Depth Or Width Patents (Class 473/384)
  • Patent number: 12090369
    Abstract: In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the core is molded from a rubber composition that includes a base rubber, an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or metal salt thereof, an organic peroxide and, in a specific weight ratio, water and sulfur, and has a hardness profile which satisfies certain specific conditions. The ball achieves an excellent distance on full shots with a driver (W #1) and a middle iron, and is designed for high controllability in the short game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Kimura
  • Patent number: 11976191
    Abstract: In a golf ball having a core of at least one layer and a cover of at least one layer encasing the core, at least one layer of the cover is formed of a resin composition which includes (I) a polyurethane or a polyurea, (II) a thermoplastic polyester elastomer and (III) an aromatic vinyl elastomer. The thermoplastic polyester elastomer serving as component (II) and the aromatic vinyl elastomer serving component (III) have specific respective contents and properties, including Shore D hardnesses and rebound resiliences. The golf ball has an excellent controllability on approach shots without a loss of distance on driver shots. In addition, the scuff resistance and moldability are good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Yamabe
  • Patent number: 11623125
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a rotation estimation device including an acquisition section and a rotation estimation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Sasaki, Masamune Nakayama, Kyohei Asai, Satoshi Yase, Masayuki Koizumi
  • Patent number: 11583730
    Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf ball providing improve play characteristics. The disclosed golf ball includes an outer cover comprising a plurality of divots. The disclosed golf ball further includes a central core comprising one or more lightweight materials, such as aerogel. The combination of the lightweight core and the unique divots enable the golf ball to go farther and straighter when hit by the golfer, thereby providing increased performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: William K. Peregoy
  • Patent number: 11547908
    Abstract: A golf ball has a core, an inner cover, an outer cover, and dimples. The golf ball satisfies the following mathematical formulas. Sa=4500+10(A?0.5B?2Cs)?4000 0.04Sa+160?20?D?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Sajima
  • Patent number: 11406876
    Abstract: Golf balls having dimple patterns arranged in dipyramid layouts are disclosed. The patterns may be arranged in triangular dipyramid, quadrilateral dipyramid, pentagonal dipyramid, or hexagonal dipyramid layouts. The dipyramid patterns have six, eight, ten, or twelve substantially identical dimple sections, where each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle. The dimples in each of the identical dimple sections have at least two different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter and a maximum dimple diameter. The resulting dimple patterns have a surface coverage of about 70 percent or less. The reduced surface coverage helps to reduce the flight of the golf balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael Madson, Nicholas Nardacci
  • Patent number: 11311780
    Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a golf ball providing improve play characteristics. The disclosed golf ball includes an outer cover comprising a plurality of divots. The disclosed golf ball further includes a central core comprising one or more lightweight materials, such as aerogel. The combination of the lightweight core and the unique divots enable the golf ball to go farther and straighter when hit by the golfer, thereby providing increased performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Kelley Peregoy
  • Patent number: 11110321
    Abstract: The present invention relates to golf balls, specifically, to a golf ball with multifaceted dimples comprising two discrete geometries including a circular perimeter and a depression or protrusion based on a polyhedral prismatoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 11045691
    Abstract: Provided is a spherical polyhedron division structure of a golf ball where dimples are arranged to have a well-defined symmetry and a dimple pattern. In the spherical polyhedron division structure, wherein an arbitrary point on a surface of a spherical body constituting a golf ball is defined as a pole, a great circle dividing the spherical body into a northern hemisphere and a southern hemisphere with respect to the pole as a reference point is defined as an equator, the surface of the spherical body is divided into six areas formed by segments connecting the pole and points obtained by dividing the equator in units of 60°, each area is divided into spherical polygons formed by four spherical rectangles and two spherical triangles having sides with different lengths, and the spherical polygons arranged in different adjacent areas are symmetric with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVIK INC.
