Golf ball

• US 6,991,565 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kasashima, Atsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorden, Raeann
• Application Number:
  US10/988,842
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 473378-385
• US Class Current: 473/384
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0012 Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
• 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 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0063 Hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/008 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0083 Weight; Mass
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0089 Coefficient of drag
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 Coefficient of lift
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 Spin rate

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a golf ball having a plurality of round dimples on the surface thereof, which is characterized in that said dimples include those of two kinds or more differing in diameter such that the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is at least 1.5, said dimples add up to 240 to 290, with large dimples 4.7 mm or above in diameter accounting for more than 50%, and said dimples are formed such that the volume under a flat surface surrounded by the edge of each dimple divided by the volume of a hypothetical cylinder having said flat surface as the bottom and the maximum depth from the bottom as the height is 0.49 to 0.85 on average for all the dimples. The golf ball having adequately formed and arranged dimples achieves a long flying distance.

Claims

1. A golf ball having a plurality of round dimples on the surface thereof, which is characterized in that said dimples include those of two kinds or more differing in diameter such that the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is at least 1.5, said dimples add up to 240 to 290, with large dimples 4.7 mm or above in diameter accounting for more than 50%, and said dimples are formed such that the volume under a flat surface surrounded by the edge of each dimple divided by the volume of a hypothetical cylinder having said flat surface as the bottom and the maximum depth from the bottom as the height is 0.49 to 0.85 on average for all the dimples.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the dimples account for 79% to 89% of the entire surface area of the golf ball, and the dimples are arranged such that there exist no or only one great circle not intersecting the dimples on the surface of the golf ball.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, which include those dimples formed such that the dimple'"'"'s central region within half the radius from the dimple'"'"'s center has a cross section coinciding with the radius of curvature larger than 20 mm, with its center placed outside in the radial direction of the golf ball.

4. The golf ball of in claim 1, wherein the dimples have a cross section such that the straight line connecting both edges of the cross section and the side wall leading to the edge of the cross section make an angle of 10°

to 25°

.

5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the dimples are formed such that the ratio VR of the total volume of dimples under flat surface surrounded by the edges of dimples is 0.6% to 1.1% to the volume of the ball which is calculated assuming that there are no dimples.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, which has aerodynamic properties such that the coefficient of lift (CL) of the hit ball with a Reynolds number of 70000 and a spin of 2000 rpm is higher than 70% of that of the hit ball with a Reynolds number of 80000 and a spin of 2000 rpm, and the coefficient of drag (CD) of the hit ball with a Reynolds number of 180000 and a spin of 2520 rpm is lower than 0.225.