Dimpled golf ball

• US 6,241,627 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Ihara, Keisuke, Shimosaka, Hirotaka, Kasashima, Atsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Paul D.
• Application Number:
  US09/365,247
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 473/378-384
• 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 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0074 Two piece balls, i.e. cover and core

Abstract

A golf ball has plural types of dimples on a spherical surface, which is assumed to be a regular icosahedron having twenty triangles. Apexes of five triangles join together at a vertex. Those dimples arranged in each triangle constitute an arrangement unit. A first dimple having a smallest diameter is located at the vertex, and second dimples having a greater diameter are equidistantly arranged around the first dimple. When a pentagon which circumscribes the second dimples is drawn, an average depth of those dimples located within the pentagon is up to 85% of the average depth of those dimples located in the remaining areas.

Claims

1. A golf ball having plural types of dimples on a spherical surface, wherein the spherical surface is substantially a regular icosahedron or pseudo-icosahedron having twenty triangles, apexes of five triangles joined together at a vertex formed by each apex of said triangles,

those dimples arranged in each triangle constitute an arrangement unit,

a first dimple having a smallest diameter is located substantially at each vertex on the overall spherical surface,

five second dimples having a greater diameter than that of the first dimple are closely and equidistantly arranged around the first dimple, and

when a pentagon which circumscribes the five second dimples is drawn with its center at the vertex, an average depth of those dimples located within twelve pentagons on the overall spherical surface is up to 85% of the average depth of those dimples located in the remaining areas outside the pentagon.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 wherein a plurality of dimples having a greater diameter than the first and second dimples are arranged in the remaining areas.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the dimples have an increasing depth in the order of first dimple less than second dimples and second dimples less than other dimples.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first dimple has a diameter of 2.0 to 3.3 mm and a depth of 0.05 to 0.15 mm, and the second dimples have a diameter of 2.8 to 3.8 mm and a depth of 0.10 to 0.18 mm.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first dimple at the vertex is divided into substantially ⅕

sections among the five triangular areas.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein on second dimple is located in each triangular area so as to surround the first dimple.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein each second dimple is located so as to partially overlie one side of the triangle.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein five second dimples are located adjacent to the first dimple in substantial tangential contact with the two sides of each triangle extending from the vertex.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the average depth of the dimples located within the pentagonal areas is 70 to 85% of the average depth of the dimples located in the remaining areas outside the pentagons.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the total number of dimples formed throughout the golf ball is 252 to 492.

11. A golf ball having plural types of dimples on a spherical surface, wherein the spherical surface is substantially a regular icosahedron or pseudo-icosahedron having twenty triangles, apexes of five triangles joined together at a vertex formed by each apex of the triangles.

those dimples arranged in each triangle constitute an arrangement unit,

five first dimples having a smallest diameter are equidistantly arranged substantially around each vertex on the overall spherical surface, and

when a pentagon which circumscribes the five first dimples is drawn with its center at the vertex, an average depth of those dimples located within twelve pentagons on the overall spherical surface is up to 95% of the average depth of those dimples located in the remaining areas outside the pentagon.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the first dimple has a diameter of 2.0 to 4.0 mm and a depth of 0.05 to 0.20 mm.

13. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein one first dimple is located in each triangular area so as to surround the first dimple.

14. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein five second dimples are located adjacent to the first dimple and in substantial tangential contact with the two sides of each triangle extending from the vertex.

15. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the average depth of the first dimples located within the pentagonal areas is 80 to 95% of the average depth of the dimples located in the remaining areas.

16. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the total number of dimples formed throughout the golf ball is 360 to 480.