Patents by Inventor Michael R. Madson

Michael R. Madson 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: 20220241652
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, David P. Hunt
  • Patent number: 11376474
    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. Optionally, the dimples have a catenary cross-sectional shape and the modified dimples are altered by changing the shape factor and/or chord depth. 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: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 11376473
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20220176204
    Abstract: Golf balls having outer surfaces with improved dimple patterns are provided. At least a portion of the dimples are spherical, and the spherical dimples have at least two different dimple diameters. Each spherical dimple has a radius of curvature that is substantially equal to the radius of curvature of every other spherical dimple on the outer surface of the ball. In another embodiment, the spherical dimples have at least three different dimple diameters. The spherical dimples having different dimple diameters also can have different edge angles, dimple depths, and/or dimple volumes. In one preferred embodiment, the maximum difference in radius of curvature between any two spherical dimples is less than or equal to 0.015 inches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20220161102
    Abstract: Golf balls including one or more layers having at least one radar detectable mark disposed on the surface thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Richard Daprato
  • Publication number: 20220161104
    Abstract: Golf balls including one or more layers having at least one radar detectable mark disposed on the surface thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Brian Comeau, Michael R. Madson, Richard Daprato, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Peter L. Serdahl
  • Publication number: 20220161101
    Abstract: Golf balls including one or more layers having at least one radar detectable mark disposed on the surface thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Matthew F. Hogge, Richard Daprato
  • Publication number: 20220161118
    Abstract: Golf balls including one or more layers having at least one radar detectable mark disposed on the surface thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Matthew F. Hogge, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Richard Daprato
  • Publication number: 20220161103
    Abstract: Golf balls including one or more layers having at least one radar detectable mark disposed on the surface thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Brian Comeau, Michael R. Madson, Richard Daprato, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Peter L. Serdahl
  • Patent number: 11338176
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 11318355
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a mold for forming the cover of a golf ball having a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: David P. Hunt, Michael R. Madson
  • Publication number: 20220105391
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20220105392
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20220096900
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20220088442
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the selection of the plan shapes of the dimples thereon. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having a plan shape defined by a low frequency periodic function mapped along a simple closed path. In addition, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a low frequency periodic function mapped along a simple closed path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson
  • Publication number: 20220072384
    Abstract: Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple surface volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries, different dimple arrangements, and/or different dimple counts on the opposing hemispheres.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20220072385
    Abstract: A golf ball dimple pattern based on a square dipyramid, i.e., two square pyramids connected base-to-base, is disclosed. The dimples are arranged within four substantially identical triangular sections on each of two substantially identical hemispheres of the ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson
  • Patent number: 11207569
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 11207570
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 11207568
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci