Golf ball

• US 9,421,424 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nike International Ltd. (Nike, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Ichinose, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMMS JR, JOHN ELLIOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/906,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20140357405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00065 located around the pole or the equator
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0011 Grooves or lines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0023 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• 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 2045/0034 Mould parting lines
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/005 characterised by the location of the parting line of the mould parts

Abstract

A golf ball includes a core and a cover surrounding the core. The cover includes a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that define a seam line therebetween and along an outer surface of the cover. The seam line is non-planar and includes a repeating trapezoidal wave having a first portion disposed at a first latitude, a second portion disposed at a second latitude, and a linear ramping transition between the first portion and the second portion. The seam line further includes a first curvilinear wave superposed within the first portion of the trapezoidal wave, and a second curvilinear wave superposed within the second portion of the trapezoidal wave.

Claims

1. A golf ball having an outer spherical surface, the golf ball comprising:

a non-planar seam line disposed on the outer spherical surface and including;

a repeating trapezoidal wave having a first linear portion disposed on a first latitude of the outer spherical surface, a second linear portion disposed on a second latitude of the outer spherical surface, and a linear ramping transition between the first linear portion and the second linear portion;

a first curvilinear wave superposed within the first linear portion of the trapezoidal wave; and

a second curvilinear wave superposed within the second linear portion of the trapezoidal wave,

wherein each of the first curvilinear wave and the second curvilinear wave is disposed entirely between the first latitude and the second latitude, and

wherein the first curvilinear wave is centered within the first linear portion of the trapezoidal wave, and the second curvilinear wave is centered within the second linear portion of the trapezoidal wave.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first curvilinear wave has a first length along the first latitude, the second curvilinear wave has a second length along the second latitude, the first linear portion of the trapezoidal wave has a third length along the first latitude, and the second linear portion of the trapezoidal wave has a fourth length along the second latitude, and wherein the first length is less than 75% of the third length, and the second length is less than 75% of the fourth length.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the first length is less than 40% of the third length, and the second length is less than 40% of the fourth length.

4. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the first curvilinear wave extends from the first latitude towards the second latitude, and the second curvilinear wave extends from the second latitude towards the first latitude.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first curvilinear wave includes three critical points.

6. The golf ball of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer spherical surface, wherein a respective one of the plurality of dimples is disposed directly adjacent to each of the three respective critical points such that the first curvilinear wave partially circumscribes each of the directly adjacent dimples.

7. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the trapezoidal wave is piecewise continuous between the first portion, the linear ramping portion, and the second portion.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the seam line includes an integral number of repeating trapezoidal waves.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer spherical surface, wherein the seam line does not intersect any of the plurality of dimples.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the plurality of dimples includes a first subset of dimples each being respectively intersected by the first latitude, wherein the plurality of dimples includes a second subset of dimples each being respectively intersected by the second latitude.

11. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a first pole and a second pole, with the seam line being disposed between the first pole and the second pole;

and wherein each of the first and second latitudes has a respective center of curvature disposed on an axis extending between the first pole and the second pole.

12. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover including a first hemispherical half and a second hemispherical half that cooperate to surround the core, the first hemispherical half and the second hemispherical half defining a seam line therebetween and along an outer surface of the cover,

wherein the seam line is non-planar and includes;

a repeating trapezoidal wave having a first linear portion disposed on a first latitude, a second linear portion disposed on a second latitude, and a linear ramping transition portion extending between and connecting the first linear portion and the second linear portion;

a first curvilinear wave superposed within the first linear portion of the trapezoidal wave; and

a second curvilinear wave superposed within the second linear portion of the trapezoidal wave,

wherein both the first curvilinear wave and the second curvilinear wave are disposed entirely between the first latitude and the second latitude, and

wherein the first curvilinear wave is centered within the first linear portion, and the second curvilinear wave is centered within the second linear portion.

13. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the first curvilinear wave has a first length along the first latitude, the second curvilinear wave has a second length along the second latitude, the first linear portion of the trapezoidal wave has a third length along the first latitude, and the second linear portion of the trapezoidal wave has a fourth length along the second latitude, and wherein the first length is less than 75% of the third length, and the second length is less than 75% of the fourth length.

14. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the first length is less than 40% of the third length, and the second length is less than 40% of the fourth length.

15. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the first curvilinear wave includes three critical points.

16. The golf ball of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer surface of the cover, wherein a respective one of the plurality of dimples is disposed directly adjacent to each of the three respective critical points such that the first curvilinear wave partially circumscribes each of the directly adjacent dimples.

17. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the trapezoidal wave is piecewise continuous between the first portion, the linear ramping portion, and the second portion.

18. The golf ball of claim 12, wherein the seam line includes an integral number of repeating trapezoidal waves.

19. The golf ball of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of dimples disposed on the outer surface of the cover, wherein the seam line does not bisect any of the dimples.

20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the plurality of dimples includes a first subset of dimples each being respectively intersected by the first latitude, wherein the plurality of dimples includes a second subset of dimples each being respectively intersected by the second latitude.

21. The golf ball of claim 12, further comprising a first pole disposed within the first hemispherical half and a second pole disposed within the second hemispherical half;

and wherein each of the first and second latitudes has a respective center of curvature disposed on an axis extending between the first pole and the second pole.

22. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover with a first hemispherical portion cooperating with a second hemispherical portion to surround the core, the first and second hemispherical portions defining therebetween, along an outer spherical surface of the cover, a non-planar seam line, the non-planar seam line including;

a repeating trapezoidal wave with a first linear portion extending on a first latitude line of the outer spherical surface, a second linear portion extending on a second latitude line of the outer spherical surface, and a linear ramping transition portion extending between and connecting the first linear portion and the second linear portion;

a first curvilinear wave superposed and centered within the first linear portion of the trapezoidal wave; and

a second curvilinear wave superposed and centered within the second linear portion of the trapezoidal wave,

wherein both the first curvilinear wave and the second curvilinear wave are disposed entirely between the first latitude and the second latitude.