Golf ball with spaced parting line

• US 6,520,873 B2
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Ihara, Keisuke, Kasasima, Atuki, Shimosaka, Hirotaka, Inoue, Michio
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US09/148,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 473/378, 473/384
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/005 characterised by the location of the parting line of the mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/42 characterised by the shape of the moulding surface, e.g. ribs or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/26 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 Football balls

Abstract

Using a mold having typically two split mold segments which are mated in a separable manner to define a spherical mold cavity therein, a golf ball having a multiplicity of dimples in its surface is molded by feeding a molding material into the mold cavity. The mold is split along a line off a horizontal great circle of the golf ball into two split mold segments having different areas of contact with the ball. The golf ball as molded is always caught and left in the larger mold segment and thus can be easily removed from the mold by a routine operation.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a multiplicity of dimples and a parting line in its surface formed by feeding a molding material into a cavity of a mold having a plurality of split mold segments which are mated in a separable manner to define a spherical mold cavity therein, the mold segments being split along a parting line spaced from a great circle of the golf ball which is an imaginary parallel line positioned on one of said mold segments such that said parting line is not formed on any great circle of said golf ball and does not intersect said great circle which is the imaginary parallel line, wherein all dimples located on an equatorial portion of the golf ball surface are disposed only on one side of the parting line,

wherein the distance of the parting line from the equator of the ball is in the range of 1 to 2 mm.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein said parting line is formed by two split mold segments.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein said parting line defined by said two mold segments is positioned at a horizontal plane spaced from the horizontal great circle of said golf ball.

4. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein said parting line is at a horizontal plane spaced vertically upward from the horizontal great circle of said golf ball.

5. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the parting line defined by said two mold segments is positioned on a horizontal plane spaced vertically upward from the horizontal great circle of the golf ball.

6. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein said parting line at said horizontal plane does not intersect any dimples.

7. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein said parting line is a linear line circumferentially around said golf ball.

8. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein said parting line is in the form of a partially corrugated line.