Patents by Inventor Nicholas M. Nardacci

Nicholas M. Nardacci 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: 20260335719
    Abstract: Golf balls including at least one modified dimple group are disclosed. The golf ball can include at least one patch or area comprising modified spherical dimples. The golf ball can have a modification density area coefficient defined by a ratio of a quantity of modified spherical dimples circumscribed by a reference circle to a diameter of the reference circle that circumscribes the modified spherical dimples. The modification density area coefficient can be at least 15, in one aspect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2026
    Publication date: October 29, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: John S. Dytko, Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20260315876
    Abstract: A golf ball has a generally spherical surface and a plurality of dimples formed on the surface. The dimples are arranged in a dimple pattern defined by a heptagonal dipyramid projected on the surface. The pattern includes fourteen substantially identical dimple sections including seven dimple sections in a first hemisphere and seven dimple sections in a second hemisphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2026
    Publication date: October 15, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Publication number: 20260315877
    Abstract: A golf ball has a generally spherical surface and a plurality of dimples separated by a land area formed on the surface. The plurality of dimples includes a plurality of non-spherical dimples each having a non-axially symmetric plan shape, a varying edge angle, and a geometric centroid of the non-axially symmetric plan shape (GC). Each dimple cross-section of each non-spherical dimple consists of two arcs, each arc extending from a defined point of maximum dimple depth to a point at the land area of the golf ball. Each non-spherical dimple is oriented at an orientation angle, ?, relative to a reference line. Each non-spherical dimple has an index n. The orientation angle ? of each nth non-spherical dimple is dependent on the value of the index n.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2026
    Publication date: October 15, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20260306912
    Abstract: A golf ball has a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere and a plurality of dimples arranged in a pattern divided into dimple segments separated by n longitudinal lines. Within each hemisphere, the plurality of dimples consists of shared dimples that are intersected by the longitudinal lines and segment dimples that are each wholly within one of the n number of dimple segments. The arrangement of the shared dimples on each of the longitudinal lines is identical. The n number of dimple segments comprise at least two segments, S1 and S2, in each hemisphere that have a different longitudinal angle from each other. The S1 segment has a first value for a segment parameter and the S2 segment has a second value for the segment parameter. The first value is different than the second value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2026
    Publication date: October 8, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Emilia DaCosta, Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20260233062
    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: April 2, 2026
    Publication date: August 13, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Matthew F. Hogge, Richard Daprato
  • Publication number: 20260199739
    Abstract: The present disclosure 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 disclosure is directed to a golf ball that includes dimples having a non-circular plan shape defined by the superposition of a first periodic function and a second periodic function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2026
    Publication date: July 16, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 12673241
    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. The modified dimples can be altered, for example, by changing the edge angle. In one aspect, a plurality of modified dimple types are provided, such that additional permutations of edge angle adjustment are provided thereby allowing for further refinement of symmetrical flight performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: John S. Dytko, Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 12654069
    Abstract: A golf ball has a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere and a plurality of dimples arranged in a pattern divided into dimple segments separated by n longitudinal lines. Within each hemisphere, the plurality of dimples consists of shared dimples that are intersected by the longitudinal lines and segment dimples that are each wholly within one of the n number of dimple segments. The arrangement of the shared dimples on each of the longitudinal lines is identical. The n number of dimple segments comprise at least two segments, S1 and S2, in each hemisphere that have a different longitudinal angle from each other. The S1 segment has a first value for a segment parameter and the S2 segment has a second value for the segment parameter. The first value is different than the second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Emilia DaCosta, Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20260158356
    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 19, 2025
    Publication date: June 11, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Matthew F. Hogge, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Richard Daprato
  • Publication number: 20260158331
    Abstract: Various aspects of a dimple pattern for a golf ball are disclosed herein. In one aspect, the golf balls disclosed herein can include dimples having a plan shape that is defined by a roulette. In specific aspects, the golf balls disclosed herein can include dimples having a plan shape that is defined by an epitrochoid or a hypotrochoid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2024
    Publication date: June 11, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Courtney N. Engle
  • Publication number: 20260115765
