Golf ball having dimples with concentric or non-concentric grooves
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsMichael R. Madson, Nicholas M. Nardacci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the alteration of the dimple surfaces. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having circular perimeters and dimple profiles having a concentric groove or a non-concentric groove on the surface of the dimple. The golf ball dimples of the present invention provide golf ball surfaces having unique appearances, while maintaining ideal aerodynamic characteristics.
Claims14
A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
- a plurality of dimples arranged in a dimple pattern on the spherical surface, wherein:
- the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having a circular plan shape,
- at least a portion of the plurality of dimples comprise a circular non-concentric groove on each dimple surface,
- the golf ball has a ratio of surface area of the grooves on the golf ball to total surface area of the golf ball that is replaced by the plurality of dimples of about 0.010 or less,
- each circular non-concentric groove has a groove diameter and each dimple has a dimple diameter, and a ratio of groove diameter to dimple diameter is about 0.05 to about 0.95.
A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
- a plurality of dimples arranged in a dimple pattern on the spherical surface, wherein:
- the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having a circular plan shape,
- at least a portion of the plurality of dimples comprises (i) at least two dimples, each dimple having on the surface thereof one circular non-concentric groove with a planar preferential direction, or (ii) at least two dimples, each dimple having on the surface thereof one circular non-concentric groove with an axial preferential direction, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), and
- a ratio of
- S
- ·
- N
- 4
-
- π
-
-
- R
- 2
-
- P
- is about 0.01 or less, wherein S is the average surface area for all grooves on the ball, N is the number of grooved dimples on the ball, R is the radius of the ball, and P is the surface coverage of the dimple pattern;
- and
- each circular non-concentric groove has a groove diameter and a first centroid, each dimple has a dimple diameter and a second centroid, and a distance between the first centroid and the second centroid is at least 5 percent of the dimple diameter.
A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
- a plurality of dimples arranged in a dimple pattern on the spherical surface, wherein:
- the plurality of dimples comprises dimples having a circular plan shape,
- at least a portion of the plurality of dimples include one or more dimples having a circular concentric groove and two or more dimples having a circular non-concentric groove, and
- a ratio of
- S
- ·
- N
- 4
-
- π
-
-
- R
- 2
-
- P
- is about 0.01 or less, wherein S is the average surface area for all grooves on the ball, N is the number of grooved dimples on the ball, R is the radius of the ball, and P is the surface coverage of the dimple pattern;
- and
- each circular concentric groove and each circular non-concentric groove has a groove diameter and each dimple has a dimple diameter, and a ratio of each groove diameter to dimple diameter is about 0.05 to about 0.95.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.