Golf ball having non-planar parting line with non-circular dimples
The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line about non-circular dimples on its spherical surface. The parting line comprises non-concentric arcs having straight connecting line segments between the arcs. Each arc maintains a tangency with its connecting lines and a relief distance greater than or equal to 0.003 inches when measured from an average non-circular dimple diameter to one of the non-concentric arcs and an absolute relief distance of at least 0.001 inches when measured from all points on the non-circular dimple perimeter to one of the non-concentric arcs. The sum of the lengths of the non-concentric arcs relates to the sum of the straight connecting line segments according to the equation: (0.15)Σ L ARCS ≤ΣL LINES ≤(0.50)Σ L ARCS .
1. A golf ball having a non-planar parting line and comprising a plurality of non-circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line, wherein the parting line consists of a plurality of arcs and a plurality of straight line segments, and wherein:
each arc that is connected at an end to a straight line segment maintains a tangency with the straight line segment;
each arc that is connected at an end to another arc maintains a tangency with the arc;
the plurality of non-circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line includes non-circular dimples that have an average dimple diameter that intersects the non-planar parting line;
each non-circular dimple located adjacent to the parting line has an absolute relief distance, measured as the shortest distance from the parting line to the perimeter of the dimple, of 0.005 inches or less; and
the sum of the lengths of the arcs relates to the sum of the straight line segments according to the equation:
(0.15)Σ L ARCS ≤ΣL LINES ≤(0.50)Σ L ARCS .
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of straight line segments includes a minimum length straight line segment having a length (L MIN ), the plurality of non-circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line includes a minimum diameter non-circular dimple having a diameter (D MIN ), and wherein L MIN is related to D MIN according to the equation:
L MIN ≥(0.05) D MIN .
3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein adjacent non-circular dimples located on opposing sides of the parting line have a large size disparity such that either
μ
d
(
N
)
μ
d
(
S
)
>
1.40
or
μ
d
(
N
)
μ
d
(
S
)
<
0.70
where μ d (N) is the diameter of a non-circular dimple on one side of the parting line and μ d (S) is the diameter of an adjacent non-circular dimple on the opposing side of the parting line.
4. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball comprises non-circular dimples and circular dimples on the surface thereof.
5. The golf ball according to claim 1 , wherein the golf ball additionally comprises a plurality of circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line.
6. A golf ball having a non-planar parting line and comprising a plurality of non-circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line, wherein the parting line consists of a plurality of arcs and a plurality of straight line segments, and wherein:
each arc that is connected at an end to a straight line segment maintains a tangency with the straight line segment;
each arc that is connected at an end to another arc maintains a tangency with the arc;
each non-circular dimple located adjacent to the parting line has an absolute relief distance, measured as the shortest distance from the parting line to the perimeter of the dimple, of 0.005 inches or less;
the plurality of non-circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line comprises non-circular dimples that have a wave relief, measured as the shortest distance from the average dimple diameter of the dimple to the parting line, that is less than the absolute relief distance of the dimple; and
the sum of the lengths of the arcs relates to the sum of the straight line segments according to the equation:
(0.15)Σ L ARCS ≤ΣL LINES ≤(0.50)Σ L ARCS .
7. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of straight line segments includes a minimum length straight line segment having a length (L MIN ), the plurality of non-circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line includes a minimum diameter non-circular dimple having a diameter (D MIN ), and wherein L MIN is related to D MIN according to the equation:
L MIN ≥(0.05) D MIN .
8. The golf ball of claim 6 , wherein adjacent non-circular dimples located on opposing sides of the parting line have a large size disparity such that either
μ
d
(
N
)
μ
d
(
S
)
>
1.40
or
μ
d
(
N
)
μ
d
(
S
)
<
0.70
where μ d (N) is the diameter of a non-circular dimple on one side of the parting line and μ d (S) is the diameter of an adjacent non-circular dimple on the opposing side of the parting line.
9. The golf ball according to claim 6 , wherein the golf ball comprises non-circular dimples and circular dimples on the surface thereof.
10. The golf ball according to claim 6 , wherein the golf ball additionally comprises a plurality of circular dimples located adjacent to the parting line.