Non-circular vent pin for golf ball injection mold and golf ball formed therefrom

Abstract

An improved vent pin for a golf ball injection mold is characterized by a non-circular configuration so that a non-circular dimple can be formed at one or both poles of the golf ball. The vent pin is coaxially arranged within a passage in the injection mold which is aligned with a radius of the ball which passes through one of the poles thereof. The pin is operable between a normal position where the end of the pin closes the passage lower end and a retracted position where the pin end is withdrawn into the passage so that air from a cavity of the mold where the cover layer of the ball is formed can be vented during delivery of thermoplastic material to the cavity to form the golf ball cover.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vent mechanism for a golf ball injection mold containing a spherical cavity in which a cover layer is applied to a golf ball core to form a dimpled golf ball, comprising 
 a solid pin coaxially arranged within a passage in the injection mold, the passage extending from the cavity along a radius of the golf ball through one of the poles thereof and having a non-circular end communicating with the cavity, said pin being operable between a normal position wherein an end of said pin closes said passage lower end and a retracted position wherein said pin end is arranged within said passage and spaced from the cavity to allow air to enter said passage from the injection mold cavity, said pin end having a non-circular cross-sectional configuration corresponding with that of said passage end, whereby a dimple formed by said pin at the pole of the golf ball has a non-circular configuration.    
     
     
         2 . A vent mechanism for a golf ball injection mold as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said pin end has a convex configuration.  
     
     
         3 . A vent mechanism for a golf ball injection mold as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said pin is further operable between an extended position wherein said pin end is arranged within the cavity to eject a golf ball therefrom.  
     
     
         4 . A vent mechanism for a golf ball injection mold as defined in  claim 3 , and further comprising means for displacing said pin between said extended, normal and retracted positions.  
     
     
         5 . A vent mechanism for a golf ball injection mold as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said pin end has an oblong cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         6 . A vent mechanism for a golf ball injection mold as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said pin end has an elliptical cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         7 . An injection mold for applying a cover layer to golf balls, comprising 
 (a) upper and lower support plates each containing at least one hemispherical cavity, said upper and lower hemispherical cavities being adapted to mate to define at least one spherical cavity in which a core of a golf ball is supported when said plates are brought together;    (b) means for supplying thermoplastic material to said cavities to form a cover on the golf ball core; and    (c) means for venting air from said cavities as thermoplastic material is supplied thereto, each of said venting means comprising a pin arranged within a vent passage of said plates communicating with said spherical cavities, respectively, said pin having an axis extending along a radius of said cavity through a pole of the golf ball being formed therein, said pin being operable between a normal position wherein an end of said pin closes an end of said passage adjacent to said cavity and a retracted position wherein said pin end is arranged within said passage and spaced from said cavity to allow air to enter said passage from the cavity, said pin end having a noncircular cross-sectional configuration, whereby a dimple formed by said pin at the pole of the golf ball has a non-circular configuration.    
     
     
         8 . An injection mold as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said pin end has a convex configuration.  
     
     
         9 . An injection mold as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said pin is further operable between an extended position wherein said pin end is arranged in said cavity to eject a golf ball therefrom.  
     
     
         10 . An injection mold as defined in  claim 9 , and further comprising means for displacing said pin between said extended, normal and retracted positions.  
     
     
         11 . An injection mold as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said pin end has an oblong cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         12 . An injection mold as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said pin end has an elliptical cross-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         13 . A dimple pattern for a golf ball having a cover layer formed by an injection mold, the cover layer comprising 
 two hemispherical surfaces formed by hemispherical cavities of the injection mold, said hemispherical surfaces being joined at an equator of the golf ball, each of said hemispherical surfaces being identical and including a plurality of first non-circular dimples formed by projections on surfaces of the hemispherical cavities and a second non-circular dimple formed at the pole of the golf ball, the pole dimple being formed by a non-circular vent pin of the mold.    
     
     
         14 . A dimple pattern for a golf ball as defined in  claim 13 , wherein none of said dimples overlap.  
     
     
         15 . A dimple pattern as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said first and second dimples have the same configuration.  
     
     
         16 . A dimple pattern as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said first and second dimples have an elongated configuration.  
     
     
         17 . A dimple pattern as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said first and second dimples have an elliptical configuration.  
     
     
         18 . A dimple pattern as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the dimples of said first group of dimples have a different dimension.  
     
     
         19 . A dimple pattern as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the dimples of said first group of dimples have at least two different configurations.