    Inventors: In Hong Hwang, Kyung Ahn Moon
  • Patent number: 11045692
    Abstract: A golf ball dimple pattern based on a square dipyramid, i.e., two square pyramids connected base-to-base, is disclosed. The dimples are arranged within four substantially identical triangular sections on each of two substantially identical hemispheres of the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Madson
  • Patent number: 10894188
    Abstract: The present invention provides golf balls having a pattern of stellated polygon shaped dimples and grooves with pre-selected and coordinated color appearances on the outer surface of the ball to produce a unique and desirable overall golf ball color appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, William E. Morgan
  • Patent number: 10821326
    Abstract: Provided is a golf ball with air channels between adjacent dimples. The golf ball according to the present disclosure has air channels connecting adjacent dimples, and an outer tip of the air channel is chamfered or filleted. The problem of durability deterioration at the outer tip of the air channel over the entire surface of the golf ball is solved by the air channel structure in which the outer tip is chamfered or filleted. Meanwhile, it is possible to minimize the influence of wind at the outer tip of the air channel and greatly improve flight stability related with slice prevention, straightness and excellent impact point while ensuring a sufficient flight distance by uniformalizing pressure drag. In addition, the depth of the dimple itself is selectively made larger than the depth of the dimple of the conventional golf ball with the air channel in accordance with the chamfering or filleting of the outer tip of the air channel, thereby minimizing lift force and a loss of a flight distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVIK INC.
    Inventors: In Hong Hwang, Kyung Ahn Moon
  • Patent number: 10814174
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10814175
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10758782
    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 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10758783
    Abstract: A golf ball dimple pattern based on a square dipyramid, i.e., two square pyramids connected base-to-base, is disclosed. The dimples are arranged within four substantially identical triangular sections on each of two substantially identical hemispheres of the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Madson
  • Patent number: 10758784
    Abstract: Golf ball comprising dimple(s) incorporating three or more linear channels having the same channel length L and same channel width CW; all linear channels extend radially outward from a centroid of the dimple toward a perimeter of the dimple without intersecting the dimple's centroid. Each linear channel may extend radially outward from a location on the dimple that is a distance Cd from the dimple's centroid, wherein Cd>0. Alternatively, at least one of the three or more linear channels has a different channel length L and/or a different channel width CW than at least one other linear channel. Dimple may have circular or non-circular plan shape; channels may not intersect each other; at least one linear channel may intersect the dimple's perimeter; and linear channels may be spaced by n separation angles ?S, wherein n is number of linear channels, which may be equal, or at least two differ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10722753
    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 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10556152
    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 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10420986
    Abstract: Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple surface volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries, different dimple arrangements, and/or different dimple counts on the opposing hemispheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10376740
    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: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10376745
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball exhibiting good shot feeling and excellent resilience. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core and one or more cover layers disposed outside the spherical core, wherein at least one layer of the cover layers contains: (A) a base resin containing (a-1) an ionomer resin and having a material hardness of 59 or more in Shore D hardness; and (B) a polyrotaxane having a cyclodextrin with at least a part of hydroxyl groups of the cyclodextrin being modified with a caprolactone chain via —O—C3H6—O— group, a linear molecule piercing through a cyclic structure of the cyclodextrin, and blocking groups located at both terminals of the linear molecule to prevent disassociation of the cyclodextrin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mami Tanaka, Toshiyuki Tarao
  • Patent number: 10343018
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the selection of the dimple plan shapes. 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 high frequency periodic functions along a simple closed path. In addition, the present invention provides methods for producing dimples having a plan shape defined by a high frequency periodic function along a simple closed path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 10335640
    Abstract: Golf ball dimples having a surface defined by a mode, or a weighted superposition of multiple modes, of oscillation of a circular membrane are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 10300340
    Abstract: Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple surface volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries, different dimple arrangements, and/or different dimple counts on the opposing hemispheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10293212
    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 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10213650
    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: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10195486
    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: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10188907
    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: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 10080929
