Aerodynamic surface geometry for a golf ball

• US 6,461,253 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Ogg, Steven S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US09/872,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 473/378-384
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0005 Protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0089 Coefficient of drag
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 Coefficient of lift

Abstract

A golf ball approaching zero land area is disclosed herein. The golf ball has an innersphere with a plurality of lattice members. Each of the plurality of lattice members has an apex and the golf ball of the present invention conforms with the 1.68 inches requirement for USGA approved golf balls. The interconnected lattice members form a plurality of hexagons and pentagons in the preferred embodiment. The preferred embodiment has a parting line that alternates upward and downward along adjacent rows of hexagons.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

an innersphere having a surface;

a plurality of smooth portions on the surface of the innersphere; and

a plurality of lattice members encompassing the plurality of smooth portions, each of the lattice members having a cross-sectional curvature comprising a first concave portion, a second concave portion and a convex portion disposed between the first concave portion and the second concave portion, the convex portion having an apex tangent to the curvature of the convex portion, each of the plurality of lattice members connected to at least one other lattice member to form a predetermined pattern of polygons about the plurality of smooth portions, each of the lattice members having an apex at a distance of from 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch from the bottom of the lattice member thereby defining an outersphere.

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of lattice members cover between 20% to 80% of the golf ball.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of lattice members has an apex with a width less than 0.00001 inch.

4. The golf ball according to claim 3 wherein the diameter of the innersphere is at least 1.67 inches and the distance of the apex of each of the plurality of lattice members is at least 0.005 inch from the bottom of the lattice member.

5. The golf ball according to claim 1 wherein the each of the plurality of polygons is either a hexagon or a pentagon.