Golf ball mold

• US 6,685,456 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Sajima, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, ROBERT B
• Application Number:
  US09/991,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 425/116, 425/120, 425/125
• US Class Current: 425/116
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0006 Arrangement or layout of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/02 of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles B29C35/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14819 the inserts being completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0042 Producing plain balls hollow balls B29D22/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/54 Balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 Football balls

Abstract

A golf ball mold comprises an upper portion (1) and a lower portion (3). A large number of projections (7) for dimple formation are provided on a cavity surface (5) of each of the upperportion (1) and the lower portion (3). The joining surface of the upper portion (1) and the lower portion (3) has a concavo-convex shape. In each of the upper portion (1) and the lower portion (3), each of the numbers of convex and concave sections is three to five. Each of the convex sections has two to eight projections (7) on a first line from the joining surface. At least one of the projections (7) on the first line from the joining surface in each of the convex sections is constituted such that an equation (I) is established:

R×0.8≦L≦R×1.2  (I).

In the equation (I), R represents a radius of the projection (7) and L represents a linear distance in a vertical direction between a center of the projection (7) and the joining surface.

Claims

1. A golf ball mold comprising upper and lower portions having a large number of projections for dimple formation on cavities thereof,

wherein each of the upper and lower portions includes a convex section and a concave section which are alternately provided such that a joining surface to the other has a concavo-convex shape,

each of the numbers of the convex sections of the upper portion, the concave sections of the upper portion, the convex sections of the lower portion and the concave sections of the lower portion is three to five,

each of the convex sections has two to eight projections on a first line from the joining surface, and

at least one of the projections on the first line from the joining surface in each of the convex sections is constituted such that an equation (I) is established:

2. The golf ball mold according to claim 1, wherein the projection is provided such that a surface of a golf ball to be molded has no great circle path.

3. The golf ball mold according to claim 1, wherein a gate for injecting a molding material is provided in a position where the joining surface crosses an equatorial plane.

4. The golf ball mold according to claim 1, wherein a joining surface to the other in each of the upper and lower portions has a convex surface present in the convex section in almost parallel with an equatorial plane, a concave surface present in the concave section in almost parallel with the equatorial plane, and a boundary surface positioned between the convex surface and the concave surface, and all the convex surfaces have areas equal to each other, all the concave surfaces have areas equal to each other, and the convex surface and the concave surface have areas equal to each other.

5. The golf ball mold according to claim 1, wherein a difference in a height between the highest convex section and the lowest concave section is 2.0 mm or less in each of the upper and lower portions.