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).

  • DIMPLE PATTERNS FOR GOLF BALLS
    Publication number: 20210052947
    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: October 27, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • GOLF BALL DIMPLE PLAN SHAPE
    Publication number: 20210038946
    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 periodic cosine function mapped along a circular closed path. In addition, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a periodic cosine function mapped along a circular closed path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson
  • Dimple patterns for golf balls
    Patent number: 10912968
    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: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • GOLF BALL MOLD
    Publication number: 20210023420
    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: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: David P. Hunt, Michael R. Madson
  • Golf ball
    Patent number: 10894189
    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: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Golf ball dimple patterns including stars and stripes and color
    Patent number: 10894188
    Abstract: The present invention provides golf balls having a pattern of stellated polygon shaped dimples and grooves with pre-selected and coordinated color appearances on the outer surface of the ball to produce a unique and desirable overall golf ball color appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, William E. Morgan
  • GOLF BALL DIMPLES DEFINED BY SUPERPOSED CURVES
    Publication number: 20200398115
    Abstract: The present invention is a golf ball which comprises cat-witch dimples on the surface thereof. The cat-witch dimples have a cross-sectional shape defined by the superposition of a catenary curve function and a Witch of Agnesi curve function. The cat-witch dimples include a plurality of similarly shaped cat-witch dimples having at least two different dimple diameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • DIMPLE PATTERNS FOR GOLF BALLS
    Publication number: 20200360767
    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: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • DIMPLE PATTERNS FOR GOLF BALLS
    Publication number: 20200353315
    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: July 28, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • GOLF BALL
    Publication number: 20200338395
    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: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Dimple patterns for golf balls
    Patent number: 10814174
    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, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Dimple patterns for golf balls
    Patent number: 10814179
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Madson
  • Golf ball dimple shape
    Patent number: 10814177
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aesthetics and desirable aerodynamic properties due, at least in part, to the novel shape of the dimples on the surface thereof. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having a shape obtained from the intersection of a prismatic polyhedron and the golf ball outer surface. The resulting curve of intersection represents the dimple perimeter and the intersecting portion of the surface of the prismatic polyhedron represents the dimple surface shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Emilia DaCosta
  • Golf ball dimple plan shape
    Patent number: 10814176
    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 low frequency periodic functions along a closed simple path. In addition, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a low frequency periodic function along a closed simple path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Dimple patterns for golf balls
    Patent number: 10814175
    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, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Golf ball dimple profile
    Patent number: 10799765
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a golf ball having dimples with a cross-sectional profile comprising a conical top portion and a bottom portion. More particularly, the profiles of the present invention are defined by three independent parameters: dimple diameter (DD), edge angle (?EDGE), and saucer ratio (Sr). These parameters fully define the dimple shape and allow for greater flexibility in constructing a dimple profile versus conventional spherical dimples. The dimples optionally have a transition surface connecting the conical top portion to the land area of the golf ball and/or a transition surface connecting the conical top portion to the bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Golf ball having non-planar parting line
    Patent number: 10786708
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface. At least a portion of the parting line comprises a series of main arcs connected by at least one intermediate arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, David P. Hunt
  • GOLF BALL DIMPLES HAVING CIRCUMSCRIBED PRISMATOIDS
    Publication number: 20200276480
    Abstract: The present invention relates to golf balls, specifically, to a golf ball with multifaceted dimples comprising two discrete geometries including a circular perimeter and a depression or protrusion based on a polyhedral prismatoid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • DIMPLE PATTERNS FOR GOLF BALLS
    Publication number: 20200276479
    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: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • GOLF BALL HAVING DIMPLES WITH CONCENTRIC OR NON-CONCENTRIC GROOVES
    Publication number: 20200276478
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the alteration of the dimple surfaces. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having circular perimeters and dimple profiles having a concentric groove or a non-concentric groove on the surface of the dimple. The golf ball dimples of the present invention provide golf ball surfaces having unique appearances, while maintaining ideal aerodynamic characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci