Golf Balls and Other Game Balls Having Improved Launch Monitor or Motion Tracking Visibility

• US 20130324310A1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Leech, Nicholas A., Yontz, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/484,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324310A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/371
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00221 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/008 with means for improving visibility, e.g. special markings or colours illuminating or reflecting means A63B43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories

Abstract

A ball having enhanced visibility to video camera- or radar-based launch monitoring and/or tracking systems includes a core, an intermediate layer, a cover or outer surface having a reflective material incorporated therein or applied thereto. The reflective material may be retro-reflective crystals, reflective metal, a conductive polymer, or a reflective coating. The reflective material may be added to an ink used to print indicia on the ball, or incorporated into a paint or other coating applied to the ball. The reflective material may be applied during manufacture of a ball, or existing balls may be retrofitted to contain a reflective material.

Claims

1. A golf ball, comprising:

a golf ball interior structure;

a cover surrounding the golf ball interior structure and including a plurality of dimples;

a finish material provided over at least a portion of an exterior of the cover; and

a reflection system incorporated into a base material of at least one of the cover or the finish material, wherein the reflection system includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

reflective metal material or retro-reflective crystals dispersed within the base material, wherein the reflection system is exposed over no more than 4.5% of an exterior surface of the golf ball;

wherein the golf ball reflects at least 5% more incident radiation during flight from a golf club than a comparative golf ball and does not include the reflective metal material or retro-reflective crystals but is otherwise the same as the golf ball.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the incident radiation is radio wave radiation.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the incident radiation is incident radiation emitted from a system tracking the flight of the golf ball.

4. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the incident radiation is radiation with a frequency in the range of about 10.514 GHz to about 10.536 GHz.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the reflective metal material comprises silver particles with an average particle size of at least 50 μ

m.

6. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the golf ball reflects at least 25% more incident radiation during flight from a golf club than the comparative golf ball.

7. The golf ball according to claim 6, wherein the golf ball reflects at least 50% more incident radiation during flight from a golf club than the comparative golf ball.

8. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the reflection system is asymmetrically exposed over only a localized portion of the exterior surface of the golf ball.

9. The golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the finish material is an ink.

10. A golf ball, comprising:

a golf ball interior structure;

a cover surrounding the golf ball interior structure and including a plurality of dimples;

a finish material provided over at least a portion of an exterior of the cover; and

a reflection system;

wherein the reflection system is exposed over no more than 11%% of an exterior surface of the golf ball;

wherein the reflection system is asymmetric and is exposed over only a localized portion of the exterior surface of the golf ball; and

wherein the golf ball reflects at least 5% more incident radiation during flight from a golf club than a comparative golf ball that does not include the reflection system but is otherwise the same as the golf ball.

11. The golf ball according to claim 10, wherein the reflection system comprises glass spheres with a diameter between about 10 and about 150 μ

m.

12. The golf ball according to claim 10, wherein the reflection system is exposed over no more than 1.6% of the exterior surface of the golf ball.

13. The golf ball according to claim 10, wherein the reflection system is exposed over no more than 0.18% of the exterior surface of the golf ball.

14. The golf ball according to claim 10, wherein the reflection system is incorporated into a base material of at least one of the cover or the finish material.

15. The golf ball according to claim 10, wherein the reflection system is provided over the finish material, and

wherein the golf ball further comprises a second finish material provided over the reflection system.

16. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

at least one intermediate layer encasing the core;

a cover encasing one of the at least one intermediate layer;

a coating encasing the cover to form an exterior surface of the coating;

a reflection system comprising a base material and a reflective material asymmetrically attached to the exterior surface of one of the at least one intermediate layer;

wherein the reflection system is exposed over no more than 11% of the exterior surface of the one of the at least one intermediate layer to which the reflection system is attached; and

wherein the golf ball reflects at least 5% more incident radiation during flight from a golf club than a comparative golf ball that does not include the reflection system but is otherwise the same as the golf ball.

17. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the reflection system comprises an ink.

18. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the reflective material comprises at least one reflective metal.

19. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the incident radiation is one or more of radio wave radiation or microwave radiation.

20. The golf ball according to claim 16, wherein the reflection system is exposed over no more than 4.5% of the exterior surface of the one of the at least one intermediate layer to which the reflection system is attached.