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Method for determining coefficients of lift and drag of a golf ball

  • US 6,186,002 B1
  • Filed: 04/21/1998
  • Issued: 02/13/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of obtaining an aerodynamic model of a golf ball comprising the steps ofpositioning a plurality of ballistic light screens in a predetermined array of vertical and angularly disposed screens along a longitudinal path for emitting an electronic pulse in response to passage of a ball through a respective screen;

  • sequentially launching each of a plurality of golf balls from a predetermined launch point at different selected speeds (V0), different selected spin rates (ω

    0) and trajectory angle (θ

    0) through said screens;

    recording the time each ball passes through each screen;

    calculating an X coordinate for each ball at each screen relative to said launch point;

    calculating a Y coordinate for each ball at each screen relative to a common horizontal plane;

    calculating the coefficient of lift (CL) and coefficient of drag (CD) for each ball in dependence on the initial velocity (V0), the initial trajectory angle (θ

    0), spin rate (ω

    0) and calculated X and Y coordinates at said plurality of screens;

    relating the calculated coefficient of lift (CL) and coefficient of drag (CD) for each ball to the Reynolds number (Re) and spin ratio (SR) of each ball; and

    comparing the coefficient of lift (CL), coefficient of drag (CD), Reynolds number (Re) and spin ratio (SR) for each ball to the others of said balls to obtain an aerodynamic model for the flight path of a ball.

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