Golf ball

• US 4,932,664 A
• Filed: 05/30/1989
• Issued: 06/12/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: RAM Golf Corporation
• Inventors: Pocklington, Terence W., Crausby, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/358,250
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 273/62, 273/232, 273/220, 273/235 R, 273/213, 40/327
• US Class Current: 473/384
• 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 37/002 Specified dimple diameter

Abstract

A golf ball construction wherein the dimples are evenly distributed over the surface to minimize the appearance and effect of an unbroken seam line. The dimples are arranged in three different patterns comprising a pentagon formation at each of the poles, five equally-spaced trapezoid formations in each hemisphere located between the pentagon pattern and the equator, and five equally-spaced triangular formations interposed between the trapezoid formations. The diameter of the dimples is also controlled to maintain the uniformity of the spacing.

Claims

1. In a golf ball construction wherein a plurality of dimples are formed on a spherical surface, said surface defining opposite poles and an equator midway between said poles dividing said surface into two hemispheres, the improvement in the pattern of the dimples formed on said surface, said pattern including:

(a) a pole dimple located at each pole;

(b) a pentagon formation of dimples in each hemisphere comprising five equally-spaced lines of dimples radiating outwardly from said pole dimple to thereby define five triangular areas in said pentagon formation, and additional dimples located between said lines;

(c) five equally-spaced trapezoid formations of dimples in each hemisphere interposed between the equator; and

,

(d) five equally-spaced triangular formations in each hemisphere of dimples interposed between said trapezoid formations;

said dimples being substantially uniformly spaced over said surface.

2. A golf ball according to claim 1 wherein each of said pentagon formations includes 51 dimples, each of said trapezoid formations includes 21 dimples, and each of said triangular formations includes 10 dimples, said surface thereby having 412 dimples formed thereon.

3. A golf ball according to claim 1 wherein said dimples range in diameter from about 0.130 inches to about 0.175 inches.

4. A golf ball according to claim 3 wherein 206 dimples are located in each hemisphere.

5. A golf ball according to either of claims 2 or 4 wherein 196 of the dimples in each hemisphere are about 0.145 inches in diameter, and 10 of the dimples in each hemisphere are about 0.155 inches in diameter.

6. A golf ball according to claim 5 wherein the ten dimples of about 0.155 inches in diameter are positioned within each of said trapezoid formations.

7. A golf ball according to claim 1 wherein alternating bases of trapezoid and triangular formations form a line of dimples on one side of said equator, and alternating bases of trapezoid and triangular formations form a line of dimples on the other side of the equator, and wherein the base of a trapezoid formation on one side of the equator is disposed opposite the base of a triangular formation on the other side of the equator.

8. A golf ball according to claim 7 wherein a triangular base is formed of a different number of dimples than a trapezoid base whereby dimples on opposite sides of the equator are not disposed in direct facing relationship.