GOLF BALL
A golf ball includes a spherical outer surface and dimples formed on the spherical outer surface. The dimples are substantially identical to each other in size and shape, and distributed substantially uniformly across the spherical outer surface. The dimples are optimized with unique dimple properties, such as dimple shape, depth, number, and arrangement to effectively reduce the drag and increase the lift.
1 - 5 . (canceled)
6 . The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the overall angle is substantially equal to 360 degrees divided by two times a number of the dimples of a dimple set in the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets disposed at a latitude line adjacent to the equator of the spherical outer surface.
7 . The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the overall angle is an angle within a range of from about 5.294° to about 5.625°.
8 - 12 . (canceled)
13 . The golf ball of claim 38 , wherein:
the first latitude line is at an angle α with respect to the equator of the spherical outer surface; and
adjacent latitude lines are spaced apart from each other at a substantially constant angle interval β,
wherein α is different than β, and β=(90°−α)/8.
14 . The golf ball of claim 13 , wherein α is a value of about 5° and β is a value of about 10.625°.
15 . The golf ball of claim 32 , wherein the plurality of dimple sets comprises a number of dimples within a range of from about 346 to about 366 dimples.
16 . The golf ball of claim 32 , wherein each dimple in the plurality of dimple sets is dome-shaped.
17 . The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein:
the spherical outer surface has a diameter of 42.67±1.0 mm;
and
each dimple in the plurality of dimple sets has a height of 0.28±0.03 mm.
18 . The golf ball of claim 16 , wherein:
the spherical outer surface has a diameter of 42.67±1.0 mm; and
each dimple in the plurality of dimple sets has a base diameter of 4±0.4 mm and a height of 0.25±0.03 mm.
19 - 31 . (canceled)
32 . A golf ball comprising:
a spherical outer surface comprising a first hemispherical outer surface and a second hemispherical outer surface divided by an equator of the spherical outer surface; and
a plurality of dimple sets comprising a first plurality of consecutive dimple sets disposed on the first hemispherical outer surface and a second plurality of consecutive dimple sets disposed on the second hemispherical outer surface, wherein:
dimples in the plurality of dimple sets are substantially identical to each other in size and shape;
each of the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets and the second plurality of consecutive dimple sets comprises at least 7 dimple sets;
each of the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets comprises a first dimple; and
the first dimple of a respective dimple set in the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets is disposed at a respective location relative to a first longitude line of the spherical outer surface, wherein the first dimples of the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets are disposed alternately at or off the first longitude line of the spherical outer surface.
33 . (canceled)
34 . The golf ball of claim 32 , wherein
dimples of the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets collectively form a first dimple pattern on the first hemispherical outer surface;
dimples of the second plurality of consecutive dimple sets collectively form a second dimple pattern on the second hemispherical outer surface; and
the second dimple pattern is a copy of the first dimple pattern mirrored with respect to the equator of the spherical outer surface and rotated around a rotational axis of the golf ball by an overall angle.
35 - 36 . (canceled)
37 . The golf ball of claim 32 , wherein the first dimple of a first dimple set in the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets is disposed at a first polar point of the spherical outer surface.
38 . The golf ball of claim 37 , wherein:
the first plurality of consecutive dimple sets comprises nine dimple sets, wherein
the nine dimple sets comprise respectively X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, X8 and X9 numbers of dimples,
the dimple set comprising X1 number of dimples is disposed along a first latitude line that is adjacent to an equator of the spherical outer surface,
the dimple set comprising X9 number of dimples is the first dimple set consisting of the first dimple disposed at the first polar point,
the dimple sets comprising respectively X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and X8 number of dimples are disposed along seven latitude lines between the first latitude line and the first polar point, and
the respective locations of the first dimples for the nine dimple sets relative to the first longitude line of the spherical outer surface are:
c
1
=
0
;
c
2
=
360
°
/
(
2
*
X
2
)
;
c
3
=
0
;
c
4
=
360
°
/
(
2
*
X
4
)
;
c
5
=
0
;
c
6
=
360
°
/
(
2
*
X
6
)
;
c
7
=
0
;
c
8
=
360
°
/
(
2
*
X
8
)
;
and
c
9
=
0.
39 . The golf ball of claim 38 , wherein:
X1=32, 33, or 34;
X2=30, 31, or 32;
X3=28, 29, or 30;
X4=26 or 27;
X5=22 or 23;
X6=16, 17, or 18;
X7=12;
X8=6; and
X9=1.
40 . The golf ball of claim 38 , wherein:
c2 is a value within a range of from about 5.625° to about 6°;
c4 is a value within a range of from about 6.667° to about 6.923°;
c6 is a value within a range of from about 10° to about 11.25°; and
c8 is a value of about 30°.