Method and Apparatus for Forming a Golf Ball
First Claim
1. A molding apparatus adapted for forming a golf ball having one or more deep apertures, the apparatus comprising:
- a first mold having a first hemispherical molding surface that defines a substantially hemispherical molding cavity, the first mold having at least one aperture defined along the first hemispherical molding surface, the first mold having at least one retractable pin with a distal end, the first mold having at least one retractable pin capable of extending from the at least one aperture into the first hemispherical molding cavity a distance ranging from 0.002 inch to 0.140 inch, at least one retractable pin having a retracted state for forming a deep aperture in a golf ball during a molding operation, and an extended state for forcing a golf ball from the apparatus;
a second mold having a second hemispherical molding surface that defines a second hemispherical molding cavity, the second mold having at least one aperture defined along the second hemispherical molding surface, the second mold having at least one retractable pin with a distal end, at least one retractable pin capable of extending from the at least one aperture into the second hemispherical molding cavity a distance ranging from 0.002 inch to 0.140 inch, at least one retractable pin having a retracted state for forming a deep aperture in a golf ball during a molding operation, and an extended state for forcing a golf ball from the apparatus;
wherein the first mold and the second mold are adapted to engage each other such that the first hemispherical molding surface and the second hemispherical molding surface form a generally spherical molding chamber.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Molding equipment and related techniques for forming a golf ball are disclosed. The golf ball comprises a core and a cover layer, wherein the cover layer provides one or more deep dimples that extend through the cover layer to and/or into a layer or component underneath are disclosed. The molding equipment provides one or more selectively positionable knock-out pins along the surface of the molding chamber. These pins are specially tailored such that subsequent to molding, the resulting voids are traditional or deep dimples. The molding equipment and related processes are particularly useful when forming the various layers by reaction injection molding.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A molding apparatus adapted for forming a golf ball having one or more deep apertures, the apparatus comprising:
-
a first mold having a first hemispherical molding surface that defines a substantially hemispherical molding cavity, the first mold having at least one aperture defined along the first hemispherical molding surface, the first mold having at least one retractable pin with a distal end, the first mold having at least one retractable pin capable of extending from the at least one aperture into the first hemispherical molding cavity a distance ranging from 0.002 inch to 0.140 inch, at least one retractable pin having a retracted state for forming a deep aperture in a golf ball during a molding operation, and an extended state for forcing a golf ball from the apparatus;
a second mold having a second hemispherical molding surface that defines a second hemispherical molding cavity, the second mold having at least one aperture defined along the second hemispherical molding surface, the second mold having at least one retractable pin with a distal end, at least one retractable pin capable of extending from the at least one aperture into the second hemispherical molding cavity a distance ranging from 0.002 inch to 0.140 inch, at least one retractable pin having a retracted state for forming a deep aperture in a golf ball during a molding operation, and an extended state for forcing a golf ball from the apparatus;
wherein the first mold and the second mold are adapted to engage each other such that the first hemispherical molding surface and the second hemispherical molding surface form a generally spherical molding chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A molding apparatus adapted for forming a golf ball with a plurality of deep apertures extending through a cover of the golf ball, the apparatus comprising:
-
a first mold having a first hemispherical molding surface that defines a substantially hemispherical molding cavity, the first mold having a plurality of raised protuberances adapted to form a plurality of deep apertures, the first mold having at least one aperture defined along the first hemispherical molding surface, the first mold having at least one retractable pin with a distal end, at least one retractable pin capable of extending from at least one aperture into the first hemispherical molding cavity a distance ranging from 0.002 inch to 0.140 inch, at least one retractable pin having a retracted state for forming a dimple in a golf ball during a molding operation, and an extended state for forcing a golf ball from the apparatus;
a second mold having a second hemispherical molding surface that defines a second hemispherical molding cavity, the second mold having a plurality of raised protuberances adapted to form a plurality of deep apertures, the second mold having at least one aperture defined along the second hemispherical molding surface, the second mold having at least one retractable pin with a distal end, the second mold having at least one retractable pin capable of extending from the at least one aperture into the second hemispherical molding cavity a distance ranging from 0.002 inch to 0.140 inch, the second mold having at least one retractable pin having a retracted state for forming a dimple in a golf ball during a molding operation, and an extended state for forcing a golf ball from the apparatus;
wherein the first mold and the second mold are adapted to engage each other such that the first hemispherical molding surface and the second hemispherical molding surface form a generally spherical molding chamber. - View Dependent Claims (6)
-
-
7. A process for forming a golf ball having a plurality of deep dimples, said process comprising:
-
providing a molding apparatus having (i) an upper mold including a first molding surface that defines at least one aperture, said upper mold further including a selectively positionable pin in each of said apertures, and (ii) a lower mold including a second molding surface that defines at least one aperture, said lower mold further including a selectively positionable pin in each of said apertures, said pins of said upper and lower molds having a distal end that may be extended past said respective first and second molding surface, said upper and lower molds adapted to engage each other such that said first molding surface and said second molding surface form a generally spherical molding chamber;
positioning a golf ball core or intermediate ball assembly within said molding chamber;
extending at least one of said pins within said molding chamber so that said distal end of said extended pin contacts said golf ball core or intermediate ball assembly;
introducing a molding material within said molding chamber and around said golf ball core or intermediate ball assembly to thereby form a layer of said material around said golf ball core or intermediate ball assembly;
at least partially hardening said molding material;
extending said pins to thereby displace the golf ball from the mold and thereby form deep dimples in said resulting layered core or ball assembly. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
-
10. A process for forming a golf ball cover with a plurality of deep apertures extending through the golf ball cover, the process comprising:
-
placing a core or intermediate ball assembly in a cavity of a molding apparatus, the core or intermediate ball assembly positioned on a plurality of raised protuberances, each of the raised protuberances extending from a cavity surface of the mold apparatus, the cavity surface defining an aerodynamic pattern for the golf ball;
injecting reactants for forming a polyurethane/polyurea into the cavity of the molding apparatus;
molding a polyurethane/polyurea cover over the core or intermediate ball assembly from the reactants to form a golf ball, the cover having a plurality of deep apertures formed from each of the plurality of raised protuberances; and
extending at least one retractable pin from an aperture in the cavity surface to force the golf ball from the molding apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification