Particular Cover (e.g., Size, Material, Dimple Pattern, Etc.) Patents (Class 473/378)
  • Patent number: 10987548
    Abstract: In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core formed of a rubber composition, an intermediate layer formed of a polyurethane material and a cover, the ball satisfies the following condition: surface hardness of ball?surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere. When the ball is struck with a driver at a head speed of 40 m/s, the sum of the time t1 required from contact initiation between the driver and ball for deformation of the ball to reach a maximum value and the time t2 required from the state of maximum ball deformation for the ball and driver clubface to separate is at least 705 microseconds. This ball has an excellent flight performance when hit by low or moderate head-speed golfers, is receptive to spin on approach shots and has a good, soft feel at impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10960270
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball resin composition by which durability can be improved without substantially reducing hardness and resilience, and a golf ball using the same. The present invention provides a golf ball resin composition containing (A) at least one member selected from the group consisting of an ionomer resin, a polyamide and a styrene-based elastomer, and (B) an acid modified polyolefin having a weight average molecular weight in a range from 5,000 to 80,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Shigemitsu
  • Patent number: 10940365
    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: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10905917
    Abstract: Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. Multi-piece golf balls can be made. Polyurethane primer coatings and polyurethane top-coatings are applied to the thermoplastic polyurethane cover. Different coating methods can be used. Isocyanate-rich and polyol-rich polyurethane coatings can be applied. In one embodiment, the golf ball can be treated with a multi-functional isocyanate prior to applying the coatings. The polyurethane cover composition and surface coatings can further include catalysts, ultraviolet (UV)-light stabilizers, and other additives. Heat is used to cure the coatings. The coating methods have many benefits and the finished balls have good physical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette
  • Patent number: 10874908
    Abstract: A golf ball includes a main body and a paint layer positioned outside the main body. The paint layer includes an inner layer and an outer layer positioned outside the inner layer. When an indentation depth (nm) is measured on a cross-section along a plane passing through a central point of the golf ball when a force of 30 mgf is applied to the cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the cross-section, an indentation depth Di on a cross-section of the inner layer is smaller than an indentation depth Do on a cross-section of the outer layer. A thickness To of the outer layer is larger than a thickness Ti of the inner layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mami Tanaka, Toshiyuki Tarao
  • Patent number: 10864408
    Abstract: A golf ball has a plurality of dimples 12 and a land 14 on a surface thereof. The golf ball further has a large number of minute projections 18 formed on surfaces of the dimples 12 and the land 14. The minute projections 18 are exposed on the surface of the golf ball. The surface of the golf ball has an arithmetic average height Sa of not less than 0.5 ?m and not greater than 30 ?m. The surface of the golf ball has a maximum height Sz of not less than 5 ?m and not greater than 200 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Sajima, Hironori Takihara, Toshiyuki Takubo
  • Patent number: 10858289
    Abstract: A multi-component composition, in particular a three-component composition, especially for manufacture of a polyurethane cementitious hybrid flooring, including or made of: a polyol component (A) including at least one polyol and water; a hardener component (B) including at least one polyisocyanate compound; a solid component (C) including at least one hydraulic binder; and wherein at least one of the components of the multi component composition includes at least one comb polymer having a main chain including acid groups, and side chains being attached on the main chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SIKA TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Patricia Gimeno Santos, Carola Kaddatz, Jochen Grötzinger
  • Patent number: 10821327
    Abstract: A coated golf ball includes a single or dual core and a cover layer formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The TPU cover preferably has a first polyurethane coating layer and a second polyurethane coating layer disposed about the first polyurethane coating layer. In a preferred embodiment, he first polyurethane coating layer includes unreacted isocyanate groups and has an isocyanate index of at least about 120. Preferably, the first polyurethane coating layer has an isocyanate index of at least about 150, more preferably, at least about 200, and most preferably at least about 250.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10767075
