Golf ball

• US 5,009,427 A
• Filed: 06/06/1990
• Issued: 04/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Spalding & Evenflo Companies Incorporated
• Inventors: Nesbitt, R. Dennis, Melvin, Terence, Stiefel, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/534,087
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 273/232, 273/235 R, 40/327, D21/204, D21/205
• US Class Current: 473/379
• 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 37/0012 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

Abstract

A dimpled configuration for a golf ball wherein the dimples are arranged in a modified icosahedral lattice comprising a first set of five adjacent triangles on either side of the equator of the ball, with the vertices of each of the triangles being located at each pole of the ball and the sides opposite the polar vertices being spaced a distance from the equator of the ball. A second set of five triangles smaller than the first set of triangles equally spaced between the first set of triangles and the equator of the ball, each of the second set of triangles having a vertex common with adjacent ones of the first set of triangles, with the leg opposite the common vertex being parallel to but spaced from the equator. A first plurality of dimples having a diameter D1 lying along the lattice forming the first and second set of triangles, and a second plurality of dimples having a diameter D2 within the lattice of the first and second set of triangles and between the lattice of the second set of triangles, D1 being greater than D2, with a dimple-free line about the equator of the ball.

Claims

1. A golf ball having two poles and an equator and having a preselected number of dimples covering the surface of the ball and arranged in a geometrical lattice configuration based upon a modified icosahedral lattice, said lattice and dimples comprising

a first set of five adjacent triangles on either side of the equator of the ball, with one of the vertices of each of said triangles being located at each pole of said ball and the sides opposite said polar vertices being spaced a predetermined distance from the equator of said ball;

a second set of five triangles smaller than said first set of triangles equally spaced about said ball between said first set of triangles and said equator of said ball, each of said second set of triangles having a vertex common with the lower vertices of two adjacent ones of said first plurality of triangles, with the leg opposite said common vertex being parallel to but spaced from said equator;

a first plurality of dimples having a diameter D1 lying along the lattice forming said first and second set of triangles;

a second plurality of dimples having a diameter D2 lying within the lattice of said first set of triangles and between the lattice of said second set of triangles;

diameter D1 being greater than the diameter D2; and

a dimple-free line about said equator.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein there are 162 dimples having a diameter D1 and 240 dimples having a diameter D2.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein the diameter D1 is between 0.148 inch and 0.156 inch, and the diameter D2 is between 0.126 inch and 0.136 inch.

4. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein the diameter D1 is substantially 0.152 inch and the diameter D2 is substantially 0.131 inch.

5. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein the depth d of the dimples having a diameter D1 is between 0.010 inch and 0.013 inch and the depth of the dimples having a diameter D2 is between 0.008 inch and 0.011 inch.

6. The golf ball of claim 2 wherein the depth d of the dimples having a diameter D1 is substantially 0.0118 inch and the depth d of the diameter of the dimples having a diameter D2 is substantially 0.0098 inch.