Dimple patterns for golf balls
Golf balls having dimple patterns arranged in dipyramid layouts are disclosed. The patterns may be arranged in triangular dipyramid, quadrilateral dipyramid, pentagonal dipyramid, or hexagonal dipyramid layouts. The dipyramid patterns have six, eight, ten, or twelve substantially identical dimple sections, where each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle. The dimples in each of the identical dimple sections have at least two different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter and a maximum dimple diameter. The resulting dimple patterns have a surface coverage of about 70 percent or less. The reduced surface coverage helps to reduce the flight of the golf balls.
1. A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface divided into first and second hemispheres, comprising:
a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a dipyramid pattern consisting of three substantially identical dimple sections in each of the first and second hemispheres, wherein each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle,
wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise at least two different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter and a maximum dimple diameter and the maximum difference in dimple diameter between any two dimples within each dimple section is about 0.080 inches or less,
wherein each substantially identical dimple section comprises at least one shared dimple located on at least one vertex of the dimple section and the at least one shared dimple has the maximum dimple diameter, and
wherein the dimples cover about 70 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface, and wherein the pattern results in one dimple free great circle on the golf ball.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the dipyramid pattern is a triangular dipyramid pattern.
3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two different dimple diameters range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.200 inches.
4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the pattern has mirror symmetry about a central plane of each substantially identical dimple section.
5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the dimples each have a corresponding edge angle and the average of all the edge angles (θ μ ) is related to the surface coverage according to equation (III):
8
8
.
8
(
S
C
)
2
-
1
1
6
.
9
(
S
C
)
+
4
7
.
7
≤
θ
μ
≤
1
7
0
.
0
(
S
C
)
2
-
2
4
2
.
5
(
S
C
)
+
1
0
6.6
,
(
III
)
where SC is the surface coverage.
6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each substantially identical dimple section further comprises at least one shared dimple having a centroid that intersects a side edge of the dimple section.
7. A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface divided into first and second hemispheres, comprising:
a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a triangular dipyramid pattern, the triangular dipyramid pattern consisting of three substantially identical dimple sections in each of the first and second hemispheres, wherein each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle having three vertices,
wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections have a corresponding dimple diameter and a corresponding edge angle,
wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise:
(i) at least three different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter,
a maximum dimple diameter, and at least one additional dimple diameter, wherein each of the at least three different dimple diameters range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.200 inches and the maximum difference in dimple diameter between any two dimples within each dimple section is about 0.080 inches or less, and
(ii) substantially identical edge angles,
wherein each substantially identical dimple section comprises at least one shared dimple located on at least one vertex of the dimple section and the at least one shared dimple has the maximum dimple diameter, and
wherein the dimples cover about 70 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface.
8. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein each substantially identical dimple section further comprises at least one shared dimple having a centroid that intersects a side edge of the dimple section.
9. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the pattern results in one dimple free great circle on the golf ball.
10. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the average of all the edge angles (θ μ ) is related to the surface coverage according to equation (III):
8
8
.
8
(
S
C
)
2
-
1
1
6
.
9
(
S
C
)
+
4
7
.
7
≤
θ
μ
≤
1
7
0
.
0
(
S
C
)
2
-
2
4
2
.
5
(
S
C
)
+
1
0
6
.
6
,
(
III
)
where SC is the surface coverage.
11. The golf ball of claim 7 , wherein the pattern has mirror symmetry about a central plane of each substantially identical dimple section.
12. A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface divided into first and second hemispheres, comprising:
a plurality of dimples disposed thereon, wherein the dimples are arranged in a triangular dipyramid pattern, the triangular dipyramid pattern consisting of three substantially identical dimple sections in each of the first and second hemispheres, wherein each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle,
wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections have a corresponding dimple diameter and a corresponding edge angle,
wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise five or more different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least three additional dimple diameters, wherein each of the five or more different dimple diameters range from about 0.030 inches to about 0.180 inches and differ from the other dimple diameters by more than 0.005 inches,
wherein each substantially identical dimple section comprises at least one shared dimple located on at least one vertex of the dimple section and the at least one shared dimple has the maximum dimple diameter, and
wherein the dimples cover about 70 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface and the pattern results in one dimple free great circle on the golf ball.
13. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the dimples in each of the substantially identical dimple sections comprise substantially identical edge angles.
14. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the average of all the edge angles (θ μ ) is related to the surface coverage according to equation (III):
8
8
.
8
(
S
C
)
2
-
1
1
6
.
9
(
S
C
)
+
4
7
.
7
≤
θ
μ
≤
1
7
0
.
0
(
S
C
)
2
-
2
4
2
.
5
(
S
C
)
+
1
0
6
.
6
,
(
III
)
where SC is the surface coverage.
15. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein each substantially identical dimple section further comprises at least one shared dimple having a centroid that intersects a side edge of the dimple section.
16. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the dimples cover about 50 percent or less of the substantially spherical surface.
17. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein the pattern has mirror symmetry about a central plane of each substantially identical dimple section.