GOLF BALL

• US 3,819,190 A
• Filed: 10/02/1972
• Issued: 06/25/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polar Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Daniel A. Nepela, Fred E. Holmstrom
• Inventors: Nepela, Daniel A., Holmstrom, Fred E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US05/294,363
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 273/232,213,199,235,233,234 40/327
• US Class Current: 473/383
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• 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 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 Coefficient of lift
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 Spin rate

Abstract

A golf ball having controllable flight characteristics and comprised of a standard sized spherical body with surface depressions located in a band extending therearound and the surface portions outside this band having fewer, or no, depressions to decrease the drag on the ball while leaving the lift characteristics substantially the same thereby to cause the ball, for a given striking force, to exhibit directional control.

Claims

1. A golf ball including a cover having a plurality of depressions at spaced locations on the surface thereof adapted to exert a lifting force on the ball as it spins during flight, and said depressions being located to cause greater surface air turbulence adjacent a single circumferential band extending around the ball thereby to affect the air flow therearound and render control over the direction of flight of the ball as the ball spins about an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the band during flight.

2. A golf ball as defined in claim 1 wherein said surface depressions are dimples in the ball surface.

3. A golf ball as defined in claim 1 wherein said surface depressions are positioned in a circumferential band extending around the ball surface and centered about the circumferential line.

4. A golf ball as defined in claim 3 wherein depressions are located on the ball surface at places other than within the band but spaced farther apart than those within said band.

5. A golf ball as defined in claim 3 wherein the depressions are located both within and outside the band but those within the band are shaped to cause a greater air turbulence than those outside the band.