PROCESS FOR MAKING A GOLF BALL WITH A BUILT-IN SENSOR

Abstract

A process for making a golf ball includes steps of: a) providing a spherical hollow core which is made from a deformable resilient material, which defines a central chamber, and which includes left and right hemispherical bodies with contiguous circular surfaces having separated upper segments movable away from each other to permit placement of a sensing assembly into the central chamber, b) molding an intermediate shell layer at an elevated temperature that is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilient material to enclose the spherical hollow core, and c) molding a cover to enclose the intermediate shell layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 105140994, filed on Dec. 12, 2016.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a process for making a golf ball, and more particularly to a process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensor.

BACKGROUND

With increasing miniaturization and progress in sensing modules and communication technologies, a chip module such as a sensing module ora communication module is widely used in various application fields for immediate addressing and information measurement of an object. For example, the sensing module or the communication module may be installed in a golf ball to obtain information regarding the speed, the position and the like of the golf ball such that it is convenient for a golf player to track the flying trajectory of the golf ball and/or find the landing position of the golf ball.

A cell is usually installed along with the chip module in the golf ball so as to provide electric power for the chip module. However, since the golf ball is made by compression molding at a temperature that is usually above 150° C., the cell and the chip module are likely to be damaged due to direct contact with a high temperature molding material for making the golf ball.

SUMMARY

An object of the disclosure is to provide a process for making a golf ball to overcome the aforesaid disadvantage of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, there is provided a process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensing assembly, comprising steps of:

a) providing a spherical hollow core which is made from a deformable resilient material and which defines a central chamber configured to fittingly accommodate a sensing assembly, the spherical hollow core including opposite left and right hemispherical bodies respectively having left and right circular surfaces contiguous with each other,

• • the left circular surface including
    • a left cavity which extends leftward to terminate at a left abutment surface, and which extends in an upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a left ceiling surface and a left bottom surface, the left cavity serving as a left chamber half, and
    • upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and which border the left ceiling surface and the left bottom surface, respectively,
  • the right circular surface including
    • a right cavity which extends rightward to terminate at a right abutment surface, and which extends in the upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a right ceiling surface and a right bottom surface, the right cavity serving as a right chamber half which mates with the left chamber half to form the central chamber, and
    • upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and which border the right ceiling surface and the right bottom surface, respectively,

wherein

the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces are separated by a dividing plane which extends into the central chamber such that the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces are movable away from each other to permit placement of the sensing assembly into the central chamber while vesting the left and right hemispherical bodies with a biasing force to bias the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces to move toward each other;

b) molding an intermediate shell layer at an elevated temperature that is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilient material to enclose the spherical hollow core; and

c) molding a cover to enclose the intermediate shell layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensing assembly according to the disclosure;

FIGS. 2 to 5 are schematic sectional views showing consecutive steps of the embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a golf ball made by the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of a process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensing assembly according to the disclosure includes steps of a) providing a spherical hollow core 3, b) molding an intermediate shell layer, and c) molding a cover.

Reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3. The spherical hollow core 3 is made from a deformable resilient material and defines a central chamber 31 configured to fittingly accommodate a sensing assembly 4. The deformable resilient material may be selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin, rubber, and a combination thereof. The spherical hollow core 3 includes opposite left and right hemispherical bodies 33, 34 respectively having left and right circular surfaces 35, 36 contiguous with each other.

The left circular surface 35 has a left cavity 37, and upper and lower segments 354, 355. The left cavity 37 extends leftward to terminate at a left abutment surface 351, and extends in an upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a left ceiling surface 352 and a left bottom surface 353. The left cavity 37 serves as a left chamber half. The upper and lower segments 354, 355 are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and border the left ceiling surface 352 and the left bottom surface 353, respectively.

The right circular surface 36 has a right cavity 38, and upper and lower segments 364, 365. The right cavity 38 extends rightward to terminate at a right abutment surface 361, and extends in the upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a right ceiling surface 362 and a right bottom surface 363. The right cavity 38 serves as a right chamber half which mates with the left chamber half to form the central chamber 31. The upper and lower segments 364, 365 are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and border the right ceiling surface 362 and the right bottom surface 363, respectively.