    Abstract: A golf ball 2 includes a core 4, one or more mid layers 6, a cover 8, and dimples 10. A central hardness Ho and a surface hardness Hs of the core 4, a hardness Hm(min) of a layer having a lowest hardness among the mid layers 6, and a hardness Hc of the cover 8 satisfy the following mathematical formulas (1) to (4). Hs?Ho>15??(1) Hc?Hm(min)>20??(2) ?10<Hm(min)?Ho<15??(3) 5<Hc?Hs<20??(4) An occupation ratio So and a ratio Rs of a number of the dimples 10 each having a diameter of from 9.60% to 10.37% of a diameter of the golf ball 2, relative to a total number of the dimples 10, satisfy the following mathematical formula (5). Rs??2.5*So+273??(5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hironori Takihara, Takahiro Sajima, Kohei Mimura
  • Patent number: 10022592
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf ball wherein each hemisphere has a dimple pattern based on a pyramid having dissimilar sides. The resulting overall dimple pattern is not based on preexisting polyhedral, and is not attainable using conventional dimple packing methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 10010761
    Abstract: A golf ball has, on a surface thereof, a rugged pattern composed of a land and a large number of dimples. A method for designing the rugged pattern includes the steps of: (1) assuming a large number of circles on a surface of a phantom sphere; (2) assuming a large number of generating points 16 based on positions of the large number of circles; (3) assuming a large number of Voronoi regions 18 on the surface of the phantom sphere by a Voronoi tessellation based on the large number of generating points 16; and (4) assigning a dimple and a land to the surface of the phantom sphere based on contours of the large number of Voronoi regions 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hyoungchol Kim, Masahide Onuki, Takahiro Sajima, Kohei Mimura
  • Patent number: 9943728
    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: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 9925418
    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 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Achushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9839813
    Abstract: A golf ball has a lower drag than conventional golf balls due to the arrangement of dimples on the outer surface of the golf ball, which arrangement produces a correspondingly lower percentage of outer surface area that is covered by the dimples. In particular, dimple coverage area may be less than 70%, and more specifically between about 18.6% and about 60.8%, of the outer surface area. Various combinations of dimple characteristics can be combined to produce the low dimple coverage, low drag golf ball, such as the number of dimples, pattern and spacing of dimples, dimple diameter, dimple depth, and dimple shape. The dimple characteristics can be selected so that the golf ball meets the requirements of the United States Golf Association and other golf organizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERITY, GEORGE WARSHINGTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kyle Squires, Nikolaos Beratlis, Elias Baralas
  • Patent number: 9833665
    Abstract: A golf ball having the contour wherein at least one dimple has the cross-section of the dimple surface based on a modified witch of Agnesi curve and defined by the equation in the form of: y ? ( x ) = - C 1 ? a 3 x 2 + C 2 ? a 2 + C 1 ? a 3 ( d 2 ) 2 + C 2 ? a 2 wherein: y is the vertical distance from the dimple apex, x is the radial distance from the dimple apex, a is equal to the radius of the circle in the witch of Agnesi, d is the dimple diameter, and C1 and C2 are constants that will produce a variety of dimple surfaces from a variety of functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Michael R. Madson
  • Patent number: 9808674
    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 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9782630
    Abstract: The present invention is a golf ball which comprises dimples having a cross section defined by the superposition of two or more continuous and differentiable functions. Additionally, the dimples preferably have a circular boundary and maintain an axis coincident with the center of the circular boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 9713747
    Abstract: A golf ball has a large number of dimples on a surface thereof. The golf ball meets the following mathematical formula (I): Su?9.0*So?6.04??(I), Where: So represents a ratio of a sum of spherical surface areas of all the dimples to a surface area of a phantom sphere of the golf ball; and Su represents a standard deviation (mm2) of the spherical surface areas of all the dimples. Preferably, the ratio So is equal to or greater than 0.780. Preferably, the standard deviation Su is equal to or less than 2.150 mm2. Preferably, a number of the dimples is equal to or greater than 300 but equal to or less than 390. Preferably, an average Sa of the spherical surface areas s of all the dimples is equal to or greater than 14.00 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Sajima, Hyoungchol Kim
  • Patent number: 9713746
    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 at least 20 percent of the dimples incorporate directional surface texturing therein. The directional surface texturing preferably comprises substantially parallel channels or protrusions formed within the dimples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Chris Hixenbaugh, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson
  • Patent number: 9707450
    Abstract: Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries on the opposing hemispheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci, Chris Hixenbaugh
  • Patent number: 9533194
    Abstract: Disclosed is a golf ball in which a plurality of dimples is arranged. The golf ball includes first dimples having the largest diameter and second dimples having the second largest diameter arranged on the surface of the golf ball divided into a spherical rhombic dodecahedron, the first dimples are arranged in an LF region of a radius of ?/10 radian ±10% around a first apex of the spherical rhombic dodecahedron, shared jointly by 4 spherical rhombi, and the second dimples are arranged in an LS region of a radius of ?/20 radian ±10% around a second apex of the spherical rhombic dodecahedron, shared jointly by 3 spherical rhombi. Thereby, air flow and pressure drag are uniformized in all of spherical polygons and thus, a carry distance of the golf ball may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: VOLVIK INC.
