GOLF BALL HAVING NON-PLANAR PARTING LINE

1 . A golf ball having a non-planar parting line and comprising a plurality of dimples located adjacent to the parting line defined along an equator of the golf ball,

wherein the plurality of dimples each include a dimple centroid having a latitudinal location (θ i ) and a longitudinal location (φ i ),

wherein the non-planar parting line is comprised of a plurality of arcuate segments, and at least one of the plurality of arcuate segments is at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment that is defined by:

{

y

i

=

-

(

h

i

+

ε

i

)

⁢

cos

⁡

(

π

Φ

i

⁢

(

x

-

R

⁢

sin

⁢

θ

i

⁢

sin

⁢

φ

i

)

)

,

θ

i

<

90.

°

y

i

=

(

h

i

+

ε

i

)

⁢

cos

⁡

(

π

Φ

i

⁢

(

x

-

R

⁢

sin

⁢

θ

i

⁢

sin

⁢

φ

i

)

)

,

θ

i

>

90.

°

where:

(Φ i ) is an arc factor (in inches),

(R) is a radius of the golf ball (in inches),

(h i ) is a longitudinal height (in inches) defined between: (i) the equator of the golf ball, and (ii) a maximum longitudinal position defined by an edge of a respective dimple that is nearest to the equator,

wherein the longitudinal height (h i ) is defined by:

h

i

=

Φ

i

2

-

❘

"\[LeftBracketingBar]"

R

⁢

cos

⁢

θ

i

❘

"\[RightBracketingBar]"

,

and

(ε i ) is a longitudinal distance (in inches) defined between: (i) the edge of the respective dimple that is nearest to the equator, and (ii) a maximum or minimum longitudinal position of the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment,

wherein ε i ≥0.003 inches.

2 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment spans one half period.

3 . The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment terminates on the equator.

4 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the arc factor (Φ i ) of the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment is less than a dimple diameter (D i ) of the nearest dimple adjacent to the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment.

5 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the arc factor (Φ i ) of the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment is greater than a dimple diameter (D i ) of the nearest dimple adjacent to the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment.

6 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the arc factor (Φ i ) of the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment is equal to a dimple diameter (D i ) of the nearest dimple adjacent to the at least one sinusoidal arcuate segment.

7 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein ε i ≥0.005 inches.

8 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein ε i ≤0.015 inches.

9 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein ε i ≤0.012 inches.

10 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the segments of the non-planar parting line are sinusoidal arcuate segments.

11 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the segments of the non-planar parting line are sinusoidal arcuate segments.