Golf ball

• US 4,869,512 A
• Filed: 11/19/1987
• Issued: 09/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Nomura, June, Ihara, Keisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/123,103
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 273/232, 273/233, 273/235 R, 273/183 C, 273/213, 40/327
• US Class Current: 473/383
• 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 37/0007 Non-circular dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0008 Elliptical
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0009 Polygonal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0012 Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0021 Occupation ratio, i.e. percentage surface occupied by dimples

Abstract

A golf ball having dimples formed in its spherical surface having improved flying performance when at least 7% of the total dimples are non-circular in shape, and the total of the surface area occupied by all the dimples is at least 65% of the spherical surface area of the golf ball.

Claims

1. In a golf ball having a plurality of depressions formed in its spherical surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

said depressions including both circular and non-circular shaped depressions with respect to the plane of the spherical surface of the golf ball wherein said depressions occupy at least sixty-five percent (65) of the surface area of the spherical surface of said golf ball.

2. The improved golf ball is recited in claim 1 wherein:

at least seven percent (7%) of the total number of said plurality of depressions are non-circular in shape.

3. The improved golf ball is recited in claim 2 wherein said non-circular shaped depressions are petal shaped.

4. The improved golf ball as recited in claim 2 wherein said non-circular shaped depressions are oblong shaped.

5. The improved golf ball as recited in claim 2 wherein said no-circular shaped depressions are oval shaped.

6. The improved golf ball as recited in claim 2 wherein said non-circular shaped depressions are shaped from the outline of partially overlapping circular and other non-circular shapes.