Golf ball

• US 5,072,945 A
• Filed: 09/12/1990
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yabuki, Yoshikazu, Oka, Kengo
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US07/581,547
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 273/232, 273/235 R, 273/235 A, 273/235 B, 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 37/0016 Specified individual dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00215 Volume ratio
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0026 Balata
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression

Abstract

A golf ball having a spherical surface with a great circle zone along a parting line, the surface being divided by a central angle θ of the sphere of 10°≦θ<60 above and below the parting line to form a central S region and a polar P region. A plurality of kinds of dimples are arranged in both the S region, SD_n, and the P region, PD_n, the dimples of each region being geometrically symmetric about the parting line. The curvatures diameters, depths and volumes of the dimples within a region differ between kinds of dimples. At least one type of dimple in the S region has a corresponding type of dimple in the P region, the correspondence being equal curvature. The value of the volumes of the corresponding pairs of dimples are set such that 1.0223 VSD_n /VPD_n ≦1.25.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising,

a spherical surface, said surface having a great circle zone, a first and a second pole, said poles being formed by the intersection with said surface of a first axis passing through the center of the ball, and a parting line, said parting line being formed by the intersection of a plane passing through the center of the ball, said being perpendicular to said first axis and equidistant between said first and second poles, and being divided into an S region and a P region by a central angle of the sphere, said angle being measured from said plane toward said first axis and being less than 60°

, said S region extending away from said parting line toward each said poles and said P region having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion extending from said first pole to said S region, said second portion extending from said second pole to said S region, said S region having a plurality of kinds of dimples SD_n, each of said plurality of kinds of S region dimples differing in curvature from every other of said plurality of kinds of S region dimples, said plurality of kinds of S region dimples being symmetrically arranged in relation to said parting line, wherein each of said plurality of kinds of S region dimples has a volume VSD_n, said P region having a plurality of kinds of P region dimples, PD_n, each of said plurality of P region dimples differing in curvature from every other of said plurality of kinds of P region dimples, said plurality of kinds of P region dimples being symmetrically arranged in relation to said parting line, wherein each of said plurality of kinds of P region dimples has a volume of VPD_n, and wherein at least one of said plurality of kinds of S region dimples has a corresponding one of said plurality of kinds of P region dimples having an equal curvature, the value of VSD_n /VPD_n for each pair of corresponding dimples being set as 1.02 ≦

VS/VP ≦

1.25.

2. The golf ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central angle which separates said S region from said P region is 10°

≦

θ

<

60°

.

3. The golf ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dimple arranged within said S region having the same curvature as that of a corresponding dimple arranged within said P region has a depth and a diameter different therefrom.

4. The golf ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said great circle zone is provided on said parting line.