    Abstract: A coating composition for forming an electrically insulating film, a method of making the coating composition, and the cured coating composition are provided. The coating composition includes a curable polymer comprising at least one functional group for forming cross-linking structures, a curative configured to react with the at least one functional group in the curable polymer, a sol comprising silica or metal oxide nanoparticles having a particle diameter in a range of from about 0.1 nm to about 100 nm, an organic titanate, and optionally at least one solvent or diluent. The resulting cured coating or paint provides good insulation, coverage, adhesion, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Nanoshield Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: James Cheng Lee
  • Patent number: 10758785
    Abstract: The present invention is a golf ball which comprises spherical-cosine dimples on the surface thereof. The spherical-cosine dimples have a cross-sectional shape defined by the superposition of a spherical function and a cosine function. Each of the spherical-cosine dimples preferably has a dimple diameter of 0.180 inches or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10744375
    Abstract: Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. Multi-piece golf balls can be made. Polyurethane primer coatings and polyurethane top-coatings are applied to the thermoplastic polyurethane cover. Isocyanate-rich and polyol-rich polyurethane coatings can be applied. In one embodiment, multi-functional imine and amine compounds can be used to treat the golf ball. The resulting coating may contain polyurethanes, polyureas, and hybrids, copolymers, and blends thereof. The cover composition and surface coatings can further include catalysts, ultraviolt (UV)-light stabilizers, and other additives. Heat is used to cure the coatings. The coating methods have many benefits and the finished balls have good physical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette
  • Patent number: 10729937
    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: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10723911
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having improved spin performance on wedge shots under a wet condition such as rain by controlling the formulation of the paint film. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film covering the golf ball body, wherein the paint film contains a base resin and a porous filler, and the porous filler contains SiO2 as a constituent in an amount of 50 mass % or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kamino, Hidetaka Inoue, Kuniyasu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10722754
    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: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10716970
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf ball having an aerodynamic subsurface for packing dimples. More particularly, the invention relates to a golf ball having an exterior surface and at least a first subsurface containing at least two dimples located solely on the subsurface and lying below the exterior surface of the golf ball. A transition zone between the exterior surface and the subsurface is disclosed having an angle of transition and a top radius and a bottom radius. According to the present invention, the exterior surface and at least the first subsurface have at least a first and second surface colors that are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Emilia DaCosta, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 10702747
    Abstract: A golf ball strikes a good balance between the durability and the shot feeling, and includes a spherical core and at least one cover disposed outside the spherical core. At least one layer of the cover contains (A) a base resin and (B) a resin fine particle, (A) the base resin contains an ionomer resin, and (B) the resin fine particles contain a polyrotaxane component having a cyclodextrin, a linear molecule penetrating the cyclic structure of the cyclodextrin in a skewering manner, and blocking groups located at both terminals of the linear molecule to prevent disassociation of the cyclodextrin wherein at least a part of hydroxyl groups of the cyclodextrin is modified with a caprolactone chain via a —O—C3H6—O— group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tarao, Mami Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10682551
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf ball having an aerodynamic subsurface for packing dimples. More particularly, the invention relates to a golf ball having an exterior surface and at least a first subsurface containing at least two dimples located solely on the subsurface and lying below the exterior surface of the golf ball. A transition zone between the exterior surface and the subsurface is disclosed having an angle of transition and a top radius and a bottom radius. According to the present invention, the exterior surface and at least the first subsurface have at least a first and second surface textures that are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 10653921
    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: September 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10653920
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10610740
