Patents Examined by Raeann Gordon
  • Patent number: 6716116
    Abstract: A one-piece golf ball comprises a ball body and a clear coat onto the surface of the ball body. The ball body is formed from a white rubber composition containing 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of a titanium oxide, and 0.001 to 0.1 part by weight of a blue pigment relative to 100 parts by weight of the matrix rubber. The clear coat includes 0.02 to 0.5 part by weight of a fluorescent whitening agent, 0.05 to 3 parts by weight of an ultraviolet absorbent, and 100 parts by weight of a resinous component. The one-piece golf ball has a brightly white appearance and a satisfactory adhesion of the clear coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
    Inventor: Masatoshi Yokota
  • Patent number: 6705957
    Abstract: A golf ball having improved driving characteristics includes a hard, hollow sphere surrounded by an outer. A second layer may be disposed between the sphere and the outer cover. The hollow sphere is made from a hard material such as a metal, metal alloy, or intermetallic material and may be solid, perforated or porous. The second layer surrounding the sphere is generally made of a natural rubber or synthetic polymer or a combination of each which is surrounded by an outer cover made of an ionomer, urethane or balata. The hard sphere preferably contains a gas. A golf ball of this construction has improved performance characteristics such as low spin rate and further distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Inventors: Timothy M. Owens, Douglas P. DuFaux, Mark T. Elliott, Kris H. Turschmid
  • Patent number: 6692369
    Abstract: A training method for the game of golf is disclosed. More specifically, the method comprises engaging a golfer's leg above the golfer's knee, engaging a golfer's leg below the golfer's knee, selecting an optimum knee flexion angle, locking the knee at the selected angle, approaching the ball in preparation for a golf swing, and swinging the club through all phases of the golf swing (e.g., take-away, impact, and follow-through). The method further comprises unlocking the knee to permit unrestricted ambulation for walking to the next swing position then selecting an additional knee flexion angle (that may be the same or different as the first depending on the attributes of the golfer and environmental conditions), locking the knee at the selected angle, and swinging the club through all phases of a golf swing. Improvements in the swing mechanics of a golfer can be realized with the training method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Inventor: Brian P. McKeon
  • Patent number: 6692381
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid golf ball having exceptional rebound characteristics and flight performance, as well as good shot feel. The present invention relates to a solid golf ball comprising at least one layer of a core, and at least one layer of a cover formed on the core, wherein at least one of the layers of the core is formed by vulcanizing and press-molding a rubber composition comprising (a) a base rubber comprising polybutadiene rubber containing a cis-1,4-bond of not less than 99%, (b) a co-crosslinking agent, and (c) an organic peroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seigou Sakagami, Akihiro Nakahara, Satoshi Mano
  • Patent number: 6682441
    Abstract: Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by the science of phyllotaxis. A method of packing dimples using phyllotaxis is disclosed. Phyllotactic patterns are used to determine placement of dimples on a golf ball. Preferably, a computer modeling program is used to place the dimples on the golf balls. Either two-dimensional modeling or three-dimensional modeling programs are usable. Preferably, careful consideration is given to the placement of the dimples, including a minimum distance criteria so that no two dimples will intersect. This criterion ensures that the dimples will be packed as closely as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Winfield, Kevin M. Harris
  • Patent number: 6676539
    Abstract: A thread-wound golf ball 1 producing excellent hit feeling, large carry and superior spin performance is provided having a rubber thread layer 3 formed by winding rubber thread around a center 2, which is further coated with a cover 4. The volume proportion of the rubber thread layer to the golf ball is in the range of 10 to 20%. The difference (A−B) is in the range of 0.5 to 0.7, where A represents deformation (mm) from an initial load of 98N to a final load of 1274N applied on the center, and B represents deformation (mm) from the initial load of 98N to the final load of 1274N applied on a threaded core formed by winding rubber thread around the center. Shore D hardness of the cover is in the range of 50 to 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Moriyama, Kazuhiko Isogawa
  • Patent number: 6669581
    Abstract: A wound-core golf ball having a polyurethane cover is disclosed. The polyurethane cover is formed by curing a composition comprising a tolylene diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer and dimethylthiotoluene diamine, and exhibits superior cut resistance. The wound-core golf ball of the invention further comprises a double-layered center having a diameter of 25 to 35 mm and a rubber thread layer covering the center. The center comprises an inner core layer having a diameter of 24 to 33 mm and a JIS-A hardness of 5 to 50, and an outer core layer covering the inner core layer and having a Shore D hardness of 10 and to 60. The wound-core golf ball thus constructed imparts a good shot feeling to the golfer and offers an increased flight distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