    Abstract: A golf ball sorting system has a ball feeder configured to transport a plurality of golf balls. At least some of the golf balls have a conductive marking pattern that is not visible to an observer because the marking pattern is covered by at least one other layer of the golf ball. A detection system receives the golf balls, inspects the golf balls, and outputs a detection result. A sorting system receives the detection result and sorts the plurality of golf balls based on the detection result to separate the plurality of golf balls into at least three groups, including a first category of golf balls that do not have the marking pattern, a second category of golf balls that have a first type of the marking pattern, and a third category of golf balls that have a second type of the marking pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2025
    Publication date: April 30, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Martin Gray, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Vincent J. Simonds
  • Patent number: 12594464
    Abstract: Golf balls including one or more layers having at least one radar detectable mark disposed on the surface thereof are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Matthew F. Hogge, Richard Daprato
  • Publication number: 20260077240
    Abstract: A golf ball is disclosed herein that includes at least one radar detectable mark such that a projected pattern is formed when the at least one radar detectable mark is radially projected onto an outer surface of the golf ball. The projected pattern can have a first wave profile mapped along a path defined by a first spherical arc on the outer surface of the golf ball. The projected pattern can comprise at least one first crest and at least one first trough. The projected pattern can have a periodic function selected from: a sine wave, a sawtooth wave, a triangle wave, or a square wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2025
    Publication date: March 19, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson, Jedediah H. James
  • Publication number: 20260069927
    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 14, 2025
    Publication date: March 12, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Brian Comeau, Michael R. Madson, Richard Daprato, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Peter L. Serdahl
  • Publication number: 20260041966
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples on a surface thereof is disclosed herein. At least a first group of the plurality of dimples has a cross-sectional dimple profile defined by a superposed function resulting from a sum of at least a first function and a second function. The first function can be defined by at least one of: a circular arc or a catenary curve, and the second function can be defined by a decaying dual bell curve sinusoidal function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2025
    Publication date: February 12, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 12539449
    Abstract: A golf ball has a generally spherical surface and a plurality of dimples separated by a land area formed on the surface. The plurality of dimples includes a plurality of non-spherical dimples each having a non-axially symmetric plan shape, a varying edge angle, and a geometric centroid of the non-axially symmetric plan shape (GC). Each dimple cross-section of each non-spherical dimple consists of two arcs, each arc extending from a defined point of maximum dimple depth to a point at the land area of the golf ball. Each non-spherical dimple is oriented at an orientation angle, ?, relative to a reference line. The orientation angle ? is dependent on the position of the GC on the surface of the golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 12539448
    Abstract: A golf ball has a generally spherical surface and a plurality of dimples formed on the surface. The dimples are arranged in a dimple pattern defined by a heptagonal dipyramid projected on the surface. The pattern includes fourteen substantially identical dimple sections including seven dimple sections in a first hemisphere and seven dimple sections in a second hemisphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Publication number: 20260021351
    Abstract: A golf ball has a golf ball subassembly having one or more subassembly layers, the one or more subassembly layers including at least one marked layer. The golf ball also has a cover layer surrounding the golf ball subassembly. The golf ball further has a marking pattern disposed on the at least one marked layer. The marking pattern has a first portion including a first material configured to be detected by a first detector type and a second portion including a second material configured to be detected by a second detector type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2025
    Publication date: January 22, 2026
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Richard Daprato, Michael R. Madson, Martin Gray, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Vincent J. Simonds
  • Patent number: 12527994
    Abstract: The present disclosure 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 Clausen function of order 2 mapped along a simple closed path. Additionally, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a Clausen function of order 2 mapped along a simple closed path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Courtney N. Engle, Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 12515242
    Abstract: A golf ball sorting system has a ball feeder configured to transport a plurality of golf balls. At least some of the golf balls have a conductive marking pattern that is not visible to an observer because the marking pattern is covered by at least one other layer of the golf ball. A detection system receives the golf balls, inspects the golf balls, and outputs a detection result. A sorting system receives the detection result and sorts the plurality of golf balls based on the detection result to separate the plurality of golf balls into at least three groups, including a first category of golf balls that do not have the marking pattern, a second category of golf balls that have a first type of the marking pattern, and a third category of golf balls that have a second type of the marking pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Martin Gray, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Vincent J. Simonds