WO2002045805A1 - Balle de golf présentant un motif à combinaison d'alvéoles - Google Patents

Balle de golf présentant un motif à combinaison d'alvéoles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002045805A1
WO2002045805A1 PCT/US2001/046959 US0146959W WO0245805A1 WO 2002045805 A1 WO2002045805 A1 WO 2002045805A1 US 0146959 W US0146959 W US 0146959W WO 0245805 A1 WO0245805 A1 WO 0245805A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
dimples
circular
golf ball
ball
dimple
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/046959
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Iii Thomas J. Kennedy
Original Assignee
Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc. filed Critical Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
Priority to GB0312994A priority Critical patent/GB2389056A/en
Priority to CA002430958A priority patent/CA2430958A1/fr
Priority to AU2002225974A priority patent/AU2002225974A1/en
Publication of WO2002045805A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002045805A1/fr

Links

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
    • 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
    • A63B37/0012—Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
    • 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
    • A63B37/0012—Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
    • A63B37/0015—Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view with sub-dimples formed within main 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
    • A63B37/0018—Specified number of 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
    • A63B37/0019—Specified dimple depth
    • 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
    • A63B37/007—Characteristics of the ball as a whole
    • A63B37/0077—Physical properties
    • A63B37/0089—Coefficient of drag

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a new dimple combination pattern on a golf ball surface which improves the flight characteristics of the ball.
  • U.S.G.A. United States Golf Association
  • a golf ball may not have a weight in excess of 1.620 ounces or a diameter smaller than 1.680 inches.
  • the initial velocity of balls conforming to U.S.G.A. regulations may not exceed 250 feet per second with a maximum tolerance of 2%.
  • Initial velocity is measured on a standard machine kept by the U.S.G.A.
  • a projection on a wheel rotating at a defined speed hits the test ball, and the length of time it takes the ball to traverse a set distance after impact is measured.
  • Drag on a golf ball is also reduced by forming a plurality of dimples, often circular, in the outer surface of the ball.
  • the dimples serve to reduce the pressure differential between the front and rear of the ball as it travels through the air.
  • Patent No. 5,174,578 discloses a golf ball having both circular and polygonal dimples. While the dimple combinations of the prior art increase the turbulence of the air flow across the surface of the golf ball during flight, there is still room for improvement in this regard as a function of dimple designs.
  • the present invention was developed in order to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the dimples on a golf ball so that the ball will travel a straighter and a greater distance than conventional golf balls having circular dimples and golf balls with combinations of dimples as shown in the prior art.
  • a primary object of the present invention to provide a golf ball having a spherical surface including a plurality of dimples arranged in the surface.
  • a first group of dimples in the ball surface has a circular configuration and a second group of dimples has a compound configuration including a first circular dimple portion and a second circular dimple portion arranged in a bottom surface of the first circular dimple portion.
  • the second circular dimple portion has a diameter less than that of the first circular dimple portion, whereby the circular and compound dimples increase the turbulence of the air flow across the golf ball surface to improve the flight characteristics of the ball.
  • the compound dimples are arranged around a circular dimple.
  • the diameter of the circular dimples and the diameter of the first circular portion of the compound dimples is equal.
  • Fig. 1 is plan view of a golf ball including a plurality of compound and circular dimples according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a circular dimple according to the invention.
  • Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a compound dimple according to the invention.
  • a golf ball 2 having a spherical surface which contains a plurality of circular dimples 4, the circle being defined where the dimple intersects with the surface of the ball.
  • the dimples may all be of the same diameter, or different diameter dimples may be provided.
  • Each dimple includes an outer edge 6 having a circular geometric configuration and a concave bottom surface 8 in the golf ball as shown in Fig. 2.
  • the circular dimples 4 have a depth d extending from the surface of the golf ball to the lowermost portion of the bottom surface.
  • the golf ball 2 further contains a second plurality or group of compound dimples 10.
  • a compound dimple is essentially a dimple within a dimple.
  • the compound dimple includes a first circular portion defined by the intersection of the outer edge 12 of the dimple with the golf ball surface.
  • the first portion has a bottom surface 14 in which is arranged a second circular dimple portion 16 similar to the dimple 10 but having a lesser diameter.
  • the diameter is defined as the distance across the dimple portion between its outer edge.
  • the second dimple portion 16 is concentrically arranged within the first dimple portion.
  • the compound dimple has a depth d2 extending between the ball surface and the bottom surface of the second dimple portion 16.
  • the diameters of the circular dimples 4 and the compound dimples 10 are equal, although they need not be. According to the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 1, there are a greater number of compound dimples 10 than there are circular dimples 4, with the compound dimples surrounding the circular dimples.
  • the dimples can be arranged in a geometric pattern on the ball to maximize the dimple coverage on the ball surface.
  • a total of 336, 410, 422 or 428 dimples are provided on the ball surface. Other numbers of dimples are possible.
  • the circular and compound dimples are randomly arranged on the ball surface.
  • the combination of circular and compound dimples significantly alters the air flow across the surface of the ball as it travels through the air when struck by a golf club.
  • the altered air flow has increased turbulence and serves to decrease the drag on the ball, thereby increasing the distance that it will travel.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un motif à combinaison d'alvéoles à la surface d'une balle de golf (2), qui est caractérisé par des alvéoles circulaires et composées (10). Les alvéoles composées (10) comprennent une première partie d'alvéole circulaire et une seconde partie d'alvéole (16) située dans une surface inférieure (14) de la première partie circulaire, la seconde partie d'alvéole (16) présentant un diamètre inférieur au diamètre de la première partie circulaire. La combinaison des alvéoles composées et circulaires (4, 10) à la surface de la balle (2) en améliore l'efficacité aérodynamique et augmente la distance qu'elle parcourt.
PCT/US2001/046959 2000-12-06 2001-12-06 Balle de golf présentant un motif à combinaison d'alvéoles WO2002045805A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0312994A GB2389056A (en) 2000-12-06 2001-12-06 Golf ball having a dimple combination pattern
CA002430958A CA2430958A1 (fr) 2000-12-06 2001-12-06 Balle de golf presentant un motif a combinaison d'alveoles
AU2002225974A AU2002225974A1 (en) 2000-12-06 2001-12-06 Golf ball having a dimple combination pattern

