Golf ball with improved flight performance

• US 20040132551A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jones, Douglas E., Aoyama, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 6,945,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0006 Arrangement or layout of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0012 Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00215 Volume ratio
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/003 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00776 Slab hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0089 Coefficient of drag
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 Coefficient of lift
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 Spin rate

Abstract

A golf ball is provided that has improved aerodynamic efficiency, resulting in increased flight distance for golfers of all swing speeds, and more particularly for golfers possessing very high swing speeds, such as those who can launch the balls at an initial speed greater than 160 miles per hour and more particularly at initial ball speed of about 170 miles per hour or higher. The golf ball of the present invention combines lower dimple count with multiple dimple sizes to provide higher dimple coverage and improved aerodynamic characteristics.

Claims

1. A golf ball having an outer surface, wherein the outer surface comprises less than about 370 dimples covering at least about 80% of the outer surface of the golf ball and wherein the dimples comprise at least two sizes.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball comprises less than 350 dimples.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the golf ball comprises less than 340 dimples.

4. The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the golf ball comprises about 250 dimples.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the dimples cover at least about 83% of the surface of the ball.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the dimples comprise at least four sizes.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the dimples comprise at least six sizes.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 having a ratio of coefficient of aerodynamic forces at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to coefficient of aerodynamic forces at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.780 or less.

9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the ratio of coefficient of aerodynamic forces at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to coefficient of aerodynamic forces at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.760 or less.

10. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the aerodynamic force coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 is about 0.290 or less.

11. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the aerodynamic force coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.370 or more.

12. The golf ball of claim 1 having a ratio of lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.730 or less.

13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the ratio of lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.725 or less.

14. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the ratio of lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 of to lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.700 or less.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the ratio of lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.690.

16. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 is about 0.170 or less.

17. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.240 or more.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the drag coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 is about 0.270 or less.

19. The golf ball of claim 1 further comprises a two-layer core and a two-layer cover.

20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the innermost core layer has a diameter in the range of about 0.375 inch to about 1.4 inches.

21. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the outer core has an outer diameter in the range of about 1.4 inches to about 1.62 inches.

22. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the inner cover has an outer diameter in the range of about 1.59 inches to about 1.66 inches.

23. The golf ball of claim 1 having a coefficient of restitution of greater than 0.800 when measured at an impact speed of 125 feet per second.

24. The golf ball of claim 23, wherein the coefficient of restitution is about 0.810 when measured at an impact speed of 125 feet per second.

25. A golf ball having an outer surface, wherein the outer surface comprises less than about 370 dimples and wherein the total dimple volume is at least about 1.25%.

26. The golf ball of claim 25, wherein the total dimple volume is at least about 1.5%.

27. The golf ball of claim 26, wherein the golf ball comprises less than 350 dimples.

28. The golf ball of claim 27, wherein the golf ball comprises less than 340 dimples.

29. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the golf ball comprises less than 300 dimples.

30. The golf ball of claim 29, wherein the golf ball comprises about 250 dimples.

31. The golf ball of claim 25, wherein the dimples cover at least about 75% of the outer surface of the ball.

32. The golf ball of claim 31, wherein the dimples cover at least about 80% of the outer surface of the ball.

33. The golf ball of claim 32, wherein the dimples cover at least about 83% of the surface of the ball.