US2019344124A1PendingUtilityA1
Golf ball dimple plan shape
Est. expiryAug 4, 2036(~10 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
A63B 37/002A63B 37/0019A63B 37/0017A63B 37/0007A63B 37/0012A63B 37/08A63B 37/0074A63B 2037/087A63B 37/0021A63B 37/0006A63B 37/00065
49
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Claims
Abstract
The present invention relates to golf balls having improved packing efficiency and aerodynamic characteristics and a high degree of dimple interdigitation. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf ball including at least a portion of dimples having a plan shape defined by low frequency periodic functions having high amplitudes. The present invention is also directed to methods of developing the dimple plan shape geometries, as well as methods of making the finished golf balls with the inventive dimple patterns applied thereto.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modifiedWhat is claimed is:
1 . A golf ball having a generally spherical surface and comprising a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of dimples have a non-circular plan shape defined by a periodic function mapped along a circular closed path, wherein the periodic function is selected from a periodic square wave function defined by the equation:
f
(
x
)
=
s
+
a
π
(
sin
(
π
px
)
+
sin
(
3
π
px
)
3
+
sin
(
5
π
px
)
5
+
sin
(
7
π
px
)
7
)
and a periodic sawtooth function defined by the equation:
f
(
x
)
=
s
-
a
π
(
sin
(
π
px
)
+
sin
(
2
π
px
)
2
+
sin
(
3
π
px
)
3
+
sin
(
4
π
px
)
4
)
where s is the sharpness factor of the periodic function and is defined by a constant value of from 5 to 60; a is the amplitude of the periodic function and is from 0.1 to 1; and p is the period of the periodic function and is from 3 to 6;
wherein the maximum distance of any point on the plan shape from the circular closed path is about 0.015 inches to about 0.050 inches; and
wherein the surface of said dimples having a non-circular plan shape includes a protruding center portion.
2 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the protruding center portion lies below the nominal chord plane of the dimple.
3 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each one of the dimples having said non-circular plan shape comprises a first dimple profile and a second dimple profile, the first dimple profile having a first edge angle (Φ EDGE1 ) and a second edge angle (Φ EDGE2 ) and the second dimple profile having a third edge angle (Φ EDGE3 ) and a fourth edge angle (Φ EDGE4 ), wherein at least two of Φ EDGE1 , Φ EDGE2 , Φ EDGE3 and Φ EDGE4 have different values.
4 . The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein at least two of Φ EDGE1 , Φ EDGE2 , Φ EDGE3 and Φ EDGE4 have values that differ by 1.0° to 6.0°.
5 . The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein:
Φ EDGE1 =Φ EDGE2 , Φ EDGE3 =Φ EDGE4 , and Φ EDGE1 ≠Φ EDGE3 .
6 . The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein, for each one of the dimples having said non-circular plan shape, the average of the edge angles of all of the dimple profiles of that dimple is 11° to 16°.
7 . The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein, for each one of the dimples having said non-circular plan shape, the difference between the maximum edge angle and the minimum edge angle of all of the dimple profiles of that dimple is 0.5° to 6.0°.
8 . The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein, for each one of the dimples having said non-circular plan shape, the difference between the maximum edge angle and the average of the edge angles of all of the dimple profiles of that dimple is 3.00° or less.
9 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples having said non-circular plan shape have a Degree of Interdigitation DOI of about 0.05 to about 0.50, DOI being defined by the following equation:
DOI
=
1
n
∑
k
=
1
n
(
R
1
+
R
2
D
-
1
)
k
where R 1 is the maximum radial distance of a first dimple having a first center, R 2 is the maximum radial distance of a second dimple having a second center, D is the distance between the first center and the second center, and the first dimple is adjacent to the second dimple on the surface.
10 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein 50 percent or more of the dimples on the golf ball are dimples having said non-circular plan shape.
11 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein 80 percent or more of the dimples on the golf ball are dimples having said non-circular plan shape.
12 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the circular path has a radius of from 0.025 inches to 0.150 inches.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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