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/730,868 2000-12-06
US09/730,868 US20020068649A1 (en) 2000-12-06 2000-12-06 Golf ball having a dimple combination pattern

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002045805A1 true WO2002045805A1 (fr) 2002-06-13

Family

ID=24937114

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2001/046959 WO2002045805A1 (fr) 2000-12-06 2001-12-06 Balle de golf présentant un motif à combinaison d'alvéoles

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US20020068649A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2002225974A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2430958A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2389056A (fr)
WO (1) WO2002045805A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4506935B2 (ja) * 2003-07-07 2010-07-21 ブリヂストンスポーツ株式会社 ゴルフボール
WO2010118393A2 (fr) * 2009-04-09 2010-10-14 Aero-X Golf Inc. Balle de golf à faible portance
KR20140038389A (ko) 2011-03-16 2014-03-28 에어로-엑스 골프 인코포레이티드 슬라이스 방지 골프공 구성물

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4681323A (en) * 1984-02-07 1987-07-21 Bridgestone Corporation Golf ball
US5842937A (en) * 1997-10-22 1998-12-01 Acushnet Company Golf ball with surface texture defined by fractal geometry
US6010442A (en) * 1997-12-29 2000-01-04 Dunlop Maxfli Sports Corporation Golf ball with secondary depressions
US6039660A (en) * 1997-08-15 2000-03-21 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Golf ball
US6066055A (en) * 1998-07-22 2000-05-23 Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. Golf ball

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4681323A (en) * 1984-02-07 1987-07-21 Bridgestone Corporation Golf ball
US6039660A (en) * 1997-08-15 2000-03-21 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Golf ball
US5842937A (en) * 1997-10-22 1998-12-01 Acushnet Company Golf ball with surface texture defined by fractal geometry
US6010442A (en) * 1997-12-29 2000-01-04 Dunlop Maxfli Sports Corporation Golf ball with secondary depressions
US6066055A (en) * 1998-07-22 2000-05-23 Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. Golf ball

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2002225974A1 (en) 2002-06-18
GB2389056A (en) 2003-12-03
GB0312994D0 (en) 2003-07-09
CA2430958A1 (fr) 2002-06-13
US20020068649A1 (en) 2002-06-06

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