    Inventor: Satoshi Iwami
  • Patent number: 6663509
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a dual core, a triple core, a cellular core, a liquid core, or a wound core; an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer; and at least 50 parts by weight of a non-ionomeric polyolefin material disposed in an inner layer within the ball. The dual or triple cores comprise an interior spherical center component formed from a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof; a core layer disposed about the center component, formed from a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof; and an optional outer core layer that surrounds the core component. The inner cover layer is comprised of a high acid ionomer or ionomer blend. The outer cover layer is comprised of a soft, very low modulus ionomer or ionomer blend, or a non-ionomeric thermoplastic elastomer such as polyurethane, polyester or polyesteramide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: R. Dennis Nesbitt, Mark L. Binette, Michael J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6656061
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid golf ball having long flight distance obtained by accomplishing high launch angle and low spin amount, and having excellent shot feel, rebound characteristics, scuff resistance and yellowing resistance. The present invention relates to a solid golf ball comprising a core and a cover formed on the core, wherein the cover comprises as a base resin (a) polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomer formed by using cycloaliphatic diisocyanate, or (b) a mixture of polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomer formed by using cycloaliphatic diisocyanate and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomer, and has a thickness of not more than 1.0 mm, and a surface hardness in Shore D hardness of the core is higher than a central point hardness in Shore D hardness of the core by not less than 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Iwami, Takashi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6656055
    Abstract: The invention is a machine for learning the bodily position and motion known as a swing in the game of golf to form correct golf posture based on a player's height, and more specifically the player's distance from the hips to the ground and from the shoulders to the hips and by the motions during the golf swing. The machine learns the bodily position and motions of the golf player in hitting the ball. The machine includes two plates arranged so that they can move on a column, one at the height of the player's hips and the other at the height of the shoulders, the latter with arms leaving said plate and ending in a hinged belt for holding the hips and the other having a lower arm and upper arm terminating in a shoulder bar for holding the player's shoulders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Antonio Foncillas Marro
  • Patent number: 6648779
    Abstract: The golf ball has a solid core and a cover surrounding the core. The solid core is formed of a rubber composition that has a co-crosslinking agent and preferably an organic sulfur compound blended therein, with a portion of the co-crosslinking agent and the organic sulfur compound being micro-encapsulated within a thermoplastic resin, and a remaining portion of the co-crosslinking agent being in a non-encapsulated state. This improves dispersibility of the co-crosslinking agent and the organic sulfur compound within the rubber composition, and enables adjustment of the crosslinking pattern of the rubber molecule main chains. Thus, resilience and durability of the golf ball are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Yokota
  • Patent number: 6620061
    Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and an enclosure of one or more layers enclosing the core, at least one enclosure layer is formed of a rubber composition comprising a base rubber based on 1,4-polybutadiene having a cis-1,4-structure, an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated carboxylic acid, a metal oxide, and a polymerization initiator. The rubber composition is subjected to crosslinking reaction. The ball has a great resilience, pleasant feel, good controllability upon iron shots, and high resistance against flaw on the cover surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Jun Shindo, Rinya Takesue
  • Patent number: 6616551
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a solid, non-wound, golf ball comprising two or more core components, and a cover component. The core components comprise i) a small, inner, high density, spherical center component comprising a blend of powdered metal and a first matrix material comprising polybutadiene and polyisoprene; and, ii) an outer core layer disposed about the spherical center component, formed from a second matrix material selected from the group consisting of a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof. The golf ball may further comprise a second or additional outer core layer(s) that surround the first outer core layer. Preferably, the inner, high density, center component is produced without the use of a crosslinking agent or coagent, which is the reaction product of an unsaturated carboxylic acid or acids and an oxide or carbonate of a metal such as zinc. The cover may be single or multi-layered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: The Top-Flite Golf Company
