IP Library Granted Patent US 10,010,761
Granted Patent B2
US 10,010,761 · App. 15/178,179 · Granted Jul 3, 2018

Process for designing rugged pattern on golf ball surface

Inventors: Hyoungchol Kim (Kobe, JP); Masahide Onuki (Kobe, JP); Takahiro Sajima (Kobe, JP); Kohei Mimura (Kobe, JP)
Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
A63B37/002A63B37/0006G06T17/20A63B37/0007A63B37/0018A63B37/0021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,010,761
App. No.
15/178,179
Granted
Jul 3, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf ball has, on a surface thereof, a rugged pattern composed of a land and a large number of dimples. A method for designing the rugged pattern includes the steps of: (1) assuming a large number of circles on a surface of a phantom sphere; (2) assuming a large number of generating points 16 based on positions of the large number of circles; (3) assuming a large number of Voronoi regions 18 on the surface of the phantom sphere by a Voronoi tessellation based on the large number of generating points 16 ; and (4) assigning a dimple and a land to the surface of the phantom sphere based on contours of the large number of Voronoi regions 18.

Claims (20)

1. A golf ball having a large number of dimples on a surface thereof, these dimples including a dimple having a radius variation range Rh of 0.4 mm or greater,

wherein:

said dimple includes a contour having a plurality of control points along the contour, and a center determined by averaging coordinates of all the plurality of control points on the contour, each of the plurality of control points has a radius being a distance between the center and the respective control point, and the radius variation range Rh is a difference between a greatest radius among radii of the plurality of control points and a smallest radius among radii of the plurality of control points,

the golf ball has a dimple having a radius variation range Rh of 0.4 mm or greater in a zone in which a latitude is equal to or greater than −10° but equal to or less than 10°,

an area Amax of a dimple having a maximum area A among the dimples present in the zone in which the latitude is equal to or greater than −10° but equal to or less than 10° is equal to or less than 22.0 mm 2 , and

an average Aave of areas A of the dimples present in the zone in which the latitude is equal to or greater than −10° but equal to or less than 10° is equal to or less than 18.0 mm 2 .

2. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio P 1 of a number of dimples having a radius variation range Rh of 0.4 mm or greater relative to a total number of the dimples is equal to or greater than 30%.

3. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein these dimples include a dimple that meets the following mathematical formula:

Rh/R ave≥0.25,

wherein, in the mathematical formula, Rh represents a radius variation range, and Rave represents an average radius.

4. A golf ball having a large number of dimples on a surface thereof, a difference between a radius variation range Rhmax of a dimple having a maximum radius variation range Rh and a radius variation range Rhmin of a dimple having a minimum radius variation range Rh being equal to or greater than 0.1 mm,

wherein each of the large number of dimples includes a contour having a plurality of control points along the contour, and a center determined by averaging coordinates of all the plurality of control points on the contour, each of the plurality of control points has a radius being a distance between the center and the respective control point, and the radius variation range Rh is a difference between a greatest radius among radii of the plurality of control points and a smallest radius among radii of the plurality of control points, and

wherein the golf ball meets the following mathematical formula:

( Rh max− Rh min)>( R 1− R 2),

wherein, in the mathematical formula, Rhmax represents a radius variation range of a dimple having a maximum radius variation range Rh, Rhmin represents a radius variation range of a dimple having a minimum radius variation range Rh, R 1 represents an average radius of the dimple having a maximum radius variation range Rh, and R 2 represents an average radius of the dimple having a minimum radius variation range Rh.

5. The golf ball according to claim 4 , wherein a ratio PE 1 of a number NE 1 of dimples having a radius variation range Rh of 0.4 mm or greater relative to a total number NE of the dimples in the zone in which the latitude is equal to or greater than −10° but equal to or less than 10° is equal to or greater than 30%.

6. The golf ball according to claim 4 , wherein the golf ball has a dimple that meets the following mathematical formula (1) in the zone in which the latitude is equal to or greater than −10° but equal to or less than 10,

Rh/R ave≥0.25  (1),

wherein, in the mathematical formula, Rh represents a radius variation range, and Rave represents an average radius.

7. The golf ball according to claim 6 , wherein a ratio PE 2 of a number NE 2 of dimples that meet the mathematical formula (1) relative to a total number NE of the dimples in the zone in which the latitude is equal to or greater than −10° but equal to or less than 10° is equal to or greater than 10%.

Assignments (1)
MERGER Recorded Apr 17, 2018
From: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
To: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045959/0204 →
Priority Claims (4)
JP 2012-244973 · Nov 7, 2012 · national
JP 2012-248631 · Nov 12, 2012 · national
JP 2013-098935 · May 9, 2013 · national
JP 2013-098950 · May 9, 2013 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 14072902 · Nov 6, 2013
Related Publication 20160287942A1 · Oct 6, 2016