Golf ball

Abstract

A golf ball includes a core and a cover surrounding the core. The cover includes a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that define a seam line therebetween and along an outer surface of the cover. The seam line is non-planar and includes an integral number of cycles of a repeating wave that oscillates along the outer surface of the cover. Each cycle of the repeating wave has a 2π radian phase, and an intermediate section is interleaved within the repeating wave at phase angles that are integral multiples of π. Each intermediate section has a straight surface profile along the outer spherical surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball having an outer spherical surface, the golf ball comprising:
 a non-planar seam line disposed on the outer spherical surface and including:   an integral number of cycles of a repeating wave that oscillates along the outer spherical surface of the golf ball, each cycle of the repeating wave having a 2π radian phase;   a plurality of intermediate sections interleaved within the repeating wave at phase angles of the wave equal to π*n, where n is a positive integer; and   wherein each intermediate section has a straight surface profile along the outer spherical surface.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , further comprising a first pole and a second pole, with the seam line being disposed between the first pole and the second pole;
 wherein the straight surface profile along the outer spherical surface is characterized by a single degree of curvature centered along an axis extending between the first pole and the second pole.   
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of intermediate sections is coplanar, and the plurality of intermediate sections collectively defines a seam plane. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 3 , wherein the repeating wave extends on a first side of the seam plane for phase angles within the range of (2π(m-1), π(2m-1)), where m is a positive integer; and
 wherein the repeating wave extends on a second side of the seam plane for phase angles within the range of (π(2m-1), 2πm). 
 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the repeating wave is a sinusoid. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer spherical surface; and
 wherein the seam line does not intersect any of the dimples.   
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of intermediate sections is coplanar, and the plurality of intermediate sections collectively defines a seam plane;
 wherein a subset of the plurality of dimples is disposed adjacent the seam line; and   wherein the seam plane intersects each dimple within the subset.   
     
     
         8 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core;   a cover including a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that cooperate to surround the core, the first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical defining a seam line therebetween and along an outer spherical surface of the cover; and   wherein the seam line is non-planar and includes:   an integral number of cycles of a repeating wave that oscillates along the outer surface of the cover, each cycle of the repeating wave having a 2π radian phase;   a plurality of intermediate sections interleaved within the repeating wave at phase angles of the wave equal to π*n, where n is a positive integer; and   wherein each intermediate section has a straight surface profile along the outer spherical surface.   
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the repeating wave is a sinusoid. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the repeating wave is concave relative to the first hemispherical half for phase angles within the range of (2π(m-1), π(2m-1)), where m is a positive integer; and
 wherein the repeating wave is convex relative to the first hemispherical half for phase angles within the range of (π(2m-1), 2πm). 
 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of intermediate sections are aligned along a common circumference of the cover. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the outer surface of the cover includes a plurality of dimples, and wherein the seam line does not intersect any of the dimples. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 12 , wherein a subset of the plurality of dimples is disposed adjacent the seam line such that the circumference formed by the plurality of intermediate sections intersects each dimple within the subset. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of intermediate sections is an even number of intermediate sections. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein each cycle of the repeating wave has a wavelength; and
 wherein the length of an intermediate section is approximately equal to the wavelength of one cycle of the repeating wave.   
     
     
         16 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core;   a cover including a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that cooperate to surround the core, the first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical defining a seam line therebetween and along an outer surface of the cover; and   wherein the seam line includes an integral number of repeating sections, with each respective section including a first straight portion, a first arcuate portion, a second straight portion and a second arcuate portion.   
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 16 , wherein the first arcuate portion is disposed between the first straight portion and the second straight portion for each of the integral number of repeating sections; and
 wherein the second straight portion is disposed between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion for each of the integral number of repeating sections.   
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the first straight portion and the second straight portion of each section are substantially aligned along a circumference of the cover. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein the first arcuate portion is concave relative to the first hemispherical half; and
 wherein the second arcuate portion is convex relative to the first hemispherical half.   
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein the outer surface of the cover includes a plurality of dimples, and wherein the seam line does not intersect any of the dimples. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball of  claim 20 , wherein one of the plurality of dimples is partially disposed within each of the first and second arcuate portions for each of the repeating sections; and
 wherein the first and second straight portions of each section of the seam line are aligned along a common circumference of the cover; and   wherein the circumference intersects each dimple disposed within the arcuate portions of the seam line.