    Inventors: In Hong Hwang, Kyung Ahn Moon
  • Patent number: 9339704
    Abstract: Methods for selecting golf balls based on environmental factors are provided. Such methods involve indicating a golfing environment and establishing one or more corresponding environmental factors. Such methods may include ascertaining one or more trajectory components that are dependent upon the environmental factors. One or more aspects of golf ball construction may pertinent to the environmental factors, or to the trajectory components, may then be determined. Upon identifying a plurality of golf balls and a selection criteria related to the golf ball construction aspects, a golf ball may be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Yontz, Nicholas A. Leech
  • Patent number: 9180344
    Abstract: A golf ball dimple having a plurality of arms wherein each arm includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, side walls, and a sloped floor. The dimples of the invention may be included in a dimple pattern that may also include other types of dimples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Steven Aoyama
  • Patent number: 9058439
    Abstract: A golf ball 2 has numerous craters 8 on its surface. The craters 8 are arranged randomly. Of the surface of the golf ball 2, a part other than the craters 8 is a land 10. By the craters 8 and the land 10, a rugged pattern is formed on the golf ball 2. A process for designing the rugged pattern includes the steps of: (1) assuming a plurality of states; (2) assuming a large number of cells on a spherical surface; (3) deciding an initial state of each cell; (4) determining whether or not to change a state of the each cell based on states of a plurality of cells located adjacent to the each cell; (5) updating the state of the each cell based on the determination; and (6) assigning a land 10 or a recess to the each cell according to the state of the each cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignees: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd., National University Corporation Toyohashi University of Technology
    Inventors: Hyoungchol Kim, Masahide Onuki, Kaname Yamada, Shozo Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20150119171
    Abstract: The present invention is a golf ball which comprises dimples having a cross section defined by the superposition of two or more continuous and differentiable functions, and particularly the superposition of a catenary curve and a Witch of Agnesi curve. Additionally, the dimples preferably have a circular boundary and maintain an axis coincident with the center of the circular boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 8986136
    Abstract: A method of making a golf ball may include molding at least one core layer and molding an outer cover layer radially outward of the at least one core layer, from an outer cover layer material, including forming one or more grooves extending radially inward from an outer surface of the outer cover layer. The method may also include molding a groove material within the one or more grooves, the groove material having a compressibility that is different from a compressibility of the outer cover layer material. In addition, molding the groove material may include forming the groove material such that an outer surface of the groove material extends radially outward beyond the outer surface of the outer cover layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nike Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Alan
  • Patent number: 8974320
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf ball with a surface having a plurality of dimples formed thereon. Some or all of the dimples on the ball surface have a cross-sectional shape in which, letting a straight line passing through any one edge of the dimple and a foot of a perpendicular (pedal) dropped from an imaginary plane defined by a peripheral edge of the dimple to a deepest point of the dimple serve as a reference line, and establishing a plurality of specific regions on the reference line from the dimple edge as 0% to the pedal as 100%, the average depths of the dimple from the reference line in the respective established regions satisfy specific conditions. By reducing the air resistance during flight and thus enhancing the aerodynamic performance, this golf ball achieves a higher trajectory, enabling the ball to travel further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunori Sato, Takuma Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20150057106
    Abstract: [Problem to be solved] To provide a golf ball with improved flight distance due to improvement in aerodynamic properties by means of contriving dimple designs. The golf ball is in the shape of a sphere and is composed of dimples and lands excluding dimples, wherein said dimples are formed by elliptical dimples together with circular dimples, wherein one said elliptical dimple overlaps said circular dimples at both end parts in its major axis direction, said circular dimples and said elliptical dimples are connected with each other, and one said land is formed between three said elliptical dimples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Kishishita
  • Patent number: 8956252
    Abstract: A golf ball 2 includes a spherical core 4 and a cover 6 positioned outside the core 4. The golf ball 2 further has dimples 8 on a surface thereof. The core 4 is obtained by crosslinking a rubber composition. The difference between a hardness H(5.0) at a point that is located at a distance of 5 mm from the central point of the core 4, and a hardness Ho at the central point is equal to or greater than 6.0. The difference between a hardness H(12.5) at a point that is located at a distance of 12.5 mm from the central point, and the hardness H(5.0) is equal to or less than 4.0. The difference between a hardness Hs at the surface of the core 4 and the hardness H(12.5) is equal to or greater than 10.0. The difference between the hardness Hs and the hardness Ho is equal to or greater than 22.0. There is no zone in which a hardness decreases from the central point to the surface. The rubber composition of the core 4 includes 2-naphthalenethiol. A cross-sectional shape of each dimple 8 is a wave-like curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Hirotaka Nakamura, Kazuhiko Isogawa, Seiichiro Endo, Hyoungchol Kim