may increase lift. These bands may be linear, or may be curved, and may or may not fully circumscribe the golf ball. These channels or ridges may also be combined with traditional or non-traditional dimples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama, Edmund A. Hebert
  • Patent number: 8414428
    Abstract: A golf ball mold having a non-planar parting surface formed by superimposing a base waveform with a least one shorter secondary waveform. The base waveform is defined by a series of concentric arcs wherein adjacent arcs are connected with a straight line segment that is tangent to the arcs and creates an acute angle. The length of the straight line segment being critical to the accuracy and predictability of the parting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson, David P. Hunt
  • Patent number: 8403775
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a golf ball having dimple groupings comprised of multiple angular spiral shaped arms that are arrayed to form polygonal perimeters, wherein the number of arms equals the number of perimeter sides. This allows greater symmetry about the dimple grouping center, thereby improving the consistency of the aerodynamic performance of the ball. In another unique feature of the present invention, the angular shape of the arms facilitates the formation of polygonal shaped dimple groupings, which can fit closely together to cover a greater proportion of the ball's surface, preferably more than about 85% surface coverage, thereby further enhancing aerodynamic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8333669
    Abstract: A golf ball having a reduced distance while maintaining the appearance of a normal high performance trajectory. The golf ball has a core, an inner cover layer, and a cover. The core has a diameter of from about 1.300 to 1.620 inches, while the ball has a weight from 1.30 to 1.620 ounces, a diameter from 1.670 to 1.800 inches and a maximum Coefficient of Restitution from about 0.600 to about 0.790 as measured at 125 ft/sec incoming ball velocity. The ball has a drag to weight ratio of greater than 3.0 at a Reynolds number of about 230,000 and a spin ratio of about 0.085.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8292758
    Abstract: A golf ball having a reduced distance while maintaining the appearance of a normal high performance trajectory. The golf ball has a core, an inner cover layer, and a cover. The core has a diameter of from about 1.300 to 1.620 inches, while the ball has a weight from 1.30 to 1.620 ounces, a diameter from 1.670 to 1.800 inches and a maximum Coefficient of Restitution from about 0.600 to about 0.790 as measured at 125 ft/sec incoming ball velocity. The ball has a lift to weight ratio of greater than 1.9 at a Reynolds number of about 230,000 and a spin ratio of about 0.085.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20120088608
    Abstract: A golf ball having an improved surface pattern is disclosed. The golf ball has one or more bands on its surface. These bands may be either channels or raised beads. The bands have variable widths and/or heights/depths, either within the same band or between bands. These bands may decrease drag, or may increase lift. These bands may be linear, or may be curved, and may or may not fully circumscribe the golf ball. These channels or ridges may also be combined with traditional or non-traditional dimples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama, Edmund A. Hebert
  • Patent number: 8152656
    Abstract: A golf ball having a reduced distance while maintaining the appearance of a normal high performance trajectory. The golf ball has a core, an inner cover layer, and a cover. The core has a diameter of from about 1.300 to 1.620 inches, while the ball has a weight from 1.30 to 1.620 ounces, a diameter from 1.670 to 1.800 inches and a maximum Coefficient of Restitution from about 0.600 to about 0.790 as measured at 125 ft/sec incoming ball velocity. The ball has a drag to weight ratio of greater than 2.4 at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a spin ratio of about 0.095.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20120083365
    Abstract: Golf balls including at least one modified dimple group are disclosed. The modified dimple group comprises one or more modified dimples forming an axially symmetric pattern about a Correction Area Centroid located on an axis of symmetry at a latitude greater than 0°, where 0° represents the hemispherical pole and 90° represents the equator. The modified dimples can be altered, for example, by changing dimple coverage, dimple diameter, dimple depth, dimple edge angle, dimple volume, dimple cross-sectional shape, and/or dimple plan shape. Such modifications preferably produce a golf ball that flies more consistently regardless of orientation when struck than a corresponding golf ball without such modifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8137216
    Abstract: A golf ball having an improved surface pattern is disclosed. The golf ball has one or more channels or ridges on its surface. These ridges or channels may decrease drag, or may increase lift, and may increase or decrease flight symmetry. These channels or ridges may be linear, or may be curved, and may or may not fully circumscribe the golf ball. These channels or ridges may also be combined with traditional or non-traditional dimples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama, Edmund A. Hebert
  • Publication number: 20120040778
    Abstract: A golf ball having an improved surface pattern is disclosed. The golf ball has one or more channels on its surface. The channels form spherical polygonal tiles that may include a plurality of dimples. These dimples may be circular or polygonal in shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Michael J. Sullivan, Edmund A. Hebert
  • Publication number: 20120015761
    Abstract: A golf ball having multiple sets of identical hemispheres created by multiple non-planar parting lines symmetrically arranged. The hemispheres are identical relating to dimple volume, distribution and location. The highest amplitude of a parting line, when measured from an equator, is less than 11% of the largest dimple diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Steven Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20110312446
    Abstract: A golf ball having a reduced distance while maintaining the appearance of a normal high performance trajectory. The golf ball has a core, an inner cover layer, and a cover. The core has a diameter of from about 1.300 to 1.620 inches, while the ball has a weight from 1.30 to 1.620 ounces, a diameter from 1.670 to 1.800 inches and a maximum Coefficient of Restitution from about 0.600 to about 0.790 as measured at 125 ft/sec incoming ball velocity. The ball has a drag to weight ratio of greater than 2.4 at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a spin ratio of about 0.095.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8066588
    Abstract: A golf ball including a core and a cover layer, wherein the golf ball has a weight of about 1.39 oz to about 1.62 oz, and at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095, the golf ball has a lift-to-weight ratio of greater than about 1.7 and a drag-to-weight ratio of greater than about 2.7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Steven Aoyama, Edmund A. Hebert, Derek A. Ladd, William E. Morgan, Michael D. Jordan
  • Publication number: 20110287866
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a golf ball having dimple groupings comprised of multiple angular spiral shaped arms that are arrayed to form polygonal perimeters, wherein the number of arms equals the number of perimeter sides. This allows greater symmetry about the dimple grouping center, thereby improving the consistency of the aerodynamic performance of the ball. In another unique feature of the present invention, the angular shape of the arms facilitates the formation of polygonal shaped dimple groupings, which can fit closely together to cover a greater proportion of the ball's surface, preferably more than about 85% surface coverage, thereby further enhancing aerodynamic performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Steven Aoyama