Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
  • A63B37/0003—Golf balls
  • A63B37/0004—Surface depressions or protrusions
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
  • A63B37/0003—Golf balls
  • A63B37/0004—Surface depressions or protrusions
  • A63B37/0006—Arrangement or layout of dimples
  • A63B37/00065—Arrangement or layout of dimples located around the pole or the equator
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
  • A63B37/0003—Golf balls
  • A63B37/0004—Surface depressions or protrusions
  • A63B37/0007—Non-circular dimples
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
  • A63B37/0003—Golf balls
  • A63B37/0004—Surface depressions or protrusions
  • A63B37/002—Specified dimple diameter
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
  • A63B37/0003—Golf balls
  • A63B37/0004—Surface depressions or protrusions
  • A63B37/0021—Occupation ratio, i.e. percentage surface occupied by dimples

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to golf balls and more particularly to the arrangement of tear-drop shaped dimples on the surface of the ball.
• Dimples are provided in the surface of a golf ball in order to control and improve the flight of the ball.
• One of the basic criteria for the use of dimples is to cover the maximum surface of the ball with dimples without diminishing the aerodynamic symmetry of the ball in order to satisfy the requirements of the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.). Aerodynamic symmetry means that the ball must fly in substantially the same manner with little variation regardless of how it is placed on a tee or on the ground.
• the present invention was developed in order to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art by providing a golf ball with a plurality of modified teardrop shaped dimples arranged in a unique configuration on the surface of the ball in order to maximize dimple coverage and improve aerodynamic efficiency of the ball.
• a primary object of the invention to provide a golf ball having a dimple-free equatorial line which divides the ball into two hemispheres, each having a pole and substantially identical dimple configurations.
• Each hemisphere is divided into four identical quadrants defined by two imaginary great circles which intersect the poles, and each quadrant includes a circular area of maximum diameter.
• a first plurality of non-circular dimples are arranged within each circular area and a second plurality of non-circular dimples are arranged between the circular areas to increase the dimple coverage on the surface of the ball and to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the ball.
• all of the dimples have a modified tear-drop configuration which is non-symmetric from a head portion to a tail portion thereof.
• the first plurality of dimples within each circular area comprise an outer ring of first dimples oriented in one direction and an inner ring of second dimples oriented in an opposite direction, the second dimples being smaller than the first dimples.
• Within the inner ring of second dimples are a pair of third dimples.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball according to the invention showing the arrangement of great circle lines on the surface thereof;
• Fig. 2 is a polar view of the golf ball illustrating the arrangement of circular areas within the quadrants of a hemisphere defined by the great circles of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of a circular area of Fig. 1 with modified tear-drop shaped dimples arranged therein according to the invention.
• Fig. 4 is a polar view of the golf ball of Fig. 3 illustrating the arrangement of dimples between the circular areas.
• a golf ball 2 having an equator E which divides the ball into two hemispheres, each of which contains a pole P.
• the equator is dimple-free and the dimple patterns in each hemisphere are identical.
• Each hemisphere is divided into four identical quadrants defined by two imaginary great circles 4, 6 which intersect the poles.
• each quadrant includes a circular area 8 of maximum diameter. That is, each circular area is completely arranged within each quadrant with no overlapping of the circles or extension of the circles beyond their corresponding quadrants.
• Each circular area 8 (of which there are four in each hemisphere and eight across the surface of the golf ball) is filled with a plurality of first non-circular dimples 10 as shown in Fig. 3.
• the dimples have a modified tear-drop shape as defined by the edge of each dimple where it meets the surface of the ball. More particularly, each dimple 10 has a head portion 10a and a tail portion 10b, the head portion being broader with the dimple tapering toward the tail portion. The dimples are thus non-symmetric from the head to the tail.
• each dimple has a curvature or orientation relative to a radius r of the circular area which passes longitudinally through each dimple.
• the first plurality of dimples 10 includes an outer ring of dimples 110 and an inner ring of dimples 210, the rings being concentric.
• the dimples 110 of the outer ring have their head portions arranged at an outer portion of the outer ring and their tail portions arranged at the inner portion of the outer ring.
• the dimples 110 of the outer ring all have the same orientation relative to their corresponding radius.
• the dimples 210 of the inner ring have their head portions arranged at an inner portion of the inner ring and their tail portions arranged at the outer portion of the inner ring.
• Each of the dimples 210 have the same orientation relative to their corresponding radius. This orientation is the reverse of the orientation of the dimples 110 of the outer ring.
• the dimples 210 of the inner ring are also preferably smaller than the dimples 1 10 of the outer ring.
• the center dimples 310 are also of a modified tear-drop configuration which is non- symmetric from the head portion to the tail portion.
• a second plurality of non-circular dimples 20 is arranged between the circular areas in each hemisphere of the golf ball as shown in Fig. 4. These dimples are arranged in a diamond configuration and include two sets of dimples 120, 220 which are oriented in opposite directions. As with the first plurality of dimples 10, the second plurality of dimples 20 are also of a modified tear-drop configuration. The two sets of second dimples 120 and 220 preferably have different sizes. The center area of the diamond defined by the second plurality of dimples is dimple- free. Thus the poles of the golf ball are dimple-free. None of the dimples on the surface of the ball overlap. With the modified tear-drop dimples arranged as shown on the surface of a golf ball, the dimple coverage on the surface of the ball is increased. Moreover, the tear-drop dimples and the dimple pattern according to the invention improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the ball.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22692181

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (17)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1998
  • 1998-11-09 US US09/188,206 patent/US5997418A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1999
  • 1999-08-31 JP JP2000580707A patent/JP4252216B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-08-31 CA CA002317429A patent/CA2317429C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-08-31 AU AU57898/99A patent/AU765819B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-08-31 GB GB0016817A patent/GB2347631B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-08-31 WO PCT/US1999/019692 patent/WO2000027482A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (2)

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