GOLF BALL

• US 20140357405A1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike International Ltd. (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Ichinose, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,421,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/371
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00065 located around the pole or the equator
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0011 Grooves or lines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0023 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• 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: B29C 2045/0034 Mould parting lines
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/005 characterised by the location of the parting line of the mould parts

Abstract

A golf ball includes a core and a cover surrounding the core. The cover includes a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that define a seam line therebetween and along an outer surface of the cover. The seam line is non-planar and includes a repeating trapezoidal wave having a first portion disposed at a first latitude, a second portion disposed at a second latitude, and a linear ramping transition between the first portion and the second portion. The seam line further includes a first curvilinear wave superposed within the first portion of the trapezoidal wave, and a second curvilinear wave superposed within the second portion of the trapezoidal wave.

Claims

1. A golf ball having an outer spherical surface, the golf ball comprising:

a non-planar seam line disposed on the outer spherical surface and including;

a repeating trapezoidal wave having a first portion disposed at a first latitude, a second portion disposed at a second latitude, and a linear ramping transition between the first portion and the second portion;

a first curvilinear wave superposed within the first portion of the trapezoidal wave; and

a second curvilinear wave superposed within the second portion of the trapezoidal wave.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first curvilinear wave has a first wavelength, the second curvilinear wave has a second wavelength, the first portion of the trapezoidal wave has a first length along the first latitude and the second portion of the trapezoidal wave has a second length along the second latitude;

wherein the first wavelength is less than 75% of the first length of the trapezoidal wave; and

wherein the second wavelength is less than 75% of the second length of the trapezoidal wave.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the first wavelength is less than 40% of the first length of the trapezoidal wave;

and

wherein the second wavelength is less than 40% of the second length of the trapezoidal wave.

4. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the first curvilinear wave is centered within the first portion of the trapezoidal wave;

and

wherein the second curvilinear wave is centered within the second portion of the trapezoidal wave.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the first curvilinear wave includes three critical points.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein each of the first and second curvilinear waves is substantially disposed between the first latitude and the second latitude.

7. The golf ball of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer spherical surface;

and

wherein one of the plurality of dimples is disposed directly adjacent to each of the three respective critical points such that the first curvilinear wave partially circumscribes each of the directly adjacent dimples.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the trapezoidal wave is piecewise continuous between the first portion, the linear ramping portion, and the second portion.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the seam line profile includes an integral number of repeating trapezoidal waves.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer spherical surface;

and

wherein the seam line does not intersect any of the plurality of dimples.

11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the plurality of dimples includes a first subset of dimples that each respectively intersected by the first latitude;

and

wherein the plurality of dimples includes a second subset of dimples that each respectively intersected by the second latitude.

12. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a first pole and a second pole, with the seam line being disposed between the first pole and the second pole;

and

wherein each of the first and second latitudes has a respective center of curvature disposed on an axis extending between the first pole and the second pole.

13. A golf ball comprising:

a core;

a cover including a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that cooperate to surround the core, the first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical defining a seam line therebetween and along an outer surface of the cover; and

wherein the seam line is non-planar and includes;

a repeating trapezoidal wave having a first portion disposed at a first latitude, a second portion disposed at a second latitude, and a linear ramping transition between the first portion and the second portion;

a first curvilinear wave superposed within the first portion of the trapezoidal wave; and

a second curvilinear wave superposed within the second portion of the trapezoidal wave.

14. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the first curvilinear wave has a first wavelength, the second curvilinear wave has a second wavelength, the first portion of the trapezoidal wave has a first length along the first latitude and the second portion of the trapezoidal wave has a second length along the second latitude;

wherein the first wavelength is less than 75% of the first length of the trapezoidal wave; and

wherein the second wavelength is less than 75% of the second length of the trapezoidal wave.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the first wavelength is less than 40% of the first length of the trapezoidal wave;

and

wherein the second wavelength is less than 40% of the second length of the trapezoidal wave.

16. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the first curvilinear wave is centered within the first portion of the trapezoidal wave, and wherein the second curvilinear wave is centered within the second portion of the trapezoidal wave.

17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the first curvilinear wave includes three critical points.

18. The golf ball of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second curvilinear waves is substantially disposed between the first latitude and the second latitude.

19. The golf ball of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer surface of the cover;

and

wherein one of the plurality of dimples is disposed directly adjacent to each of the three respective critical points such that the first curvilinear wave partially circumscribes each of the directly adjacent dimples.

20. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the trapezoidal wave is piecewise continuous between the first portion, the linear ramping portion, and the second portion.

21. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the seam line profile includes an integral number of repeating trapezoidal waves.

22. The golf ball of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer surface of the cover;

and

wherein the seam line does not bisect any of the dimples.

24. The golf ball of claim 22, wherein the plurality of dimples includes a first subset of dimples that each respectively intersected by the first latitude;

and

wherein the plurality of dimples includes a second subset of dimples that each respectively intersected by the second latitude.

25. The golf ball of claim 13, further comprising a first pole disposed within the first hemispherical half and a second pole disposed within the second hemispherical half;

and

wherein each of the first and second latitudes has a respective center of curvature disposed on an axis extending between the first pole and the second pole.