Molds and methods for molding golf balls having a thermoplastic polyurethane cover
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsAjay Vora, John M. Thornton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Golf ball molds and methods for molding golf balls, particularly golf balls having thermoplastic polyurethane covers, are provided. The molds and methods are particularly suitable for manufacturing covers for golf balls. Multi-piece golf balls having inner cores, outer cores, inner covers, and intermediate layers can be made. Retractable pins are used for holding the golf ball within the mold, wherein each retractable pin has a primary vent section, secondary vent section, and tertiary vent section for removing air and other gasses from the interior spherical cavity of the mold.
Claims23
A method for molding a golf ball, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold having a lower mold cavity and upper mold cavity, each mold cavity having an arcuate inner surface defining an inverted dimple pattern;
- so that when the upper and lower mold cavities are mated together, they define a mold having an interior spherical cavity for holding a golf ball subassembly;
- loading the golf ball subassembly into the interior spherical cavity of the mold, wherein the mold further includes two or more retractable pins for holding the golf ball within the spherical cavity, each retractable pin having a primary vent section, secondary vent section, and tertiary vent section, the primary vent being in fluid connection with the secondary vent and the secondary vent being in fluid connection with the tertiary vent for removing gasses from the interior spherical cavity, wherein the secondary vent is an elliptical-shaped channel that is positioned below the primary vent and extends around a full perimeter of the retractable pin, the elliptical-shaped channel including an elliptical top edge, an elliptical bottom edge and a radiused side wall connecting the elliptical top edge to the elliptical bottom edge;
- injecting a polymeric material into the spherical cavity to form a spherical cover over the golf ball sub-assembly;
- detaching the lower and upper mold cavities and removing the molded golf ball from the mold.
A mold for forming a golf ball cover, the mold comprising:
- a lower hemispherical-shaped mold cavity;
- an upper hemispherical-shaped mold cavity;
- each mold cavity having an arcuate inner surface defining an inverted dimple pattern;
- so that when the upper and lower mold cavities are mated together, they define a mold having an interior spherical cavity for holding a golf ball subassembly;
- and
- each mold cavity comprising at least one retractable pin for holding the golf ball within the spherical cavity, each retractable pin having a primary vent section, secondary vent section, and tertiary vent section, the primary vent being in fluid connection with the secondary vent and the secondary vent being in fluid connection with the tertiary vent for removing gasses from the interior spherical cavity,
- wherein the secondary vent is an elliptical-shaped channel that is positioned below the primary vent and extends around a full perimeter of the retractable pin, the elliptical-shaped channel including an elliptical top edge, an elliptical bottom edge and a radiused side wall connecting the elliptical top edge to the elliptical bottom edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.