Cuboctahedral Dimple Pattern Patents (Class 473/380)
  • Patent number: 10532252
    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 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10213651
    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: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10213652
    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: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10150006
    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: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9782628
    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 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9468810
    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 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9440115
    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: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9233278
    Abstract: The surface of a golf ball 2 is divided by four comparting great circles CG into six spherical quadrangles Ss and eight spherical triangles St. The eight spherical triangles St are composed of four first spherical triangles St1 and four second spherical triangles St2. Dimple patterns of the six spherical quadrangles Ss are the same. Dimple patterns of the four first spherical triangles St1 are the same. Dimple patterns of the four second spherical triangles St2 are the same. The dimple pattern of each first spherical triangle St1 is different from the dimple pattern of each second spherical triangle St2. The comparting great circles CG are obtained by projecting the 24 sides of a cuboctahedron inscribed in a phantom sphere of the golf ball 2 on the surface of the phantom sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Sajima, Hirotaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9168422
    Abstract: Disclosed are manufacturing of a golf ball. A golf ball has a plurality of circular dimples in its spherical outer surface, dividing into the faces of a spherical polyhedron by a plurality of division lines, wherein border lines are formed at the position of ±1˜2 latitudinal degrees to the division lines, the circular dimples are arranged by using the border lines as an occupation limit line of the circular dimples positioned opposite to the division lines, and the golf ball has no dimple on the pole in the center of the spherical polyhedron is provided, thereby increasing the performance such as a carry distance by raising the proper amount of area ratio of dimples, obtaining the uniformity thickness cover molding without the inferior product due to the balanced gates with uniform size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: VOLVIK INC.
    Inventors: In Hong Hwang, Kyung Ahn Moon
  • Publication number: 20140349782
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas, a first group of areas containing a plurality of first dimples and a second group of areas containing a plurality of second dimples, each area of the second group abutting one or more areas of the first group, the first and second groups of areas and dimple shapes and dimensions being configured such that the golf ball is spherically symmetrical as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA) Symmetry Rules, and such that the golf ball exhibits a negative inflection in drag coefficient (CD) during the flight of the golf ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: AERO-X GOLF, INC.
    Inventors: David L. Felker, Douglas C. Winfield, Rocky Lee
  • Publication number: 20130288827
    Abstract: Disclosed are manufacturing of a golf ball. A golf ball has a plurality of circular dimples in its spherical outer surface, dividing into the faces of a spherical polyhedron by a plurality of division lines, wherein border lines are formed at the position of ±1˜2 latitudinal degrees to the division lines, the circular dimples are arranged by using the border lines as an occupation limit line of the circular dimples positioned opposite to the division lines, and the golf ball has no dimple on the pole in the center of the spherical polyhedron is provided, thereby increasing the performance such as a carry distance by raising the proper amount of area ratio of dimples, obtaining the uniformity thickness cover molding without the inferior product due to the balanced gates with uniform size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: VOLVIK INC.
    Inventors: In Hong HWANG, Kyung Ahn Moon
  • Publication number: 20130065708
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface that significantly improves aerodynamic symmetry and minimizes parting line visibility by arranging the dimples in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. One or more irregular domains may have an initial dimple sub-pattern of nearest neighbor dimples wherein the dimple sub-pattern is packed in one or more irregular domains; and the unfilled regions of the irregular domains are packed with dimples and the irregular domains are tessellated around the golf ball surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventor: ACUSHNET COMPANY
  • Publication number: 20130040760
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf ball comprising of non-concentric arcs defining a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface resulting in having a large size disparity between dimples in one hemisphere and adjacent dimples from the opposing hemisphere. The parting line is produced by a pair of adjacent dimples, wherein D indicates dimples and N indicates dimples from the Northern hemisphere and those from the Southern hemisphere are indicated by S. A large disparity may be created, if the following condition is satisfied: D ? ( N ) D ? ( S ) > 1.25 ? ? or ? ? D ? ( N ) D ? ( S ) < 0.80 .
