Apparatuses and methods relating to findable balls

• US 8,758,166 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topgolf International Inc. (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: RF Corporation
• Inventors: Savarese, Chris, Marshall, Noel H. C., Fulton, Forrest F., Shea, Mark A., Cadorniga, Lauro C., McGill, Susan, Latus, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/552,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 473/353
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0051 Materials other than polybutadienes; Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/092 Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

Golf balls for use with a system for finding golf balls and methods for making such golf balls. In the case of one exemplary golf ball, the ball includes a shell, a core material and a tag having a diode which is coupled to an antenna which has at least a portion formed from an elastic conductive material, such as an elastic conductive ink. The core material may include a void for receiving at least part of the diode. Other golf balls are described and methods for making balls are also described.

Claims

1. A method of making a golf ball, said method comprising:

forming a first member, said first member forming a part of said golf ball;

forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;

forming a depression in said outer surface;

depositing at least one antenna into said depression, wherein said at least one antenna is formed from a liquid material comprising an elastic conductive ink, which when dried forms said at least one antenna which is electrically conductive, and wherein said depression defines at least a portion of a pattern of said at least one antenna; and

forming a third member which surrounds said at least one antenna.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

curing said liquid material;

coupling an electronic component to said at least one antenna.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna is an elastic conductive material and wherein said liquid material is deposited into said depression.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein said depositing comprises at least one of (a) painting said liquid material;

(b) printing said liquid material;

(c) jetting said liquid material through a nozzle;

or (d) spraying said liquid material.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein said first member is a core material of said golf ball, said core material having a substantially spherical shape, said second member is a middle layer of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said first member, and said third member is an outer shell of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said second member and said at least one antenna.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

forming a void in said outer surface;

depositing at least a portion of an electronic component in said void; and

coupling said electronic component to said at least one antenna.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna is patterned as a radial transmission line.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna has at least one perforation which extends from a first surface of said at least one antenna to a second surface of said at least one antenna.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna comprises an inductive element.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein said liquid material comprises a solvent, a polymer, and metal particles dispersed in said polymer.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna is part of a radio frequency tag which can be used to find said golf ball and wherein said golf ball has high durability and weighs less than 46 grams.

26. A method as in claim 2 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.

27. A method as in claim 6 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.

12. A method of making a golf ball, said method comprising:

forming a first member;

forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;

forming a void in said outer surface, said outer surface forming at least a portion of a spherical surface;

depositing an electronic component into at least a portion of said void;

coupling said electronic component to an antenna formed from a liquid material comprising an elastic conductive ink; and

forming a third member which surrounds said antenna.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein said electronic component comprises two conductive connectors which face away from said second member.

14. A method as in claim 12 wherein said electronic component is coupled to said antenna through an elastic conductive member.

15. A method as in claim 12 wherein said antenna is formed when said liquid material dries.

28. A method as in claim 12 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.

16. A method for making a golf ball, said method comprising:

forming a first member;

forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;

forming a depression in said outer surface;

depositing an elastic antenna into said depression, wherein said elastic antenna comprises an elastic conductive ink;

coupling an electronic component to said elastic antenna; and

forming a third member which surrounds said elastic antenna.

17. A method as in claim 16 wherein said elastic antenna is elastic in substantially all directions.

18. A method as in claim 16 wherein said electronic component is coupled to said elastic antenna by elastic conductive elements.

19. A method as in claim 16 wherein said elastic antenna is formed by depositing said elastic conductive ink in a liquid form by at least one of (a) painting said liquid form;

(b) plating said liquid form;

or (c) jetting said liquid form through a nozzle.

20. A method as in claim 16 wherein said first member is a core material of said golf ball, said core material having a substantially spherical shape, said second member is a middle layer of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said first member, and said third member is an outer shell of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said second member and said elastic antenna.

21. A method as in claim 20 wherein said electronic component and said elastic antenna form a tag which can be used to find said golf ball and wherein said golf ball has high durability and weighs less than 46 grams.

22. A method as in claim 16 further comprising:

forming a void in said outer surface;

depositing at least a portion of said electronic component into said void.

23. A method as in claim 16 where said elastic antenna is patterned as a radial transmission line.

24. A method as in claim 16 wherein said elastic antenna comprises an inductive element.

25. A method as in claim 19 wherein said liquid form comprises a solvent, a polymer, and metal particles dispersed in said polymer.

29. A method as in claim 16 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.

30. A method of making a golf ball, comprising:

forming a first member;

forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;

forming a void in the outer surface of the second member;

depositing at least a portion of a semiconductor in the void;

coupling said semiconductor to an antenna formed at least in part from a dried liquid material comprising an elastic conductive ink;

connecting a portion of the semiconductor to the antenna using an elastic conductive ink; and

forming a third member which surrounds the antenna, the semiconductor, and the second member.

31. A method as in claim 30 wherein the first member is a spherically shaped core material of the golf ball, the second member is a middle layer of material that has a circular cross-sectional shape and encases the first member, and said third member is an outer shell of material that has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said second member, the antenna, and the semiconductor, wherein the portion of the semiconductor is a conductive pad.

32. A method as in claim 30 wherein the semiconductor comprises at least one of a diode, an RFID circuitry, or an integrated circuit.