Golf ball with improved flight performance

• US 6,916,255 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Jones, Douglas E., Aoyama, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US10/337,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 473378-385
• US Class Current: 473/383
• 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 37/0012 Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0016 Specified individual dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00215 Volume ratio
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0052 Liquid cores
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0056 Hollow; Gas-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0084 Initial velocity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0089 : Coefficient of drag
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 : Coefficient of lift
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0091 : Density distribution amongst the different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0092 : Hardness distribution amongst different ball layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 : Spin rate

Abstract

A golf ball is provided that has improved aerodynamic efficiency, resulting in increased flight distance for golfers of all swing speeds, and more particularly for golfers possessing very high swing speeds, such as those who can launch the balls at an initial speed greater than 160 miles per hour and more particularly at initial ball speed of about 170 miles per hour or higher. The golf ball of the present invention combines lower dimple count with multiple dimple sizes to provide higher dimple coverage and improved aerodynamic characteristics.

Claims

1. A golf ball having an outer surface, wherein the outer surface comprises less than about 300 dimples covering at least about 75% of the outer surface of the golf ball, wherein the ball has a lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 of about 0.170 or less and wherein the ball has ratio of aerodynamic force coefficients at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to aerodynamic force coefficient at Reynolds Number 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.780 or less.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ball comprises less than about 275 dimples.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the ball comprises about 250 dimples.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the dimples comprise at least two sizes.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the dimples comprise at least four sizes.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, wherein the dimples comprise at least six sizes.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the dimples cover at least about 80% of the surface of the ball.

8. The golf ball of claim 7, wherein the dimples cover at least about 83% of the surface of the ball.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ball has a drag coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.270 or less.

10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the dimples comprise a total dimple volume of at least 1.5%.

11. A golf ball having an outer surface, wherein the outer surface comprises less than about 300 dimples covering at least about 75% of the outer surface of the golf ball such that the golf ball has a ratio of lift coefficient at Reynolds Number 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.730 or less.

12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the ball has a lift coefficient at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 of about 0.170 or less.

13. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the ball has a drag coefficient at Reynolds Number of 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.270 or less.

14. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the dimples comprise a total dimple volume of at least 1.5%.

15. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the ball has ratio of aerodynamic force coefficients at Reynolds Number of 180,000 and spin ratio of 0.110 to aerodynamic force coefficient at Reynolds Number 70,000 and spin ratio of 0.188 of about 0.780 or less.