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, David P. Hunt
  • Patent number: 8323124
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas comprising at least two groups of areas, a first group of areas containing a plurality of first dimples and a second group of areas containing a plurality of second dimples, the areas in the first group being triangular and the areas in the second group being square, the first and second groups of areas being arranged to form a cuboctahedron shape, the first and second groups of areas and dimple shapes and dimensions being configured such that the golf ball is spherically symmetrical as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA) Symmetry Rules and such that the first and second groups of areas produce different aerodynamic effects, and the first dimples being of different dimensions from the second dimples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Aero-X Golf, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Felker, Douglas C. Winfield, Rocky Lee
  • Publication number: 20120270684
    Abstract: The surface of a golf ball 2 is divided by four comparting great circles CG into six spherical quadrangles Ss and eight spherical triangles St. The eight spherical triangles St are composed of four first spherical triangles St1 and four second spherical triangles St2. Dimple patterns of the six spherical quadrangles Ss are the same. Dimple patterns of the four first spherical triangles St1 are the same. Dimple patterns of the four second spherical triangles St2 are the same. The dimple pattern of each first spherical triangle St1 is different from the dimple pattern of each second spherical triangle St2. The comparting great circles CG are obtained by projecting the 24 sides of a cuboctahedron inscribed in a phantom sphere of the golf ball 2 on the surface of the phantom sphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Takahiro SAJIMA, Hirotaka NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20120015761
    Abstract: A golf ball having multiple sets of identical hemispheres created by multiple non-planar parting lines symmetrically arranged. The hemispheres are identical relating to dimple volume, distribution and location. The highest amplitude of a parting line, when measured from an equator, is less than 11% of the largest dimple diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8038548
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas comprising at least first areas containing a plurality of first dimples and second areas containing a plurality of second dimples, the areas together forming a spherical polyhedron shape, the first dimples comprising truncated spherical dimples having a first, truncated chord depth and the second dimples comprising spherical dimples having a second, spherical chord depth, the first dimples are of larger radius than the second dimples and have a truncated chord depth which is less than the spherical chord depth of the first dimples, and the total surface area of all first areas being less than the total surface area of all second areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Aero-X Golf, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Felker, Douglas C. Winfield, Rocky Lee
  • Publication number: 20110081992
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas, a first group of areas containing a plurality of first dimples and a second group of areas containing a plurality of second dimples, each area of the second group abutting one or more areas of the first group, the first and second groups of areas and dimple shapes and dimensions being configured such that the golf ball is spherically symmetrical as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA) Symmetry Rules, the plural areas configured such that the golf ball has a Drag Coefficient (CD) and a Lift Coefficient (CL) of less than about 0.330 and 0.270, respectively, at a Reynolds Number (Re) of about 80,000 and a spin rate of between about 2,900 rpm and about 3,000 rpm and a CD and CL of less than about 0.260 and 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: AERO-X GOLF INC.
    Inventors: David L. Felker, Douglas C. Winfield, Rocky Lee
  • Publication number: 20100261551
    Abstract: A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas comprising at least first areas containing a plurality of first dimples and second areas containing a plurality of second dimples, the areas together forming a spherical polyhedron shape, the first dimples comprising spherical dimples having a first, spherical chord depth and the second dimples comprising truncated spherical dimples having a second, truncated chord depth, and the second dimples are of larger radius than the first dimples and have a truncated chord depth which is less than the spherical chord depth of the first dimples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: AERO-X GOLF INC.