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots under a dry condition and excellent spin performance on approach shots under the condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the club face. The present invention provides golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein the paint film has a multi-layered construction composed of two or more layers, a ratio (M1/E1) of a 10% elastic modulus (kgf/cm2) (M1) of an innermost layer of the paint film to a maximum elongation (%) (E1) of the innermost layer of the paint film is 10 or more and 50 or less, and the ratio (M1/E1) of the innermost layer of the paint film is greater than a ratio (M2/E2) of a 10% elastic modulus (kgf/cm2) (M2) of an outermost layer of the paint film to a maximum elongation (%) (E2) of the outermost layer of the paint film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kai Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10589151
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core composed of a fully neutralized polymer material is disclosed herein. The golf ball also preferably has multiple mantle layers and a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Steve Ogg, David Bartels
  • Patent number: 10556153
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface. The plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line consists of a first portion of dimples, each dimple of the first portion having a wave relief distance of from 0.001 inches and 0.005 inches, and a second portion of dimples, each dimple of the second portion having a wave relief distance of greater than 0.008 inches, where wave relief distance is measured as the shortest distance from the average dimple diameter of the dimple to the parting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, David P. Hunt
  • Patent number: 10500443
    Abstract: Golf ball incorporating thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s) selected from thermoplastic polyurethane(s), thermoplastic urea(s), thermoplastic urea-urethane hybrid(s), or combinations thereof; and (iii) polymethyl (meth)acrylate-based copolymer(s) and/or core-shell polymer(s) having a core and/or a shell containing polymethyl (meth)acrylate-based copolymer(s). Ionomer(s) are present in thermoplastic blend in amount of about 45 wt % or greater. Different thermoplastic polymer present in blend in amount of: from about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or greater than 20 wt %, or from about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or from about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. In a particular embodiment, amount of ionomer(s) is greater than thermoplastic polyurethane amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Brian Comeau, Michael Michalewich
  • Patent number: 10486027
    Abstract: A golf ball includes a land portion, and a plurality of dimples configured to be recessed from the land portion. Each of the plurality of dimples includes a circular bottom face, a circular opening configured to have a larger diameter than the bottom face, and a side face configured to connect the bottom face and the opening. The side face is configured to be linearly inclined so that the diameter of each of the plurality of dimples increases from the bottom face toward the opening. The diameter of the bottom face is 0.45 mm or more and 0.60 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: MIZUNO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norikazu Ninomiya, Yudai Washida, Kensuke Maenaka, Kei Tsuji
  • Patent number: 10471307
    Abstract: The present invention provides golf balls having a non-straight flight trajectory due, at least in part, to a dimple pattern wherein the dimples on the opposing sides of the ball have at least one design feature that is different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, William E. Morgan, Matthew F. Hogge
  • Patent number: 10447063
    Abstract: An electronic device, including at least one electronic component that can be used as an electrically and wirelessly chargeable terminal or as a transmitting device for such a terminal. The electronic device has a plastic surface that enables electromagnetic interaction between the electronic component and an external electronic component in the frequency range of 110 to 205 kHz. The plastic surface has a coating having a metallic appearance, wherein the coating includes at least one layer that looks metallic and at least one semiconductor material or at least one dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON
    Inventor: Ruediger Schaefer
  • Patent number: 10398942
    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: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10391362
    Abstract: A polyurethane coating that is based on polyol mixture containing acrylic polyol and BEPD based caprolcatone polyol is disclosed herein. The polyurethane coating comprises a part A component and a part B component, with the part A component comprising an acrylic polyol, a BEPD polyol, a 3-Oxazolidineethanol, a fluorosurfactant, a hindered amine light stabilizer, a UV-absorber, an optical brightener, a dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst, and an organic solvent, and the part B component comprising an aliphatic polyisocyanate and an organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Vijay Chavan
  • Patent number: 10376741
    Abstract: A golf ball having dimples with cross-sectional profile shapes defined by the product of a base profile and one or more weighting functions, where at least two dimples are modified with a continuous weighting function having different base profiles is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson
  • Patent number: 10369418