    Inventors: R. Dennis Nesbitt, Mark L. Binette, Michael John Tzivanis, John L. Nealon, Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Vincent J. Simonds
  • Patent number: 6599204
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples on a spherical surface thereof, the dimples each having a circular shape in a plan view, is provided, wherein a virtual dimple is supposed to have a circular shape having the same diameter as the circular shape of the dimple in the plan view, and to be a part of a circle having the same sectional area as that of the dimple in the sectional view; at least 80% of the dimples have depths not less than 104% of the depth of the virtual dimple, and have a non-circular-arc-shape in a sectional view; and a total volume of the dimple is in a range of from 300 to 550 mm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuki Kasashima, Hiroto Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6585608
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising a dual core component. The dual core comprises an interior center component formed from a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof. The dual core also comprises a core layer disposed about the center component, formed from a thermoset material, a thermoplastic material, or combinations thereof. The present invention golf ball may further comprise an outer core layer that surrounds the dual core. The resulting multi-layered golf ball of the present invention provides for enhanced distance without sacrificing playability or durability when compared to known golf balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, R. Dennis Nesbitt
  • Patent number: 6582327
    Abstract: A golf ball having a surface thereon with a plurality of dimples on the surface is disclosed herein. The contour of each of the dimples is continuous from a first edge of each of the dimples to a second opposing edge of each of the dimples. The contour at the first edge may be equal to the contour of a sphere of the golf ball. The contour of each of the dimples may be convex from the first edge to a first inflection point and from the second edge to a second inflection point, and the contour may be concave between the first inflection point and the second inflection point. The contour may be defined by the following equation: P(t)=&Sgr;BiJn,i(t)0≦t≦1, wherein Jn,i(t)=(ni)ti(1−t)n−i, n is equal to at least five, and i=n+1. The radius of each point from a bottom center to the first edge may be different from any other point from the bottom center to the first edge. The radius may be greatest at the bottom center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Steven S. Ogg
  • Patent number: 6579189
    Abstract: A mobile golf practice device adapted for attachment to the bumper of a standard electric golf cart which allows a golfer to practice his or her stroke with the selected club, proximate the actual shot to be played. The device has an L shaped rigid shaft fixed attached to the cart bumper on one end and carrying a swivel on the other. A flexibly tethered golf ball is attached to the swivel such that the ball moves freely in a arc about the shaft when struck. By striking a golf ball and observing the motion of the ball as it orbits the shaft as well as the number of orbits the golfer can judge the effectiveness of the proposed shot in respect to his actual lie of the course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Inventor: Ronald R. Anzaldua
  • Patent number: 6565457
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to improved golf ball compositions in which the balls have low spin and excellent distance. The balls contain tungsten or another high density filler in a solid, central core in order to enhance coefficient of restitution, and have very high quantities of whitening agent in the outer cover layer to increase the moment of inertia and thus reduce spin. This results in a golf ball exhibiting enhanced distance while maintaining good durability. In a preferred version of the present invention, a golf ball is provided that comprises a core and a dimpled cover disposed about the core. The core includes a rubber and 0.1 to 40 parts by weight of a filler material having a specific gravity of at least 7. The cover includes a resin and at least 2.5 parts by weight of a particular whitening agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, R. Dennis Nesbitt, John L. Nealon
  • Patent number: 6561924
    Abstract: A four-piece golf ball is disclosed herein. The golf ball has a core with an oxygen barrier boundary layer, a wound layer and a polyurethane cover. The core is preferably composed of polybutadiene material. The boundary layer is preferably composed of a blend of ionomers. The cover is preferably composed of a thermosetting polyurethane material. The golf ball has exceptional distance, exceptional feel and exceptional durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Steven S. Ogg
  • Patent number: 6551203
    Abstract: A dimple pattern for a golf ball with multiple sets of dimples is disclosed herein. Each of the multiple sets of dimples has a different diameter. A preferred set of dimples is seven different dimples. The dimples may cover as much as eighty-six percent of the surface of the golf ball. The unique dimple pattern allows a golf ball to have shallow dimples with steeper entry angles. The unique dimple pattern also allows a golf ball to have greater low speed lift with a lower high speed drag. In a preferred embodiment, the golf ball has 384 dimples covering eighty-six percent of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Steven S. Ogg