    Inventors: David L. Felker, Douglas C. Winfield, Rocky Lee
  • Publication number: 20100197428
    Abstract: A golf ball mold having a non-planar parting surface formed by superimposing a base waveform with a least one shorter secondary waveform. The base waveform is defined by a series of concentric arcs wherein adjacent arcs are connected with a straight line segment that is tangent to the arcs and creates an acute angle. The length of the straight line segment being critical to the accuracy and predictability of the parting line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Steven Aoyama, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson, David P. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20090088273
    Abstract: A golf ball that is formed by a mold developed from a computerized modeling system such as CAD or CAE in combination with a CNC machine tool which superimposes a short waveform, or multiple waveforms, onto a longer base waveform to create a non-planar parting line that is functionally dependent on the underlying dimple geometry. The non-planar parting line is comprised of a plurality of peaks and valleys that are offset from the dimple perimeters, as not to bisect any dimple edge. Also, dimples on one side of the parting line interdigitate with dimples on the other side to form a more uniform distribution of dimples over the entire golf ball surface. Still further, the non-planar parting line has a amplitude which is less than 0.02 inch from an axis substantially coincident with the equator of the ball and the length of the parting line is less than 110 percent of the length of a curve defined by the circumference of the equator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Steven Aoyama, Robert A. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20040152541
    Abstract: Surface of a golf ball 1 is comparted into 8 spherical regular triangles St and 6 spherical squares Ss by comparting lines that are formed by casting a reflection of sides of the cuboctahedron inscribed in the phantom spherical face onto the phantom spherical face. On the spherical regular triangle St are arranged regular triangular dimples A1. On the spherical square Ss are formed square dimples B1 and B2. Dimple patterns of respective spherical regular triangles St are identical with each other. Dimple patterns of respective spherical squares Ss are identical with each other. It is also permitted that the snub cube is envisioned, and the surface is comparted into spherical regular triangles St and spherical squares Ss. Surface area occupation percentage of dimples 4 is preferably equal to or greater than 70%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventor: Takahiro Sajima
  • Patent number: 6624221
    Abstract: A resin composition comprising, in admixture, (A) a specific thermoplastic resin component, (B) at least one wax component selected from among (b-1) a fatty acid having 20-80 carbon atoms and/or a derivative thereof and (b-2) an oxidized natural wax and/or derivative having a neutralization value of 60-190 mg KOH/g, and optionally, (C) a basic inorganic metal compound capable of neutralizing acid groups in the thermoplastic resin component (A) and/or the wax component (B) is improved in flow, moldability and heat resistance and thus suitable to form a layer of a golf ball which exhibits improved rebound and distance properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rinya Takesue, Yasushi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 6527653
    Abstract: Golf balls are disclosed having novel dimple patterns determined by a pentagonal hexecontahedron. A method of packing dimples according to a pentagonal hexecontahedron is also disclosed. For each disclosed dimple pattern, a pentagonal hexecontahedron extend from a pole of the golf ball and dimples are positioned on the golf ball surface according to a pentagonal hexecontahedron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Winfield, Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 6329458
    Abstract: An ionomer resin component containing (a) a ternary ionomer resin and optionally (b) a binary ionomer resin, optionally blended with (c) a non-neutralized olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid random copolymer, is blended with (d) a metal soap of a fatty acid neutralized with a Ca, Mg or Zn cation in a weight ratio from 95:5 to 80:20. A golf ball cover composition based on this mixture has a melt index of 1-10 dg/sec. The cover composition is drastically improved in moldability, resilience and paint coating adhesion. A golf ball having a cover made of the composition is improved in feel and flight performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rinya Takesue, Yasushi Ichikawa, Shunichi Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 6241627
    Abstract: A golf ball has plural types of dimples on a spherical surface, which is assumed to be a regular icosahedron having twenty triangles. Apexes of five triangles join together at a vertex. Those dimples arranged in each triangle constitute an arrangement unit. A first dimple having a smallest diameter is located at the vertex, and second dimples having a greater diameter are equidistantly arranged around the first dimple. When a pentagon which circumscribes the second dimples is drawn, an average depth of those dimples located within the pentagon is up to 85% of the average depth of those dimples located in the remaining areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuki Kasashima, Hirotaka Shimosaka, Keisuke Ihara
  • Patent number: 6206792
    Abstract: A spherical ball and a method of making the spherical ball wherein the ball has a plurality of elongated dimples substantially covering the outer surface of the ball without any dimple overlap. The elongated dimples are of at least two types including a first plurality of dimples having a minor axis and a major axis which together form the long axis of the first plurality of dimples. The minor axis being less than the major axis. A second plurality of dimples has a minor axis equal to that of the first plurality of dimples and a major axis less than the major axis of the first plurality of dimples but greater than the minor axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Tavares, Kevin Shannon, Daniel Murphy, Joseph F. Stiefel
  • Patent number: 5700209
    Abstract: In a golf ball a spherical surface of which is divided in such a manner as to correspond to the facets of a 12-20 hedron, dimple patterns having the same arrangement are disposed in spherical regular pentagons, the dimple pattern is constituted in such a manner that the dimple arrangement thereof is different from each other when viewed from the direction of each side of the spherical regular pentagon, and the directions of each dimple pattern in five spherical regular pentagons aligned on one side along each great circle path are different from each other in the same sequence with respect to each great circle path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michihiko Sugiura