Golf ball having non-planar parting line
The present invention is directed to a golf ball having a non-planar parting line on its spherical surface. At least a portion of the parting line comprises a series of main arcs connected by at least one intermediate arc.
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 comprises a plurality of concentric arcs, wherein each concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , determined by an adjacent dimple having a diameter,
D
DIMPLE
,
where
(
1.005
)
D
DIMPLE
2
≤
r
ARC
≤
(
1.06
)
D
DIMPLE
2
;
and
a portion of the parting line comprises a first concentric arc adjacent to a first dimple, a second concentric arc adjacent to a second dimple located on the opposing side of the parting line from the first dimple, and at least one intermediate arc connecting the first concentric arc and the second concentric arc.
2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first concentric arc, the second concentric arc, and an intermediate arc connecting the first and second concentric arcs, and wherein each of the first and second concentric arcs maintains a tangency with the intermediate arc.
3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first concentric arc connected to a first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc connected to a second intermediate arc, and the second intermediate arc connected to the second concentric arc.
4. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein the first concentric arc maintains a tangency with the first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc maintains a tangency with the second intermediate arc, and the second intermediate arc maintains a tangency with the second concentric arc.
5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first concentric arc connected to a first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc connected to a second intermediate arc, the second intermediate arc connected to the second concentric arc, and the second concentric arc connected to a third concentric arc.
6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each arc forming a portion of the parting line has a radius of 0.062 inches or greater.
7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each arc forming a portion of the parting line has a radius of 0.031 inches or greater.
8. 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 a plurality of main arcs, each main arc being selected from concentric arcs and non-concentric arcs;
each concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , that relates to an adjacent dimple having a diameter, D DIMPLE , such that
(
1.005
)
D
DIMPLE
2
≤
r
ARC
≤
(
1.06
)
D
DIMPLE
2
;
each non-concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , that relates to an adjacent dimple having a diameter, D DIMPLE , such that
(
0.10
)
D
DIMPLE
2
≤
r
ARC
≤
(
1.06
)
D
DIMPLE
2
;
and
a portion of the parting line comprises a first main arc adjacent to a first dimple, a second main arc adjacent to a second dimple located on the opposing side of the parting line from the first dimple, and at least one intermediate arc connecting the first main arc and the second main arc.
9. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first main arc, the second main arc, and an intermediate arc connecting the first and second main arcs, and wherein each of the first and second main arcs maintains a tangency with the intermediate arc.
10. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first main arc connected to a first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc connected to a second intermediate arc, and the second intermediate arc connected to the second main arc.
11. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the first main arc maintains a tangency with the first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc maintains a tangency with the second intermediate arc, and the second intermediate arc maintains a tangency with the second main arc.
12. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein each arc forming a portion of the parting line has a radius of 0.062 inches or greater.
13. The golf ball of claim 8 , wherein each arc forming a portion of the parting line has a radius of 0.031 inches or greater.
14. 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 comprises a plurality of main arcs, each main arc being selected from concentric arcs and non-concentric arcs;
each concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , that relates to an adjacent non-circular dimple having a diameter, μ d , such that
(
1.005
)
μ
d
2
≤
r
A
R
C
≤
(
1.06
)
μ
d
2
;
each non-concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , that relates to an adjacent non-circular dimple having a diameter, μ d , such that
(
0.10
)
μ
d
2
≤
r
A
R
C
≤
μ
d
2
;
μ d is defined by
μ
d
=
∑
i
=
0
n
2
r
i
n
and
n
≥
25
,
where r i is the distance from the dimple plan shape centroid to a number of n points on the dimple perimeter; and
a portion of the parting line comprises a first main arc adjacent to a first non-circular dimple, a second main arc adjacent to a second non-circular dimple located on the opposing side of the parting line from the first non-circular dimple, and at least one intermediate arc connecting the first main arc and the second main arc.
15. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first main arc, the second main arc, and an intermediate arc connecting the first and second main arcs, and wherein each of the first and second main arcs maintains a tangency with the intermediate arc.
16. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein said portion of the parting line consists of the first main arc connected to a first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc connected to a second intermediate arc, and the second intermediate arc connected to the second main arc.
17. The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein the first main arc maintains a tangency with the first intermediate arc, the first intermediate arc maintains a tangency with the second intermediate arc, and the second intermediate arc maintains a tangency with the second main arc.
18. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein each arc forming a portion of the parting line has a radius of 0.062 inches or greater.
19. The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein each arc forming a portion of the parting line has a radius of 0.031 inches or greater.
20. 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 a plurality of main arcs, each main arc being selected from concentric arcs and non-concentric arcs;
each concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , that relates to an adjacent dimple having a diameter, D DIMPLE , such that
(
1.005
)
D
DIMPLE
2
≤
r
ARC
≤
(
1.06
)
D
DIMPLE
2
;
each non-concentric arc has a radius, r ARC , that relates to an adjacent dimple having a diameter, D DIMPLE , such that
(
0.10
)
D
DIMPLE
2
≤
r
ARC
≤
(
1.06
)
D
DIMPLE
2
;
each main arc is connected at each of its two ends to an adjacent main arc with a connector selected from a straight line segment, an intermediate arc, and combinations of two or more thereof; and
each arc on the parting line that is connected at an end to a straight line segment maintains a tangency with the straight line segment and each arc on the parting line that is connected at an end to another arc maintains a tangency with the arc.