Multi-piece solid golf ball

• US 6,780,125 B1
• Filed: 08/06/1998
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Hiroshi, Yamagishi, Hisashi, Hayashi, Junji, Kawata, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US09/129,883
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 473/373, 473/384
• US Class Current: 473/374
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00215 Volume ratio
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0054 Substantially rigid, e.g. metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023

Abstract

A multi-piece solid golf ball comprises a solid core and a cover of two inner and outer layers surrounding the core. The outer cover layer has a surface formed with a plurality of dimples is characterized in that a product of the Shore D hardnesses of the inner cover layer multiplied by the Shore D hardnesses of the outer cover layer and a proportion V_R (%) of the total of the volumes of dimple spaces each defined below a plane circumscribed by the dimple edge to the overall volume of a phantom sphere given on the assumption that the golf ball surface is free of dimples satisfy any one of the following combinations (1) to (5):

(1) 1,500 to less than 2,000

V_R: 0.8 .to 1.1%

(2) 2,000 to less than 2,500

V_R: 0.75 to 1.05%

(3) 2,500 to less than 3,000

V_R: 0.7 to 1%

(4) 3,000 to less than 3,500

V_R: 0.65 to 0.95%

(5) 3,500 to 4,000

V_R: 0.6 to 0.9%. The dimples include at least three types of dimples which are different in at least one of a diameter, a depth, and a value V₀ which is the volume of one dimple space defined below a plane circumscribed by the dimple edge divided by the volume of a cylinder whose bottom is the plane and whose height is the maximum depth of the dimple from the bottom.

Claims

1. A multi-piece solid golf ball comprising;

a solid core and a cover consisting of inner and outer layers surrounding the core, the outer cover layer having a surface formed with a plurality of dimples,

said solid core having a distortion of 2.8 to 6.5 mm under an applied load of 100 kg, and

a product of the Shore D hardnesses of said inner cover layer multiplied by the Shore D hardness of said outer cover layer and a proportion V_R (%) of the total of the volumes of dimple spaces each defined below a plane circumscribed by the dimple edge to the overall volume of a phantom sphere given on the assumption that the golf ball surface is free of dimples satisfy any one of the following combinations (1) to (5);

(1) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

1,500 to less than 2,000

V_R;

0.8 to 0.93%

(2) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

2,000 to less than 2,500

V_R;

0.75 to 1.05%

(3) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

t2,500 to less than 3,000

V_R;

0.7 to 1%

(4) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

3,000 to less than 3,500

V_R;

0.65 to 0.95%

(5) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

3.500 to 4,000

V_R;

0.6 to 0.9%,

and said dimples include at least three types of dimples which are different in at least one of, diameter, depth, and value V₀ which is the volume of one dimple space defined below a plane circumscribed by the dimple edge divided by the volume of a cylinder whose bottom is the plane and whose height is the maximum depth of the dimple from the bottom; and

wherein both the hardness of the inner and outer cover layers are up to 63 in Shore D hardness.

2. A multi-piece solid golf ball comprising;

a solid core and a cover consisting of inner and outer layers surrounding the core, the outer cover layer having a surface formed with a plurality of dimples,

said solid core having a distortion of 2.8 to 3.0 mm under an applied load of 100 kg, and

a product of the Shore D hardnesses of said inner cover layer multiplied by the Shoe D hardness of said outer cover layer and a proportion V_R (%) of the total of the volumes of dimple space each defined below a plane circumscribed by the dimple edge to the overall volume of a phantom sphere given on the assumption that the golf ball surface is free of dimples satisfy any one of the following combinations (1) to (5);

(1) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

1,500 to less than 2,000

V_R;

0.8 to 1.1%

(2) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

2,000 to less than 2,500

V_R;

0.75 to 1.05%

(3) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

2,500 to less than 3,000

V_R;

0.7 to 1%

(4) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

3,000 to less than 3,500

V_R;

0.65 to 0.95%

(5) the product of Shore D hardnesses of inner and outer cover layers;

3,500 to 4,000

V_R;

0.6 to 0.9%,

and said dimples include at least three types of dimples which are different in at least one of, diameter, depth, and value V₀ which is the volume of one dimple space defined below a plane circumscribed by the dimple edge divided by the volume of a cylinder whose bottom is the plane and whose height is the maximum depth of the dimple from the bottom.

3. A multi-piece solid golf ball of claim 2, wherein both the hardness of the inner and outer cover layer are up to 63 in Shore D hardness.

4. The multi-piece solid golf ball of claim 2, wherein said solid cow has a distortion of 2.8 to 6.0 mm under an applied load of 100 kg.

5. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein said outer cover layer has a Short D hardness in the range of 30 to 62.

6. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein the inner cover layer has a Shore D hardnesses in the range of 28 to 68.

7. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein said inner cover layer has a gage in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm.

8. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein said outer cover layer has a gage in the range of 0.5 to 25 mm.

9. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein said cover has a total gage of 1.0 to 5.0 mm.

10. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein said dimples have diameters such that a largest diameter is in the range of 3.7 to 4.5 mm.

11. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein dimple depth for a largest size dimple is in the range of 0.15 to 0.25 mm.

12. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein V₀ is in a range of 0.4 to 0.52 for a largest size dimple.

13. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein V₀ for the golf ball as a whole is in the range 0.38 to 0.55.

14. The multi-piece golf ball of claim 2, wherein dimples of a smallest type have a diameter in the range of 2.0 to 3.7 mm and a depth in the range of 0.08 to 023 mm.