Dimple patterns for golf balls

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to a golf ball dimple pattern. In one aspect, each dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the minimum dimple diameter, at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and no dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with a dimple having the maximum dimple diameter. In another aspect, for each of the at least three additional diameters, at least one dimple or a subset of dimples of each diameter is nearest neighbors with: (i) at least one dimple having the minimum dimple diameter, (ii) at least one dimple of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and (iii) at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a first domain having a first dimple pattern and a second domain having a second dimple pattern that is different from the first dimple pattern,
 the first domain and the second domain being tessellated to cover the outer surface of the golf ball in a uniform pattern having no dimple-free great circles and consisting of four first domains and four second domains, each of the first and second domains having three-way rotational symmetry,   the plurality of dimples comprising dimples having at least five different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least three additional dimple diameters;   the plurality of dimples comprising at least 300 dimples and less than 500 dimples;   each dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the minimum dimple diameter,   at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   no dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with a dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein at least three dimples having the minimum dimple diameter are present in both the first and second domains. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein at least three dimples having the maximum dimple diameter are present in both the first and second domains. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least two other dimples having the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein each dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with not more than one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein for each of the at least three additional diameters, at least one dimple or a subset of dimples of each diameter is nearest neighbors with:
 (i) at least one dimple having the minimum dimple diameter,   (ii) at least one dimple of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   (iii) at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         7 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a first domain having a first dimple pattern and a second domain having a second dimple pattern that is different from the first dimple pattern,
 the first domain and the second domain being tessellated to cover the outer surface of the golf ball in a uniform pattern having no dimple-free great circles and consisting of four first domains and four second domains, each of the first and second domains having three-way rotational symmetry,   wherein the plurality of dimples comprising dimples having at least five different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least three additional dimple diameters;   at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the maximum dimple diameter,   at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   no dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with a dimple having the minimum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein at least three dimples having the minimum dimple diameter are present in both the first and second domains. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein at least three dimples having the maximum dimple diameter are present in both the first and second domains. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least two other dimples having the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein each dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with not more than one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein for each of the at least three additional diameters, at least one dimple or a subset of dimples of each diameter is nearest neighbors with:
 (i) at least one dimple having the minimum dimple diameter,   (ii) at least one dimple of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   (iii) at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         13 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a first domain having a first dimple pattern and a second domain having a second dimple pattern that is different from the first dimple pattern,
 the first domain and the second domain being tessellated to cover the outer surface of the golf ball in a uniform pattern having no dimple-free great circles and consisting of four first domains and four second domains, each of the first and second domains having three-way rotational symmetry,   wherein the plurality of dimples comprising dimples having at least five different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least three additional dimple diameters,   each dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the minimum dimple diameter,   at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters,   at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the maximum dimple diameter,   at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   no dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with a dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein at least three dimples having the minimum dimple diameter are present in both the first and second domains. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein at least three dimples having the maximum dimple diameter are present in both the first and second domains. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least two other dimples having the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein each dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with not more than one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 13 , wherein for each of the at least three additional diameters, at least one dimple or a subset of dimples of each diameter is nearest neighbors with:
 (i) at least one dimple having the minimum dimple diameter,   (ii) at least one dimple of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   (iii) at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         19 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a first domain having a first dimple pattern and a second domain having a second dimple pattern that is different from the first dimple pattern,
 the first domain and the second domain being tessellated to cover the outer surface of the golf ball in a uniform pattern having no dimple-free great circles and consisting of four first domains and four second domains, each of the first and second domains having three-way rotational symmetry,   wherein the plurality of dimples comprising dimples having at least five different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least three additional dimple diameters,   wherein for each of the at least three additional diameters, at least one dimple or a subset of dimples of each diameter is nearest neighbors with:   (i) at least one dimple having the minimum dimple diameter,   (ii) at least one dimple of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters, and   (iii) at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein each dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters. 
     
     
         22 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein at least one dimple having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one other dimple having the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         23 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein at least one dimple or a subset of dimples having the maximum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with at least one of each of the at least three additional dimple diameters. 
     
     
         24 . The golf ball of  claim 19 , wherein no dimple having the minimum dimple diameter is nearest neighbors with a dimple having the maximum dimple diameter.