Dimple patterns for golf balls

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a dimple pattern having two different domains with two different shapes. Each of the domains have unique characteristics with respect to positioning of dimples along an interior and/or perimeter of the respective domains. Additionally, the number of dimple diameters among the domains have a specific set of relationships. In another aspect, the dimples are arranged within each domain according to a respective series of reference shapes, such as triangles and quadrilaterals.

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 multiple copies of a first domain and a second domain, 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 eight first domains and six second domains, and wherein:
 the first domain has three-way rotational symmetry about the central point of the first domain;   the second domain has four-way rotational symmetry about the central point of the second domain;   the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least three different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and one or more additional dimple diameters;   the first domain includes a center dimple, the center dimple having a centroid that is coincident with the central point of the first domain;   the dimples of the first domain, other than the center dimple of the first domain, are arranged along the sides of at least two reference triangles, wherein the reference triangles are concentric triangles having a common center that is coincident with the central point of the first domain;   wherein the dimples of the first domain include six vertex dimples, each of the six vertex dimples having a centroid that is coincident with a vertex of a reference triangle;   the dimples of the second domain are arranged along the sides of at least three reference quadrilaterals, wherein the reference quadrilaterals are concentric quadrilaterals having a common center that is coincident with the central point of the second domain;   wherein the dimples of the second domain include eight vertex dimples, each of the eight vertex dimples having a centroid that is coincident with a vertex of a reference quadrilateral; and   wherein each of the six vertex dimples of the first domain and each of the eight vertex dimples of the second domain have a dimple diameter that is neither the minimum nor the maximum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the six vertex dimples of the first domain and at least one of the eight vertex dimples of the second domain have the same dimple diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein of the at least three reference quadrilaterals in the second domain, the innermost reference quadrilateral has no vertex dimples. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the six vertex dimples of the first domain are comprised of dimples having two different dimple diameters. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the eight vertex dimples of the second domain are comprised of dimples having two different dimple diameters. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein no dimples of the second domain have a centroid that is coincident with the central point of the second domain. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first domain does not include any dimples having the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the first domain does not include any dimples having the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least five different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and three or more additional dimple diameters. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least seven different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and five or more additional dimple diameters. 
     
     
         11 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in multiple copies of a first domain and a second domain, 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 eight first domains and six second domains, and wherein:
 the first domain has three-way rotational symmetry about the central point of the first domain;   the second domain has four-way rotational symmetry about the central point of the second domain;   the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least three different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and one or more additional dimple diameters;   wherein of the at least three dimple diameters, SD1≠0 and SD2≠0 for only one dimple diameter,   wherein SD1 represents the number of dimples within the first domain having a given dimple diameter, and SD2 represents the number of dimples positioned within the second domain having said given dimple diameter.   
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein SD1≤½(SD2), for the one dimple diameter with SD≠0 and SD2≠0. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein |SD1−SD2|≥3, for each of the at least three dimple diameters. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein for the one dimple diameter having SD1≠0 and SD2≠0, the one dimple diameter also has the maximum value of |SD1−SD2|. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein SD1 min =0, where SD1 min  represents the number of dimples having the minimum dimple diameter positioned within the first domain. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein SD1 max =0, where SD1 max  represents the number of dimples having the maximum dimple diameter positioned within the first domain. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein SD2 min ≥4, where SD2 min  represents the number of dimples having the minimum dimple diameter positioned within the second domain. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 17 , wherein SD2 max >4, where SD2 max  represents the number of dimples having the maximum dimple diameter positioned within the second domain. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 18 , wherein SD2 min =SD2 max . 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the first domain includes a center dimple, the center having a centroid that is coincident with the central point of the first domain. 
     
     
         21 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein no dimples of the second domain have a centroid that is coincident with the central point of the second domain. 
     
     
         22 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least five different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and three or more additional dimple diameters. 
     
     
         23 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least seven different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and five or more additional dimple diameters. 
     
     
         24 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in multiple copies of a first domain and a second domain, 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 eight first domains and six second domains, and wherein:
 the first domain has three-way rotational symmetry about the central point of the first domain;   the second domain has four-way rotational symmetry about the central point of the second domain;   the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having at least three different dimple diameters, including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and one or more additional dimple diameters;   each of the first domain and the second domain consists of perimeter dimples and interior dimples;   wherein at least one dimple of the interior dimples of the first domain and at least one dimple of the interior dimples of the second domain have the same dimple diameter;   wherein no dimples of the perimeter dimples of the first domain have a dimple diameter that is equal to the diameter of a dimple of the perimeter dimples of the second domain; and   wherein none of the interior dimples of the first domain have the minimum dimple diameter.   
     
     
         25 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein none of the perimeter dimples of the first domain have the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         26 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein none of the interior dimples of the first domain have the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         27 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein none of the perimeter dimples of the first domain have the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         28 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein none of the interior dimples of the second domain have the minimum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         29 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein none of the perimeter dimples of the second domain have the maximum dimple diameter. 
     
     
         30 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein at least one dimple of the interior dimples of the second domain and at least one dimple of the perimeter dimples of the second domain each have the same diameter. 
     
     
         31 . The golf ball of  claim 30 , wherein at least one dimple of the interior dimples of the first domain, at least one dimple of the interior dimples of the second domain, and at least one dimple of the perimeter dimples of the second domain all have the same diameter. 
     
     
         32 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein the interior dimples of the first domain are comprised of at least two different dimple diameters. 
     
     
         33 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein the interior dimples of the second domain are comprised of at least two different dimple diameters. 
     
     
         34 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein the perimeter dimples of the first domain are comprised of at least two different dimple diameters. 
     
     
         35 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein the perimeter dimples of the second domain are comprised of at least two different dimple diameters. 
     
     
         36 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein the interior dimples of the first domain include a center dimple, the center dimple having a centroid that is coincident with the central point of the first domain. 
     
     
         37 . The golf ball of  claim 24 , wherein none of the interior dimples of the second domain has a centroid that is coincident with the central point of the second domain.