Process for producing a golf ball with deep dimples

• US 7,534,384 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Tzivanis, Michael J., Kennedy, Thomas J. III, Melanson, David M., Simonds, Vincent J., Shannon, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta; Yogendra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luk; Emmanuel S
• Application Number:
  US11/059,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 264/279, 264/279.1, 425/116
• US Class Current: 264/279.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00215 Volume ratio
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0097 Layers interlocking by means of protrusions or inserts, lattices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/04 Rigid cores
• 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 33/0055 with incorporated overflow cavities in particular in injection moulds B29C45/2669
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/0072 with a configuration promoting turbulency, e.g. for after-mixing in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/10 with incorporated venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/24 Feeding the material into the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14065 Positioning or centering articles in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/372 provided with means for marking or patterning, e.g. numbering articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/246 Moulding high reactive monomers or prepolymers, e.g. by reaction injection moulding [RIM], liquid injection moulding [LIM] casting monomers B29C39/006, mixing construction B29B7/74
• 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

An apparatus and related techniques for making a golf ball with deep dimples are disclosed. The golf ball comprises a core and a cover layer, wherein the cover layer provides deep dimples that extend through the cover layer and/or into a layer or component underneath are disclosed. At least one percent (1%), preferably about five percent (5%), of the dimples of the ball comprise deep dimples. The cover may be a single layer or include multiple layers. If the cover is a multi-layer cover, the dimples extend to or into at least the first inner cover layer, and may extend to or into two or more inner cover layers. If the cover is a single layer, the dimples extend to or into the core. The dimples may be spherical or non-spherical, and the portion of the dimple that extends to or into the next inner layer may be the same or different shape as the outer portion of the dimple.

Claims

1. A process for forming a layer of a golf ball, the process comprising:

positioning a core or intermediate ball assembly in a cavity of a mold assembly;

introducing a flowable material into the cavity through a fan gate, the fan gate positioned on less than a hemisphere of the cavity; and

forming a cover layer from the flowable material over the core or intermediate ball assembly within the cavity, the cover layer having a plurality of deep dimples extending the length of the cover layer.

2. The process according to claim 1 further comprising mixing the flowable material within the mold assembly through a turbulence promoting portion, the turbulence promoting portion in flow communication with the fan gate through connection channel portion.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein the flowable material is the reactant product of an isocyanate reactant and a polyol reactant.