Dimple patterns with surface texture for golf balls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339302-A1
Application number	US-201615230811-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	Sep 4, 2014
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples covering greater than 70 percent of the outer surface, wherein at least 20 percent of the dimples incorporate directional surface texturing therein. The directional surface texturing preferably comprises substantially parallel channels or protrusions formed within the dimples.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A golf ball having an outer surface comprising a plurality of dimples covering greater than 70 percent of the outer surface, wherein at least 20 percent of the dimples incorporate directional surface texturing comprised of 3 or more substantially parallel linear channels having a U-shaped cross-section with a depth of less than 0.005 inch.

2 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the golf ball comprises less than 400 dimples and at least 50 percent of the dimples incorporate directional surface texturing therein.

3 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the dimples have linear channels that are disposed at an angle of between about 10 and 90 degrees with respect to linear channels of an adjacent dimple.

4 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the dimples have linear channels that are arranged at an angle of about 90 degrees with respect to linear channels of an adjacent dimple.

5 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein no dimple on the ball has an adjacent dimple with parallel linear channels.

6 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples on the ball have a dimple radius of at least 0.2 inch and the linear channels have a channel radius between 0.001 and 0.08 inch.

7 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the linear channels within a dimple extends entirely across the dimple and intersects the dimple perimeter.

8 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the linear channels within a dimple extend entirely across the dimple and intersect the dimple perimeter.

9 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the dimples are circular in plan shape and have a diameter of 0.11 inch to 0.22 inch and the linear channels have a channel radius of 0.01 inch to 0.08 inch and a channel depth of 0.0003 inch to 0.003 inch.

10 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the dimples are spherically shaped in cross-section and have dimple radius of 0.2 inch to 1.4 inch and the linear channels have a channel depth of 0.0003 inch to 0.003 inch.

11 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the dimples contain between 3 and 200 linear channels.

12 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the dimples contain between 3 and 50 linear channels.

13 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the dimples contain between 3 and 25 linear channels.

14 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the dimples has the same number of linear channels.

15 . The golf ball of claim 14 , wherein each of the dimples has a diameter and the linear channels have channel widths that vary based on the dimple diameters.

16 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the dimples has a number of linear channels therein that is based on the dimple diameter.

17 . The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein each of the dimples has a depth and the linear channels have depths that vary depending on the depth of the dimple.

Assignees

• Acushnet Co

Inventors

• Nardacci Nicholas M
• Madson Michael R
• Hixenbaugh Chris

Classifications

• A63B37/0006

  Arrangement or layout of dimples · CPC title

• A63B37/0015 Primary

  with sub-dimples formed within main dimples · CPC title

• A63B37/0021

  Occupation ratio, i.e. percentage surface occupied by dimples · CPC title

• A63B37/0019

  Specified dimple depth · CPC title

• A63B37/002

  Specified dimple diameter · CPC title