Apparatus and method for laser marking golf balls

Abstract

A method for laser marking a golf ball includes providing a golf ball including a core and a shell. Infusing the shell of the golf ball with a laser marking substrate including an initial substrate color, wherein shell includes an exterior surface and an original shell color. Marking the golf ball while maintaining an original shape of the exterior surface between a pre-marked configuration and a post-marked configuration. Marking the golf ball further including exposing a portion of the shell to a laser beam, and modifying the original shell color of the portion of the shell exposed to the laser beam. The modification of the original shell color corresponds to an alteration of the initial substrate color in response to exposure to the laser, wherein the alternation of the initial substrate color is within the shell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for laser marking a golf ball comprising:
 providing a golf ball including a core and a shell, the shell infused with a laser marking substrate including an initial substrate color, wherein the shell includes an exterior surface and an original shell color;   marking the golf ball while maintaining an original shape of the exterior surface between a pre-marked configuration and a post-marked configuration, including:
 exposing a portion of the shell to a laser beam, and 
 modifying the original shell color of the portion of the shell exposed to the laser beam according to an alteration of the initial substrate color in response to exposure to the laser, wherein the alternation of the initial substrate color is within the shell. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laser marking substrate includes one or more of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or zinc sulfide. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein marking the shell includes modifying the original shell color at a depth of about 0.004 inches or less from the exterior surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the original shape of the exterior surface includes maintaining a dimple pattern of the golf ball. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the original shape of the exterior surface includes maintaining a spherical shape of the golf ball. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein marking the shell includes maintaining a uniform distribution of shell material around the core in the pre-marked configuration and the post-marked configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a clear coat over the exterior surface of the shell, wherein the clear coat does not include laser marking substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laser beam includes a power of 0.2 Watts to 3.0 Watts, a pulse width of 0.1 μs to 30.0 μs, and a wave length of 150 nm to 550 nm. 
     
     
         9 . A laser marked golf ball comprising:
 a core;   a shell surrounding the core, the shell including:
 a shell material, 
 an exterior surface of the shell; 
   one or more laser marks within the shell material wherein the golf ball includes:
 a pre-marked configuration, wherein a shape of the exterior surface includes an original shape, and an un-marked portion of the shell material includes an original shell color, and 
 a post-marked configuration, wherein a marked portion of the shell includes a modified shell color, and the original shape of the exterior surface is maintained from the pre-marked configuration. 
   
     
     
         10 . The laser marked golf ball of  claim 9 , further comprising laser marking substrate infused within the shell material, the laser marking substrate including:
 a pre-marked configuration, wherein the laser marking substrate includes an initial substrate color, and   a post-marked configuration, wherein the laser marking substrate includes an altered substrate color, the altered substrate color correspondingly modifying the original shell color.   
     
     
         11 . The laser marked golf ball of  claim 10 , wherein the laser marking substrate includes one or more of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or zinc sulfide. 
     
     
         12 . The laser marked golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more laser marks is located in the shell at a depth of about 0.004 inches or less from the exterior surface. 
     
     
         13 . The laser marked golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein the original shape of the exterior surface includes a spherical shape and a dimple pattern, and the spherical shape and the dimple pattern are identical between the pre-marked configuration and the post-marked configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The laser marked golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein the shell material is uniformly distributed around the core in the pre-marked configuration and the post-marked configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The laser marked golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein the shell material in the post-marked configuration is non-ablated with the one or more laser marks within the shell material. 
     
     
         16 . A method of laser marking a golf ball comprising:
 providing a golf ball including a core and a shell, wherein the shell includes an original shell color and an exterior surface;   marking the shell including:
 maintaining an identical shape of the exterior surface from a pre-marked configuration to a post-marked configuration, 
 exposing a portion of the shell to a laser beam, and 
 modifying the original shell color within the portion of the shell according to the exposure of the portion of the shell to the laser beam. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein modifying the original shell color includes producing gas pockets in the shell, the gas pockets resulting from exposure to the laser beam. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the golf ball includes providing the shell including a shell material, wherein the shell material includes a laser marking substrate including one or more of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or zinc sulfide. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein marking the shell includes modifying the original shell color at a depth of about 0.004 inches or less from the exterior surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein maintaining the identical shape of the exterior surface includes maintaining a dimple pattern of the golf ball. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein maintaining the identical shape of the exterior surface includes maintaining a spherical shape of the golf ball. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein maintaining the identical shape of the exterior surface includes maintaining a uniform distribution of shell material around the core. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the laser beam includes a power of 0.2 Watts to 3.0 Watts, a pulse width of 0.1 μs to 30.0 μs, and a wave length of 150 nm to 550 nm.