Golf ball

• US 4,974,856 A
• Filed: 11/28/1989
• Issued: 12/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Morell, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/442,228
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 273/232, 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 37/002 Specified dimple diameter

Abstract

The present invention relates to a golf ball.

The peripheral surface (2) of the ball has dimples defining by their intersections with this peripheral surface (2) intersection circles (55,57,59,60,64,68,70) which, in their majority (55,57,59,60,64,68), are distributed essentially inside 24 identical elemental surfaces (40) in spherical isosceles right-angle triangle form, and 8 second identical elemental surfaces (45) in spherical equilateral triangle form, which elemental surfaces (40,45) are defined by 4 equatorial circles (36,37,39) of the sphere defining the general shape of the peripheral surface (2) of the ball (3), eahc of the equilateral triangle (36,37,39) being centered on an axis passing through two diametrically opposed apices of a cube inscribed in this sphere, and by 3 equatorial circles (29,30,31) of this sphere, which are centered on axes passing through the respective centers of two diametrically opposed surfaces of the cube; the determined one (29) of these equatorial circles nevertheless cuts none of the intersection circles and subdivides the other equatorial circles (30,31,36,37,39) into two circular arcs which mutually cut at points (49,50) of the peripheral surface (2 ); at least one of these intersection circles is disposed about a respective one of these points (49,50).

The orientation of the ball with respect to the strike can thus be rendered substantially independent, while a strike on the said determined equatorial circle is avoided.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising a peripheral surface having the general shape of a sphere and a plurality of dimples arranged in said peripheral surface and defining by their intersection with this circles of intersection distributed on said peripheral surface in accordance with a repetitive motif determined by subdivision of said peripheral surface along:

3 equatorial circles of which each is centred on an axis passing through respective centres of two diametrically opposed faces of a cube inscribed in said sphere,

4 equatorial circles of which each is centred on an axis passing through two diametrically opposed apices of said cube,

in a manner to define 24 identical first elemental surfaces in the form of a spherical isosceles right-angle triangle and 8 second identical elemental surfaces in the form of a spherical equilateral triangle, said intersection circles being distributed essentially inside said first and second elemental surfaces, at least one determined one of said equatorial circles, cutting none of said intersection circles and subdividing each of the others of said equatorial circles into two equatorial circular arcs, of which each corresponds to one of two hemispheres defined by said determined equatorial circle, said equatorial circular arcs cutting each other in pairs or threes at determined points of intersection on each said hemisphere;

wherein

at least one intersection circle is arranged about a respective one of said points of intersection of 3 of said equatorial circular arcs.

2. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein a said intersection circle is arranged respectively about each of said points of intersection of 3 of said equatorial circular arcs.

3. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein said equatorial circular arcs of one of said hemispheres are angularly displaced, with respect to the respectively corresponding ones of said circular arcs of the other of said hemispheres by the same amount about an axis of said determined circular arc.

4. A golf ball according to claim 3, wherein said determined equatorial circle is centred on an axis passing through respective centres of two diametrically opposed faces of said cube and said amount is 45°

.

5. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein said intersection circles are distributed according to an identical motif in said identical elemental surfaces.

6. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein, in a first said elemental surface, said motif comprises several mutually neighbouring rows of which a first is adjacent to a hypothenuse of said spherical right-angle triangle and of which each mutually connects two edges of a right angle of said spherical right-angle triangle and has a respective determined number of regularly distributed ones of said intersection circles of the same diameter, said determined number being for each row less by one unit than said determined number of said intersection circles in a respectively neighbouring one of said rows nearer said hypothenuse and each said intersection circle of each said row being adjacent at two of said intersection circles of said respectively neighbouring row nearer said hypothenuse.

7. A golf ball according to claim 6, wherein said first row comprises 4 mutually adjacent ones of said intersection circles, adjacent said hypothenuse of said spherical right-angle triangle and of which two end ones of said intersection circles are further respectively adjacent to one and the other of said sides of said right angle of said spherical right-angle triangle, said rows further comprising:

a second row of 3 mutually disjoint ones of said intersection circles, of which each is adjacent to two of said intersection circles of said first row and of which two end ones of said intersection circles are further respectively adjacent to the one and the other of said sides of said right angle of said spherical right-angle triangle,

a third row of 2 mutually disjoint ones of said intersection circles of which each is adjacent to two of said intersection circles of said second row and respectively to the one and the other of said sides of said right angle of said spherical right-angle triangle,

one single one of said intersection circles adjacent to said 2 intersection circles of said third row and to said two sides of said right angle of said spherical right-angle triangle,

respective diameters of said intersection circles of said first and second rows and of said single intersection circle being substantially identical and less than said diameter of said intersection circles of said first row.

8. A golf ball according to claim 7 in combination, wherein the diameter of said intersection circles of a second one of said elemental surfaces is intermediate between the respective diameters of said intersection circles of said first row of a first one of said elemental surfaces and of said intersection circles of said second and third rows of a first one of said elemental surfaces.

9. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein, a median circular arc of a second elemental surface is defined as a circular arc centred on said centre of said sphere and joining an apex of said spherical equilaterial triangle to a midpoint of an opposite side of this, said motif comprising, in a second one of said elemental surfaces:

first ones of said intersection circles distributed in an identical manner on said median circular arcs,

second ones of said intersection circles distributed in rows of which each mutually connects two of said first intersection circles occupying identical positions on corresponding ones of said median circular arcs.

10. A golf ball according to claim 9, wherein two first ones of said intersection circles occupying identical positions on said corresponding median circular arcs, in a second one of said elemental surfaces, have the same diameter.

11. A golf ball according to claim 9, wherein two of said rows occupying identical positions in a second one of said elemental surfaces are identical.

12. A golf ball according to claim 9, wherein said intersection circles of the same said row, in a second one of said elemental surface have the same diameter.

13. A golf ball according to claim 9, wherein said intersection circles have the same diameter in a second one of said elemental surfaces.

14. A golf ball according to claim 9, including an intersection circle situated about a point of intersection of 3 of said equatorial circular arcs is adjacent to two of said intersection circles of which each is situated in a respective one of said second elemental surfaces and constitutes one of said intersection circles.

15. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein a second of said elemental surfaces comprises 15 identical ones of said intersection circles, distributed in:

3 rows of which each passes along one respective side of said spherical equilateral triangle and has 5 of said intersection circles adjacent in pairs and adjacent to said side, two end ones of said intersection circles of each of said rows being common at two other respective ones of said rows and being adjacent to two other respective ones of said sides of said spherical equilateral triangle,

3 of said intersection circles adjacent in pairs and of which each is also adjacent to two respective ones of said intersection circles of two of said 3 rows.

16. A golf ball according to claim 15, including an intersection circle situated about a point of intersection of 3 of said equatorial circular arcs, which is adjacent to two of said intersection circles of which each is situated in a respective one of said second elemental surfaces and constitutes, in this second said elemental surface, one of said end intersection circles.

17. A golf ball according to claim 14 in combination, wherein the diameter of said intersection circles of a second one of said elemental surfaces is intermediate between the respective diameters of said intersection circles of said first row of a first one of a said elemental surfaces and of said intersection circles of said second and third rows of a first one of said elemental surfaces.