ADAPTIVE GOLF BALL

• US 20080045358A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jay Vandelden
• Original Assignee: Jay Vandelden
• Inventors: VanDelden, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,682,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0037 on a target surface or at impact on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/10 Golf tees
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49712 Ball making

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart golf ball comprised of one or more mantle layers juxtaposed between an inner core and outer cover, where the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover are further comprised of a ferrofluid, a magnetorheological fluid, an inverse magnetorheological fluid, and/or a magnetorheological elastomer, in any of its construction. These nano-engineered materials make possible a golf ball with heretofore-unprecedented levels of adaptive play.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

an inner core;

one or more mantle layers surrounding the inner core; and

an outer cover surrounding the mantle layer(s), wherein one or more of the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover comprise(s) a magnetic fluid and/or magnetic elastomer.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic fluid and/or magnetic elastomer comprises a suspension of magnetic and/or magnetizable particles in a carrier medium.

3. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic and/or magnetizable particles comprise ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic substances.

4. The golf ball according to claim 3, wherein the ferromagnetic and/or ferrimagnetic substance is selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, magnetite, maghemite, cobalt ferrite, manganese ferrite, carbonyl iron, iron-filings, iron-powder, and combinations thereof.

5. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein the carrier medium comprises a liquid.

6. The golf ball according to claim 5, wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of water, animal oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, synthetic oil, petroleum oil, petroleum distillates, alcohol, glycol, glucose, and combinations thereof.

7. The golf ball according to claim 5, wherein the liquid further comprises anti-oxidizing, anti-corrosion, anti-wear, anti-agglomeration, and/or anti-settling agents.

8. The golf ball according to claim 5, wherein the liquid further comprises a pigmentation agent.

9. The golf ball according to claim 2, wherein the carrier medium comprises a polymer.

10. The golf ball according to claim 9, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of rubber, balata, gutta percha, polybutadiene, polyisoprene urethane, polyurethane, ionomer resins, ethylene-acrylic copolymers, and combinations thereof.

11. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the golf ball comprises a magnetic fluid.

12. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic fluid comprises a colloidal suspension of nanometer-sized, single-domain, magnetic particles immersed in a carrier liquid.

13. The golf ball according to claim 12, wherein the magnetic particles have a diameter of about 2 nm to about 10 nm.

14. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic fluid comprises a non-colloidal suspension of micrometer-sized, multi-domain, magnetizable particles immersed in a carrier liquid.

15. The golf ball according to claim 14, wherein the magnetizable particles have a diameter of about 0.1 μ

m to about 10 μ

m.

16. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic fluid comprises a composite suspension of micrometer-sized, non-magnetic particles and nanometer-sized, magnetic particles both immersed in the same carrier liquid.

17. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the non-magnetic particles comprise diamagnetic or paramagnetic materials.

18. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the non-magnetic particles further comprise metallic, non-metallic, or dielectric materials.

19. The golf ball according to claim 11, wherein the magnetic fluid is selected from the group consisting of a ferrofluid, a magnetorheological fluid, an inverse-magnetorheological fluid, and combinations thereof.

20. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the golf ball comprises a magnetic elastomer.

21. The golf ball according to claim 20, wherein the magnetic elastomer comprises a distribution of magnetic and/or magnetizable particles suspended in a polymer matrix.

22. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein the distribution of magnetic and/or magnetizable particles exhibits a radial gradient.

23. The golf ball according to claim 21, wherein the distribution of magnetic and/or magnetizable particles exhibits a fixed, unique magnetic signature.

24. The golf ball according to claim 20, wherein the magnetic elastomer comprises a magnetorheological elastomer or magneto-elastic polymer.

25. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the core comprises a permanent magnet immersed in a magnetic fluid.

26. The golf ball according to claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet is magnetically-levitated and self-centered within the magnetic fluid.

27. The golf ball according to claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet has a spherical shape.

28. The golf ball according to claim 25, wherein the magnetic fluid comprises a ferrofluid or inverse magnetorheological fluid.

29. The golf ball according to claim 25, wherein the permanent magnet comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Alnico, NdFeB, SmCo, FeCrCo, BaO:

Fe₂O₃, SrO;

Fe₂O₃, MnO;

Fe₂O₃, PbO;

Fe₂O₃, Nd₂Fe₁₄B, Sm₂Fe₁₇N₃, Sm₂Co₁₇, SmCo₅, BaFe₁₂O₁₉, and combinations thereof.

30. A method of playing golf, said method comprising:

providing a golf ball comprising;

an inner core;

one or more mantle layer(s) surrounding the inner core; and

an outer cover surrounding the mantle layer(s), wherein one or more of the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover comprise(s) a magnetic fluid and/or a magnetic elastomer and

striking the golf ball with a golf club.

31. The method according to claim 30 further comprising:

effecting a magnetic interaction between the golf ball and a permanent magnet.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the magnetic interaction is effected by resting the golf ball on a golf tee that comprises a permanent magnet.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the permanent magnet has a cylindrical or conical shape.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the magnetic interaction is effected by striking the golf ball with a golf club that comprises a permanent magnet.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the permanent magnet has a cylindrical, oval, or conical shape.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the permanent magnet is located immediately behind and centered upon an optimal hitting region of the club.

37. The method according to claim 31, wherein the magnetic interaction is effected as a result of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

38. The method according to claim 30, wherein the golf ball comprises a magnetic fluid selected from the group consisting of a ferrofluid, a magnetorheological fluid, an inverse magnetorheological fluid, and combinations thereof.

39. The method according to claim 30, wherein the golf ball comprises a magnetic elastomer selected from the group consisting of a magnetorheological elastomer, a ferroelastomer, a magneto-elastic polymer, and combinations thereof.

40. The method according to claim 30, wherein the magnetic interaction is effected by sinking the golf ball into a cup that comprises a permanent magnet.

41. A method of manufacturing a golf ball, said method comprising:

providing an inner core, one or more mantle layer(s), and an outer cover, wherein one or more of the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover comprise(s) a magnetic fluid and/or magnetic elastomer;

applying the mantle layer(s) to the inner core under conditions effective to surround the inner core with the mantle layer(s); and

applying the outer cover to the mantle layer(s) under conditions effective to surround the mantle layer with the cover, thereby manufacturing a golf ball.

42. The method according to claim 41 further comprising:

effecting a magnetic interaction for purposes of facilitating golf ball manufacturability.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the magnetic interaction is effected by using one or more permanent magnets.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the magnetic interaction is effected by using one or more electromagnets.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein said facilitating comprises handling, sorting, storing, packaging, labeling, picking, and/or placing of golf balls.

46. The method according to claim 41, wherein one or more of the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover comprise a ferrofluid, a magnetorheological fluid, an inverse magnetorheological fluid, and combinations thereof.

47. The method according to claim 41, wherein one or more of the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover comprise a magnetorheological elastomer or a magneto-elastic polymer.

48. The method according to claim 41, wherein one or more of the core, the mantle layer(s), and/or the cover comprise a magnetic pigment.