Apparatuses and methods relating to findable balls

• US 9,592,424 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Topgolf International Inc. (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Topgolf International Inc. (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• 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 A
• Application Number:
  US14/285,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20150020377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 having an outer surface, said first member forming a part of said golf ball, and forming said first member comprising forming a shape in said outer surface to define a template on said outer surface;

depositing a liquid material onto said outer surface of the first member in a pattern defined by the template, wherein the liquid material when dried forms at least one antenna which is electrically conductive; and

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

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

curing said liquid material; and

coupling a diode to said at least one antenna.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna is an elastic conductive material.

4. The 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; and

(d) spraying said liquid material.

5. The 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, and said second member is a layer of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said first member and said at least one antenna.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said second member is an outermost shell of said golf ball.

7. The method as in claim 5, wherein said second member is an inner shell.

8. The method as in claim 3, wherein said elastic conductive material is a conductive ink.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein

forming said shape in said outer surface comprises forming one or more grooves extending into said first member.

10. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

forming a void in said outer surface;

depositing at least a portion of a diode in said void; and

coupling said diode to said at least one antenna.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna is patterned as a radial transmission line.

12. The 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.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna comprises an inductive element.

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

15. The 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.

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

forming a first member having an outer surface;

forming independent tags comprising respective antennas on said outer surface, said outer surface forming at least a portion of a sphere'"'"'s surface, and said independent tags being arranged in a substantially orthogonal manner relative to each other; and

forming a second member which surrounds said independent tags.

17. The method as in claim 16, wherein said independent tags comprise three independent tags.

18. The method as in claim 16, wherein each of said independent tags comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit.

19. The method as in claim 16, wherein said antennas are formed from a liquid material which is dried.

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

forming a first member having an outer surface;

forming an elastic antenna on a substrate;

coupling a diode to said elastic antenna on said substrate;

transferring said elastic antenna and said diode on said substrate to said outer surface of the first member; and

forming a second member which surrounds said elastic antenna and said diode.