Apparatuses and methods relating to findable balls
View Patent ↗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.
1. A method of making a golf ball, said method comprising:
forming a first member, said first member forming a part of said golf ball;
forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;
forming a depression in said outer surface;
depositing at least one antenna into said depression, wherein said at least one antenna is formed from a liquid material comprising an elastic conductive ink, which when dried forms said at least one antenna which is electrically conductive, and wherein said depression defines at least a portion of a pattern of said at least one antenna; and
forming a third member which surrounds said at least one antenna.
2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
curing said liquid material;
coupling an electronic component to said at least one antenna.
3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna is an elastic conductive material and wherein said liquid material is deposited into said depression.
4. A 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; or (d) spraying said liquid material.
5. A 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, said second member is a middle layer of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said first member, and said third member is an outer shell of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said second member and said at least one antenna.
6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
forming a void in said outer surface;
depositing at least a portion of an electronic component in said void; and
coupling said electronic component to said at least one antenna.
7. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna is patterned as a radial transmission line.
8. A 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.
9. A method as in claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna comprises an inductive element.
10. A method as in claim 1 wherein said liquid material comprises a solvent, a polymer, and metal particles dispersed in said polymer.
11. A 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 and weighs less than 46 grams.
12. A method of making a golf ball, said method comprising:
forming a first member;
forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;
forming a void in said outer surface, said outer surface forming at least a portion of a spherical surface;
depositing an electronic component into at least a portion of said void;
coupling said electronic component to an antenna formed from a liquid material comprising an elastic conductive ink; and
forming a third member which surrounds said antenna.
13. A method as in claim 12 wherein said electronic component comprises two conductive connectors which face away from said second member.
14. A method as in claim 12 wherein said electronic component is coupled to said antenna through an elastic conductive member.
15. A method as in claim 12 wherein said antenna is formed when said liquid material dries.
16. A method for making a golf ball, said method comprising:
forming a first member;
forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;
forming a depression in said outer surface;
depositing an elastic antenna into said depression, wherein said elastic antenna comprises an elastic conductive ink;
coupling an electronic component to said elastic antenna; and
forming a third member which surrounds said elastic antenna.
17. A method as in claim 16 wherein said elastic antenna is elastic in substantially all directions.
18. A method as in claim 16 wherein said electronic component is coupled to said elastic antenna by elastic conductive elements.
19. A method as in claim 16 wherein said elastic antenna is formed by depositing said elastic conductive ink in a liquid form by at least one of (a) painting said liquid form; (b) plating said liquid form; or (c) jetting said liquid form through a nozzle.
20. A method as in claim 16 wherein said first member is a core material of said golf ball, said core material having a substantially spherical shape, said second member is a middle layer of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said first member, and said third member is an outer shell of material which has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said second member and said elastic antenna.
21. A method as in claim 20 wherein said electronic component and said elastic antenna form a tag which can be used to find said golf ball and wherein said golf ball has high durability and weighs less than 46 grams.
22. A method as in claim 16 further comprising:
forming a void in said outer surface;
depositing at least a portion of said electronic component into said void.
23. A method as in claim 16 where said elastic antenna is patterned as a radial transmission line.
24. A method as in claim 16 wherein said elastic antenna comprises an inductive element.
25. A method as in claim 19 wherein said liquid form comprises a solvent, a polymer, and metal particles dispersed in said polymer.
26. A method as in claim 2 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.
27. A method as in claim 6 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.
28. A method as in claim 12 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.
29. A method as in claim 16 wherein said electronic component comprises at least one of a RFID circuitry, an integrated circuit, or a diode.
30. A method of making a golf ball, comprising:
forming a first member;
forming a second member which surrounds said first member, said second member having an outer surface;
forming a void in the outer surface of the second member;
depositing at least a portion of a semiconductor in the void;
coupling said semiconductor to an antenna formed at least in part from a dried liquid material comprising an elastic conductive ink;
connecting a portion of the semiconductor to the antenna using an elastic conductive ink; and
forming a third member which surrounds the antenna, the semiconductor, and the second member.
31. A method as in claim 30 wherein the first member is a spherically shaped core material of the golf ball, the second member is a middle layer of material that has a circular cross-sectional shape and encases the first member, and said third member is an outer shell of material that has a circular cross-sectional shape and which encases said second member, the antenna, and the semiconductor, wherein the portion of the semiconductor is a conductive pad.
32. A method as in claim 30 wherein the semiconductor comprises at least one of a diode, an RFID circuitry, or an integrated circuit.