Golf ball having spherical triangle segmented dimple pattern

Abstract

Various aspects of a dimple pattern methodology, and dimple pattern configurations are disclosed herein. A spherical triangle segment division can be used to maintain a high level of symmetry in the dimple pattern while also maintaining a specific dimple layout in polar regions of the golf ball. In one aspect, the specific configurations disclosed herein can provide geometric symmetry while being adaptable to relatively complex processes for forming golf ball covers. Furthermore, the configurations disclosed herein provide a dimple pattern with a high level of symmetry having a particular subset of preferred polar dimples.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon that define a dimple pattern,
 the golf ball being segmented into a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, each of the first and second hemispheres being defined by a plurality of zones, and each zone being segmented into a plurality of spherical triangles each having a distinct dimple configuration,   wherein the dimple pattern has at most first order rotational symmetry about any axis of the golf ball, and   wherein the first and second hemispheres each include a subset of preferred polar dimples having an identical dimple diameter and a respective centroid positioned longitudinally 120 degrees apart from each other and at a common latitude,   wherein the common latitude is defined at a polar latitude angle (θ) from a nearest respective pole of the first and second hemispheres, and   the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 30 degrees.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 25 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 20 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 10 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein a centroid of at least one dimple of the subset of preferred polar dimples is non-coincident with a spherical edge defined between adjacent zones, and a centroid of at least one dimple among the subset of preferred polar dimples is coincident with a spherical edge defined between adjacent spherical triangles. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the dimple pattern lacks any dimple having a centroid that is coincident with a polar axis of the golf ball. 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the dimple diameter of the dimples of the subset of preferred polar dimples is not a minimum dimple diameter among the plurality of dimples and is not a maximum dimple diameter among the plurality of dimples. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one additional polar dimple is disposed closer to the poles of the first and second hemispheres than the dimples of the subset of preferred polar dimples. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one additional polar dimple has a larger dimple diameter than the dimple diameters of the subset of preferred polar dimples. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the zones are comprised of first zones, second zones, third zones, and fourth zones, such that the first and second hemispheres each consist of one first zone, one second zone, one third zone, and one fourth zone,
 wherein the first zone consists of three spherical triangles including at least one first spherical triangle and at least one second spherical triangle,   the second zone consists of three spherical triangles including at least one first spherical triangle and at least one third spherical triangle, and   the third zone and the fourth zone each consist of three spherical triangles including a fourth spherical triangle, a fifth spherical triangle, and a sixth spherical triangle.   
     
     
         11 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein a first subset of the spherical triangles has a dimple configuration having mirror symmetry about a respective symmetry plane, and a second subset of the spherical triangles has a dimple configuration lacking mirror symmetry about any intersecting plane to the respective spherical triangle. 
     
     
         12 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples disposed thereon that define a dimple pattern,
 the golf ball being segmented into a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, each of the first and second hemispheres being defined by a plurality of zones of a first quantity, and each zone being segmented into a plurality of spherical triangles each having a distinct dimple configuration,   the dimple pattern having at most first order rotational symmetry about any axis of the golf ball, and   wherein the first and second hemispheres each include a subset of preferred polar dimples of a second quantity,   the dimples of the subset of preferred polar dimples each having an identical dimple diameter and a respective centroid positioned longitudinally equidistant apart from each other and at a common latitude at a polar latitude angle (θ) from a nearest respective pole of the first and second hemispheres,   wherein the first and second quantities are not identical.   
     
     
         13 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 30 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 25 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 20 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the polar latitude angle (θ) is no greater than 10 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the first quantity and the second quantity are each at least three. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the first quantity equals four, and the second quantity equals three. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the first quantity is greater than the second quantity. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball according to  claim 12 , wherein the zones are comprised of first zones, second zones, third zones, and fourth zones, such that the first and second hemispheres each consist of one first zone, one second zone, one third zone, and one fourth zone,
 wherein the first zone consists of three spherical triangles including at least one first spherical triangle and at least one second spherical triangle,   the second zone consists of three spherical triangles including at least one first spherical triangle and at least one third spherical triangle, and   the third zone and the fourth zone each consist of three spherical triangles including a fourth spherical triangle, a fifth spherical triangle, and a sixth spherical triangle.