Golf ball

• US 4,653,758 A
• Filed: 08/22/1985
• Issued: 03/31/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Solheim
• Inventors: Solheim, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US06/768,368
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 273/232, 273/233, 273/234, 273/235 R, 273/235 A, 273/235 B
• US Class Current: 473/377
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• 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 37/0073 Solid, i.e. formed of a single piece
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29

Abstract

A golf ball is formed by a special method and molds so that its cover, which is formed from a pair of hemispherical cover blanks that are moldingly fused into a unitary golf ball cover, has the fused junction of the cover blanks and the molding flash produced by the molding operation extending around the golf ball in a wave form configuration. The golf ball dimple pattern includes a circular array of dimples located in the area of the molding flash which is alternately disposed on opposite sides of the circular dimple array and this allows various uninterrupted dimple patterns to be provided on the golf ball for improved dimple symmetry and flight stability. Preferred dimple patterns are provided on the golf ball so as to subdivide the surface of the cover into an uninterrupted geodesic spherical configuration defining a plurality of equilateral spherical polygons each of which contains an identical number and array of dimples.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

(a) a spherical golf ball center;

(b) an outer cover encapsulating said golf ball center, said cover being formed from a pair of cover blanks which are fused together to provide said cover with a fused junction which extends around said golf ball center in a path which alternately varies from one side to the other of a great circle of said cover to provide an alternating array of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses; and

(c) a plurality of dimples formed in said cover with some of said plurality of dimples being located in the alternating array of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses so as to be substantially coextensive relationship with said great circle of said cover.

2. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternatingly varying path of said fused junction is symmetrical with respect to great circle.

3. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternatingly varying path of said fused junction is of curvilinear configuration so as to avoid intersection with any of said plurality of dimples.

4. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alternatingly varying path of said fused junction is in the form of a series of linear lines arranged to avoid intersection with any of said plurality of dimples.

5. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said alternating array of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses is defined by a curved line portion of said fused junction.

6. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said alternating array of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses is defined by a portion of said fused junction having a linear bight portion which is spaced from and parallel with respect to said great circle and a pair of linear lines which extend from opposite ends of said bight portion across said great circle.

7. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of dimples are arranged in a pattern which subdivides said cover into a geodesic spherical array having a plurality of equilateral spherical polygons each of which contains an identical number and array of the dimples of said plurality of dimples.

8. A golf ball comprising:

(a) a spherical center;

(b) an outer cover of spherical configuration encapsulatingly molded on said center, said cover being formed of a pair of cover blanks which are fused together to provide a fused junction from which molding flash extends, said molding flash being disposed around said cover in a path which alternately varies from one side to the other of a great circle of said cover so as to define an alternating series of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses; and

(c) a plurality of dimples formed in said cover some of which are located in the alternating series of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses so as to be substantially coextensive with said great circle of said cover.

9. A golf ball as claimed in claim 8 wherein said extending molding flash alternatingly varies in a path which is symmetrical with respect to the great circle of said cover.

10. A golf ball as claimed in claim 8 wherein said extending molding flash alternatingly varies in a path of curvilinear configuration so as to avoid intersection with any of said plurality of dimples.

11. A golf ball as claimed in claim 8 wherein said extending molding flash alternatingly varies in a path formed of an endless series of linear lines arranged to avoid intersection with any of said plurality of dimples.

12. A golf ball as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of said alternating array of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses is defined by a segment of said extending molding flash which is of curved configuration.

13. A golf ball as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of said alternating array of oppositely extending protrusions and recesses is defined by a segment of said molding flash which includes a linear bight portion that is spaced from and parallel with respect to said great circle of said cover and also includes a pair of linear line portions which extend from opposite ends of said bight portion across said great circle of said cover.

14. A golf ball as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plurality of dimples are arranged in a pattern which subdivides said cover into a plurality of geodesic spherical polygons each containing an identical number and array of the dimples of said plurality of dimples.