The upper segments 354, 364 of the left and right circular surfaces 35, 36 are separated by a dividing plane 32, which extends into the central chamber 31 such that the upper segments 354, 364 of the left and right circular surfaces 35, 36 are movable away from each other to permit placement of the sensing assembly 4 into the central chamber 31 while vesting the left and right hemispherical bodies 33, 34 with a biasing force to bias the upper segments 354, 364 of the left and right circular surfaces 35, 36 to move toward each other. A gravity center of the sensing assembly 4 coincides with a center of the spherical hollow core 3 after the sensing assembly 4 is fittingly accommodated in the spherical hollow core 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, in step c), the spherical hollow core 3 fittingly accommodating the sensing assembly 4 is placed within a first mold 5 which includes a first upper mold part 51, a first lower mold part 52 cooperating with the first upper mold part 51 to define a first mold cavity 55, a plurality of first pins 53 removably inserted into the first mold cavity 55 through the first upper mold part 51 and the first lower mold part 52, and a first guiding passage 54 provided in the first upper mold part 51 and fluidly communicating with the first mold cavity 55. After the spherical hollow core 3 fittingly accommodating the sensing assembly 4 is fixed in the first mold cavity 55 by the first pins 53 so as to form a first molding space defined by the spherical hollow core 3 and the first upper and lower mold parts 51, 52, a first molding material in a fluidic state is introduced into the first molding space through the first guiding passage 54 at an elevated temperature that is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilient material of the spherical hollow core 3, followed by cooling to form an intermediate shell layer 6 which encloses the spherical hollow core 3. The first molding material for the intermediate shell layer 6 is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, ionomer, and a combination thereof.

Referring to FIG. 5, in step d), the intermediate shell layer 6 which encloses the spherical hollow core 3 fittingly accommodating the sensing assembly 4 is placed within a second mold 7 which includes a second upper mold part 71, a second lower mold part 72 cooperating with the second upper mold part 71 to define a second mold cavity 75, a plurality of second pins 73 removably inserted into the second mold cavity 75 through the second upper mold part 71 and the second lower mold part 72, and a second guiding passage 74 provided in the second upper mold part 71 and fluidly communicating with the second mold cavity 75. After the intermediate shell layer 6 which encloses the spherical hollow core 3 fittingly accommodating the sensing assembly 4 is fixed in the second mold cavity 75 by the second pins 73 so as to form a second molding space defined by the intermediate shell layer 6 and the second upper and lower mold parts 71, 72, a second molding material in a fluidic state is introduced into the second molding space through the second guiding passage 74, followed by cooling to form a cover 8 which encloses the intermediate shell layer 6 so as to obtain a golf ball 1 shown in FIG. 6. The second molding material for the cover 8 is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, ionomer, and a combination thereof.

Since the sensing assembly 4 is placed in the central chamber 31 of the spherical hollow core 3 which is made from a deformable resilient material having a softening point higher than the elevated temperature at which the intermediate shell layer 6 is molded, the sensing assembly 4 which includes the chip module 41 and the battery 42 will not be damaged in the course of molding the intermediate shell layer 6. In addition, since the gravity center of the sensing assembly 4 coincides with the center of the spherical hollow core 3 after the sensing assembly 4 is fittingly accommodated in the spherical hollow core 3, the golf ball 1 thus made may fly stably after being struck.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is (are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensing assembly, comprising steps of:

a) providing a spherical hollow core which is made from a deformable resilient material and which defines a central chamber configured to fittingly accommodate a sensing assembly, the spherical hollow core including opposite left and right hemispherical bodies respectively having left and right circular surfaces contiguous with each other, the left circular surface including a left cavity which extends leftward to terminate at a left abutment surface, and which extends in an upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a left ceiling surface and a left bottom surface, the left cavity serving as a left chamber half, and upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and which border the left ceiling surface and the left bottom surface, respectively, the right circular surface including a right cavity which extends rightward to terminate at a right abutment surface, and which extends in the upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a right ceiling surface and a right bottom surface, the right cavity serving as a right chamber half which mates with the left chamber half to form the central chamber, and upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and which border the right ceiling surface and the right bottom surface, respectively,

wherein

the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces are separated by a dividing plane which extends into the central chamber such that the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces are movable away from each other to permit placement of the sensing assembly into the central chamber while vesting the left and right hemispherical bodies with a biasing force to bias the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces to move toward each other;

b) molding an intermediate shell layer at an elevated temperature that is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilient material to enclose the spherical hollow core; and

c) molding a cover to enclose the intermediate shell layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a gravity center of the sensing assembly coincides with a center of the spherical hollow core after the sensing assembly is fittingly accommodated in the spherical hollow core.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the deformable resilient material is selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin, rubber, and a combination thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate shell layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, ionomer material, and a combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cover is made from a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, ionomer, and a combination thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensing assembly includes a chip module and a battery.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the chip module is selected from the group consisting of a sensing module, a communication module, and a combination thereof.

8. A golf ball made by the method according to claim 1.