Golf ball

• US 20040152541A1
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Sajima, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,564 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 37/0009 Polygonal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0021 Occupation ratio, i.e. percentage surface occupied by dimples

Abstract

Surface of a golf ball 1 is comparted into 8 spherical regular triangles St and 6 spherical squares Ss by comparting lines that are formed by casting a reflection of sides of the cuboctahedron inscribed in the phantom spherical face onto the phantom spherical face. On the spherical regular triangle St are arranged regular triangular dimples A1. On the spherical square Ss are formed square dimples B1 and B2. Dimple patterns of respective spherical regular triangles St are identical with each other. Dimple patterns of respective spherical squares Ss are identical with each other. It is also permitted that the snub cube is envisioned, and the surface is comparted into spherical regular triangles St and spherical squares Ss. Surface area occupation percentage of dimples 4 is preferably equal to or greater than 70%.

Claims

1. A golf ball having numerous dimples, which include polygonal dimples provided on the surface thereof,

wherein when a phantom spherical face of the golf ball is comparted into multiple spherical regular polygons with comparting lines formed by casting a reflection of sides of a semiregular polyhedron inscribed in the phantom spherical face onto the phantom spherical face, the spherical regular polygons include the dimples arranged therein, and

proportion of the polygonal dimples occupied in total number of the dimples is equal to or greater than 50%.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein when multiple first spherical regular polygons and multiple second spherical regular polygons that have different number of vertices from that of said first spherical regular polygon are formed with said comparting lines,

all the first spherical regular polygons include the dimples arranged therein in a substantially equivalent manner with each other, and

all the second spherical regular polygons include the dimples arranged therein in a substantially equivalent manner with each other.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said comparting line does not substantially intersect with any dimple.

4. The golf ball according to claim 2 wherein on said first spherical regular polygon, regular polygonal dimples having the same number of vertices as the number of vertices of said first spherical regular polygon are mainly arranged, and

on the second spherical regular polygon, regular polygonal dimples having the same number of vertices as the number of vertices of this second spherical regular polygon are mainly arranged.

5. The golf ball according to claim 4 wherein the number of vertices of said first spherical regular polygon is 3, and the number of vertices of said second spherical regular polygon is 4.

6. The golf ball according to claim 5 wherein said semiregular polyhedron is the cuboctahedron.

7. The golf ball according to claim 5 wherein said semiregular polyhedron is the snub cube.

8. The golf ball according to claim 7 wherein said comparting line does not intersect with any dimple, and wherein no great circle path is present on the surface.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein proportion of total area of said dimples occupied in the area of said phantom spherical face is equal to or greater than 70%.