    Abstract: The present invention relates to golf balls having improved packing efficiency and aerodynamic characteristics and a high degree of dimple interdigitation. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf ball including at least a portion of dimples having a plan shape defined by low frequency periodic functions having high amplitudes. The present invention is also directed to methods of developing the dimple plan shape geometries, as well as methods of making the finished golf balls with the inventive dimple patterns applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10363458
    Abstract: Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. Multi-piece golf balls can be made. Polyurethane primer coatings and polyurethane top-coatings are applied to the thermoplastic polyurethane cover. Isocyanate-rich and polyol-rich polyurethane coatings can be applied. In one embodiment, multi-functional imine and amine compounds can be used to treat the golf ball. The resulting coating may contain polyurethanes, polyureas, and hybrids, copolymers, and blends thereof. The cover composition and surface coatings can further include catalysts, ultraviolet (UV)-light stabilizers, and other additives. Heat is used to cure the coatings. The coating methods have many benefits and the finished balls have good physical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette
  • Patent number: 10357690
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball showing improved controllability on approach shots for less than 40 yards, in particular, on approach shots around the green (about 10 yards to 20 yards) and improved controllability on approach shots from the rough, and showing excellent shot feeling. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film covering the golf ball body, wherein a loss tangent tan ? has a peak temperature of 50° C. or less and a peak height of less than 0.8, obtained by measuring dynamic viscoelasticity of the paint film under the following conditions: <Measuring conditions> Measuring mode: tensile mode Measuring temperature range: from ?100° C. to 150° C. Temperature rising rate: 4° C./min Oscillation frequency: 10 Hz Measuring strain: 0.1%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Inoue, Toshiyuki Tarao, Kuniyasu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10343021
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core composed of a fully neutralized polymer material is disclosed herein. The golf ball also preferably has multiple mantle layers and a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Steve Ogg, David Bartels
  • Patent number: 10328310
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples covering greater than 70 percent of the outer surface, wherein a plurality of the dimples incorporate directional surface texturing therein. The directional surface texturing preferably comprises substantially parallel channels or protrusions formed within the dimples. The directional surface texturing can comprise of parallel linear channels or protrusions or parallel non-linear linear channels or protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10315076
    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: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10293213
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line about non-circular dimples on its spherical surface. The parting line comprises non-concentric arcs having straight connecting line segments between the arcs. Each arc maintains a tangency with its connecting lines and a relief distance greater than or equal to 0.003 inches when measured from an average non-circular dimple diameter to one of the non-concentric arcs and an absolute relief distance of at least 0.001 inches when measured from all points on the non-circular dimple perimeter to one of the non-concentric arcs. The sum of the lengths of the non-concentric arcs relates to the sum of the straight connecting line segments according to the equation: (0.15)?LARCS??LLINES?(0.50)?LARCS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, David P. Hunt
  • Patent number: 10279217
    Abstract: A polyurethane coating for a golf ball that is based on polyol mixture containing acrylic polyol and BEPD based caprolcatone polyol is disclosed herein. The polyurethane coating comprises a part A component and a part B component, with the part A component comprising an acrylic polyol, a BEPD polyol, a 3-Oxazolidineethanol, a fluorosurfactant, a hindered amine light stabilizer, a UV-absorber, an optical brightener, a dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst, and an organic solvent, and the part B component comprising an aliphatic polyisocyanate and an organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Vijay Chavan
  • Patent number: 10252113
    Abstract: Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. Multi-piece golf balls can be made. Polyurethane primer coatings and polyurethane top-coatings are applied to the thermoplastic polyurethane cover. Different coating methods can be used. Isocyanate-rich and polyol-rich polyurethane coatings can be applied. In one embodiment, the golf ball can be treated with a multi-functional isocyanate prior to applying the coatings. The polyurethane cover composition and surface coatings can further include catalysts, ultraviolet (UV)-light stabilizers, and other additives. Heat is used to cure the coatings. The coating methods have many benefits and the finished balls have good physical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Sullivan, Mark L. Binette
  • Patent number: 10195488
