IP Library Granted Patent US 10,556,153
Granted Patent B2
US 10,556,153 · App. 16/416,560 · Granted Feb 11, 2020

Golf ball having non-planar parting line

Inventors: Michael R. Madson (Easton, MA); Nicholas M. Nardacci (Barrington, RI); David P. Hunt (Taunton, MA)
Assignee: Acushnet Company
A63B37/007A63B37/002A63B37/0006A63B37/0007A63B45/00A63B37/0004A63B37/0012
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,556,153
App. No.
16/416,560
Granted
Feb 11, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface. The plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line consists of a first portion of dimples, each dimple of the first portion having a wave relief distance of from 0.001 inches and 0.005 inches, and a second portion of dimples, each dimple of the second portion having a wave relief distance of greater than 0.008 inches, where wave relief distance is measured as the shortest distance from the average dimple diameter of the dimple to the parting line.

Claims (77)

1. A golf ball having a non-planar parting line and comprising a plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line, wherein:

the parting line results from superimposing of a base waveform with at least one shorter wavelength secondary waveform;

the secondary waveform is defined by a series of concentric arcs, wherein the arcs have radii, r ARC , determined by corresponding dimples, the dimples having diameters, D DIMPLE, defined by the relationship

(

1.005

)

D

DIMPLE

2

r

ARC

(

1.06

)

D

DIMPLE

2

;

adjacent arcs being connected with a straight line that is tangent to the arcs creating an acute angle α;

the length of the straight line, L LINE , is defined by

L

LINE

=

r

2

+

r

3

tan

α

,

where r 2 and r 3 are the radii of the adjacent arcs that are connected with the straight line;

the sum of the lengths of the straight lines are defined by the lengths of the arcs as (0.15) ΣL ARCS ≤ΣL LINES ≤(0.50)ΣL ARCS ;

the length of the shortest line segment in the parting line, L MIN , relates to the smallest dimple diameter in the overall dimple pattern, D MIN , as follows:

L MIN >(0.05)D MIN ; and

the plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line consists of a first portion of dimples, each dimple of the first portion having a wave relief distance of from 0.001 inches and 0.005 inches, and a second portion of dimples, each dimple of the second portion having a wave relief distance of 0.008 inches or greater, where wave relief distance is measured as the shortest distance from the average dimple diameter of the dimple to the parting line.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the base waveform has three periods.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the base waveform has four periods.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the base waveform has five periods.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each dimple of the second portion has a wave relief distance of 0.010 inches or greater.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line include at least one dimple having a minimum wave relief distance and at least one dimple having a maximum wave relief distance, and wherein the difference between the minimum wave relief distance and the maximum wave relief distance is 0.004 inches or greater.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line include at least one dimple having a minimum wave relief distance and at least one dimple having a maximum wave relief distance, and wherein the difference between the minimum wave relief distance and the maximum wave relief distance is 0.006 inches or greater.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein at least 40% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the first portion and at least 40% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the second portion.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein from 55% to 60% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the first portion and from 40% to 45% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the second portion.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the number of dimples of the first portion is equal to the number of dimples of the second portion.

11. A golf ball having a non-planar parting line and comprising a plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line, wherein:

the parting line comprises non-concentric arcs having straight connecting line segments between the arcs, wherein each arc maintains a tangency with its connecting lines;

the radius, r ARC , of each non-concentric arc relates to the corresponding dimple perimeter diameter, D DIMPLE , as follows:

(

0.10

)

D

DIMPLE

2

r

ARC

<

D

DIMPLE

2

;

and

the plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line consists of a first portion of dimples having a wave relief distance of from 0.001 inches and 0.005 inches, and a second portion of dimples having a wave relief distance of 0.008 inches or greater, wave relief distance being measured as the shortest distance from the average dimple diameter of the dimple to the parting line.

12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein each dimple of the second portion has a wave relief distance of 0.010 inches or greater.

13. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line include at least one dimple having a minimum wave relief distance and at least one dimple having a maximum wave relief distance, and wherein the difference between the minimum wave relief distance and the maximum wave relief distance is 0.004 inches or greater.

14. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line include at least one dimple having a minimum wave relief distance and at least one dimple having a maximum wave relief distance, and wherein the difference between the minimum wave relief distance and the maximum wave relief distance is 0.006 inches or greater.

15. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein at least 40% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the first portion and at least 40% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the second portion.

16. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein from 55% to 60% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the first portion and from 40% to 45% of the dimples located adjacent to the parting line are dimples of the second portion.

17. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the number of dimples of the first portion is equal to the number of dimples of the second portion.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (ASSIGNS 051618-0777) Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS RESIGNING ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061069/0731 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061099/0236 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2020
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 051618/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2019
From: MADSON, MICHAEL R.; NARDACCI, NICHOLAS M.; HUNT, DAVID P.
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049228/0945 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation In Part 15960843 · Apr 24, 2018
Continuation In Part 15592262 · May 11, 2017
Continuation 14929500 · Nov 2, 2015
Continuation In Part 13625109 · Sep 24, 2012
Continuation In Part 12755605 · Apr 7, 2010
Related Publication 20190299062A1 · Oct 3, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,311,234