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US 11,992,733 B1Granted
Concentricity measurement and classification system and method for golf balls and golf ball components
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsPaul Furze, Brian Comeau, Nicholas Nardacci, Edward Costa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for measuring and classifying golf balls and/or components thereof according to concentricity including automated inspection systems that can simultaneously image multiple golf balls (or components thereof) to gather and analyze data on concentricity and, optionally, classify or sort the multiple golf balls (or components thereof) according to the analyzed concentricity data.
Claims20
A system for determining eccentricity of a plurality of golf balls, comprising:
- a radiolucent ball-holding apparatus configured to secure a plurality of golf balls therein, wherein each of the plurality of golf balls comprise a center and a cover;
- an imaging system comprising at least one x-ray source and an imager capable of obtaining a first image of the plurality of golf balls at a first orientation and a second image of the plurality of golf balls at a second orientation, wherein the first orientation and the second orientation are perpendicular;
- an analyzer operatively coupled to the imaging system and capable of performing an inspection routine on the first and second images comprising determining eccentricity for each of the plurality of golf balls based on a first eccentricity of each corresponding golf ball in the plurality of golf balls at the first orientation and a second eccentricity of each corresponding golf ball in the plurality of golf balls at the second orientation and determining whether the eccentricity meets at least one predetermined threshold;
- and
- a sorting mechanism operatively coupled to the analyzer and capable of classifying each of the plurality of golf balls according to the at least one predetermined threshold.
2 more elements
A system for determining eccentricity of a plurality of golf balls, comprising:
- a radiolucent ball-holding apparatus configured to secure a plurality of golf balls therein, wherein each of the plurality of golf balls comprise a center and a cover;
- a first imaging system comprising a first x-ray source and a first imager capable of obtaining a first image of the plurality of golf balls at a first orientation;
- a second imaging system comprising a second x-ray source and a second imager capable of obtaining a second image of the plurality of golf balls at a second orientation, wherein the first orientation and the second orientation are perpendicular;
- an analyzer operatively coupled to the imaging system and capable of calculating eccentricity for each of the plurality of golf balls from the first and second images based on the following equation:
- Eactual=√{square root over ((EAoR2+E12E22))}
- where EAoR is the eccentricity along an axis of rotation, E1 is center shift calculated from the first image, and E2 is center shift calculated from the second image, wherein the analyzer is capable of determining whether the calculated eccentricity meets or exceeds a predefined threshold;
- and
- a sorting mechanism operatively coupled to the analyzer and capable of assigning a category to each of the plurality of golf balls according to the predefined threshold.
5 more elements
A method of determining concentricity of a plurality of golf balls, comprising:
- providing a plurality of golf balls each comprising a center and a cover;
- securing the plurality of golf balls in a holding apparatus, wherein the holding apparatus is radiolucent;
- providing at least one x-ray imaging system comprising an x-ray source and an imager;
- capturing a first x-ray image of the plurality of golf balls about a first axis;
- capturing a second x-ray image of the plurality of golf balls about the second axis, wherein the second axis is at an angle α to the first axis;
- and
- using a processor operatively connected to the x-ray imaging system,
- determining eccentricity for each of the plurality of golf balls from the first and second x-ray images based on the following equation:
- Eactual=√{square root over ((EAoR2+E12E22))}
- where EAoR is the eccentricity along an axis of rotation, E1 is center shift calculated from the first image, and E2 is center shift calculated from the second image;
- and
- categorizing each of the plurality of golf balls based on whether the calculated eccentricity meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.