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball resin composition having a high resilience, flexibility and high fluidity. The present invention provides a golf ball resin composition having a bending stiffness (M21-30) ranging from 600 kgf/cm2 to 5,000 kgf/cm2 within a bending angle from 21° to 30°, a rebound resilience (R) of 50% or more, a slab hardness (Shore D) ranging from 40 to 65, a melt flow rate (190° C., 2.16 kgf) of 1.0 g/10 min or more, and a resilience index value ((M21-30)0.5×(R/100)3) of 8.5 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Shiga, Hiroshi Tadaoka, Masanori Taguchi, Takahiro Shigemitsu
  • Patent number: 10150007
    Abstract: A colored golf ball has improved luxurious appearance without impairing its visibility. The colored golf ball of the present invention includes a core; a cover placed around the core having dimples formed on its surface; and a coating layer placed on top of the cover, in which the coating layer includes a polymer matrix having a bright material dispersed therein, and an L0 value, which represents an L value in the Lab color system of the colored golf ball before being covered with the coating layer, is 25 or less, and the difference ?L between the L0 value and an L1 value, which represents an L value in the Lab color system of the colored golf ball after being covered with the coating layer, is 5 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirotaka Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10080923
    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: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10076683
    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: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10052527
    Abstract: An ultra-low compression golf ball is disclosed herein. The core preferably has a PGA compression less than 30. The mantle layer and cover have approximately the same thickness. The cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane material and has a specific gravity greater than the core and mantle layer. The golf ball has a PGA compression less than 75 and a COR of at least 0.780.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: David Bartels
  • Patent number: 10035043
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising at least one layer consisting of a color-stable composition comprising a color concentrate composition comprising a carrier resin, at least one backer pigment and a plurality of highly crosslinked thermoset fluorescent microspheres having a hue that is substantially similar to a hue created by the at least one backer pigment. Each highly crosslinked thermoset fluorescent microsphere may be substantially spherical. Each highly crosslinked thermoset fluorescent microsphere may have a diameter of from about 0.5 micron to about 2.0 microns. The carrier resin may be an ionomer. The color-stable composition may comprise a mixture of the color concentrate composition and a polymer composition, wherein the polymer composition may be an ionomer composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Matthew F. Hogge, Peter L. Serdahl, Scott Cooper
  • Patent number: 9962577
    Abstract: A polyurethane coating for a golf ball that is based on polyol mixture containing acrylic polyol and BEPD based caprolcatone polyol is disclosed herein. The polyurethane coating comprises a part A component and a part B component, with the part A component comprising an acrylic polyol, a BEPD polyol, a 3-Oxazolidineethanol, a fluorosurfactant, a hindered amine light stabilizer, a UV-absorber, an optical brightener, a dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst, and an organic solvent, and the part B component comprising an aliphatic polyisocyanate and an organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Vijay Chavan
  • Patent number: 9956454
    Abstract: The present invention relates to golf balls, specifically to a golf ball comprising an aerodynamic pattern having novel shaped dimple structures which reduce the variation in airflow turning angle thereby improving the golf ball's flight performance. The dimple structures have a conical shaped base with a dimple in the center and reduced or no flat land areas between the dimples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Traci L. Olson
  • Patent number: 9931542
    Abstract: A golf ball 2 includes a main body 4 and a paint film 6. The paint film 6 includes an inner layer 14 and an outer layer 16. A modulus Min of the inner layer 14 is higher than a modulus Mout of the outer layer 16. A difference (Min?Mout) is not less than 25 kgf/cm2. The golf ball 2 has a plurality of dimples 18. A ratio So of a sum of areas of the dimples 18 relative to a surface area of a phantom sphere of the golf ball 2 and a ratio Rs of a number of the dimples 18 each having a diameter of not less than 9.60% and not greater than 10.37% of a diameter of the golf ball 2, relative to a total number of the dimples 18, satisfy the following mathematical formula (1). Rs??2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Inoue, Kazuya Kamino, Kohei Mimura, Toshiyuki Tarao, Mami Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9914023
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are polyurethane golf ball compositions. The compositions are prepared by adding a UV absorber to a polyol prior to reacting the polyol with an isocyanate to form a prepolymer, which is then reacted with a curing agent to form the polyurethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael Michalewich, Brian Comeau, Shawn Ricci, Manjari Kuntimaddi, Matthew F. Hogge, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson